Review: Year of the Dragon, "Take Control"

Take Control is the third album from Year of the Dragon, an L.A.-based metal/funk/rap outfit with an arsenal of heavy riffs, deep grooves, and songs that move easily between chilled-out neighborhood strolls and politically conscious tirades. It’s a skillful album with a big heart, and while a few too-easy rhymes and vocal melodies come off as less than fresh, in total it’s a powerful batch of songs and a seriously fun listen.  

One of the pleasures of this album is the way the band zig-zags through breakneck changes without a hitch, then settles into a killer groove. That’s how the album opens, too – in the intro to “Fly or Die,” the record’s first song:

I love that in the middle of this intricate set of hits and fills, the whole band comes together at 00:12 for the lyrics “fly-die” just before moving into the verse. And the verse itself is nice too, with drummer Kerim Imes’s double-time funk supporting guitarist Marc Rey’s staccato, slowly building riff, all leaving lots of space for the vocals. (Full disclosure – Marc and I played in a band together in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s).  

The vocals themselves are one of the album’s centerpieces, split between Fishbone alum “Dirty Walt” Kibby and Flyin’ J. The combo of two lead vocalists with unique styles gives the band a versatility that keeps you on your toes, going from easy and melodic, to hardcore metal-guttural, to straight rap. One of my favorite vocal performances comes in the album’s second song, “Fitz and Startz,” a precision speed-metal romp elevated by insistent rhymes and unexpected harmonies. The stomping gait and all-the-fuck-out-of-patience shout of the song’s opening grab you before spilling you down the relentless fastrack of Rey’s and bassist T-Bone’s tightly knit melody. Then Kibby and Flyin’ J’s harmony in the chorus bring it from a hardcore complaint to kind of transcendent anthem. It’s become my new favorite song to put on repeat and crank at top volume in my car or through headphones on a run, and it’s worth hearing in its 2-minute entirety:

You’ll also find great vocal performances on the album’s title song, with some solid up-tempo rhyming and a call-and-response style verse, along with a nicely melodic chorus. These two tracks – “Fitz and Startz” and “Take Control” – have a lyrically serious vibe, but one vocal strength of the album is the way Kibby signals that he takes the music and the issues he talks about deadly seriously while not taking himself too seriously at all. “Junkie” brings this out most clearly. It’s a song about a hugely important issue affecting millions – addiction to prescription painkillers – but with its bouncy beat and lyrics, it plays out like a dark comedy. Imes’s beat is a laid-back funk groove and Rey’s lines are spare and tight, leaving lots of room to hear T-Bone’s intricate, melodic bassline. “Why you do that? Why you do this? This fuckin’ pain got me caught in a twist,” Kibby and Flyin’ J sing in the chorus before Kibby wails in the background “I think I’m dying!” This touch could be maudlin, but Kibby’s delivery serves up a kind of sly wink that keeps the moment light without lessening the topic’s weight. “I took these pills so I wouldn’t get sick,” Kibby and Flyin’ J sing in the last chorus, “and now my jones is killin me quick.” 

On an album chock full of creative, interesting progressions and licks, there are a few spots where the vocal melody lapses into a sing-song repetitiveness. The verses on “The Wreckoning” and “Politricks” do this and feel uninspired – which is too bad because, especially in the latter track, the lyrics are refreshingly direct: “Racist-ass Republicans, know you’re party’s getting thin,” and, “Fuck you Clarence Thomas, your laws are here to harm us. Fuck you Uncle Thomas…” 

The album’s next-to-last song, “Simple Man,” is its most easygoing, sending the listener off into an L.A. summertime weekend. Kibby takes us along for the ride: “Saturday I’m rollin through the hood, I catch the OGs and see what’s good. Skating rink in the AM, then the park, throw a barbecue, hangin there until dark…” I like a good peek behind the curtain of an artist’s version of the good life, and Kibby’s is an easy fit for any listener. It reminded me of one of my favorite all-time lyrics, from Black Sheep’s “Gimme the Finga” – “and everyday is Saturday my friend. Go to sleep, wake up – yo! It’s Saturday again.”

One last thing that’s important but easy to overlook – this album sounds good. The vocals are clear and intimate. The snare cracks and the individual quality of each cymbal comes through. The guitar and bass are precise and don’t wallow in effects. The whole package makes for a great listen from a group at the top of their game.