All City

Northern State present a quandary for us: If we say we don’t like them, that their rhymes are awkward and forced, their beats dull and monotonous, and their flows virtually nonexistent, we’ll be accused of being sexist and closed-minded. But if we say these three white, Long Island feminists offer a refreshing contrast to the frequently misogynist world of hip-hop, we’ll be lying. Sexist and closed-minded it is. Granted, All City is an improvement on the band’s too-aptly-titled 2003 effort, Dying in Stereo: An undeniable hook and some deft turntable cuts pump blood into “Nice With It,” the bluesy guitar lick looping behind “Think Twice” is a nice touch, and “Speaking for Me” sets the trio’s political rage to an engaging simmer. But then there are rhymes like “We plunder and pillage/Live in the East Village,” which prove even more cringe-inducing to hear than they are to read, not to mention beats that rarely veer from their old-school, 4/4 framework. We won’t deny Northern State’s message is empowering and enlightened, but so was Kaiser Wilhelm's—and we stopped buying after his debut.