King Dylan

King Dylan's self-produced live instrumentation, composed of epic indie rock and classical quartets, anchored by drumbeats borrowed from hip-hop and clubby electronica, quickly becomes cheesy when combined with Dylan's constant (but catchy) indie pop hooks and harmonizing background vocals. Still, Dylan flips flows from slow and meticulous into singsong styles or just out-and-out singing, and his flawless fastball delivery over Dirty South double timer "Adrenaline Cool" proves dude can definitely rap. It's one of the few braggadocio battle tracks on Heart vs. Brain, but like his songs about love, loss, living right and being an individual, the lyrics are primarily positive and fun. Speaking of which, party track "Have Some Fun," featuring his group D.C. Show, is also a highlight, but the spotlight lingers longest on Moka Only's boastful third verse guest spot on "I Still Fly," maybe the most hip-hop moment on the album. Hardcore heads will have a hard time accepting this as hip-hop, but King Dylan will appeal to fans of Cage's new direction, especially if they're looking for something a little lighter.