Prodigal Sons

Item: Return
Author: Russ Neumeier

Return

(1993)

Reviewed by Russ Neumeier

Discogs YouTube

Label Metro One MusicThe LighthouseNovember 1993

electronic hip hop techno

Since I wasn't familiar with The Prodigal Sons, I didn't know what to expect. However, their energy, creativity and complexity kept my attention from beginning to end of this almost all instrumental effort.

Greg Hobgood (keys, programming, sampling), Chris White (D.J., samples, scratching), and J.R. Barbee (M.C.) start quickly with "Exalt" and don't slow down at all. The intricate rhythms and programming show that they are serious about what they do, but they also have fun, as evidenced in "Apricot Tree" ("I looked through the window and what did I see/popcorn popping on the apricot tree"). I don't know where they got that sample!

The song that most effectively sums up who they are and what they stand for is "Ravival." In it there is a sample of talk-show host Bob Larson questioning one of the members of the group, ("You're a Christian?/yeah/You're a raver?/yeah/but you don't do drugs?/no/you don't do anything immoral?/no.")

With the exception of "Polyphonic," which got to be a bit repetitive, I have continued to listen to everything else again and again. If you like rave, you might want to check this one out.