Strange Tang – Preacher’s Moonshine (Album Review)

Earlier this month, two of the site’s favorite Southern gentlemen, Strange Tang, released their colorfully titled Preacher’s Moonshine LP. It is broken down into seven regular tracks and five bonus tracks. The Illixer has covered a little of each. Previous reviews can be found above. Additionally, the collective features a nice diverse set of guest appearances and producers. Dive in after the break to discover what exactly Preacher’s Moonshine is all about.

“True” F/ Rena Marie

The production here is very enjoyable. The light-weight base, sprightly secondary elements, refreshing tempo, and uplifting vibe make for a choice mixture. The hook is of a grade A quality. The vocals are spot on and the lyrics are inspirational. The verses are satisfactory. The fellas tap into conversational style flows, polished wordplay, and informative rhymes. They craft an anthem that encourages the listener to embrace the qualities inside of them that make them unique / special even it means going against the grain. A highlight from their motivational passage includes: “Rapping heavy but only spitting minor quotes. Thought I wanted fame. Money for designer coats. But what I really wanted was love. It mattered most. So I would go hard. Freestyle, battle folks. Til my mentor said sit down and channel hope. I ain’t saying be sweet like the cantaloupe. I’m just saying be free. That’s the antidote.” One has to love the realness and positivity within those words right there. Overall, this record is a jewel.

“Fool’s Gold” F/ Rena Marie & Chris Carter

The production here is kosher. The slight foundation, discreet background ingredients, casual rhythm, and wistful vibe result in a favorable mash up. The hook is excellent. The harmonies are soulful and the lyrics are significant. The verses are efficient. The guys supply clear-cut flows, uniform wordplay, and deep personal rhymes. They share some life experiences and in the process give a bit of enlightenment to the listener. A handful of lines worth rewinding are: “A fool and his money is easily departed. So when I win, I remember where I started. I wasn’t supposed to win. But I’m a win regardless. And when my brain ain’t strong, remember that my heart is. Everyday is like another new season. Trying to step into the light. (…) Turns out that the Matrix ain’t as real as it seeming. Leave my blood in the dirt just to hope that you would see it.” Those are some crucial opening bars right there. All in all, this is a solid number.

“Bad B.I.T.” F/ D Gu

The production here is dope. The solid infrastructure, club style supporting details, snazzy pace, and party vibe are a match made in heaven. The hook is a prize as well. The delivery is lively and the lyrics are entertaining. The verses are appropriate. The trio enlist smooth flows, vivid wordplay, and adequate rhymes. They do a good job of showing love to the ladies doing their thing while out and about. A sprinkling of lines to be aware of are: “Work hard, play hard. Bring ya team on. Work hard all week, get ya drink on. Hit the dance floor. Girl this ya theme song. Tell the DJ bring that beat back like a re-run. In the books. Study hard girl, all week. Flip ya hair, let it swing, say this all me. I like the type that can tell me ’bout them politics. GPA straight cause she gotta keep her scholarship.” Any woman would be hyped up after hearing bars like that. As a whole, this selection is a banger with a creative new slang term.