RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 10, 2012
LABEL: HUMBLE BEAST

ack with his second release with Humble Beast, Theory Hazit has taken the time to define his own sound. With the sort of production quality that we expect from Humble Beast at this point, Theory presents an effortless flow that is both steady and complex.

The album begins with an introduction that focuses on the importance of the title, Thr3e, both in day-to-day life and in theology. The album’s first full track, though, happens to be the highlight, at least for this reviewer. I’m a sucker for story tracks, so “Find Me” probably hits me more so than it will for many, but the relatively quick flow combined with a personal story and a softer melody truly makes this track shine.

“What Lies Beneath” manages to hit my story-track love again, but the chorus is the highlight here. The vocals for the chorus are soulful and meaningful, and really pull the whole thing together. “Old Derty Hazit” shows that Theory is in this at times for the fun of it; the track is solid, though perhaps a bit light on actual content. The “Interlude” is actually an interlude: a beat rides out for a full minute before we have a short 15 second or so statement from Theory about where his name came from.

“Angle pt 2” is a relatively straight forward love song. By this point, if you’ve been listening along as you’ve read this review, you may notice that most of these tracks have a relatively similar sound. There are a lot of stories, a similarly paced flow, and even relatively similar beats. This is perhaps the biggest flaw with this album: there is not a ton of variety, even within the genre. “I Need You More Than Ever” slows the album down a bit, which helps, since it provides a bit of a dramatic and relaxed feel. “For Lack of a Better Word” begins with a trumpet, which is a very nice change. The track even includes Theory rapping over a trumpet and piano with a bit of moving water before the beat kicks in. Even the beat on this track is a varied from the previous tracks, and this track is one of the most unique on the album.

The track that both surprised me and haunted me more than anything I’ve heard in quite a long time, “Distorted Joy,” manages to have an old-school Eminem feel to it. None of the other tracks on this album will give you this impression, but here it is, front and center. The track is written from the perspective of a crack baby, and is simply sad and painful. The track hurts to listen to, honestly, but it breaks my heart in an appropriate way: I should be concerned with relief for people who are struggling with addiction, particularly during pregnancies.

Overall, I actually really enjoyed this album. Despite its flaws, particularly the repetition of sound and the tendency at times to lose the message in the style, this is an album that I would put on and listen to regularly, with the exception of “Distorted Joy,” and that is only because the song is too painful to listen to regularly. When you factor in that this album is available for free from Humble Beast’s website, this is one that I can definitely recommend.