As convoluted as the title for Asher Paul Roth’s latest mix tape is, don’t let that detract from the fact that Roth has decidedly taken a much more serious tone with this release. Produced in part with DJ Wreckineyez–who has worked with Phonte of Little Brother, DJ Cannon and Brain Bangley–”Seared Fois Gras…” rounded up some of the best producers and beat makers in the game to give Roth the perfect platform to reinvent himself.
Cover looks tasty. The same can't be said for the entirety of this mix tape, though
I wish I could say that his lyrics delivered from start to finish but I’m not in the business of lying to the readers out there. Whether it was the incessant number of times that he’s had to perform “I Love College” or the strain from the off-again-on-again whirlwind tour he had with Kid Cudi, Roth just sounds tired (and angry).
This is understandable when you make the mistake of branding yourself as the “college kid” when a large core of your audience has yet to graduate from high school. It does go without saying, though, that every cloud does have a silver lining and there is a heaping handful of tracks that do not disappoint. I recommend “F*ck the Money” feat. B.o.B and “Con-fid-ence”, both produced by Kanye West, for those in favor of West’s sample-heavy beats and I-hate-fame-but-I’ll-suck-it-up-and-make-more-money mentality.
The biggest surprise on the mix tape comes from a collaboration with Talib Kweli, Blu (named XXL Magazine’s ‘Freshmen 10′ in 2009) and Travis Barker for the “Sour Patch Kids” remix. Not only does Roth hit the mark with his lyrics, but it doesn’t hurt that Barker produced the HELL out of this track.
Overall, “Seared Fois Gras…” is solid enough to stay in your library and actually get a decent amount of plays. My only suggestion for Ash Roth is that he figure out the image he wants to portray to the masses quick before he falls into obscurity, because we all know what happened to the likes of Everlast and Bubba Sparxx…
