Start Anew

Being one of Canada's most prominent MCs since MuchMusic was still on the air, Shad has been at the forefront of the country's hip-hop scene for two decades now. In that time, he's become a somewhat unconventional multi-hyphenate — not just a JUNO-winning rapper, but also a journalist, professor, radio personality and the host of an International Emmy-winning docuseries. He's always been thoughtful, spending his career pursuing different avenues to teach and share his perspective, all the while remaining true to his passion for music.With his latest LP Start Anew, Shad continues to wax poetic about life and its lessons, wearing his heart on his sleeve, bringing his trademark charm and charisma, and never shying from speaking his mind. The album strikes a solid topical balance, ranging from personal meditations on his relationship with his craft to his observations on socioeconomic issues — and, true to form, Shad explores each with nuance and deep consideration.The rapper is clearly the most comfortable he's ever been on this record. In addition to being as sharp and witty as ever, some of the rhyme schemes here are among the most impressive of his career. Unfortunately, there are a few moments where this comfort becomes a double-edged sword: on the rapping front, it's positive for the most part, resulting in some of Shad's most well-written verses to date, but the music itself lacks the level of ambition and cohesion that characterized his previous works.A big component of this issue is that the beat selection generally feels inconsistent. Although there are excellent moments, the soundscape lacks personality, and some of the beats feel dated. Oddly enough, the more traditional, '90s-inspired sounds on tracks like "Bars and BBQs" are some of the better offerings; it's the stabs at more "modern" sounds, such as on "Rain" or "Don't," that feel instrumentally trite and unremarkable, like salvaged leftovers from the blog era relying on antiquated synth pads and overtly poppy melodies.The only instance where an instrumental falls into that category without hindering the song is the Jon Kabongo-assisted "K.I.S.S." While the beat does feel slightly behind the times, it's a bit more inspired, and Kabongo's verse elevates it to another level — emerging as not only a highlight of the track, but of the entirety of the album. The Toronto rapper balances out Shad's laidback, singsong-y flow with a Bone Thugs-N-Harmony-influenced bridge leading into an impressive verse. It feels like a coming out party for one of the city's brightest emerging talents, whose delivery pairs perfectly with Shad's more easygoing approach.Thankfully, outside of a few duller instrumental moments, most of the tracklist does tap into a more classic Shad sound. The Chantae Cann-featuring "Happiness" would fit right at home on 2007's The Old Prince and the sequence of "Discern," "Look Pt. 1" and "Look Pt. 2" is as strong a three-track run as any in his discography."Islands" is quintessential Shad and easily the album's standout track. The verses, namely the second, are some of his best writing to date, as he meditates on the class issues and socioeconomic struggles in Canada — addressing everything from the housing crisis to the lack of school funding, while maintaining a hopeful outlook for a better future. All of this is elevated by a gorgeous, lush instrumental with a soft, smooth string section at its core, carefully enveloping the verses and hook, making the TLO-assissted track one of the project's defining moments, and one of Shad's best songs yet.While Start Anew isn't as fresh or experimental as his previous outings, it's hard to deny that Shad is at his best as a writer on a vast majority of these tracks. Despite a couple of instrumental hiccups and lacklustre moments, this is a solid project and a must-listen for Shad fans, though it probably won't convert any new ones. At the very least, this is a reminder to Canadian hip-hop fans that one of the most prominent and important figures in our scene in the last 20 years is still at it, and keeps finding new ways to shine.