November 13, 2003 @ 11:37 am

URSULA RUCKER - SILVER OR LEAD (!K7)

Lynne d. Johnson

Though Def Poetry Jam has opened the door to mainstream appreciation of spoken word, perhaps the art form is better left onstage, as accomplished poet Ursula Rucker’s sophomore release, Silver or Lead, suggests.

Though Def Poetry Jam has opened the door to mainstream appreciation of spoken word, perhaps the art form is better left onstage, as accomplished poet Ursula Rucker’s sophomore release, Silver or Lead, suggests. While the Philadelphia poet remains an impressive wordsmith, her soft-spoken vocal tones don’t command attention. Rucker waxes poetic on themes of womanhood, addiction, murder, love, and loss, continuing the tradition of Black Arts Movement poets. Though her subject matter has changed little since her 2001 debut, Supa Sista, this offering’s strength lies in Rucker’s pen. On “Untitled Flow,” she says, “Ain’t gotta spit no gun click shit, ’cause life is hard core ’nough / Don’t need to wax gangsta to be tough / Being black in America is rough.” Yet her intense delivery is not matched by the accompanying electronic soundscape: King Britt’s laid-back “Untitled Flow” typifies the album’s production. Silver only awakens on “Release,” the conga-fired contribution from Masters at Work member Little Louie Vega. At its best, the CD is worthy of relaxed contemplation, but it doesn’t pack the punch of Rucker’s poetry, undressed.

Article tags: URSULA, RUCKER, SILVER, LEAD, K7 

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