[3/5]
From his days as MTV minstrel Little T to the "I only sample CDs that cost a buck or less" aesthetic that kicked off his solo career on 2005's Gone Ain't Gone to last year's internet giveaway Over The Counter Culture, Tim Fite has always had a nose for an effective gimmick. But on Fair Ain't Fair, the Brooklyn singer/songwriter/rapper drops all devices but his yokel drawl; the result captures him turning into an old-fashioned troubadour, one fueled by big issues like the apocalypse, greed and forgiveness and whose country/hip-hop hybrid has never sounded catchier. Noisy rock needlessly complicates a few tracks, but Fite's ability to make his sly humor succinct and singalong--"Rock is just wood," he chants on "More Clothes," "unless you look real good/Lookin' down your nose"--reminds you he has more to market than just himself. (ANTI-) Dan LeRoy
 Official Website: http://www.anti.com
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