Cecil Otter CD release at Triple Rock Social Club on 8/29/08

By: Jon Behm

Cecil Otter - by Jon Behm

It’s been a hell of a year for Doomtree.  Not only has the Minneapolis Hip Hop collective achieved a well deserved level of national recognition from the long awaited crew album, it’s Voltron-like individual members have also shown that any one of them is more than a match for King Zarkon.  The latest news from the team is MC/Producer Cecil Otter’s solo debut, “Rebel Yellow,” which had its official release Friday night at the Triple Rock Social Club.

Taking the stage in a Stetson and “Get Out Phascists” t-shirt (a nod to the douchebaggery of the RNC that is descending on our fair cities this weekend) Otter showed that not only is he one of Doomtree’s most intelligent lyricists, he can also hold down a live show on his lonesome. The street poet filled the evening with gritty rhymes and clever turns of phrase, showcasing his talents as the group’s streetwise introspective loner, a beatnik for the hip hop set.  On tracks like “Box Car Diaries,” “Rebel Yellow,” and “Let Me Tell You,” the self styled “king of the road…to recovery,” presented himself as a pessimistic social observer, a storyteller who seems to have collected a life’s worth of bluesy beats on the lonely highway.  Much like the Canadian MC Buck 65, Otter draws influence from the darker side of Americana: Blues and Folk from the other tortured wanderers of those genres.  And if that sounds a little too intense for you, he also steals a chorus from George Michael’s “Careless Whisper,” which though not in keeping with his persona, really works for him.

Cecil Otter - photo by Jon Behm

Not ones to leave their man unsupported, a few of the other Doomtree crew occasionally took the stage, with Dessa and P.O.S. stepping in to rhyme from time to time, as well as a terrific performance of “Gameshow Host” by Otter, Sims and Mike Mictlan.  Everyone made appearances in the new video for “1999” as well, which was screened after the show.  Overall though, the night belonged to Cecil Otter alone.  While he may play for a champion team, Otter will always seem more of a solitary character. To take a cue from his lyrics, he is a “lone wolf unchained/with crooked fangs,” and like it or not, he’s coming after you.

 
Cecil Otter's Myspace

Doomtree's website

More photos from the show

Rebel Yellow available now at Fifth Element

Location Info: Triple Rock Social Club
Artist Info: Cecil Otter

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