Cage

Depart From Me

[4/5]

You’re supposed to write what you know, and Chris “Cage” Palko’s harrowing childhood is definitely reflected in his lyrics. Yet as bleak as his subject matter is, his songs manage to be disturbing without straying into the gratuitously grim. The key element may be the ongoing battle with his demons: “I’d like to make it go away, but it’s too ingrained,” he raps on “Eating Its Way Out Of Me.” Even with tough material like “Beat Kids” or “Dr. Strong” (a latter-day “Institutionalized” taken from his time in a psychiatric hospital), he avoids the easy trap of victimization. He’s abetted by vibrant backdrops full of guitar-driven samples, which push the disc closer to rock than hip-hop and keep the energy high. Cage isn’t soliciting sympathy so much as documenting pathology–with a scalpel. You’re supposed to write what you know, and Chris “Cage” Palko’s harrowing childhood is definitely reflected in his lyrics. Yet as bleak as his subject matter is, his songs manage to be disturbing without straying into the gratuitously grim. The key element may be the ongoing battle with his demons: “I’d like to make it go away, but it’s too ingrained,” he raps on “Eating Its Way Out Of Me.” Even with tough material like “Beat Kids” or “Dr. Strong” (a latter-day “Institutionalized” taken from his time in a psychiatric hospital), he avoids the easy trap of victimization. He’s abetted by vibrant backdrops full of guitar-driven samples, which push the disc closer to rock than hip-hop and keep the energy high. Cage isn’t soliciting sympathy so much as documenting pathology–with a scalpel. (DEFINITIVE JUX) Chris Parker



GO DOWNLOAD: “Fat Kids Need An Anthem"