Album Review: Gauge “January First Two Thousand (The Next Day)”

Gauge “January First Two Thousand (The Next Day)”
Released: 2010
Reviewed By: E Pluribus Unum
Committee Rating: 8.05 (of 10)
[xrr rating=8.05/10]

Gauge is an interesting artist. He has a distinct voice that stands out (this is a good thing). I appreciate that he put 19 (count ‘em), NINETEEN cuts on this project (plus the intro)! With that being said, this is a quality album. I never felt like a song was just thrown together or not given enough attention. Gauge definitely ministers in excellence.

Speaking of excellence, the content within this album is great and a high point for this album. Gauge brings a word of truth that is clear and concise. He brings it in such a smooth way from so many different lyrical angles that it’s like mixing medicine with a spoon full of sugar. …Ahhhh. Oh! I’m sorry. I got a little carried away…back to
Gauge. The range of content is also good. It’s not just Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, & mo’ Jesus. There’s a great song that exposes the challenges and blessings of marriage. There is a song that is a conversation in between him and God. There’s another song/interlude, or something, that’s acappella, and he talks to the ladies about certain vices they fall into and then talks to the fellas and speaks to them in the same way. It’s good stuff. If you’re looking for good content, the Gauge is full (Haha). Go ahead and laugh…no ones looking.

Gauge’s flow is interesting. For the most part, he keeps it interesting by switching up his rhyme schemes. There were a few lines in a few songs that started to get a little dull (aka predictable) to me, but that’s probably just more my personal taste than a lack of skill or effort. Overall, his flow is very entertaining. Remember, there’s 19 (count ‘em), NINETEEN songs on this project! …I’m just saying.

Gauge’s collaboration with Pettidee was definitely one of my favorites. The beat is tight and the hook is exactly what it needs to be (…catchy). He keeps it going with the next track (#6) with another great collaborative effort. Some songs started heading towards mediocre land, but there’s not much (if any) that I would skip on this CD. In short, this album didn’t blow me away, but it definitely kept my attention. You’d be missing out if you didn’t check it out for yourself. But hey, everybody is a critic. I’m just the guy who wrote the review. Peace and much love.

Music: 7.5 of 10
Flow / Delivery: 8 of 10
Lyricism: 7.5 of 10
Content: 9 of 10
Creativity / Originality / Relevancy: 8 of 10
Credibility / Confidence: 9 of 10
Personality / Character: 8.5 of 10
Presentation Quality: 8 of 10
Overall Production Quality: 8 of 10
Potential Impact: 7 of 10