Joey Valence & Brae

★ 8.4

album

PUNK TACTICS

“When I was recommended Joey Valence & Brae's "NO HANDS" a year ago, I was uncertain whether it would be worth listening to. I actually ended up enjoying that project, and after seeing JVB perform in my city earlier this year, I've decided to give their discography a peek. Everything that I said about "NO HANDS" (ex. being a fun listen) also applies to "PUNK TACTICS", although the latter is slightly rough around the edges production-wise. That's what makes a great evolution to see in their career, and that's what made this album just great in its own right. JVB made sure to make this a fun record, and I can tell that they had a great time making this album. A part of me kind of gets the modern-day-version-of-Beastie-Boys vibe while listening to this one in particular, especially on tracks like "PUNK TACTICS", and "WATCH YO STEP". The beats, the lyricism, the flows, the aesthetic... it's a breath of fresh air to have two rappers not being too serious while still appreciating and respecting the craft while pushing the genre's boundaries, especially in a time where everything else sounds monotonous in comparison. "RN" and "DROP!!" are easily my top-two favorites on here. And while I still have "NO HANDS" in high regard, "PUNK TACTICS" is a fun debut by JVB that I wish I listened to this sooner, especially because it gets me necessarily hype.”

two cents reviews

@my.two.cents.reviews