CunninLynguists

To those unfamiliar with the CunninLynguists, their name would suggest they make juvenile, booty-obsessed rap music. However, this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. On each of their previous three albums, the Southern hip-hop group have steadily gained more credibility with critics, and Dirty Acres looks likely to continue that pattern. With Kno’s molasses-thick production skills and the pastoral intonations of primary MCs Deacon the Villain and Natti, the music on Dirty Acres is the direct opposite of the synth-driven crunk that currently presents itself as the sound of the South. The sound and vibe pervading the album are actually reminiscent of Aquemini-era Outkast and indeed, the album begins with a spoken word intro from Dungeon Family crew member Big Rube. While the MCs are not lyrical gymnasts, their verses are blessed with vivid insight and introspection into everyday life that reveal more with every listen. "Wonderful,” featuring the inimitable Devin the Dude, and the idyllic "The Park” highlight pick-up lines and good times, but soon the blue-collar struggle reasserts itself as the primary theme on the record. "The lies, the pain, the truth, the hurt/the music, the soul, it’s all in the dirt” is the refrain on the album’s title track. In short, it’s hip-hop music for grown folks.