Summer may be leaving us, but thankfully the steady flow of good music has not. So as the seasons change instead of lamenting over our most beloved time of year, we can welcome fall with The Primeridian & Tall Black Guy's new project Darling Lure. Set to the rich sounds of Tall Black Guy, The Primeridian finds the perfect backdrop for the lyrical landscape that unfolds for listeners.

From the intro, "Intro In The Mornin," my head instantly began to nod and continued to do so throughout the 13 vibrant tracks that take you on a journey that is as funky as it is thought provoking. A lovely example of this is "Trust" featuring ADaD and G.G., which I must admit I had to bring back a few times to realize the gems of wisdom they were dropping. With lyrics like "Trust nobody with your body, with your body/it's your body, love it girl," I wished for a bullhorn so I could play this while riding around my neighborhood. With "Trust" I am reminded of the healing power of music and more specifically hip hop. What a novel idea that one can enjoy quality music with a message.

Darling Lure reminds me of a time when I would sneak into my older sister's room, pull out her cassette tapes (yes, tapes...remember those?), lay across her bed, and allow the words to take me wherever they pleased. What I didn't realize is that it was as much my own imagination as the imagery of the artist that transported me to these far-off places. A perfect marriage, if you will, between the artist and the listener to carve out a world of beats, rhymes, and life. While I do admit to missing these carefree times of my youth, I do not feel the need to mourn hip hop as though it no longer exists. I no longer waste time shaking my head (for risk of a neck injury) at what is considered the new hotness of the moment. Why, you may ask? Because artists like this exist who are consistently making innovative music that challenge you as music lover to grow with the art form. Music is, as with most things in life, what you make it; your experience is entirely up to you, and I, for one, choose to enjoy mine while supporting real artistry.

The album is also chock full of unexpected surprise features such as Naledge from Kidz in the Hall on "Bucktown" to Uncle Imani of the Pharcyde on "TakeUThere" (which also features Yaw and Iomos Marad), to name a few. "TakeUThere" also happens to be one of my favorite tracks. The infectious beat found me replaying this a time or two and with each listen I heard something new like Uncle Imani stating "We're just music messengers." I would also be remiss not to mention "Whistle While You Work" an incredibly funky tune with hints of house peaking out here and there, which usually ends up with my doing an impromptu dance session. Needless to say, I've given up trying to play this while I work. Peep the visuals below and lets see how long you stay in your seat.



What makes this, such a unique album is quite simple, musicianship and lyrics, and to be able to create something that can stand alone on either front is no easy feat. The Primeridian & Tall Black Guy's Darling Lure is a wonderfully soulful collaboration that showcases some of the best that the Midwest (and, yes, I'm biased...Ohio, stand up!) has to offer. This album is definitely a must have as the temperatures drop and we look to be reminded of simpler sunnier times.

The Primeridian & Tall Black Guy Darling Lure [Amazon][iTunes]