Major Lazer Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do
Review of New Dancehall Disc from DJ/ Producers Diplo and Switch
Sep 2, 2009
Once fully equipped with his new limbs, Major Lazer took a job as a renegade soldier for a rogue government. Since he was under watch by the CIA, he concocted the cover of dancehall night club proprietor from Trinidad.
In real life, Major Lazer consists of American/British production team Diplo and Switch. As the guys behind M.I.A’s hit “Paper Planes”, which not only seized the airways and charts in 2007-08 but also garnered a Grammy nomination at the 51st Grammy Awards, Diplo and Switch could have released an album under their name.
Instead they came up an elaborate back-story for a fictional character and called in favors from famous friends for their debut disc Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do.
Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do
On Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do, Major Lazer enlists the likes of Santigold and Crookers (of “Day & Nite” fame) to help shape summer/fall 2009’s shake-your-ass dancehall party-in-a-bag record.
Major Lazer may protect the world from vampires, and he may be the only laser-handed soldier to possess a rocket-powered skateboard, but who cares - at least for the first half of the record he adds that rocket power to the catchiest reggae not to come from the Caribbean.
Wacky beyond all comprehension, the album kicks off with a spaghetti western-influenced track on acid, complete with horse neighs and cell phone rings before merging into “When You Hear the Bassline” a bass-pounding dub featuring Ms. Thing.
Keep It Goin' Louder
“Can't Stop Now” calls on Mr. Vegas & Jovi Rockwell to add voice to this smooth regga track followed by other reggae-influenced tracks “Anything Goes” and “Cash Flow”.
Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do falls into clichéd smoke territory with the loosely veiled ode to weed on “Mary Jane” before it dips into beat-heavy hip hop on “Bruk Out”. The album then swings back to reggae on “What U Like” featuring Amanda Blank & Einstein followed by stand-out track, the dancefloor baking “Keep It Goin' Louder” featuring Nina Sky & Ricky Blaze.
But for every song Major Lazer gets right, near the end of the record they serve up the exact opposite. “Baby”, featuring an auto-tuned baby crying over what could go down as the worst faux-Jamaican rap ever, loses its charm not even ten seconds in, and completely destroys the flow of the disc.
Oddly Major Lazer could have added the hot-topic charge of “Baby (Switch Remix)” featuring Prince Zimboo and M.I.A instead of the digitally enhanced mess of the album track.
Diplo and Switch Hit and Miss
Major Lazer’s Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do is a study in experimental self-indulgence and hit and miss. They may have set out to make a summer record full of party-themed anthems a la “Paper Planes” and on the bulk of the album, they were hugely successful.
But the concept of the laser-totting night club owner from Trinidad who goes around killing vampires, weighs down the album unnecessarily and distracts from what could have been an excellent disc.
Major Lazer’s Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do is available at most digital outlets now. Batteries and not included.
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