Parlor Trix
Self-Titled
Self-Released
Street: 07.24
Parlor Trix = Burnell Washburn + The Numbs + Israel West
This four-piece rap outfit from Salt Lake is ambitious—they acknowledge they are less about the hooks and more about lyricism. This release finds three MCs trading verses over beats by DJ Drix.While the energy and devotion to hip hop culture are evident, it’s hard to see at first what sets these guys apart, aside from being local. Songs like “Feelin’ It” and “Safety Meeting” are typical fair about rolling up Swischer Sweets and being better at rapping than other fools.While technically solid, something is missing from the raps. Nothing is quite fast enough to really awe us with skill, and the material has been done to death by literally hundreds of other artists. That’s ok though—hip hop is about evolution and I’m excited to see how Parlor Trix continues to get better at their craft. Let’s hope they live up to their ambition.