Eryk Moore Takes Listeners "Beyond the Stage"

Written By AYANNA G

(A Hip-Hop Infused Spoken Word Diary...)

Lots of spoken word artists here in ....Atlanta.... catch a bad rap for being too "earthy" or "militant." But there are few artists whose work fans can say actually evolve over time. Eryk Moore, a New York transplant to the Atlanta entertainment scene, does....more than wax poetic on his latest CD, Beyond the Stage. I have heard my fair share of poets and spoken word artists over the years, and wasn't quite sure what the album would offer my ears. But upon pressing PLAY, I was immediately transported into Moore's lyrical world.

Beyond the Stage...

It's hard not to become drawn into the first track, aptly named, "Beyond the Stage." Moore appears to read a bit of his mental diary over the soulful horns from James Brown sample "King Heroin." But as soon as "Church" begins (the 2nd track), it is quite evident that his dedication to authentic hip-hop is quite solid. Amongst looped choir vocals and Bahamadia samples, Eryk Moore's lyrics tumble out of his mouth like verses from a hip-hop Bible. But just as I got comfortable nodding my head, the music ceased—and his words were punctuated by the silence that one would expect when visiting an incense-filled coffeehouse ("Goodbye Lie Lullabye".) On any other CD, these silent breaks between songs might seem trite. But on Beyond the Stage I realized that the silence is necessary to really appreciate Moore's storytelling ability.

But getting back to the music...

Long story short: "Msundastood" made me want to dance from the first 16 bars. Moore states in this track that "16 bars don't make a hot song." And he's right. But in this case the remaining bars are just as enticing as the first.

He draws upon theatrical pop culture by cleverly inserting one of the most famous quotes from epic film, 300 into his piece titled "Who." The machismo offered by many male spoken word artists seems eclipsed by the aggressive, yet competent lyrics of this track. Is Eryk Moore the greatest lyricist of all time? Maybe, maybe not; but this song just might convince you otherwise.

"Jeckyl's Hyde" invokes the artist's sensitive side (with help from producer Danielle Reed and a Lenny Kravitz sample from the Are You Gonna Go My Way album.) But on this song, Moore intelligently eschews sappiness in favor of frank dialogue.

Clearly, my favorite track on the album is "Sick and Tired." And while I'm certain this track might make dozens of spoken word artists see red, I found the sentiments therein wildly hilarious. With his "real talk" he lists all the nuances of the spoken word/hip-hop scene that he (and I'm sure scores of others) are sick and tired of. Some of the annoyances named: Spoken word artists who mimic each others' vocal inflections while performing ("Do youuuu talk like thissssss?"), informal groupies of the arts scene, and even the poets whose bark is a bit stronger than their lyrical bite. Oh yes, "Sick and Tired" is the track to be reckoned with.

Other Mentionables...

Many spoken word artists are known for delving into sexual territory in their pieces. Moore is no different in that regard. But instead of heaping on a pile of explicit descriptions, he incorporates a conversational tone that makes a lady think he's talking directly to her and only her ("Easy.")

Listen to this CD and you'll appreciate the sprinkling of feminine energy on tracks like "Make it to Heaven" just as much as you'll enjoy the rock-tinged "Slam", a song that showcases the wordplay that Eryk Moore is known for.

In perusing this album, I felt that I was privy to the private thoughts that many famous hip-hop artists are afraid to reveal on their CDs. Spoken word artists come a dime a dozen. Many of them are good. Some are really good. But there are very few who offer projects that are as musically solid and lyrically diverse as Beyond the Stage. Moore's "ménage a' trios with rhythm and blues" is quite evident on this album. It takes more than just a few well-placed rhymes to create a good spoken word project; of that, this album is proof.

Full Credit Listings / Information:
www.erykmoore.com
Poohmafella Records
www.poohmafellarecords.com 

What is the archetype of a true spoken word artist? A true spoken word artist spits verse that's devastating to fallacy and malignant to ignorance. A true spoken word artist touches their audience in places that until that moment; numbness resides. A true spoken word artist is humbled from a distance, yet a lyrical God before your spirit. ....

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Eryk Moore, phonetically known as "WHERDZMYTH"; is the archetype of a true spoken word artist! His lyrics flow like the Black Sea, re-hydrating dry souls. His delivery is like a soldier on the front line; dynamic and direct, straight to the point of what's happening in anyone's life. ....

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And his stage presence? His stage presence is endearing and powerful at the same time, forcing everyone present to break down all barriers and prepare to taste reality, served up in doses of their past, present and future.....

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Born and raised in ....New York...., Eryk Moore first discovered his pen through the dark smoke of a very challenged childhood. Being accustomed to hiding his pain and fear in his verse, Eryk wasn't too keen on sharing his poetic soul with unknown patrons around the world.  ....

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However, after migrating to ....Atlanta.., ..Georgia.... in 2000, the urge to represent deliverance on the mic superseded being private and the legendary Ying Yang Café' would be the initial ground breaking spot to feature Eryk Moore to the world!....

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Shortly thereafter, Eryk would join a spoken word group called, "The Eboni Poets" and after this group experience, Eryk realized that his calling was to flow worldwide solo.....

As a phenomenal solo artist, his skill is comparable to Amir Sulaiman, Talaam Acey, Tommy Bottoms, and Georgia Me. ....

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Eryk Moore exudes the same confidence as Jesus on the Cross, boldly rocking truth before non-believers, only to have them bow down in belief once his verse penetrates their minds. ....

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***"I'm the one ....

you told your kids not play with....

you see ....

my family adopted ....

heroine and crack....

realized they liked it better....

and decided....

I wasn't the one....

 they wanted to stay with....

Now ain't that some shit....

Yo, I was only six…"....

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With the release of Eryk Moore's much anticipated CD "BEYOND THE STAGE", he opens his heart and shares a new collection of finely rendered, reality based poems. With this CD Eryk paints portraits of life drawn from his experiences and life seen through the eyes and soul of a spoken word artist.....

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If you want your next event to go from good to great, and getting more than your money's worth is important in your budget, Eryk Moore is the Spoken Word Artist you need; guaranteed!....

To Book Eryk Moore:....

Please Contact

POOHMAFELLA RECORDS....

Sele' Kalia, Manager....

(615) 468-0880....

THE CD IS FINALLY OUT. GO TO http://cdbaby.com/cd/erykmoore  . CHECK OUT THE TRACKS. BUY THE CD! IF YOU CAN'T BUY IT TODAY, PLEASE LISTEN TO THE TRACKS AND LEAVE A COMMENT. MUCH LOVE TO THE ENTIRE MYSPACE FAMILY!!!