METERMAIDS, a Brooklyn-based duo consisting of emcees Sentence and Swell, often refer to themselves as "the Bad News Bears of hip-hop." However, after teaming up with the X-Ecutioners DJ Rob Swift, receiving production from Grammy Award Winner 9th WONDER, and pulling in vocal contributions from indie-hop legends SAGE FRANCIS & BUCK 65, their "ROOFTOP SHAKE" LP is set to turn that self-deprecation on its head.DJ Rob Swift essentially acts an honorary member of Metermaids, accentuating each track by doing what he does best; handling the cuts and adding the stylistic cherry on top. The lack of chest thumping bravado on this record is a breath of fresh air in a music scene that's been drowning in fantasy rap for over a decade. However, don't confuse the Metermaids' too-honest-to-fake-it approach with one of ambivalence. At its core, the "Rooftop Shake" LP is an upbeat homage to a more grimy NYC aesthetic sans the overt braggadocio. The main theme of the album deals with two Brooklyn transplants coming to terms with life in the Big Rotten Apple, which is one of beauty as well as grit. 9th Wonder (Jay Z, Little Brother, Murs) provides the soulful sonic backdrop for half of the album and even pokes his head into the vocal booth to make some incredibly rare appearances on the mic. The songs that aren't produced by 9th are handled by M. Stine, the main contributor to the Metermaids' previous EP efforts which garnered them over 100,000 downloads as well as the attention of Sage Francis, ultimately leading to their signing on Strange Famous Records. As head of the label, Francis confidently assures the audience that, "If Bill Buckner rapped, it certainly wouldn't sound like this. They should stop saying stuff like that." TRACKLISTING: 01 8MM 02 Graveyard Shift 03 Bad Things feat. Sage Francis 04 Rooftop Shake feat. 9th Wonder 05 Ghost Town 06 Last of the EMTs 07 Kill The Crow feat. Sage Francis & Buck 65 08 Victory Blvd 09 Get Down 10 Gone feat. 9th Wonder
