I had the pleasure of seeing the duo of Von Pea and Donwill this past spring during SXSW. I still feel bad for them, though, since they were first on the bill that was headlined by OFWKTA. I’m not going to go into my feelings about that group right now, but what it meant at the moment was that lines were crazy along with security, and as a result, not that many people got into the venue in time to see Tanya Morgan. Those that did, though, got to see a hip hop group without a lot of flash and frills. You don’t need that when you deliver the goods, which is what Tanya Morgan did. Two emcees with great chemistry and charisma trading rhymes over solid beats. You can’t go wrong with that. Tanya Morgan has recorded some concept albums, but the foundation was always there, with lyrics that connected to listeners on an emotional level. With this in mind, they decided they didn’t need a hook to this record. They could just trust that if they did things right and had emotional investment in the project, it would be good. They were right.

The intro for You and What Army? features the duo discussing how their GPS is broken and they don’t know where they are going. This is actually a discussion about how they approached this album. They didn’t have everything mapped, instead they just trusted their instincts. Fortunately, the duo has an excellent sense of direction when it comes to their music. Things kick off with “Do It Tanya,” featuring Tiffany Page, which has a nice hanging out at a party vibe that I will always associate with Marvin Gaye’s “Got To Give It Up.” “Do It Tanya” finds a comfort zone immediately with a laid back beat, George Benson-esque guitar samples, and the silky smooth vocals of Page singing the hook. Most of the music stays laid back and lets the emcees come to the front, which is great, because Pea and Will are both skilled on the mic who can move from funny and clever and lighthearted to really moving emotional confessions with ease. One of my favorite statements on the record comes at the beginning of “Rock the Bells,” when Von Pea declares, “We don’t adapt - we evolve.” It’s an interesting statement that speaks to the subtle nature of the group. They don’t come in with a bang, but they do grow on you, and the more you listen to their music the more you realize is going on. It isn’t all laid back, though. “We Rollin” reminds us that they can get the dance floor going, with a great driving piano line and high hat/clap beat that is simply irresistible.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in my own opinions on hip hop, so one of my favorite things to do is to put on music in the background, whether it’s in the car or at parties, and wait to see if the music has enough of an effect that someone will comment on it. Having played You and What Army? in this fashion, they were able to elicit the response of “Who is this? I like this. It’s really good.” Yes it is. Tanya Morgan has done it again.