”There is a Reason for Everything” Could Become Lee Scott’s Greatest Extended Play (EP Review)

Lee Scott is a 38 year old MC, producer & author from Runcorn, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom introducing himself through The Wrong Bootleg Demo & the full-length debut Put on the Glasses over a decade ago under his own label Blah Records. Peppered Mouth Soup & Happy Sellout Shit were ok, but the sophomore effort Stupid Poignant Shit produced by Illinformed would become his most celebrated work following it up with Tin Foil Fronts as well as CactusOwlMoonGoat & the High Focus Records-backed Butter Fly being another favorite of mine. Nice Swan would become as beloved although Supergod5000plus & Oh, the Fun We’re Having weren’t as good as that or Lou Reed 2000 or Somewhere Between Here & There. I felt like Friend, Come to Me & Be Saved was alright & he’s giving us his 8th EP almost 23 months since Gates Click Shut.

The self-produced “Views Through the Palisade Fence” turns his neighbor’s latest plot into Salem’s lot over this silky beat whereas “It’s Not Cricket” takes the boom bap route instrumentally lets the crowd know he wants to see their hands from the front to the back. “Raleigh Lizard” goes drumlessly talking about the wind being foreboding & traveling by foot until his bike’s fixed while the dusty, lo-fi “Long Gone Johnny” boasts his autobiography reads back to front.

“Council Home Linoleum” gets the 2nd half of There’s a Reason for Everything going advising not to worry about a thing just before “Ambassador Rum” takes a laidback boom bap approach talking about being everything they say you shouldn’t be, including a witty Jedi Mind Tricks bar during the final verse. “Dole Jelly Pot” suggests bringing a water pistol to a fire fight might be a right decision over a soulful sample & “Worra Day” ends with him talking about the best you’re gonna get isn’t a whole lot.

I Can’t Figure Out How I Figured It All Out was alright & Ffsman wound up being a little better, but There’s a Reason for Everything makes up for the mixed reception of both those extended plays with Lee Scott making one that tops Gates Click Shut joining the likes of Stupid Poignant Shit & Butter Fly in being some of the Blah Records founder’s finest material. There are much less features than his most recent output, saving more room for his razor-sharp wordplay & handling the production solely by himself.

Score: 8/10