Artist: Shinobi Ninja
Song: What If Times
Genre: Alternative, Hip Hop, Rock
There was once a time when the combination of alternative rock, turn tables and hip hop didn’t carry the dirty connotations that “rap rock” still does to this day. In the golden days of alternative radio (the 90’s), bands were taking influence from rap, dance, reggae and metal yet still keeping the music fun and upbeat (as opposed to the heavier, rage-filled bands to come in the early 2000’s).
Brooklyn’s Shinobi Ninja took me back to those glory days. Their songs fall all across the genre spectrum, from hard rock to pop, with a number of other influences thrown in between. The music is fun, energetic, and ready to break out of the underground. While they released a new album (Bless Up) in March of this year, I wanted to spotlight their 2014 single “What If Times” from the album Escape from New York. A look at the struggles of the poor and working class from the personal perspective of lead singers. While there’s an element of fear in the lyrics (“What if times don’t get no better than this?”), the warm melodies and upbeat rhythm still leave you feeling hopeful.
The Indy Review 