Yes, we have a brand new LP, as well as a ninth LP from New York City emcee, songwriter, chef, wrestler and TV host Action Bronson. He became an instant hit with the release of his debut album Dr. Lecter in 2011, and later formed a joint venture with VICE Music and Atlantic Records, while releasing several EPs and mixtapes. Most notable are Blue Chip Duo, Saab Story and my personal favorite: the Rare Chandelier. He then released his major-label debut album Mr. Wonderful in 2015, which featured some of his best songs, but the end result was an even more dazzling mixed bag. He fulfilled his contract by dropping a Blue Chips 7000 and celebrated his freedom the following year in the form of a White Bronco, both of which were solid but not to the level of the post-Thanksgiving Lamb Over Rice. Still, given that some of the production choices are questionable, only Dolphin is pretty mediocre, and Cocodrillo Turbo is a bounce back. Following Dallinger and the Alchemist in 2024, Dr. John Sebastian Baklava will take us all to the Frog Planet.
After the title intro, “LeBron Hennessy” features a soulful drumless intro produced by Daringer that calls out to artists eating the same old stuff, while “Olympic Vince Carter” has a funkier boom beat that talks about knowing when something’s wrong in the water. Harry Fraud fused rap-rock so Bronson could compare his life to a “VHS” movie, while lead single “Triceratops,” featuring Lil Yachty and Paul Wall, still feels like a fever dream.
Roc Marciano appears on the second and final single “Peppers” so they can talk about letting loose on a booming bap instrumental with prominent woodwinds before “Condor” kicks off the second half, once again explaining another journey tomorrow. Meyhem Lauren’s “Mandem” emphasizes the rock influence, with the pair bragging about each other before the 90-second “My Blue Heaven” jazzily talks about calling him if you need anything.
“Iguana” references former AEW World Tag Team Champion, 2-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, TNA Hall of Famer, 4-time TNA World Champion, TNA World Tag Team Champion, 8-time WCW World Champion, WCW World Television Champion, 3-time WCW World Tag Team Champion, WWE Hall of Famer and 2-time WWE United States Champion Sting, while “Mutations” skips over Stone Guitar. After an intermission of the composition “Churt Sauce”, “Simon” ends it all with the realization that love has changed.
While it’s thankful that the original AI art that Action Bronson posted on social media a few weeks ago wasn’t used, I still feel like Planet Frog might have been better than what we ended up with, as I’d say it’s the most generic thing I’ve heard from him since Only for Dolphins. I respect the concept of this deep-sea odyssey set in a dystopian world, but some of the production just didn’t impress me compared to Dr. John Sebastian Baklava and Coco DeLillo Turbine.
Rating: 6/10
