'A Healthy Distrust' gets 4 N's from Now Magazine.

Rating: NNNN

Even if Anticon and Non-Prophets piss you off royally, 'Con and Non member Sage Francis may suck you into the eternal verbal whirlwind in his mind with his latest disc. The album is stronger than Mr. Clean saving a girl trapped beneath a Volvo, due to Sage's cryptic, complicated lyrics, coldly cynical philosophy, syringe-sharp flows and a lo-fi but stellar crop of rugged punk-stained indie rap beats and hooks. It's the overall cohesion of the record that sets Francis apart from Atmosphere and Buck 65, both of whom he occasionally sounds like. Oh, and look out for a left-field Will Oldham cameo that's as wicked as it is weird.

By JASON RICHARDS
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