On their Soundcloud profile, The Upperclass Men describe themselves as a mix between The Roots, The Beastie Boys and recent Trump confidant Kanye West. Self-written or PR-written band descriptions are often bogus, but this one, despite its apparent haughtiness, really does offer some insight into The Upperclass Men’s abrasive hip-hop sound. On their latest release, "Recipe," the emcees of the band trade jabbing lyrics about partying, reminiscent of the early Beasties. The instrumental has crisp ?uestlovian drums, and tumultuous horn-like synths that wouldn’t be out of place on Yeezy’s latest album. It’s rare for a group to be able to wear such prominent influences on their sleeves without getting weighed down, but The Upperclass Men do so and even manage to soar. You can see them live at SOB’s on 12/28. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber
