BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX: ALBUM REVIEW
The Three Man Weave serves their purpose the only way they know how — in what is a proper send-off to the groups' trio run.
Injury Reserve is a hip hop collective based in Tempe, Arizona, formed by vocalists Ritchie with a T, Jordan Groggs and producer Parker Corey. 2019 could be described as pure omnipotence for the group; their year consisted of signing with record label RCA, releasing their debut album to critical and audience acclaim and a world tour.
Yet, this high wouldn’t last for long, as 2020 took the life of member Stepa J. Groggs — a passing felt throughout the entire underground hip hop community. In a blog post on their website just a few weeks ago, Ritchie and Corey wrote about an experience performing in Stockholm that inspired the direction of this album, prompting Groggs’ goal of “making some weird shit.” This album is weird shit. This piece isn’t much of a rap album as it is an experience of abstract art. This is the final run of a group running on finite time towards an endgame while paying homage to a friend and his legacy and passions.
By The Time I Get to Phoenix is weird. It’s raw, with elements that the group previously showed signs of utilizing on prior features. The group's performances and contributions during 2020 really demonstrated the direction that By The Time I Get to Phoenix was moving towards. Corey Parker’s production on Amine’s Fetus from Limbo showcases Parker embracing a more industrial take on his style. Groggs’ feature on Jockstrap’s Robert and Ritchie’s feature on Tony Valour’s TED TALK demonstrates their updated flows that would match Footwork in a Forest Fire.
This album sees the group turn away from their traditional style of production and move towards a more experimental, gritty style of production, utilizing booming echo effects and unfiltered kick drums. Some of these songs are weird, but personally I believe that they fail to leave a strong impression or positive listening experience. Smoke Don’t Clear and Ground Zero serve as prime examples of songs that fail to miss their mark with overpowering production with no payoff to a build-up.
On the contrary, certain songs present that industrial, noisy sound in a format that only Corey Parker could get away producing. Outside serves as the explosive start to this emotional rollercoaster and lets the listener know that this is not the same boom bap production on Floss or Live From the Dentist Office — this is heavy, scratchy audio meant to make you uncomfortable. Following the epic movement of Outside comes Superman That, a visceral reminder that we are human, impervious to perfection, and there is only so much we can do as fragile beings to help one another. A song so simple, yet impactful.
Superman This, Knees and Top Picks for You demonstrate the album's central theme of grief for their friend as well as growth without losing focus on the overall quality or aesthetic. Lines like “He walks across the room, I see a lot more than seems to be patterns. I scan the room, I see bits and pieces of you scattered. It's those same patterns that gon' get us through the next chapter” and “Knees hurt me when I grow , And that's a tough pill to swallow, Because I'm not gettin' taller” demonstrate the vulnerability with personal growth while recognizing the progress that you can achieve through your loved ones.
This album feels like a long car ride on a predetermined route, with only a few unexpected pit stops. By The Time I Get to Phoenix feels complete. This feels like the direction the group was destined to follow despite the turmoil of losing a friend, but in this ride, Ritchie and Parker manage to find something deeper than tribute: solace. From the album title paying homage to Grogg’s favorite Isaac Hayes song to the final message of enduring the storm or difficult arcs in the album closer Bye Storm, it feels like a send-off to a friend while not saying goodbye to the destination.