by
Asher Roth
- Record Label: SRC/Universal Motown
- Release Date: Apr 21, 2009
- Critic score
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- By date
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The effortlessly cool beats, hooky choruses, and above all, his witty, super-fast flow indicate this skinny blond to be a genuinely talented star.
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After being the first white guy to grace the cover of a Gangsta Grillz underground mixtape ("The Greenhouse Affect" with Don Cannon & DJ Drama), this buzzed-about MC proves that suburban rap has finally arrived.
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Roth never floats sham tales of suburban hardship here. Instead, he just wants to have a good time--and for the most part, he provides one as well.
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With beats provided largely by newcomer Oren Yoel that are more hit than miss, Asleep in the Bread Aisle is that new kind of 2009 hip-hop you either have to learn to live with or jump off the bandwagon altogether.
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The quality of Roth's rhymes varies wildly, from sophomoric to inspired, but when the two collide, as on the funky rant 'Bad Day,' he hits the sweet spot and the funny bone.
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That's the thing about Asleep In The Bread Aisle, it's all about promising potential, rather than the delivery of it.
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The album isn't completely charmless. 'Lark on My Go-Kart,' the Cee-Lo aided, 'Be by Myself' and 'I Love College' reveal a breezy affability. But far too often, Roth's quest for relatability reeks of redundancy.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 19 out of 29
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Mixed: 6 out of 29
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Negative: 4 out of 29
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BenApr 27, 2009
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A.H.Apr 22, 2009
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Feb 8, 2012