THE ONLY REASON I CAN FIND FOR THE 2 1/2 star rating for this album, is that it is from Houston, or that it will not make a commercial splash.

hmmm....


Chamillionaire
The Sound Of Revenge
Universal; 2005

The latest Houston rapper to release his major label solo debut is Chamillionaire. Alone after his fallout with former partner in rhyme Paul Wall, The Sound of Revenge finds Chamillionaire attempting to carve his own niche in an already oversaturated Houston hip-hop scene.

A couple of things immediately stand out upon hearing The Sound of Revenge: Chamillionaire’s distinctive voice and flow, and how different the production sounds from the typical Houston album. “The Sound of Revenge” serves as an epic introduction to the world of Chamillionaire, who with his sing-songy flow, is more 50 Cent than Mike Jones. The Scott Storch produced “Turn It Up” is a duet with H-town veteran Lil’ Flip, while Lil Wayne and Rasaq guest on “Fly As The Sky”, which suffers from an overly simple and robotic synthesized beat.

Chamillionaire succeeds most when he captures the almost UGK-like sound. “Picture Perfect” is a smooth-as-hell organ track, showcasing why Chamillionaire and Bun B are two of Houston’s best MCs, and are a cut above Paul Wall, Mike Jones, and company. “Rain” finds Cham alongside Scarface and Billy Cook in a song about overcoming adversity. Houston Mexican-American R&B singer Natalie assists on “Think I’m Crazy”, a track dealing with the issues surrounding a new relationship.

The Sound of Revenge is less crunk and more distinct in sound and subject matter than other recent Houston releases, but has a lack of stand-out radio-friendly songs and replay ability that will hamper Chamillionaire from reaching the success of some of his local contemporaries.


– Adrian Ruhi