Roots Manuva: Bleeds - Album Review

It’s a pity Rodney Smith won’t get the plaudits he truly deserves until some time in the future when his skills will be belatedly celebrated.

A superb MC with a sharp, witty turn of phrase and an instinctive appreciation for the power of words, Smith has oddly never enjoyed the acclaim afforded lesser talents.

Bleeds is another step on from 2011's 4everevolution, with Smith taking stock of the world around him from a veteran's perch in suburbia.

He's lost none of his ability to deliver tart commentary on both personal and universal issues, with Hard Bastards showing Smith's observational eye on ordinary life.

There are wins too from his work with Four Tet on the demented Facety 2:11, the Switch-propelled banger One Thing and I Know Your Face, while the Barry White-sampling Don't Breathe Out is a deeply funky groove.

[ rootsmanuva.co.uk ]