Music reviews. CD reviews. Critically hip!

One of the more interesting elements of rock music and its multifaceted genres is the way in which different styles go in and out of style. When they’re out of style, they percolate more or less quietly, never really going away, and at some point make what for want of a better word a “comeback.” Metal has done this any number of times; rap, despite having been declared dead any number of times, continues to find its audience, particularly in the underground scene.

Braille, one-third of the rap trio Lightheaded from Portland, Oregon, has been an underground mainstay for a while now; his latest drop, THE IV EDITION (read “eye-vee”) eschews his prior do-it-himself practice and runs instead with actual official distribution. Braille is still breaking unwritten and unofficial rules, however, having his dad (apparently) introducing the disc and wearing his Christian faith unabashedly on his sleeve.

Though THE IV EDITION is top-heavy with guest rappers Braille never loses control of the project. Some of his better-known, mainstream colleagues might take a lesson from him in that regard. “Calculated Risk,” a no-holds-barred exhortation that uses the Biblical account of Christ’s casting moneychangers out of the temple as a metaphor for sobriety, features Mr. J and Manchild but they supplement rather than hijack the track. Braille is the unifying force from track to track on THE IV EDITION, so that one track flows smoothly into another, yet no two sound exactly the same (a true accomplishment on a hip hop project). Braille also maintains a high level of quality throughout this project from track to track, so that it’s hard to pick, and keep a favorite. I’m partial to “Main Squeeze” because of its old skool flavor but it fades right into “Remember Your Path,” a west coast-flavored rap about keeping one’s focus on a goal. And I have to tell you, it’s great to hear a positive message on a disc that does not for one second sacrifice its musical integrity. Listen to “Constantly Growing,” featuring Speech of Arrested Development, Surreal, and Sojourn, a few times and you’ll see what I mean. There are all sorts of things going on in this mix, flowing and swirling all over the place, all the way to the end, which stops cold at the conclusion of a mournful cello solo. Next up? “Blessed Man”: I was blessed with love/before I had money.” Indeed; followed by the painfully personally recounting of tragedies in “Many Stories,” the contrast between the two tracks is poignant and meaningful.

It’s hard to beat THE IV EDITION on any level of evaluation. This project, along with Braille’s appearances on the current leg of the WARPED tour will hopefully give him the recognition which he has earned. Recommended.