Activist/Lawyer/Emcee Cap D has been plugging away in Chicago for over ten years, as a solo artist and with his crew, All Natural. On his latest release, Polymath, we see a mature artist struggling with the gap between where he is and where he wants to be.

With production laid down by !LLMiND, NO I.D., and Cap D himself, we get some hard beats that bring a sense of urgency to the album. Nowhere is it more evident than on “Chicago Five-O,” an ominous track with haunting keyboards and guitars hanging over an ascending bass line and an up-tempo shuffle. It sets the tone as we hear tales of police brutality, a subject matter that is relevant as it’s ever been.

The track that really stands out to me is “Champions Sound.” Maybe it’s because I’m a sucker for a Hammond organ or a good horn sample, but I also think the song structure is really good, with a great build-up and strong lyrical structure. It’s a battle rap of sorts, but pushes those in the hip hop game to achieve more. If everything on this album was as strong as this song, I’d be giving it a 9 or 10.

However, when you’re dealing with politically-minded music, you’re always walking the tightrope between where it all clicks and the music is enjoyable and the lyrics challenge you and make you think, and the unfortunate situation where the music doesn’t come together and the lyrics get preachy. It’s tough, and I don’t mean to stop anybody from trying. There are a few spots on the album, thought, that don’t come together, such as “Addiction,” and “Life is a Hustle,” which both follow the great “Chicago Five-O.”

Overall, I feel like the album hits more than it misses, and when it does miss, it’s not that bad. It’s mostly that a lot of this album spends most of its time in between the highs (“Champion Sound”, “Chicago Five-O,”) and the lows. All things considered, though, if I’m complaining that an album has a lot of decent politically conscious hip hop songs and not a ton of amazing ones, I think Cap D doing all right.