Album Review: Lee Reed - Pitchforks and Torches
#fannablog #review #leereed #pitchforkandtorches
Review by Nathan Powers - 05/14/2025
As alien drones strafe the shoreline and the House of Parliament shifts from the old boss to the (same old) new boss, Hamilton's hip-hop godfather and Strange Famous alumni, Lee Reed has emerged from his bunker to drop his 4th full length LP: Pitch Forks and Torches.
Lee Reed is pure uncut anarchist rap. Be assured, whenever there is injustice and a megaphone he will be there; balaclava clad, calloused fingers on the pulse of the big machine, lyrics slicing
through the bullshit with serrated wit and wordplay, ready to lead the riot.
For those out of the Indy-Rap loop, Lee has been a juggernaut of political rants and raps since the early 90s and seamlessly shifts with the ebbs and flows that is the ever-incarnating
underground scene.
With his groundbreaking work heading the legendary Warsaw Pack, to his time with the short lived but commanding Peoples Republic, all the way to his solo incarnation as we now know him now, Lee Reed has been rattling cages and smashing stages across multiple continents straight into the hearts and minds of weirdo rap fans for nearly three decades.
LISTEN TO PITCHFORKS & TORCHES ON YOUTUBE
Album Review: Lee Reed - Pitchforks and Torches
Pitchforks and Torches is no different. At a DIY punk run time of just over 30min, Lee cuts the crap and gets right down to eviscerating his favourite villains: Shifty landlords, crooked cops, dirty policy makers and oligarchs hell bent on turning this planet into a prison. No one who has a hand in your pocket or a boot on your neck is safe from Reed's rage.
The record intros with No Reform, a wandering desert soundscape produced by ripple-eh-hex, who brings beautifully sculpted paranoid dark beats to all “Pichforks” 12 tracks.
Reform moves the infanta home to the economic warfare the working classes face when struggling to square with landlords and Loblaws. Lee's trademark rage rasp remind us they
coming for your Rent, a hint toward what is leaving us spent, both spiritually and financially.
Lee Reed Press Pic Taken From Soundcloud
Black Mask is a deep state 60's spy movie soundtrack, mapping out guerilla attack points for the next Bilderberg meeting. Its a brooding vibe that highlights the perfectly matched beat productions on “Pitchforks” with Reed’s growling cadence. Although I'm pretty sure simply streaming this track will get you on several watch lists, it's well worth the fire it lights when you
feel like tearing the whole shit down.
Sharpening Blades gives plenty of space to DMC alumni and all around turntable assassin !Kryme Won to do his thing. Lee and !Kryme have been running game since his independently
released The Butcher, The Banker, The Bitumen Tanker.
!Kryme lays into the ominous cuts, layering stalking samples that are waiting for the governor to start his booby trapped Bugatti. The fire that !Kryme Won has been bringing to Lee's music can't be understated and it's awesome he gets a chance to flex hard here.
Lee isn't worried about petty rap beefs and current pop trends. His well squeegeed lens focuses clearly on how we're being fucked, by whom and fantasizes on how we should deal with thethat are most commonly known as them.
Although one could speak on the pure apathy that this outlook can trigger, Lee reminds us in ”Pitchforks and Torches” final track Hope-Less that the cure to this systemic stomp down is action. Sitting in platitudes and social media activism doesn't fix shit.
The man stands behind his words too. Lee can be found playing squats and protests more than he does conventionally produced shows nowadays. Putting his ass directly in the line of fire and bringing us the uncensored lowdown from the frontlines.
Shout out to Fannatickets contributor Anthony Haley on the art work and to Sage Francis for getting wise to Lee' s music and bringing him into the Strange Famous fold. A perfect fit for all concerned.
A further shout out to Lee's own Rhymeth!nk Collective. An acclaimed group of artists and activists that keep it muthafuckin’ real when it comes to bringing light to the shady side of
corporate control.
While we’re at it, be sure to catch Lee as he is currently touring Canada with his Rhymeth!nk homeys, his stage show is easily one of the best in the business and for gods sake, Cop
Pitchforks and Torches now, before the powers that be catch wind of Reed's wisdom and redact it's truths from the annals of history.
Pick up digital and hard copies @
LISTEN TO PITCHFORKS & TORCHES ON SPOTIFY
About The Author
Nate Powers
Nate Powers has been a staple of the Hamilton Hip Hop scene for almost a quarter of a century. His sophomore solo album Under the Influence is set for release in Autumn 2025. He lives at home with his family who are absolutely lovely and his dog Bear who is a big fat baby.
