The Grouch & Eligh – “What Would Love Do” (Album Review)

The Grouch & Eligh are a duo from Los Angeles, California who both came up in the mid-90’s as members of the seminal West Coast underground outfit Living Legends & unified as a pair in 2000 off their full-length debut G&E Music. This was followed up with No More Greener Grasses in ‘03 & then Say G&E! in ‘09, but started focusing on other projects after the release of 333 in 2014. However about 7 & a half years later, they’ve seen fit to reunite in the form of their 4th album.

After the titular intro, “Love Feels” is a beautiful piano-laced opener asking if the listener is vibing with them leading into “Dreams” euphorically going back & forth about some of the dreams that they’ve had themselves. “Handball” weaves in a mesmerizing vocal sample putting both of their charisma on display whereas the Mistah F.A.B.-assisted “Ghost” has a bit of a snappy instrumental comparing themselves to the supernatural.

“Because” basically describes being married to the game accompanied by a hollow beat just before “The Call” serves as an empowering tribute to all the Kings & Queens in the world. “Piano God” does it’s job mystically painting an image of the titular behind, but then “Good as You” comes off a sweet letter to their significant others.

Meanwhile on “Don’t Say”, we have G&E going into tropical turf telling listeners that only love can bring you to a new day leading into Eli-Mac tagging along to express their desires to be “Like Water” & the downtuned guitar tone kinda reminds me of “Laffy Taffy” for whatever reason.

“Train Song” comes through with a somber traveling man anthem, but then “Never Kill” whips up a minimal beat speaking out against murder. After the titular interlude, the title track smoothly ponders if love was an actual person & then “Girl Be Loved” rounds out the album with a touching letter to the duo themselves.

For as long as it took, I think What Would Love Do is a welcoming comeback for the duo. Their chemistry is still one of a kind after being in the game for over 2 decades & the production (mostly handled by Eligh) sets a different vibe for each cut.

Score: 7/10

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Legends Will Never Die

Just a 26 year old guy from Detroit, Michigan who passionately loves hip hop culture & music as a whole