"Give Me My Flowers While I Can Smell Them" is Blu and Exiles long awaited follow up
album to the highly acclaimed, Below the Heavens released in 2007.  Below the Heavens was called by many hip hop heads a modern day classic, so expectations were very high of the young cali emcee Blu after 2007. But Blu is still releasing and creating his music his way and independantly, sometimes releasing projects at random which hasn't always left fans happy, but as the title Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them says, Blu wants to put out his music to his fans while its still Fresh.

The album definitely sounds like a Below the Heavens part 2, it has mellow, jazzy, soulful and quirky production from Exile. Blu's lyrics follow the theme of spirituality, introspective songs and escaping to your own heaven.

Blu comes more lyrical on this album, he also fits the production well by switching up his flow, from songs like Ease Your Mind which is more melodic, to Mask Your Soul where he comes very laid back. However sometimes his delivery is too laid back.
The lack of energy on some songs such as Mask your soul, Don't Be Jelly and Money. They make it hard for the average listener not used to Blu to get into this album. This might be just the way Blu wants it to sound, but it only makes me wonder what songs sould have sounded like with someone rapping with more energy. However those were my least favourite tracks on the album, along with Money which just sounded like a sequel to Juice n Dranks Exiles production still sounds dope on every song and still saves those tracks.

Personal favourites were Ease Your Mind, the most relaxing song on the album, I really like the melody from Blu and the backup female vocalist. More Out Of Life, Mask Your Soul, Seasons and Maybe One Day were my other favourite songs, but my favourite track overall is still Growing Pains, which features Fashawn and Dag Savage, on the livest beat on the album. Fashawn brings a nice change in energy to the album.

Overall, this album will satisfy all the fans of Below the Heavens and those into jazzy hip hop. I found it took me a couple of listens to get into, but the more I listen the more I like about it. Its an album I can listen straight through, mainly because the production feels very consistent from track to track, and the fact its all done by one producer, so each song fits right. Its a great album to chilling out to.

Production: 4/5
Lyrics: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

Purchase the album Here: http://itunes.apple.com/us....4385081