Sound Of Somethin Different Listening Session

Armed with a bottle of Bacardi and a dozen Bud Lights, I sat down Thursday as the sun set on another beautiful day in Cleveland Heights to listen to my good friend Wes Blaze's debut mixtape, Sound Of Somethin Different. To get in the right mind-state, my buddy Colin and I kicked back and listened to the new Slaughterhouse album while the number of full Bud Lights began to dissipate. When Wes got there, he looked like a man who hadn't closed his eyelids in quite some time. The life of a virtually unknown, local musician is a chaotic one. When he isn't making and promoting his music, Wes is working ungodly hours at a factory out in Solon, Ohio, trying to support himself and make enough money to purchase new beat machines and studio time. Yet here he was, ready for his music to grace our ears. He sat down, dropped four copies of his tape on the table, and settled into the couch. Exhausted but excited, Wes nodded his head as the last Slaughterhouse track faded into silence. All our attention now shifted to Wes and his creation. I was fearful of being disappointed, fearful that the formula Wes used on his singles that he had put out before this tape would be nowhere to be found. Why I thought like that, I don't know, because Sound Of Somethin Different blew me away. I tried to sit through the entire tape without letting any of my bias for Wes show through, but I didn't really even need to. The tape is that good. I would swell with pride at times because I've seen Wes work and I know how much energy he put into this tape. To see the final product come out so perfectly was just an all around amazing feeling, for me and for Wes.

Wes showcases his whole arsenal on Sound of Somethin Different. It even feels like a real mixtape, as Wes introduces himself to us over an eerie piano backed by a thumping bass on the intro. Tracks like "Swag on a Hundred," "Get At Me," "Get Hooked On It," and "2 Smooth" find Wes at his lyrical best. Jabbing his audience with clever one liners like, "I have they whole body shaking like Ali," and "They never see my face like the neighbor on Home Improvement," Wes' unique voice and flow go perfectly over his self-produced, yet anything but mundane, beats. Wes moves from lighthearted to somber as he waxes poetic about the passing of his aunt towards the end of the album, finishing it off with "I Made It," a song thanking everyone who has supported him and his dreams for the future. The aforementioned songs show Wes' diversity, as he is seamlessly able to craft lyrics showing off his lyrical prowess to telling personal anecdotes that have deeply affected his life.

With only nine tracks, Sound Of Somethin Different leaves you yearning for more from the talented vocabulary of Wes Blaze. The first and last songs leave something to be desired. I was left expecting another verse on both tracks and was disappointed when the beat faded out without another 32 bars from Wes. Yet the talent is so tangible, it is hard not to get excited about where Wes could end up. I look forward to the next mixtape, tentatively titled "Crack On Campus," from Wes, but in the meantime, everyone needs a copy of his current effort. Because the Cleveland native, with some luck here and there, is on a path to make good music for a long time. The download link for Sound Of Somethin Different will be up soon, and if you are in Cleveland, find me to get your free hard copy.