“Untitled: Accepting Ideas from God” by Marvel
(Album Review)
Marvel is an artist who lives up to
the tittle. A very perceptive and driven individual, his latest creation “Untitled: Accepting Ideas from God” is
just that. Over the course of the album it feels as though he approached the
studio a blank canvas and gave full control to God to paint the melodies of
life needed to be spoken upon. Untitled
is an interconnected exploration of black life set to a ambiance where you’re duty-bound
to light a blunt but have another rolled, kick back your feet… cut off the lights
and let your thoughts journey out. 
Marvel sets the tone early with the
contagious “Intro”. The sweeping
bells arrange for a comforting but unnerving lullaby filled sensitivity as
Marvel’s tuneful stream plays tour guide through the Black American nightmare
with lyrics such as “Better open your
eyes wide and wake up. They poisoned a whole population… I can tell by the
conversations… that I have with the kids that’s half my age…just…livin’ life
with no patience... 106 and park got ‘em all gassed up. Light a match up,
they’ll blaze up!” which ironically could be used in direct relation to the
catastrophe befallen the people of Flint, Michigan. Marvel illustrates he’s not
one to hold back his beliefs for instance there’s the questioning of Christian
imagery used in direct association to America’s condescending conduct towards
minorities “gave us a white Jesus, hail
to white people. But I bet that was the whole intention tho”. By the end of the track you will indeed feel
the world does maybe have us hypnotized.
This venture reflects a pronounced sense
of carefully fashioned concepts and reverberations being able to mesh well as
you travel further along. The listener becomes aware very quickly that one of
the things that Marvel stands for is manhood
and its role in family. He flexes his artistry switching things up a bit with a
spoken word track. Marvel cunningly flows from the approach of a young black
woman in “Daughterless Father” spilling
her overflown “you’re making it hard for me to be my best. When I should feel
blessed. Instead you have cursed me to not trust. And sleep without rest.”
The track ends with an unpretentious but commanding inquiry of will we be the
men we are needed to be?
frustrations out
towards the man who wasn’t there to raise her
The theme of family continues with records
like “Parents”, the jubilant “Father’s Day” where he proudly boasts
his affection from his precious daughter “every
day I wake up, I think about your beautiful smile…” while recognizing he is
a King to an princess he gives praises while reminiscing his mother with lines
like “Hate you can’t see your grandma,
she could of taught you about life. Gave you game. Helped you stand tall. But
it’s all good tho! She stood for, love and happiness. Grandma was a solider,
believe she looking over!”
On “Walls”… Marvel once
again displays an aptitude to appreciate all angles through his works,
addressing how men mistreatment of women often causes a cycle leading to constructions
of internal walls “She tired of love, she
don’t wanna fall no mo’. Promise herself she never get called no hoe. He done
her wrong, so she turn off her phone. Hopin’ you don’t call no mo’. She just
hides behind her walls… she just hides behind her walls”
Society seems so committed to for
years thrust the notion of absent black fathers and black men not loving their
women. Marvel begs to differ, and does so with a refreshing conviction throughout
the album with what seems to be an unconscious necessity to express otherwise.
And you know Marvel,
whose movement: Live in
Peace is very active in being involved in the community, even recently
collecting massive amounts of water for the people of Flint, couldn’t not not
give you theme music to rise up to! With tracks such as “Live in Peace” (a
ballad calling for harmony and cease-fire as he reflects over Dice’s smooth
crooning) or the West Coast swayed “The Whole World Is a Ghetto” produced by Mr. Analog, he does just
that.
The drums pounds with
fury on the hard hitting “For the Massa”… A roar of defiance that enough is enough! The bars
compliment, going just as hard as well! “We
ain’t shit, is what massa sellin and… we rebelling since we learned about our
melanining. Shit pass the weed let’s get higher, feel like Gravey with a rifle.
I’m a King by design and desire”. Marvel here provokes a Tupac level of
passion reminding me of “Holler If You Hear Me”… but speaking of channeling
ancestors.
On the reggae funk filled “Freedom Spoke”, you feel as though the
legend Bob Marley cosigned the vibe personally as his vocals lead way to the track.
Marvel uses the flow to drop gems and provide real goals with simplistically
deep stanzas like “I just want to make it
out the ghetto before they take me out. Or take us out like Tubman, I’m a make
a route”.
Marvel’s “Untitled: Accepting Ideas from God” is a well-crafted project that
you can let flow from top to bottom. The production is stellar, and Marvel
comes off as a man fully understanding that time is precious and that he has a
message to share. So he gives it to you via music you can truly enjoy.
Album Rated: Certified Treal!
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