Louis Logic is a product of the early 2000′s indie hip-hop movement, which saw many underground artists that were fed up with the major label system, venture out on their own to release their music. This movement spawned many staples of the backpack rap movement – including this website – along with many other establishments such as Fat Beats, Stones Throw, Rawkus, and more. Alongside names like Eminem, Little Brother, and Talib Kweli, the movement gave birth to Louis Logic, who struck gold with a “hit” single “Factotum”, followed by a cult-classic debut, Sin-A-Matic, some ten years ago.

Louis Logic has sporadically released music over the last decade, largely teaming with producer J.J. Brown, who expertly produced both Sin-A-Matic, and its follow-up, Misery Loves Comedy. But after being disillusioned with the scene that birthed him, Lou ventured out with his Spork Kills offshoot project, described as a “Surf/ Hip Hop/ Balkan fusion band”, which pretty much was exactly what it sounds like it is. While the project saw brief support from MTVu, it failed to catch on, and left his core fanbase disgruntled.

Look On The Blight Side is Lou’s new first solo project since 2006. This may be considered his first “true” solo effort, as during his time off, he’s come into his own as a producer and a live musician, not having to rely on others for beats.

The production style of Look On The Blight Side is slightly less “boom-bap” than that of previous creator J.J. Brown, but musically the sound is still classic Louis Logic. The main difference here is that Lou is incorporating folky, sung vocals into each of the tracks, in some sort of demonstration of his multiple talents. The hooks, which are included on most of the songs, find Louis singing in a multi-layered, high-pitched, Peter Paul & Mary-esque style, meshed with his usual brand of well-written, darkly humorous rhymes.

However this shift in style ultimately hurts Look On The Blight Side, an already bleak album. He pulls back on the singing on “A Day Late and A Dollar Short”, which is sort of a more depressing take on indie rap failure than what was found on J-Zone’s Peter Pan Syndrome. This track sets the stage for the album perfectly, not overusing the singing, setting up what could have been a great LP.

However as the album progresses, Lou gets more comfortable with his singing, as “The Joke’s On You” employs it a bit more, while its follow-up, the two-part “Don’t Care” is only singing. By the time “Bet The Farm”, the album’s fourth track comes in, another with a folky sung hook, it becomes very clear that this is the direction he wants to take his music in, like it or not. Almost defensively, Lou seems annoyed by critics and fair weather fans on “Chip Off The Old Blog”, almost guessing that they might shun this album, and hitting them with a venomous pre-emptive strike.

Yet its not to say that this album is complete failure. From both lyrical and production standpoints, Look On The Blight Side is a very well put together, thoughtful LP, most notably on the dedication to his mother, “Across The Water”. Unfortunately, the album’s depressing themes of death, loss, and failure are not helped by Lou’s experimentation with singing all of the hooks, which ultimately hurts the final product. From the sounds of things, Louis Logic may be down in the dumps. But he hasn’t lost his talent, he just may not be harnessing it right.

Louis Logic will make his return to the game on Oct. 29th, with his new album, Look On The Blight Side. A record release party will be held in Brooklyn @ Glasslands on November 3rd. The tracklist is as follows:

01. A Day Late And A Dollar Short
02. The Joke’s On You
03. Don’t Care
04. Bet The Farm
05. They Don’t Make ‘Em Like They Used To
06. Chip Off The Old Blog
07. Look On The Blight Side
08. Big Fish Eat The Little Fish
09. Across The Water
10. Leaving Again

Louis Logic has a new album dropping on April 6th, 2010 called Me & Everyone You Know, on Pot To Piss In Records. The new album focuses on collaborations with today’s new generation of up and coming artists, such as Black Mask, who opens up the track “Broken Record” below. Here’s a hint – Emusic has the exclusive digital advance on the album right now.

Tracklist:
01. Playing For Keeps (with Mdusu)
02. Right N Wrong (with Bo Jankans)
03. Natural Selection (with Anecdote & M-Phazes)
04. What You Want (with Nocturnal Artist, Ivan Ives & Big Jess)
05. The Lone Gunners (with Bugz)
06. Knock Knock (with Lakai)
07. Party Crashers (with The Let Go)
08. Knock Knock Bastardface (with Atari Blitzkrieg & Roc C)
09. The Long Way Down (with KAWZ)
10. Confinement (with The Day Laborers)
11. Broken Record (with Black Mask)

- Louis Logic – “Broken Record” (feat. Black Mask) (MP3)

     You can expect to find more of the same types of songs on Misery Loves Comedy as you did on Sin-A-Matic. Sprinkled in between his usual punch-rhyme filled rants and movies for the blind, Louis follows a pretty straight-forward formula of first coming off like a completely insensitive asshole and then making up for it with thoughtfulness, and the contradicting it all with even stranger, more obsessive relationship perspectives.

     Naturally, before delving into the deeper subject material, Lou defines himself on tracks like “New Leaf” and “Captain Lou El Wino”, both of which profess his love for hip-hop music and his alcoholic asshole tendencies, over classically trained hip-hop production by JJ Brown. After several “rewind that!” moments, you’ll find him approaching more substantial topics, such as on “The Line”, where he obsesses over his best friend’s girl, vowing never to break their trust. Again on “Lust For Beginners”, where he adopts an overly animated game-show host like quality in his delivery, perversely hitting you with left and right nasty puns (whether you like it or not).

      This stuff is decent, but he doesn’t really catch your attention until midway through the album with “All Girls Cheat”, a characteristically obsessive diatribe about unfaithful women, followed by “The Withdrawal Method”, which more or less covers some of the same ground. But the crown jewel of the album comes in the form of “A Perfect Circle”, an almost “Stan”-like narrative, brilliantly penned and drenched in irony. He follows up with the incredible “Classy McNasty”, where he adopts a new rhyme style inspired by JJ Brown’s jazzy loops, once again impressing with breathless flow and tons of quotables. The same can be said for the self-depreciating, darkly mono  “Up To No Good”, which gives another look into his multi-faceted personality.

      Misery Loves Comedy is a good follow-up to Sin-A-Matic, with minor strokes of brilliance here and there, but it’s not without it’s faults. Lou has a hate-it-or-love it sing-songy style about his delivery that will split fans between those who see it as musically brilliant or just plain overkill. Not to mention, the wall-to-wall production of J.J. Brown lacks the diversity of the last LP’s team of producers. At the same time, Lou’s constant shifting of styles seems like he is definitely trying to change things up to keep things interesting, but at times the sound of the record begins to drown in monotony. These alternate styles and different perspectives are the album’s saving graces.  

   But not at all to rain tragedy on Lou’s Comedy. This is a solidly crafted LP, which shows that both Lou and J.J. are talented artists with potential to grow, but you almost want him to reinvent the wheel next time around, going in a totally different direction, without more songs about relationships or dirty sex. What else can come from the mind of Louis Logic? We’re excited to see what he has in store for us next.

    Jay Love and Louis Logic hook up for what can be described as the lewd album of the year hands down (a far cry from Louis Logic’s Sin-a-Matic). It’s all in good fun though, as the many of the songs showcase the naughty minds of the two emcees. Joints like “Wreckyalife” featuring production by J.J. Brown are just flat out ignorant, yet may bring out a snide snicker out of those with an over the top sense of humor. Louis Logic, of course, may top the crudeness of the song with lines like “Oh so now we getting trife?/well then you bet your life/I take potshots at my ex when I bless the mic/she’s a freak 5 days out of the week/the other 2 she’s a filthy fuckin whore laid out on the sheets/so getting played out on the beat won’t kill you/when you gone and bone so much that even Johnny Holmes meat won’t fill you/(ewww dude)hold up/I ain’t the one out and getting my holes plugged/with a birds eye view of hundreds of genitals close up….”. It’s pretty much along these lines that the album stays. The duo threaten the hell out of everyone with the solid “Beat Your Ass” and attack the mic ferociously with “Simple Words.” Celph Titled, J-Zone and J.J. Brown give the album the hint of ignorance needed to keep up the pace with the mic passing efforts of “Open the Mic.” They even inquire about some of the things we wonder about but don’t say out loud on “Por Que”. The Avid Record Collector and J.J. Brown hold down the production end of the album with solid production from both (J.J. Brown with “Too
Much Heat” and Avid with “The Lounge”).

     The issues with Alcohol/ism lie within how much of this naughty album can one man (or woman even) take. In wit, it’s a far cry from the likes of J-Zone, although it may be the next best thing (or only next thing). After a while the lewdness loses steam and may have the listener searching for something a little more sharp in wit. Songs like “Between Your Legs” are a bit too distasteful. As Jay Love and Louis Logic lament about a woman’s pubic hair, it is apparent that this may not be the CD you would want to play around your mate out loud. It’s so crude that at the end of the day, when you are all finished listening to their debacles, you want to hide it underneath the sink where your father’s old Hustler magazines are hidden. Whether you ever will pull Alcohol/ism out for another listen is totally up for debate. But seriously…how many times can you “read” the same dirty
magazine? Ummm…don’t answer that.

    With such a great debut track, it seemed almost impossible for Lou to top it, but along with producer J.J. Brown (not to mention other co-conspirators Celph Titled, The Molemen, The Avid Record Collector, Cimer Amor, and King Honey), Lou has not only topped his breakout single, but gone above and beyond the call of duty delivering a highly conceptual, lyrically witty (is brilliant too strong a word to use here?), and well-produced debut full-length. 

 From the get-go, it almost begins as an almost too similar carnival ride of shock, as the Drunken Dragon delivers visually disturbing rhymes on “Freak Show”, a bleak look at the world we live in, or “Coochie Coup”, an offensively funny dedication to the fajita (fah-jy-tah). Lou keeps on course later in the album with incredibly likable tracks that examine his twisted views on relationships (see both “The Rest” and “Idiot Gear”). While each of these tracks will induce confusion, laughter, disapproval, vomit, or all of the above, comparisons will be made to other rappers that sing to this same mantra (Eminem, Cage), however the deeper the listener gets into the album, the more intricate Lou’s concepts get. Case in point, “Dust To Dust”, which follows “Idiot Gear” takes the paranoia a step further and examines what actually happens to the lonely souls drowning in their own self-pity after they leave the bar. 

 This type of visual, narrative, rhyme-heavy story-telling extends throughout the second half of the album, such as on the two-part “Best Friends” / “Revenge” – an unexpected romp that begins with a mellow Diamond D-esque track (props to the Avid Record Collector), where Lou trusts fellow Demigod Apathy to watch over his girl, only to be stuck figuring out later with Celph Titled what to do with his dead body in the second part. Meanwhile, “Fair Weather Fan” is another excellent track, where Lou rhymes from the perspective of three different critics judging his work (all due respect to Oliver “O-Dub” Wang, no offense); and on the same token, “The Ugly Truth” will throw listeners for a loop the first time they hear it, as Lou degrades just about every racial background only to be revealed as someone else holding the mic at the end.     

Sin-A-Matic is the perfect title for Lou’s magnum opus debut, as it is a visual tour-de-force creatively built upon the sarcasm, sex, drugs, and violence his world revolves around, and thankfully you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out. As one of the strongest indy projects to be released this year (thanks to consistency in all areas - beats, rhymes, song structure, etc), once the word gets out, it’s only a matter of time before the majors step in and give Lou a shot at the big leagues. With offshoot projects in the works to hold us over (The Odd Couple (J-Love & Louis Logic) , Demigodz), after this catches on, heads will be drooling for his next blend of “sex music and beer, into a work of art that you shouldn’t hear”.

LL: Yeah!!! these are the kind of questions I LIKE to be asked. The one’s that provide me with the opportunity to spout endlessly about the merits of my work.  All non-believers consider yourself smited. If you are one of those assholes who just refuses to give it up for a guy who busted his ass to make a quality album, namely me, then fuck you and the horse you rode in on. You are shit, I’m champagne.

HHS: Sin-A-Matic is chock full of concept songs, in your opinion, is the concept song a dying breed in hip hop?

LL: I can’t rightly endorse an idea like that, seeing as how the most successful material I’ve released has been conceptual, and by all indications, it seems Sin-A-Matic, which is almost entirely conceptual, is going to far exceed the notoriety of any of my previous efforts.  It would be fatalistic of me to subcribe to some shit like that. Why don’t more people do conceptual material?  I think it’s harder because it requires a cohesion of themes and ideas that most are not patient or insightful enough to synthesize. How do you like that ask yourself a question and then answer it style?…Slimy isn’t it?

HHS: Bro’s before hoes?  Yes or no?

LL: I guess that depends on what that phrase means to you.  If my friend fucks my girl, does he stick around to nurse me through the guilt I have over decapitating her?  Hell no, I’d stick his fucking ass in a box as well.  Euphemistically speaking, of course.  Real killers go to jail and get hiney fucked…..Not for me.  If you mean do I sometimes prefer a night of raucous bar antics to sweet cuddly love shit? Fuck yeah! I have shined a hot chick for days on end so I could do “me” shit.  Sometimes, I just can’t deal with that whole male-female communication barrier thing. Shit every girl I’ve ever had a relationship with inevitably takes off because I am more interested in my music and my friends than I am in chick flicks and spooning.

HHS: The reason I ask is because, speaking of concept records and relationships, you really flip the script with “Best Friends” and its going to make a lot of fella’s paranoid about having their “bro’s” hold shit down.  Where did the concept originate from?

LL: You want to hear this?  I mean, it will only make anyone who felt insecure after hearing the idea presented as a humorous two song ecsapade feel worse.  The answer is reality.  I’ve been fucked over.  This record, comical as it may be, is not about super-nigga.  Motherfuckers lose in real life, and they don’t always look cool doing it.  You have to love the humility of it, though.  You go to your favorite bar and laugh about it over drinks, or you go into a studio and entertain others at your own expense,….or, you the do both of the above, like me.

HHS: You seem to air a lot of dirty laundry on the record, it’s evident that you have a pretty jilted look at the female species, how much is fact and how much is fiction?

LL: I’m a math retard barely capable of elementary addition, subtraction, mutilplication and division, so I can’t quantify the fact/fiction ratio for you, but I can offer this:  To all my  ex-girlfriends, “HOW YOU LIKE ME NOW!!!”  I’m kidding.  I don’t want to take all of the mystique out of the music.  The internet has already sapped a lot of the fun out of music magic with its early leaked releases, live feeds of recording sessions and “way too behind the scenes” looks at how artists create. You can wonder for yourself, or just assume that you’ve got it figured out.  Either way, you wouldn’t believe the shit I manage to stumble into even if I told you the truth. I have my drinking to thank for that.

HHS: Obviously your persona on the record is a wild, dark, cartoon like character – how far off is this from the real Louis Dorley?

LL: Well, by extrapolation, I’m sure you could figure out that I do not kill people, fuck ALL of the women or walk on water.  It is true that much of the album is inspired by my life, but I’m not gonna split hairs about how much is fact and how much is fiction. Louis Dorley loves to write drink and fuck, and every once in a while he even socks someone in the teeth. No biggie, I’m just like you only with a higher tolerance and a healthy discography of quality rap shit.

HHS: As the “Factotum” series grows in popularity, your love for alcohol and the amount you consume is apparently unmatched.  Do you have more alcohol induced tales in store?

LL: You think I don’t when I do?  You can expect more than just additonal chapters in the Factotum series, but I don’t wanna give away any surprises.  There will be a healthy dose of depravity and drinking on anything I associate myself with, because drinking makes you smarter. It’s a surgeon general supported fact.  Who knows, maybe one of you readers out there will cross paths with me and become a part of one of my ridiculous scotch soaked stories.

HHS: What are the pros and cons to copulating while being incredibly intoxicated?

LL:  Well, I got three words for ya on the “pros” end, Stam In A!!! Shit, the dick feel like he’s coated in sheet metal after a good night of drinking.  That can be good or bad though. On the one hand you don’t have to stress about that whole minute-man thing, but then, some people can’t spread the mayonnaise if they’re too drunk to hold the knife.  I don’t have that problem. Even if I’m so bloody I can’t say my own name, the gun goes BANG!!! when a chick pulls the trigger. Now, that’s not even taking into consideration whether or not SHE can enjoy it.  Contrary to what my music might make people think, I’m a romantic nigga. I don’t even wanna fuck if baby can’t get her shit off too. It’s like Sean Bateman, Patrcik Bateman’s (American Psycho) brother says in Ellis’ Rules of Attraction: “What’s the point of fucking a girl who can’t come? It’s like asking questions in a letter”, to para-phrase that tasty piece of work.

HHS: Keeping in line with alcohol fixation, what’s your view on sharing alcohol and its many benefits with loved ones?  Do you urge those closest to you, girlfriend, and family members too partake as well?  Also, in your eyes, is it (in)appropriate for “man’s best-friend” (in particular your dog) to be given abowl-full of suds every so-often after a long walk on a hot summer day?

LL: I’m not fixated, man, I’m in love.  Romanitc nigga, right? Yeah, so anyway.  What kind of uncle would I be if I give my brother’s and sister’s kids their first buzz? What do you take me for? A greedy Neanderthal?  Mama taught me to share. As for my bitch,…No, not my girl, my dog, she’s been drinkin’ since the first week I had her. In fact her first beer ever was the current reigning champion of alcohol content for a brew, DogFishHead World Wide Stout, clocking in at over 23% alcohol. She didn’t even ask if she could have some. She just hopped up on the bar and helped herself.  Now, that’s what I call a real bitch.

HHS: While you have become somewhat synonymous for your party-inducing favorites, “The Ugly Truth” is a politically and racially tinged departure for you that is as brilliant as it is shocking.  Obviously you know this track is bound to cause some waves, what was your motivation for the track and are you worried that some people will not catch the true message? Was “The Ugly Truth” a direct attack on Bush or politicians in general?

LL: The Ugly Truth is an attack on all of you. I didn’t make those things up. These are things I learned from the people I’ve come into contact with.  People really believe shit like that, and that’s what the song is about. Even more than that, the song is about how surprising it would be if you knew all of the people who embraced such warped ideals.  You probably couldn’t even imagine just who.  So in answer to your question, this song has nothing to do with George Bush.  Who gives a flying fuck if he tells a nigger joke here and there in his spare time?  Sucks for him if he really feels that way, because hate don’t make ya happy. The point is, I could have chosen anybody. It was only done with the intent to get people to think, and to talk about these things that we all know so well, but feel so ashamed to discuss openly. Let the arguments and complaints ensue. I hope the stink raises up to high heaven, if there be such a place.  Also, on a side note, I know the FBI monitors folks who have suspiscious dealings, and I thought it might be amusing to get onto that list for shits and giggles.

HHS: Speaking of which, on “Fair Weather Fans”, you dissed rap critic Oliver ‘O-Dub’ Wang. Why was this?

LL: Just a lot of back and forth disagreement and I didn’t like the way he handled himself. I don’t have a defintive comment on the O-Dub situation… I’ve said what i had to say to him, about him… and now i’d like to get on to the business of forgetting that he exists.

HHS: It’s been rumored that you were in negotiations with a few other major labels before the release of Sin-A-Matic. Hypothetically, are you happier things worked out with Solid, as you probably wouldn’t have had all of this freedom on a major.

LL:  Sure freedom is great, but I’ve said it before when asked in an interview. The goal of an artist is to have as many people as possible appreciate the art. I want everyone to have to listen to my antics and to enjoy it all the while.  I don’t know how much it would have affected the sound of my LP if I were on a major.  That didn’t change Dilated Peoples’ sound at all.  Not that those guys are breaking any sales records, but I think it’s great that they are one of the few acts who still make boom-bap with a bigger budget, regardless of the fact that I don’t listen to their music.

HHS: You cover allot of the Indy vs. Major Label debate on “Fair Weather Fan” but as an underground artist, is signing to a major label (minus the budgets) somewhat overrated, especially in the current climate?

LL: I wouldn’t know. I’ll get back to you when I try it. Next question.

HHS: You kept all of the collaborations on Sin-A-Matic basically in house (Demigodz) but was there anyone you were trying to work with who you weren’t able to catch up with?

LL: That was totally purposeful.  I mean no disrespect to those who seek out collabs, but I don’t believe in that.  I prefer to stand on the merits of my own music, and my faith in those with whom I surround myself. I already work with the people I like the most, no bullshit. Besides, did the Beatles need the Eagles to guest appear on their shit to make classics and sell records?…No.

HHS: What’s next for Louis Logic?  Is Sin-A-Matic just an audition for something loftier?  Also, we hear rumors that your working with J-Zone and have a project nearly wrapped with Jay Love, can u divulge anything? What can we expect from your collaborative album with Jay Love, “The Odd Couple”?

LL:  Something loftier? You bet your sweet ass. An audition, not really, more of a demonstration of a personal standard. I am working with several different well known and respected artists, including J-Zone on a project of undetermined length at this point.  I will be wrapping up work on the Odd Couple LP in the near future, if Jay Love and I can stop spending all of our session time getting fucked up and going to strip clubs. Thus far, this album will be everything that Sin-A-Matic is not in that it will contain a limited number of conceptual, story songs, a posse song, and it is thematically a good times, beats and rhymes record.  There are no serious addresses on this project.  It’s like the Beatnuts only without the guns.

HHS: How did you hook up with Demigodz? and what’s the latest on the Demigodz sophomore effort?

Well, didn’t you get your invite to join?  Ap was bringing everyone and their mom aboard, I just didn’t want to be the only one not up in it.  I’m just glad we started the follow up and I can only say this much right now: It WILL focus on the more prominent menbers of the collective rather than the up and comers, and I will have a more focal role in this ALBUM, not an EP!  Also, since I will be more involved with the contributing and decision making,  everyone will be forced to adhere to a strict drinking quota from here on out in order to participate in the group.

HHS: Do you have any input on the beef that went down with members of the Demigodz and the Weathermen crews?

LL:  Is that a real question? C’mon man. I’m not biting into that shit sandwich. Next question.

HHS: Any closing words of knowledge you would like to impart on the hip-hop masses?

LL:  Read my column in Elemental Magazine, “Idiocracy”. You will find the answers to nothing of consequence there, but it may make you smirk like the guy who leaves a stinky ass silent fart in an elevator. www.louislogic.com  …peas.

While he has never had a problem holding down the mic by himself, he seems to rip even harder when paired up with his boys. This release is full of those collabs, which results in countless treats for heads into clever lyrics. The J.J. Brown produced “Logic & Reason”, features his Penn State fam R-Son (Flight Brothers/Figures Of Speech), as the duo goes back and forth with such ease that can only be attained by years of rocking together. Tracks he has done with his side groups, such as Odd Couple’s (w/Jay Love) “Por Que” & “Pimp Shit” and Brews Brothers (w/Charlie Bawles & Mr. Jason) “Happy Hour” & “Ready For War” also pop-up. The nastily constructed Celph Titled banger “Paper Mache” gets included, as Louie, Celph, Rahsheed, and Apathy tear the mic to shreds. Thankfully added to the line-up is the heavily slept-on Media 101  joint “Mischief Nite”, which has the trio doing what they do best – corrupting and causing trouble.

Remember the talk of Logic being able to stand on his own? Even with all the guests, he still includes songs that give us a healthy dose of the bugged thoughts and ill punch lines to remind us why we all love him so much. Up and coming producer, Cimer Amor cooks up a dirty funk track for “Lecture (Demo)” while Lou’s “calling all emcees, please to the lecture room” and relays that they “can go to hell, like the motherfuckers who shot Big L.” He brings forth the “fed-up with the day job” anthem “Postal 2000 (Demo)”, a very relatable tale of having to deal with 9 to 5 b.s in which we find our favorite beer guzzler going over the edge. The LP comes to a close with a deep, educational look into society and history. “Trail Of Tears” is an emotional track and while J.J. Brown will have your head nodding, it’s Louis’s lyrics that will have you thinking way after the story ends.

Clocking in at very tolerable 49 minutes, Debacle In A Bottle will appeal to all of his fans that do not buy vinyl or want all his current releases together. Lou’s words are precisely crafted and though he might be cheered for his tales of battling and partying, there is also light shed on his diversity and ability to make people put down the bottle for a second and pick up a book. This self-released CD-R is another solid brick in which should be the road to success for Louis Logic and his Demigodz fam.