If you aren't in tune with deep underground Southern Hip Hop you likely aren't as familiar with Cunninlynguists or you aren't nearly as familiar as you should be with them. CL is a combo group of Deacon (producer mostly), Natti, & Dj and beatcrafter (one of the most underrated, early work with UGK, Killer Mike, and Big K.R.I.T.) Kno who crafts an amazing sound on every album I've heard for the group. Vol 3 is no different as it presents a story and crafts it beautifully throughout the whole amazing album. So let's get started:

1. Ignition - Intro track introducing "Miley 3000" and introduces the listener to the concept of the album as a strange journey to identify intelligent life on Earth

2. Strange Universe (ft Del the Funky Homosapien) - a beeping and buzzing backbeat gets tied into a soulful sample and CL rides it through as a perfect 1st track using the same sound from the intro. Very intricate beat and hook but on the lower end of this album lyrically but it is ok since it is the 1st track.

3. In the City (ft Zumba of Zion I) - A lot more simple beat crafted around the hook and backbeat on this one. Very mellow with top notch picturesque lyricism on this one. A standout track on this album. Notti brings it on this one...I got musical goosebumps which doesn't happen often, and it wasn't the last time on this album. Awesome track

4. South California (ft Tunji) - Another mellow track with a great folk song feel on the hook with an awesome addition of scratching on the loop in the backbeat and Notti has some great bars but my goodness at Tunji

He was an animal on this track.

5. Drunk Dial (ft MURS & Grieves) - A very quirky track from the concept of the whole track, to the beat, to Notti's bars, to the ending

. It works rather well all together though and provides a quick release in the middle of the album right before it gets really serious in the next few tracks. MURS kills it also per usual despite a minimum amount of bars proving that dude can rap about anything

.

6. The Morning (ft Blu & Psalm One) - This one has a lot more serious feel and aggressive backbeat (almost like it was produced by Deacon possibly) I like the hook and the flip at the end during Psalm's verse was impressive beat wise. Blu absolutely kills it and feels off beat at first but quickly fits once he gets about 6 or 7 bars in, reminded me a bit of Twista just killed it man. This track is a little more aggressive than I would've liked for the subject matter, but still a nice track thanks to all 3 additions to the track and the beat.

7. Miley 3000 - All I have to say is

awesome break

8. Guide You through Shadows (ft Ra Scion & Substantial) - AWESOME track, beat is deep and intricate flows well with the hook. OMG at all 3 verses some amazing stuff with this track. Substantial provides one of the best 16 bars I've heard on an album all year on this track. It is an amazing beat and still gets outshines by the lyricists on this track and that for me is what CL is about in a nutshell.

9. Castles (ft Aesop Rock & Sadistik) -

The other goosebumps I got on this album after the last track this one comes on and Aesop wow man "knives in my back now Elliot Smith" holy shite he kills it and gives so many quotable lines and the beat is again so mellow and intricate, one of the best on the album but once again gets totally overshadowed by ridiculous lyricists. This might be Notti's best bars on this album, truly impressive. I always usually am a fan of Sadistik as well and he doesn't disappoint me on this either. This beat and hook is the reason I got the goosebumps, it is amazingly crafted around the sample and hook. The best track on an unbelievable album.

10. Kings (ft Sheisty Khrist) - A lot harder more aggressive beat, another Deacon beat with guitar loops and a very hard backbeat and a lot more aggressive flow from Notti, totally different sound than most of this album but this beat is still pretty impressive and intricate. The only issue I have with this track is the title, should've been King shite instead of just Kings but that's nitpicking on a pretty good addition even though its a lot more harsh sound it fits in and helps the listener realize they are about to turn another corner on this album from the previous mellow sound.

11. Hot (ft Celph Titled & Apathy) - Like I said corner has been turned into this more aggressive style and it is fully in form on this track. Great very simple beat and allows the lyricists to show their chops. Apathy and Notti really fit it well and take a very catchy simple beat and hook and shine.

12. The Format (ft Masta Ace & Mr SOS) - More ridiculous tracks man this album is so amazing track after track. I LOVE this trio on this track. SOS is a former member of CL they bring in periodically and he is also a lyrical monster and shows it on this track. The intricate beat and hook is a standout on this album. The passes also work really well and shows how comfortable they still are with SOS.

13. Dying Breed - Can't type more bows but this track also deserves one wow the 3rd goose bumps. Has a lot more intricate easy mellow beat, I know I said Castles was the best beat on this album but it is 1A and this is 1B and might be better. This track is probably the most introspective on the album and does a great job on the hook and verses to display that message.

14. Makes You Wanna Cry (ft Sheisty Khrist) - Another great example of using mellow samples and making it almost harmonious and haunting to create a very deep dark track. This one has such a deep feel it also doesn't feel like it fits but there is a reason it is toward the end. The 2 verses are strong enough on this carry the track well though.

15. Mission Assesment - An outro of sorts from Miley and a debriefing or is it the end?

16. Urutora Kaiju (ft Tonedeff) - A very different Kanye West sounding beat with more aggressive guitar riffs and a techno sound to it. More very impressive lyrical flow from Notti and kind of encompasses the album.

Final Impressions:

Wow what an album! I was extremely impressed and this one off my head is at the top of my album of the year so far and Im not sure any other album will match, every track was intricately crafted, no throw-away tracks, amazing production throughout, every feature added to each song they were on and none felt like it was a friendly addition which is VERY rare on an album with this many different artists as features. It was a near perfect album, but the 1 mislabeled track isn't enough for me to label it as my best rated album in a long time and best this year

Final Grade - A+ more bows needed

My advice is to go find this album in any capacity it is an AMAZING album.

This post was edited on 5/21/14 at 7:22 pm