By Jon P
This album is from the chef himself (not Raekwon) but a chef in his own right repping that new school era hip-hop from New York. He is Action Bronson (“The fat chef”). This happens to be his third studio album, so you should know he has been around for a while now. He named this one Mr Wonderful because that according to him is the way he feels about himself right now. Let us see if he delivers.
Brand New Car
It’s the first time ever
Yo fuck this jacket, I turn this shit to 85 napkins
Since Jeter’s done I’m now the captain
Trust you me, Gotham’s safer now
But there’s always a new joker in town
Ready to smoke you with that pound
But when he shoots it, the flag says “BANG!” and everybody laughs
This is just one of those really good intros though it’s short, it gives an idea of what to expect on this album. It’s not about anything in particular, he was just showing off a bit of who he is on this.
The Rising (ft. Big Body Des)
But I’m gorgeous, got money in the pouch just like a tourist
Swerve in a Skylark, big piece of the pie chart
Bitch this is fine art, I gets my shine on
You lyin’, dog, you never even put the iron on
Now this is a good example of who Bronson is, the food references were good, I must say. The beat is very instrumental, it’s on some Jazz/Blues kinda vibe and he just flows so well on this. I didn’t particularly like the mix, I thought the beat kinda overshadowed his voice, still a good jam regardless.
Terry
I’m in a hurry, dumb jewelry
The verdict read from a hung jury
The doctor said that I was hung early
Skull curly, Larry, and Moe, I’ll marry a ho
Only if the bitch look like Mari’ Monroe
This is one of those relationship songs or songs relating to the heart, you can sort of tell from the tone of his voice. There is some really nice word play on this one and the beat was done by Alchemist. This happens to be his favorite off the album. It’s a good one but definitely not my favorite.
Actin’ Crazy
All my life I was a fuck-up, now I pull the truck up
Same bitch stuck up, now she wanna suck us
See me hangin’ out the window, screamin’, “What, what?!”
No more tough luck, a different cloth is what I’m cut from
Drake’s producer produced this track and when is started out, it almost felt like a drake moment about to happen (the horror mhen!).
But that didn’t happen (thank goodness). The beat does actually sound like something Drake would rap to but Bronson seized this one and made it his. From the first few lines of this track, you just knew he had it.
Falconry (ft. Meyhem Lauren & Big Body Des)
Dog, I was born with Allah’s vision
I learned quick I couldn’t follow suit
Cause the Devil put the pork inside the dollar soup
This right here feels like a really dope freestyle, almost like he just jumped on a beat that he liked and just went for it. I wouldn’t say he went H.A.M on this but he murked the beat and this track has a really nice feature on it as well.
Thug Love Story 2017 the Musical (Interlude)
She can never be yours, a housewife. you see
She belongs to the ghetto, my friend
She doesn’t belong to you or me”
Yeah it says “interlude” so I’ll skip this and plus he didn’t rap on this, it was just some homeless dude singing basically.
City Boy Blues (ft. Chauncy Sherod)
I’ve given my life to a stranger, that sleeps by my side at night
Look in her eyes, I see danger, and man is this shinning bright
The first time I heard this track, I would have forgiven him if he didn’t say a single word on this. The music on this is just pure bliss. It has this whole upbeat blues thing going on. This track is solely about the music to me because the music clearly overshadows his voice on this. He sang on this one because this kinda track is not something that you would rap to.
A Light in the Addict (ft. Party Supplies & Black Atlass)
Have a fuckin’ sleepover with my weapons
My Rambo knife is eatin’ nuggets with my Smith and Wesson
Shit, I made this out of nothin’
Damn, these ladies love me out in London
Laurenivici served the granulated onion
My mind is locked in a contaminated dungeon
This track right here was almost a snooze, it took over a minute for it to kick off. But then I think that was the plan because it’s a sort of drastic transition from the previous track. This one is a more slow laid back track. This has a more slow downbeat blues vibe to it. It’s still about the music here as well but he might not quite get away with it as with the previous track.
Baby Blue (ft. Chance the Rapper)
Girl, we grown, stop playing on my phone, baby
All your childish attempts to make me angry fall short
Which only fuels the rage you have, because you have nothing
Understandable, I’m shining brilliant with 5 Brazilians
There were times I used to hide my feelings
Now I’m butt naked in the Lamborghini
And motherfuckers can’t see me
Matters of the heart once again. I do have to say that his approach to the issues is epic. The best part of this is Chance the rapper’s verse on this. It was blunt as hell and so comedic.
Only in America (ft. Party Supplies)
Anywhere I go, you know you’re goin’ with me
Bobby and Whitney without the sniffin’
Dog your bitch look like Eddie Griffin
I’m three wheelin’, keep the Chevy tippin’
Big bearded Buddha bangin’ bitches in Bermuda
The sound on this seems like some reference to a time when I wasn’t born or some TV show that I missed out on (probably the former). Another one where I didn’t enjoy the mix. But it still is a good addition on the album. I feel it would have been a good outro instead.
Galactic Love
Roy Rogers bathroom, sniffin’ coke with a model
Told her to Google me, shit I might paint the Cougar green
All this lechuga in my jeans
I still see Freddy Kruger in my dreams
Ain’t nothin’ moving but the cream
Shit, know I do it for team
I’m just gonna quote Action Bronson on this he almost took the words out of my mouth. ” This is a cool down. I’ve sent you through this crazy trip and we’re cooling down now. We’re cooling down for a magnificent ending. So I hit you with the [Action pantomimes a bass guitar]. You know, the crazy, beautiful, jazz bass line with the very light drums in the background and just hit you with the bars. I got my mother on the hook.”
The Passage (Live from Prague)
Oh Mr. Wonderful
This right here shouldn’t even be a track. It’s basically a live performance recording that has the crowd really chanting and anticipated for him to get on stage or after he just finished performing. “Oh Mr Wonderful”
Easy Rider
Live from the Expo, it’s me
I wear the wolf in the winter, steer the coupe from the center
Who gives a fuck, I’m a sinner
I had dreams of fuckin’ Keri Hilson in my Duncans
Woke up naked at the Hilton with a bitch that look like Seal’s cousin
Okay, I’ll admit, I was wrong. This deserves to be the outro easily. This sounds like the end of a western movie (by western I mean like a cow-boy movie). It’s just bars on bars on a really great sound. It’s a glorious end to a good album.
CONCLUSION
@OluwaJonpee: I’m going to be brief, this is one of those really good albums that you just know a lot of people will miss out on and not even bother to listen to it. If you’re reading this, don’t be one of them. This is a really good album. A- from me.
SlkLouis: i’m going to have to agree with Jon P on this one cos this is one of the few albums we’ve reviewed recently that i actually enjoyed after the first listen and one that i still enjoy till now. Bronsolino doesn’t even bother trying to change his formula at all as he uses the flow that made him famous along with the lines that are there just for you to laugh. The album feels like a live performance and while jamming it, i was just waiting for Bronson to throw a TV at me (if you have no idea what i’m talking about then look for a video of an Action Bronson performance).
Tha Report Card 