“Cocodrillo Turbo” Marks a Pleasant Return to Action Bronson’s Dr. Baklava Persona (Album Review)
Action Bronson is a 38 year old MC from New York City who blew up with release of his debut album Dr. Lecter in 2011. He then landed a joint venture with VICE Music & Atlantic Records while following up his debut with a couple EPs & mixtapes. The most notable being the Blue Chips duology, Saab Stories & my personal favorite: Rare Chandeliers. He then put out his major label debut Mr. Wonderful in 2015 & it has some of his best songs on there, but the end result would be a more glitzy mixed bag. He fulfilled his contracts by dropping Blue Chips 7000 & celebrated his freedom the next year in the form of White Bronco which were both solid, but didn’t reach the caliber of Lamb Over Rice the Thanksgiving after. Only for Dolphins though was pretty mid given that some of the production choices were questionable, but I was more optimistic going into his 7th full-length album given the lead single earlier this month.
“Hound Dog” is a rock-tinged opener produced by Daringer declaring himself as such whereas “Tongpo” with Conway the Machine goes into bluesier territory with both of them getting in their battle rap bag. Hologram tags along for the piano-laced “Estaciones” talking about estimation just before “Jaws” works in a flute & guitar so that Bronson can compare himself to that of a crocodile.
Meanwhile on “Sub0”, we have Bronson on top of some more jazzier production provided by The Alchemist delivering some sick punchlines leading into Meyhem Lauren coming into the picture for the dusty “Turkish” talking about needing the money on the table by this morning. “Jaguar” takes a more soulful route thanks to Roc Marciano spitting some witty braggadocio, but then “Zambezi” finds Marci jumping on the mic with Bronson on top of a beat with some rock undertones to it delivering mafioso bars.
The penultimate track “‘91” shoots for a more keyboard heavy sound addressing those who said he disappeared by explaining he was only practicing while “Storm of the Century” ends the album with a drumless instrumental mixing elements of rock & jazz as Bronson talks about doing things that only the devil happens to know of.
I really didn’t know what to expect from Cocodrillo Turbo given the mediocrity of Only for Dolphins but much like Lamb Over Rice, I came away from this album looking at it as one of his best projects in a while. The production is a lot more consistent than it was 7 months ago & I really admire that Bronson decided to bring back the Dr. Baklava alter ego.
Score: 8/10
