Forever Smoking
By
Joe Blow
Produced by DJ
Jaffa
When your own world is being turned upside down, you just
have mix things up a little bit and pick and chose what you can do in any given
moment. That is how I am approaching this week’s review. I’m still picking up
and catching up on past reviews and this one I felt I didn’t want to put off
any longer.
Last year I was honoured to be able to review the Smoke On
The Water EP by Joe Blow. Only a short while after a few short chats with Rob
and the review going live, I would learn that he had passed away. So, this
review is dedicated to his memory and the music that he brought to the world.
Reviewing a posthumous album, such as Forever Smoking,
is a tough job, especially when it has been out for some time and many of you
will have heard it and know what it means to you. As a reviewer I do what I do,
but there is always a little voice at the back of your mind saying ‘I hope I
can do this one proud. So, what I am going to do here is give you some
background from the promo for the album and then do my usual deep dive.
Occasionally, an album arrives that transcends music. This one has been carried
over the line by love, loyalty and grief. Rob was on the brink of
wrapping up the recording of a new album ‘Forever Smoking’, recorded in
close collaboration with legendary Cardiff DJ Jason 'DJ Jaffa' Farrell. Thanks
to his closest friends rallying around to carry the torch on Rob’s behalf.
Forever
Smoking is a gimmick
free two-man collaboration. No features,
just DJ Jaffa's warm, immaculately crafted production and Joe Blow's
unmistakable South Wales flow. The album grew organically from a casual
creative exchange:
“I’d sent Rob a few beats to check out. Then all of a sudden I get an email
with vocals for one of the tracks, and then another one. So I just kept sending
beats and Rob would keep recording." - DJ Jaffa
In addition to the energy and personality captured on the album, a
handful of Joe Blow's own excited voice notes make an
appearance, further capturing that enthusiasm and boundless energy for the
music he loved.
Forever
Smoking is the final, definitive entry in
that lineage, and its name has taken on a meaning none of them could have
anticipated.
Join me now on a trip through Forever Smoking…
The album is ten tracks deep and begins with The Word.
Joe’s voice can be heard as he is getting ready to record the track and our
minds are immediately brought to the memory of man Rob was. DJ Jaffa brings us
a heavy beat that is backed by keys that give this one a chilled aspect where
the drums take the forefront alongside a nice bass vibe. There are kinda two
things about this one that strike you, first is that its all about the words,
which are what make Rap what it is and this one showcase’s Joe’s wordplay
skills. However, there is more to it than that as this one also gives an
insight into what makes him tick what it comes to his craft. It’s not just the
word; it’s the mentality behind it as well. Next up is Just Be (Original
Version) it is the original as we are treated to a remix a bit later. The
sound on this back’s the pounding beat with a nerve-jangling sound before
switching it to heavy bass vibe, then switching back. DJ Jaffa also drops some
slick cuts along the way too. Here Joe drops the kinda track that doesn’t just
shoe off his lyricism but, also looks at the fact he is human, like the rest of
us, trying to make money for his family and occasionally have a cheeky smoke
too. There is also a deeper aspect to, one that hits you deeply, the fact that
he says about staying true to who he is, being himself and being authentic.
This is something that says a lot about who he was as Rob, and what he brought
to the mic as Joe…
Double OG’s electronic vibes bring us into this one
before cuts and a banging beat thud into your ears, getting your head nodding.
Joe takes us off into a parallel universe where no fucks are given. He seems to
take on an alter ego with a street slang, more smoking and an uncompromising
vibe as the hardcore man on the street, showing that he is more than able to
switch from lived experience to story telling in a heartbeat. If You Don’t
Like Me begins with another of Rob’s voice notes as he gives Jaffa some
idea of what he is looking for. The heavy beat is backed by horns and guitars
that give this one a cracking vibe you can’t help but move too. There is also
some rapid-fire cuts from Jaffa that Joe alluded to in the intro. Joe’s vocals,
like the beat, have a little ragga twang to them at times. This one shows us
what happens when Joe replies to the haters out there, he is basically saying
that this is me right here, this is who I am and what I do. If you don’t like
it, that’s fine because I don’t have to like you either, but I’m not changing
who I am for anyone. From there we move on to Each One Teach One where
the beat is a proper head nod infectious vibe that also brings a smile to your
face as you listen. There is an element of that rap braggadocio here as Joe
unloads about what he does and his uncompromising style. This is one of those
tracks you can just sit back and enjoy.
Halfway done with the album and there is no let up in sight as Vision
hits your ears. The sound has a lighter tone to it. The beat might still be
pounding but, there is a laid-back vibe with guitars, tambourines and more.
That lighter tone hides a deeper vibe to this as Joe speaks on the injustices
in the world around us. That hits home hard as we still live in a world where
just holding up a flag and standing up for the oppressed can mean you are
vilified while governments can engage in wars where the killing of people is
hailed as lawful. Which those deep thoughts still weighing on our minds, You
Ain’t a Bad Man brings keys, guitars and more to back a banging beat, all
combining to getting you jumping. Here Joe calls out all those who make
themselves out to be more than they are. Those who act touch, but really aren’t
that and just do it all for show and not being their authentic self. There is a
dark side to this to as it looks at the gangland life and the violence that
comes with it, but the message is to be who you truly are, because making
yourself out to be something else is not a good look and will only end in
tears. Rewind The Tape drops with razor sharp cuts, a solid head nod
beat, backed by a laid-back sound that has a soulful edge to it. This one has
an upbeat feel to it as Joe takes us back in the day, reflecting on the days of
old and how those experiences shaped who he became. This is one of those tracks
that always brings a smile as it reminds us to look back on our own experiences
with love in our hearts at where we have been and where we are now.
The penultimate track of the album is the Just Be (Remix).
This one takes the essence of what the original said, and See’s DJ Jaffa put it
to a more funk infused vibe that gets you moving. This sound brings more focus
to the lyrics, and in doing so, it brings more of a spotlight to that vibe of
just being yourself. It takes nothing from the original version, just allows
you to really focus in on Joe’s words. The album is rounded off with Going
Mad, where the sound has a more chilled vibe that backs the solid beat.
This one is a far more personal that see’s Joe wrestling with who we is, life
in general and loss. This one really has you thinking deeply about your own
life as the words sink into your awareness. There is also one last voice note
from Rob that is mixed in here, and that does have an impact as you listen,
touching your soul, because we all have those moments that have us questioning
who we truly are.
I’m going to admit that I had to pause a minute after writing that
before I attempted to sum up the album. In fact, there was a moment when I even
considered not even doing that as the album speaks for itself. But there is
always more to say and so, I decided to round it off as best I can.
The main thing to take away from listening to this album is that
it had to be released. You can’t have a better way to remember the memory of
someone than an album like this. It gives you a deep insight into Joe/Rob and
shows you that he was not only an incredible lyricist but, he was constantly moving
forward, always honing his craft and putting his very heart and soul into
everything he did. Those voice notes add a very personal edge to things,
hearing his voice just musing over tracks and having a laugh at his approach to
things, do touch you deeply and leave a lasting impression on you long after
the album ends.
You also get this sense of the working relationship that Rob and
DJ Jaffa had. You really feel they were able to vibe of each other and had a
knack for understanding exactly what the other was looking for in a track.
DJ Jaffa brings us sounds that not only perfectly compliment Joe
Blow and his delivery, but they are also infused with different sounds that
have been inspired across years of making beats and crate digging,
understanding exactly what sound you want and how to get it.
Lastly, this album is infused with the love, grief and
appreciation that his friends had for who Rob was and what he was doing as Joe
Blow. They have brought us a posthumous album that is not an audible clip art
of verses sandwiched between guest artists. This album is the sum of two
artists working alongside each other to produce a top tier album that was the
next rung on the latter for both. This is about as fitting a tribute to a
friend and colleague as you can get.
Forever Smoking is packed full of the finest lyricism, lived
experiences, no holes barred storytelling, alongside some banging beats and
razor-sharp cuts. It now stands as a testament to two of the best from Wales to
ever do it.
Forever Smoking is released through Veteran Records.
Rest In Beats Rob/Joe and thank you for the music and the memories.
My huge and humble thanks to 4DEE for sending this over and the promo material that I have used in the opening to the review.
Enjoy and I’ll see you next time.
Steve
All proceeds from the sale of the album go to Rob's Children.