Who is Defari? Honestly, I don't know. I only picked this one up based on tips from Madtheory and paulyoungotti. Knowing that they are ber appreciators of quality hip-hop made the choice as easy as jumpin in my ride.  
 
My sources tell me that Odds and Evens is Defaris second full-length release, the first one being Focused Daily. Based on the dopeness of the former, I really want to snipe the latter. It also seems as though he is intimately connected to Dre and his posse (no surprise there coming from LA).  
 
The first thing that hit me about Odds and Evens was the tightness of the production (mainly by E-Swift and Evidence of Dilated Peoples). I typically listen to music in my car. My stereo is relatively bangin so it's a good place to test quality. Good production in hip-hop usually equals how tightly the bass and beats come out the speakers at high volume. Often, bass starts to bleed, escaping the parameters of the speaker cone, creating distortion and even blowing speakers. There's no bleeding hear. The best example of this is on the track Xtra Thump featuring Tash. The tune is basically heavy and bumpin with lots of the lows, the same ones directly associated with that earthquake feeling you get when sitting at a red light next to one of those scary looking cars with the tinted windows, supa shiny rims, and wide-a** tires that seem way too small. Defari harkens back, reminding people that he can still kick-it with the best. The lows stay tight to the speakers, almost lifting the car with the volume cranked. The adrenaline rush I got reminded me of high school when I used to crank Def Leppard and Accept. Fun stuff!  
 
Another thing that struck me about Odds and Evens was the variety of the lyrical content. Defari comes across as a seasoned professional. He brings up all kinds of subjects. There is only one interlude and only one cut shorter than 2 minutes. The combination of Defaris mature west coast sound, tight lyrics, and smooth vocal style create a lethal dose of BANG.  
 
Although I like ALL of the tracks (pretty impressive these days), here are some of my standouts:  
 
Inner City has one of coolest hooks kinda like lowbump-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump-bumpbumpbumpbump-lowbump over a straightforward beat that hits with precision and purpose. Very west coast, very Dre inspired, very tough and nasty.  
 
Cold Pieces also has a hook that got stuck in my cranium long after the sound waves dissipated. The theme and feel is again high west coast. Tribal, eerie, otherworldly, and tough. The title refers to the wonderful women of LA. Clever, eh?  
 
Take The Weight Of My Hand is smooth and relaxed. Here Defari tells us a little about what makes him tick. The syncopated bass line on the low mixes with the shrill pinning of keys on the high to create a tension that is only broken by Defaris smooth flow. Lots of confidence and attitude in this one although not in-your-face.  
 
Xtra Thump you already know how this goes. Bang it loud!  
 
Los Angelinos is a lovely orchestrated joint accented by a simply complex key hook that sets a mellow mood. With no apparent urgency, Defari gives props to his hometown. Its a great track to kick to on a sunny day in August (the dog days), cruising the street with one hand one the wheel just checkin things out.  
 
As I stated earlier, Odds and Evens doesn't contain a weak track. There are 10 others that I didnt mention as favorites but thats just because people have short attention spans these days (myself included). I could, would, should give props to Spell My Name (the video single), the beautifully edgy Hooks, regal title track Odds and Evens, or even the bass and horns of the finale Stay Bubblin, etc.  
 
Need I say more? Well, only that if you are a fan of west coast hip-hop, simply want a place to start your west coast experience, or have a pulse and a CD player, you should get down to your local music peddler and pick up Odds and Evens. Defari is at the top of his game. Also, further props to E-Swift and Evidence of Dilated Peoples for their quality handling of the production duties. Top shelf!  
