Rebel Yellow by Cecil Otter

This album is available on CD (along with other Cecil Otter merch) at http://tinyurl.com/CecilOtterSFR
http://StrangeFamousRecords.com


"The name is Cecil fucking Otter not Dylan-goes-electric..."

Instead of copying and pasting a bio on Cecil Otter I'm compelled to write what I know about him. There's so little written about this man on the internets and I've yet to see a review of this album, so I'd like to provide some background info.

A few years back I toured the Midwest with the Doomtree crew. Doomtree consists of Cecil Otter, P.O.S., Dessa, Sims, and you know...what the hell...I just checked their site and there's a bunch of people. I don't know if we all toured together. Haha. Shit...well...they're a strong unit and they're making quite a name for themselves.

A couple years back I was checking out a punk show in Providence and Cecil Otter was the opener. I didn't expect to see him, or any hip-hop at this show for that matter, and I can only imagine the number of folded arms Cecil must have encountered on this tour. He did something special that night. He stepped off the stage and onto the floor, the crowd circled around him, and instead of getting all "rah rah" on the audience he gave us a very laid back performance which created a casual and intimate atmosphere. I was impressed with the execution and how sincere his lyrics sounded without giving off a pretentious, heavy handed "emo" vibe. It's a fine line to walk when your lyrics rely on clever wordplay more than sensational spectacle.

Fast forward to last week. After picking up the Doomtree album for our online store P.O.S. told me about the new Rebel Yellow release. The album title rang a bell, but I didn't fully remember why.

I listened to it. I loved it. I loved the turn of phrases, the content, the rhyme schemes, the music and the catchy quality of the choruses. It reminded me of the performance I had seen in Providence and it brought that feeling back. After listening to this album ten times or so I emailed Cecil Otter to clear up some confusion I had. He explained that this was a revamped version of the older demo he gave me two years ago.

Well, hot damn. I'm glad this material was given the treatment it deserves. I fished around for credits to figure out who handled the production, because I wanted to make sure the producer received his proper due. Turns out Cecil Otter did all the production. Score another point for one of MN's most impressive talents.

One thing that I will point out, which some people may take as a negative point, is how the timber of Cecil's voice reminds me of early Slug recordings. It's an unfortunate and lazy comparison to make as people tend to always compare up-and-coming artists to the more popular artists from their city. To be honest, a lot of emcees from the Midwest have this quality to their voice. This isn't just a rapper thing though. I'm creeped out by Minneapolis (and surrounding cities) in the way that many people seem to talk, laugh and move in a similar way. I suspect something is in the water, but most likely it's a regional thing. After listening to Rebel Yellow multiple times and taking in Cecil's life experiences, I'm paying more attention to what's unique about him rather than how his voice sounds. East coast bias be gone!

No one wants to be called a poet anymore. It holds too much baggage and scrutiny. But Cecil Otter is a poet with truly great rap songs and a complimentary production style." - Sage Francis

www.StrangeFamousRecords.com

As a founding Doomtree crew member and behind-the-scenes production wizard, Cecil Otter has spent years developing his unique and signature sound. As an emcee he’s admired for his cinematic style. He writes about love, vengeance, and redemption—and the spaces where the three convene. His narratives ride on hazy imagery: sepia flickers of loners, beauties, ghosts, and vagabonds.

doomtree.net