(Ed Note: Okayplayer.com changed their format and this review is no longer available on their site. That’s why it’s here)

Rob Rush - Childhood Hero
Rec-League Records
4/5 Stars

Childhood Hero is Rob Rush’s first solo work, and covers a wide range of materials and sounds which overarch several different eras of musical history. Before you even listen to the CD, the intriguing title provides a blueprint to the musical experience that awaits. Rather than leaving you in ambiguity, I’ll go into some detail in explaining what I mean and why this album is a great solo release for Rob Rush.

Probably the most interesting thing about this album isn’t so much the musical merit (which is equally impressive and goes hand-in-hand with the conceptual portion of Childhood Hero), but the concept behind the album. A childhood hero is pretty self-explanatory, but to be thorough I’ll provide an explanation: somebody a child idolizes when they are young and who can heavily influence an individual later in life. Each track on Childhood Hero is a tribute to a what seems to be a childhood hero of Rob Rush (heroes range from Dr. Dre to Atmosphere to RJD2); that is not to say that Rob Rush copies the musical genius of his childhood heroes. Instead, the musical influences on each track are clear and pronounced, yet Rush manages to blend them into a style that is distinctly his own.

Now to discuss the musical merits of Childhood Hero. Lyrically, Rob Rush reaches out to his audience and provides vividly personal lyrics. Instead of speaking in generalities, Rob Rush speaks of personal truths and stories. As a listener, one can’t help but be drawn into the vivid storytelling, finding their own personal truths, their own personal meaning in each track, and relating to the frustrations and joys of Rob Rush.

Childhood Hero is a great release for Rob Rush. The concept behind the album is intriguing and the lyrical genius of Rob Rush is allowed to blossom amidst a wide range of sounds and material.

- Andrew Hsu