Bike For Three! - More Heart Than Brains

If you were to first hear of Bike For Three! as a MySpace collaboration between a Canadian rapper and a Belgian electronica artist who have never met, chances are most people wouldn't give this album the time of day, let alone the two listens I have given to write this review. The only reason I can think that anybody would give this a reason is that Canadian rapper happens to be Buck 65. Never heard of him? Good, now is the time to acquaint yourself!

This album is full of excellent storytelling and unpredictable rhymes. Take for example "MC Space" a moniker Buck undertakes to slay all Earth MCs "Sometimes my rhymes do inflict pain/ sends electric impulses through your brain...to take Earth MCs out is what I wish to achieve/ once this is accomplished I'll be destined to leave/when I leave they'll call me an Ace/ the cool MC from outer space...although my color just might be green/ I'm the flyest space MC that you ever seen...on my planet you must take a test/ I'm at the top of my class because I'm the best/ I use my rhymin' skills for what it is worth/ that's why I'm here to battle all MCs of Earth...If you ever wanna battle then get in touch/ so I can come back and dis your face/ pick up the telephone and dial MC Space." His delivery is hauntingly perfect and each inflection and hit of his voice is coupled with pristine production.

One aspect that has yet to be discussed is the production of Greetings from Tuskan. I was a little leary of this collaboration, not because of Buck, but a female producer that I was not familiar with. This could absolutely be released as an instrumental album and be an amazing listen! It is reminiscent of Blue Sky Black Death, Jel and Boom Bip all while forming a style of her own. What I anticipated to be the downfall of the album, actually provides an unexpected layer that moves this album into the great category. While the album title is clever, I would not think there is a lack of brains between these two. Luckily what I thought would be a one-off project is apparently going to be an on going process between the two musicians. Let's hope the next album can touch this one!

Here is a video of Buck performing this track in April of this year.

1. Listen start to finish - 18
   
2. Listen again within a week - 18
   
3. Originality - 19
   
4. Advancement - 17
   
5. Remorse - 18
   

Total rating - 90