Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Pop Rock
Label Number: 483998 2
© 1996 Epic
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: ricky ross, what you are, 1996, flac,
December 20, 2024
Rick Astley - Greatest Hits (2002)
Genre: Pop Rock, Pop
Label Number: 74321 955122
© 2002 BMG/RCA Records
The folks at BMG Heritage did a wonderful job assembling Rick Astley's long-overdue Greatest Hits, for it succeeds in presenting a definitive and complete collection of the 1980s pop sensation's U.S. and U.K. hits. Not only does this set include all of his singles, it also boasts excellent liner notes, photographs, and chart positions. Included are his American chart-toppers "Together Forever" and "Never Gonna Give You Up," the latter arguably one of the 1980s' most recognizable songs, as well as all of his other Top Ten hits, including the Motown-ish "It Would Take a Strong, Strong Man," "She Wants to Dance With Me," and the 1991 ballad hit "Cry for Help." All of Astley's U.K. hits are accounted for, including "When I Fall in Love" and its non-album B-side, "My Arms Keep Missing You," "Take Me to Your Heart," "Whenever You Need Somebody," and "Hold Me in Your Arms," as well as lesser-known singles such as "Hopelessly," "Move Right Out," "Giving up on Love," and "The Ones You Love." Despite the years and changes in musical trends, the songs on this collection still sound fresh and Astley's voice always packs a wallop and leaves one with the undeniable impression that he was much more than a passing fad; he was, in fact, an extremely underrated and timeless talent who should be remembered as much more than simply a late-'80s pop phenomenon.
tags: rick astley, greatest hits, 2002, flac,
Killah Priest - Elizabeth (Introduction To The Psychic) (2009)
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Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: PRO 264
© 2009 Proverbs Records
It's hard to believe that the release date for Wu-Tang Clan cohort Killah Priest's Elizabeth: Introduction to the Psychic wasn't chosen strategically, as it's difficult to imagine a more appropriate time for its unveiling than right before Halloween. There are enough creepy vibes, mysterious murders, spooky spirits, and supernatural monsters teeming from these tracks to fill a dozen horror-film festivals. But as anyone even casually familiar with Priest's output knows, he's not about graphic, Geto Boys horrorcore -- there's a more spiritual/philosophical context to the fright-night feel of Elizabeth. For the work of most rappers, the response "What the hell is he talking about?" would represent a failure to communicate, but for Priest, it's probably right in line with his intentions. Despite the album's titular portent, he doesn't try to tell any linear stories here, striving instead to stir up a mix of wonder, fear, and thrilling confusion in listeners? It's not even clear exactly who Elizabeth is -- from the cover photo and the few hints dropped, an educated guess might be the 19th century Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria, but closer examination makes even that possibility seem unlikely. Like everything else here, she's most likely a product of Priest's fertile, fiendish imagination. Throughout the album, he freely mixes dashes of religious, historical, and mystical imagery with the occasional touch of gangsta sensibility, though this is the furthest from street-real you can possibly get. It's a dazzling trip that finds "the queen of the water spirits" rubbing shoulders with alien abductions, descriptions of elaborate (Medieval?) torture devices, cosmic philosophy, and references to Priest's connection with the Black Hebrew Israelites. The musical framework is similarly far removed from the landscape of mainstream rap. You'll find no jeep beats or shout-out pop hooks here, and the settings incorporate everything from classical guitar patterns to excerpts from the soundtracks of obscure cartoons. The fact that Priest is able to make all these disparate elements work together, not to mention the fact that they work consistently across a double-length album, surely puts him in the running for some kind of Mad Genius of Hip-Hop award.
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
tags: killah priest, elizabeth, introduction to the psychic, 2009, flac,
December 12, 2024
Mystidious Misfitss - A Who Dat? (2024 Reissue)
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*This is a digital store download purchased from Bandcamp.
Originally released in 1995 on CD and LP.
It was reissued in 2024 by 90's tapes.
This pressing contains 23 tracks total.
Country: U.S.A.Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: None
© 1995-2024 90's Tapes
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
tags: mystidious misfitss, a who dat, 1995, 2024, reissue, flac,
Kindred The Family Soul - Surrender To Love (2003)
Genre: Neo Soul
Label Number: HB 00008
© 2003 Epic/Hidden Beach Recordings
Philadelphia's Kindred the Family Soul -- aka Fatin Dantzler and Aja Graydon -- are a married duo that fronts a ten-piece band and plays some of the most inspiring melds of soul, R&B, hip-hop, funk, pop, smooth jazz, and soft rock. Surrender to Love is the act's debut full length -- an EP appeared during the previous summer to critical and club acclaim. The quality in all of these self-penned titles is astonishing given what passes for soul these days. One can hear the fine, sweet, emotionally and musically true inspiration of Womack & Womack, Ashford & Simpson, Roberta Flack, and Donny Hathaway here, but also the nu-soul grooves of Fertile Ground, Julie Dexter, and YahZarah as well. The shifting jazzy guitars in "Rhythm of Life," as they wind their way around the syncopated vocals, both as exchanged lines between the pair and as a chorus with a hi-hat and rim-shotting snare, make for a gorgeous midtempo groover that crosses the slick jazzy sophistication of Steely Dan with the soul grit of Lauryn Hill and Freda Payne. The album's first single, with its sweet yet spare washes of strings, subtly shaded guitars, and Dantzler's sweet and in-the-pocket tenor phrasing, is a plea for respite from the grimness of urban life. When Graydon hits the chorus and slides in a filler tag, the cut opens up, and when her verse begins, the listener understands that this is a love song above all, and as lovers plead for transcendence with one another, the listener is moved deeply into their wish for deliverance. There are 18 tracks here, and not a one of them is filler. Each moment of Surrender to Love is saturated in both accessibility and integrity. Soul music is far from dead if one listens to Kindred and their peers; they make the argument that no matter how gritty, how grim the circumstance, the struggle is not without merit. Give a listen to "We," with its manifesto of home in a slow-tempo poetic groove. Other standouts -- even though it's tough to choose -- are "What Happens Now," "Contentment" with its Tuck & Patti airiness, the anthemic "Spread the Word" with its Latin percussion-drenched funk that is equal parts Sly Stone, Ray Barretto, and War, the swinging, jazzed out "If I," which could have been sung by Monday Michiru, and the overdriven hip-hopping funk of "Party's Over." (There's a hidden bonus track after cut 18 so don't take it off prematurely.) This is as impressive a debut as one is likely to encounter in 2003. A mindblower.
tags: kindred the family soul, surrender to love, 2003, flac,
Kindred The Family Soul - In This Life Together (2005)
Genre: Neo Soul
Label Number: EK 96512
© 2005 Hidden Beach/Epic Records
The Ashford & Simpson of neo-soul, Fatin Dantzler and Aja Graydon, aka Kindred the Family Soul, continue their ongoing autobiography in song with their second album, In This Life Together, its title borrowed from a dual memoir by the husband-and-wife acting and activist team of Ruby Dee and the late Ossie Davis, who is quoted and name-checked in "The Quote (Interlude)." Typical of neo-soul recordings, the music, provided by a succession of multi-instrumentalist composer/producers (Yameen, Dinky Bingham, Boy Genius, Kristin Price, Chuck Treece, Easy Mo Be, Elise Perry, Anthony Bell, etc.), is mid-tempo, synthesizer-and-drum-programming-driven approximations of 1970s soul in the manner of Marvin Gaye and Sly & the Family Stone, tricked out with contemporary hip-hop elements, including a couple of unnecessary guest raps. Over the tracks, Dantzler and Graydon improvise singsong melodies and intone repetitive hooks, but what really matters is not the music, it's the message. The couple are unabashedly autobiographical; you can't get through the first real song, "Thru Love," without knowing how many children they have and what their sexes are (a son and two daughters), and by the final track, "Bed Time Story," you're being informed, "Aquil has started a new school, and oooh he's doing well." Such details, however, only serve to make their material universal. In contrast to most urban music (and most pop music in general), the subjects here do not concern new love or love gone wrong, they are about the love continuing in a real, committed relationship, that of a contemporary, working-class African-American couple. That love faces many challenges -- the word "stress" turns up in no less than four songs (post-traumatic on one occasion), and "pressure" and "struggle" are repeated, too. Even in a mutual love song like "Thru Love," the singers pause to ask, "Still, who says it's gonna last forever?" But this is more than just couples therapy set to music. "Sneak a Freak" addresses the possibilities of intimacy sandwiched in between all of life's responsibilities; "Woman First" is Graydon's reflection on how her husband's love helps her get through daily strife ("Ever since I had the babies, I just don't feel the same"); and "Message to Marvin" is an update on Gaye's "What's Going On," with the chorus, "What the hell is going on?" There are also songs of faith ("As of Yet") and reflections on parents ("Struggle No More," which oddly contains a verse contributed and sung by India.Arie that is a complete non sequitur). In other words, the collection presents a full-scale portrait of life for a loving, struggling, contemporary couple with three kids trying to keep things together, a life not that different from most people's. That is actually a refreshing perspective to find expressed in popular music, and one a wide audience should be able to identify with.
tags: kindred the family soul, in this life together, 2005, flac,
Manic Street Preachers - Postcards From a Young Man (2010)
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: 88697741882
© 2010 Columbia/Sony Music
It’s tempting to view Postcards from a Young Man as the Everything Must Go to Journal for Plague Lovers’ The Holy Bible, but the analogy isn’t quite that simple. Everything Must Go was cathartic, the bandmembers exorcizing their grief after the disappearance of Richey Edwards, but Postcards from a Young Man is as celebratory as the Manics get, a record that recklessly flirts with joyousness. Once again, the band abandons coiled, tense art-punk for anthemic stadium-fillers, creating arrangements so overloaded they threaten to collapse in a tower of sitars, strings, mandolins, fuzz guitars, and cameos from Ian McCulloch and Duff McKagan. The presence of an Echo & the Bunnyman and a Guns N' Roses is typical of the Manics’ almost ludicrous overreach: they blend moody Englishness with American hooks, which has been their plan since the outset, but they’ve rarely been as successful as they are on Postcards from a Young Man simply because they let their penchant for exaggeration run wild. With the notable exception of Nicky Wire’s lyrics -- whose small scale almost seems like a relief after the airing of Edwards’ unused words on Journal -- everything here is bigger than usual, the rhythms packing an unusual swing, the productions scraping the sky, and the hooks spilling out of James Dean Bradfield’s mouth and guitar alike. All this bustle winds up being the rarest of things for the Manics: it is fun. Granted, it is serious-minded fun with ambition, but with Manic Street Preachers you take fun whenever you can get it, and they’ve never sounded as ebullient as they do here.
tags: manic street preachers, postcards from a young man, 2010, flac,
December 09, 2024
Adorned Brood - Wigand (1998)
*First pressing.
Contains 8 tracks total.
Country: GermanyLanguage: English, German (Deutsch)
Genre: Black Metal
Style: Folk Black Metal
Label Number: RS 10901
© 1998 Atmosfear
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: adorned brood, wigand, 1998, flac,
Bryan Adams - On a Day Like Today (1998)
*This is the Australian pressing.
This pressing contains 15 tracks total.
Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: 541 015-2
© 1998 A&M Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: bryan adams, on a day like today, 1998, flac,
Kubb - Mother (2005)
Genre: Alternative Rock
Style: Britpop
Label Number: 9870767
© 2005 Mercury Records
Kubb were the band formed by Harry Collier -- a singer/songwriter originally from Liverpool but raised in the Caribbean -- along with two friends, Dominic Greensmith on drums and John Tilley on keyboards. Collier was spotted by Rollo from Faithless while waiting tables at a London restaurant, and allegedly sang a version of "Happy Birthday" to a customer that got the attention of Rollo. With the singles "Remain," "Wicked Soul," and "Grow" all getting progressively higher in the charts, Kubb's debut album, Mother, was released at the end of 2005, at a time when it had to compete with MOR favorites advertised with million-pound budgets on TV and greatest-hits compilations from just about everybody who had ever recorded even one single. Because of the timing, Mother got a bit lost in the Christmas rush, but perhaps it also got lost because too many tracks sound like the music of others. "Chemical," the longest track on the album at just over six minutes, was a dead ringer for a Radiohead song, as was the track that closed the album, "Burn Again." "Alcatraz" was Keane in disguise, with the same falsetto vocals, and as for "Without You," not only did it nearly share the title with U2's "With or Without You," it featured guitar backing strikingly similar to the Edge throughout the song. It also really wasn't Harry Collier's fault that on the cover photo he looked like Gareth Gates.
tags: kubb, mother, 2005, flac,
Keyshia Cole - Calling All Hearts (Deluxe Edition) (2010)
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*This pressing contains 14 tracks total.
Country: U.S.A.Genre: R&B
Label Number: B0015109-02
© 2010 Geffen Records
Whether attributed to the downward trend in album sales or its very title -- one that likely made instant skeptics of those who didn't want Keyshia Cole's sound to change -- the merely-gold-selling status of A Different Me must have greatly impacted the makeup of Calling All Hearts. There are no upbeat pop-oriented songs, and stylistic diversions are not part of the program, either. It is something of a refinement of Cole's first two albums, and yet it involves a revolving door of songwriters and producers. While Ron Fair is as present as ever, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Timbaland, Irv Gotti, Chink Santana, the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, and Chuck Harmony represent a mere fraction of the collaborators. Slow and midtempo material dominates, and so do lyrics illustrating turbulent relationships, though "Take Me Away" -- a highlight -- beams. It drags in spots, due in part to an absence of a "Let It Go"-type track to break up all the introspection and pain, but Cole delivers for those who want to hear a moody, emotional outpouring.
tags: keyshia cole, calling all hearts, deluxe edition, 2010, flac,
December 01, 2024
Bonnie Tyler - Hide Your Heart (1988)
*European first pressing.
Contains 10 tracks total.
Country: United KingdomGenre: Pop Rock
Label Number: CBS 460125 2
© 1988 CBS
The international release of Bonnie Tyler's Notes from America -- titled after the album's lone single -- this is also Tyler's last Columbia release, and her first post-Jim Steinman album. Tyler is still working with the talented Desmond Child (who helped out on Secret Dreams & Forbidden Fire), as well as legendary hitmakers Holly Knight and Mike Chapman. But, aside from the single "Hide Your Heart," this album is perhaps most notable for containing songs that would become bigger hits for other artists at later points in time. "The Best" would become Tina Turner's anthem of choice, while Tyler's cover of the Bee Gees' "To Love Somebody" would be eclipsed by Blue Rodeo's version of the same song. This is a satisfying album, but -- following Tyler's two brilliant masterpiece albums with Jim Steinman (Faster Than the Speed of Night and Secret Dreams & Forbidden Fire) -- one can't help but feel a little bit of disappointment at Steinman's absence. Her last American release for eight years (until 1996's Free Spirit), though she would continue a thriving international career during this time.
tags: bonnie tyler, hide your heart, 1988, flac,
Glenn Tipton - Baptizm of Fire (1997)
*This is the Japanese first pressing.
Contains 12 tracks total.
Country: United KingdomGenre: Heavy Metal
Label Number: AMCY-2058
© 1997 Atlantic/EastWest Japan
As an original member of heavy metal forefathers Judas Priest, Tipton has engaged audiences for nearly a quarter of a century with his aggressive yet melodic guitar playing. His solo album -- recorded in the interim between Priest frontmen -- displays a wide range of styles. Blues, classical, thrash, and traditional British metal all coalesce in this hard-rockin' album, and Tipton (who also sings) gets to work in formats not common to Priest, such as the thrashing punk rendition of "Paint It Black" and the majestic instrumental title track. He even ends the album playing a banjo. [Baptizm of Fire was reissued in 2006 with the bonus cuts "Himalaya" and "New Breed."]
tags: glenn tipton, baptizm of fire, 1997, flac,
Various Artists - The Million Dollar Hotel: Music From The Motion Picture (2000)
Genre: Pop Rock, Art Pop, Film Score
Label Number: 3145423952
© 2000 Interscope Records
The main charm and flaw of the soundtrack to Wim Wenders' The Million Dollar Hotelis exactly the same thing: a sultry, omnipresent moodiness, as seductive as it is lulling. At first, it draws the listener in; U2's "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" and "Never Let Me Go" (performed by Bono and the MDH Band, a superstar collective featuring Brian Eno and Bill Frissell, among others) unspool at a leisurely, graceful pace. It's easy to get lost in the slow, dark crawl of the music. The second new U2 song, "Stateless," maintains the intriguing atmosphere -- halfway between The Joshua Tree and Zooropa -- and then, things begin to unravel. Lou Reed's "Satellite of Love" makes its first of three appearances on the soundtrack. Sonically, it's really no different than the three preceding tracks. After all, it's performed by the MDH band -- but it's sung by Milla Jovovich, the star of the film. Now, Jovovich is a recording artist in her own right, and she's actually one of some merit, yet this recording falls flat, collapsing in vocal histrionics at the end. Once the soundtrack loses momentum, it never regains its forward motion. There are some very good moments scattered throughout the record, from Bono and Daniel Lanois' "Falling at Your Feet" to various assorted instrumentals, but much of it winds up sounding a bit too samey and a little too draggy, with the variations on the basic, elegantly ominous sound wind up not being varied enough. Even though it meanders too much, The Million Dollar Hotel is always on the verge of being compelling, which may be enough for fans of atmospheric film soundtracks, who are accustomed to the music drifting a little bit when it's separated from the visuals.
tags: various artists, the million dollar hotel, music from the motion picture, 2000, flac,
November 27, 2024
Channel 5 - Channel 5 (1988)
Country: Germany
Language: English
Genre: Pop Rock, Pop
Label Number: 243 848-2
© 1988 WEA
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: channel 5, channel 5 album, 1988, flac,
November 26, 2024
Eyedea & Abilities - E&A (2004)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: 86710-2
© 2004 Rhymesayers/Epitaph
A simple description of Eyedea would be “the thinking man’s Eminem.” In fact, it’s remarkable how much the two have in common besides melanin. Both are known for vicious freestyle skills, both have been finalists in the Cincinatti hip-hop showcase Scribble Jam, and both cultivated a devoted following in the underground based on a style and flair beyond the ordinary. The two clearly branched off in different directions though. Eminem blew up on the strength of his sick humor, linked up with Dr. Dre and signed to Aftermath, and became both a household name and public enemy #1 to all whack rappers of melanin that can’t stand a white boy being that damn good when they spend years upon years trying and still stink up hip-hop (see Benzino). Meanwhile Eyedea continued winning events like the Blaze MC Battle (broadcast on HBO) and releasing underground albums like “First Born” with his partner in crimes DJ Abilities. The latter is no slouch either – a two time regional DMC champion, one of the top vinyl cutters in all of hip-hop, and a maestro of fine beat production.
The question is certainly the same to reader and writer alike – why have two talents of such magnitude seperately failed to blow up paired together? The reasons are simultaneously both obvious and hard to fathom. Eyedea purposefully cultivates an attitude reminiscent of early El-P/Company Flow material – “independent as fuck and proud of it.” As a member of the infamous Rhymesayers family, he can afford to be. The iconic underground status of the crew combined with his own legerdemain ensure for the time being and near future a level of indie underground success that sustains his career. But quixotically, it’s this very attitude that may prevent Eyedea from reaching out to a larger audience. It’s a shame too, because those masses don’t realize Eyedea is just as humerous on the mic and swift with his flow as Em is. The new album “E&E” is out to prove that, and songs like the witty “Act Right” succeed at it:
“(Hey LADIES!) You know we love to see y’all at the shows
But this is dedicated to the ones someone might call a {*HO!!*}
All I gotta do is wink to get you back to my hotel
I can’t respect a person that don’t respect themselves
You’re that one girl I went to high school with (with)
Back then you treated me like I wasn’t shit
You say if I give you a free CD, you’ll show me your tits?
You get the CD for ten bucks like everyone else, you stupid {BITCH!}
{No} – I don’t care if you just broke up witcha boyfriend
{No} – I ain’t tryin to go where every other rapper’s been!
{No} – If I was to kick it all my boys would clown so I could
{“Never hold ya, can’t hold ya, won’t hold ya down” – J-RO}”
As good as it is, it’s the hilarious vocal stabs by Abilities on the tables that make it even better. You gotta give it up to the man – he produced the entire album and was only assisted on scratch once by DJ Infamous for the instrumental turntablist porn show opus “Two Men and a Lady.” The focus clearly remains on Eyedea though, who just can’t resist showing off his penchant for tricky tongue rapping on cuts like “Now.” Few can match his dexterity in flipping syllables; even Twista would be impressed and/or jeal’:
“Tryin to turn into a simple simile, a simple sentiment adrenaline is coming back
I made it my own city, why’s it gotta be a superstar
I’d rather be a galaxy, but how you see is so dependent
on the medicine the rhetoric and how inventive any second
that your thinkin is, I’m sittin at the brink of this
world is all asleep and I have no apologies
I breathe… keep my side on what we ride on
Let bygones be bygones, the migraines don’t sidetrack my final
destination of them rivals, predetermination
To exterminate the germination
Of a nation that ac-cepts,anything that’s thrown in their fat face
Cause when there’s nothing – left, there’s no point to the rat race”
Aceyalone? Gift of Gab? Pharoahe Monch? Each would be fair comparisons to Eyedea, truly a verbal pugilist extrordinaire. Showing a higher level of concentration on and concern for accessible dopeness than on their debut album, Eyedea & Abilities craft an album full of songs that can break past their cult icon status to a broader underground rap audience. The uptempo and bouncy “Kept” is all that. “Exhausted Love” talks honestly about failed dreams traded in for the menial day to day grind. “Star Destroyer” starts with a hot Xzibit sample scratched in by Abilities and only gets better as Eyedea lambasts inferior competitors. The smooth sounds of “Paradise” have that surprising pop crossover previously only heard in certain Quannum artist joints by DJ Shadow and Latyrx. “One Twenty” is a purely menacing attack of pianoes, freestyles, and sweet DJ Abilities cutting. The only track that might lose people is the industrial noise of “Man vs. Ape,” but to this reviewer it was a refreshing change of pace.
When the ominous sounding “Glass” shatters it’s way across your eardrums at the end and three-quarters of an hour have gone by, “E&A” turns out to be one hell of a great experience. Maybe the theory that there’s only room for so many white rappers to crossover and blow up in hip-hop is true, and it just happened that Eminem got the slot and Eyedea got nada. That can’t be true though, because back in the days the Beastie Boys, 3rd Bass and (ugh) Vanilla Ice were all hot at the same time, and today there are more people of ALL diverse colors and backgrounds making great music that’s true to the hip-hop art and culture. So why won’t Eyedea & Abilities shine brighter? Because for better or worse, they’ve been pigeonholed in the “college alternative” hip-hop category where it’s great to be on mix shows and mix tapes but you’ll never go any further without somebody paying for a top 40 radio push and greasing the palms of a Viacom executive to get your video played on BET and MTV. There’s one thing Eminem got by signing with Dr. Dre that Eyedea did not – connections. Connections get that ass stuck like glue, and after a decade of both making hits and being in them, Dr. Dre had a LOT of connections. Hopefully Eyedea & Abilities can land just such a connection one day and convince the naysayers and pale-skin haters that they’ve got the right stuff, but there’s no reason to deny yourself a copy of “E&A” in the interim.
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
tags: eyedea, abilities, e and a, e&a, 2004, flac,
People Under The Stairs - Fun DMC (2008)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: GDM007CD
© 2008 Gold Dust Media
On their sixth LP (and first after breaking with the Om label), the West Coast underground rap heroes known as People Under the Stairs present another high-energy excursion into the feel-good, party-themed hip-hop of yesteryear with FUN DMC. Thes One and Double K journey back (way back) before the indie rap heyday of the mid-1990s, giving numerous nods to the old school’s various eras. Against all odds, the B-boy-centric duo once again reformulates hip-hop nostalgia into a finely crafted product that is infinitely fresher and more original than the genre-bending work of their contemporaries.
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
tags: people under the stairs, fund dmc, 2008, flac,
Mike Mictlan & Lazerbeak - Hand Over Fist (2008)
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: DTR 017
© 2008 Doomtree Records
Location can be almost as important in hip hop as it is in real estate. Simply existing in a given spot can say a lot about your music, and your city of origin can play a huge role in your future success, or lack thereof. When I worked at a record store a few years back, a co-worker introduced himself to me by confessing he was from Minnesota upon hearing that I was into hip hop. This was over five years ago at this point – well within Atmosphere’s reign but prior to the full Rhymesayers explosion – and my initial reaction was to laugh when he claimed he grew up in the epicenter of some good rap music. But then I stopped short, remembering all the artists I knew who were affiliated with the area, and acknowledged that he was right. Turns out, dude went to high school with Eyedea and was around for the early days of the local Atmosphere phenomenon. He was a rock fan through and through, but living amidst the Minneapolis scene opened him up to rap music, albeit of the Rhymesayers/Def Jux variety more than Rawkus/Def Jam.
Fast forward half a decade, and it seems ridiculous to discount Minne-snow-ta, or to think of any time other than now as the state’s hip hop heyday. With Atmosphere still in ascendance, Brother Ali staking his claim to top five territory, and P.O.S. releasing with the Jukies, there’s plenty of talent to go around. And that doesn’t even include the massive crew P.O.S. brought with him, a collective known as Doomtree with a roster that runs nine deep without a weak link in the bunch. The group’s self-titled album showcased its members’ considerable skills and rightly earned a number of year-end nods for the excellence of its ensemble cast in such a well-executed collaboration. Lazerbeak contributed much of the album’s production (along with Turbo Nemesis), carving a distinct niche for himself with his postindustrial tableaus over pounding drums, while Mike Mictlan wedged himself into the MC mix with his double-time flow and standout performance on tracks like “Drumsticks” and “Game Over.”
These two have now joined forces to release “Hand Over Fist,” a taut collection of tracks with surprisingly little filler and a short guest list. While the “Doomtree” album saw Mictlan struggling to get playing time in a crowded line-up, “Hand Over Fist” is his emergence as a true starter, as he dominates every song and keeps the spotlight squarely on himself. Other than a small appearance for P.O.S. on the speed-laced “SHUX,” Mictlan is the only voice to be heard here, and he holds it down so well that you never grow tired of his presence. He sounds a bit like El-P but with a more streamlined and manageable flow, and his delivery fits well within the Def Jux palate as well. The beats aid in this comparison, as Lazerbeak’s productions bear much of the El-Producto imprint too, full of noises that might be abrasive if they weren’t so darn infectious. His beats are more like soundscapes than head-nodders, although there are a few of the latter thrown in too, and the busy-yet-desolate ambience suits Mictlan’s visually evocative lyrical style.
The music is so heavy and involved that it occasionally feels suffocating, with Mictlan’s raps the only real outlet, which succeeds in a few ways. First, it creates a clear mood that persists for the duration of the album and easily holds your attention. Second, it makes the MC’s voice your only link to sanity as he guides you through his tumultuous world and gets you to see life from behind his eyes. And finally, it makes the few lighter moments feel like finally surfacing for air, which both highlights these softer tracks and reminds you why the rest of the album is so riveting. Things never exactly get Kanye smooth, but songs like the soulful “LA Raiders Hat” and the jazzified flute of “Young Hunger” keep the album from getting overly dark and prove that the duo can construct an ear-pleasing jam when they feel like it.
There really isn’t much to complain about here, unless you can’t keep up with the blistering pace set by Lazerbeak’s sound machine. Mitlan is a likable presence on the mic, and he switches up his subject matter enough to convey various facets of his personality, from the ready-for-whatever swagger of “Young Hunger” to the autobiographical vignettes of “LA Raiders Hat” and “Northstarrr.” If one wants to quibble, you might ask for a couple of verses for his labelmates, especially since he showed such good chemistry with them on the group album. Dessa in particular would have been a welcome addition to the album. But it’s pretty hard to complain when you’re handed thirteen tracks of solid lyricism and deft flow over forward thinking production, so I’m inclined to just enjoy the album for what it is: yet another strong effort from a spot on the map that just keeps getting better. The Midwest ain’t just Chicago and Detroit anymore.
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
tags: mike mictlan, lazerbreak, hand over fist, 2008, flac,
Eyedea & Abilities - By The Throat (2009)
Genre: Hip-Hop
Style: Experimental Hip-Hop
Label Number: RSE0111-2
© 2009 Rhymesayers Entertainment
When you’ve proven yourself a world class battler and a critically acclaimed album artist who’s released records with both hip hop and rock labels, like Eyedea has, where do you go next? It’s easy enough to hold court with the backpacking world when you have a DJ as good as Abilities watching your back. The smart money for Eyedea would be another release like the team’s five year old Epitaph record “E&A.” Just make sure to keep the beats smart enough to give Eyedea room to spit tongue twisters over and the talent on display will be enough to keep fans heads nodding. Who gives a shit if it’s a holding pattern? It’s what the kids want right? But kids don’t always know what they want. There are foods my ignorant sixteen year old ass wouldn’t have eaten if someone paid me, like sushi, but now at twenty five the idea of life without eel rolls makes my heart ache. Until you try new flavors your taste buds won’t know how they’re going to react, and “By the Throat” is the perfect crash course in a new flavor of hip hop. A indie rock musical feast that provides the groove for Eyedea to lay his golden lyrics upon.
Rap isn’t totally new to rock. The Roots threw the world for a loop on “Phrenology” with the twenty four second “!!!!!!!,” a hardcore song paying tribute to the Bad Brains. And what hip hop head can forget the “Judgment Night” soundtrack slamming punk and rock artists into collaborations with 90’s hip hop’s brightest? Even Lil Wayne is dipping his foot in the pool. “By the Throat” isn’t traditional rock, so even the few cats out there who listen to Coldplay once Jay Z gave them a co-sign might be left wondering exactly what’s going on here. The guitar work is based on a foundation of simple droning chord changes, think punk rock on a steady diet of Syrup, with Abilities providing a ever changing spine of jittering drum machine snare and light keyboards to bring these concoctions of blending genres together in the end.
Without traditional steady beats to guide his battle formed lyrical style Eyedea has been forced to step outside of his comfort zone of brutal punch lines and pessimistic free form rants. The lyrical exploration, both in writing and vocal delivery, sets “By the Throat” in a class of its own in Eyedea’s deep back catalog. The album is a more emotional affair than most of his previous records, so accusations that the guy’s gone Emo should start lighting up message boards any minute. The truth seems to lay in the words he pours out on the disc however. Eyedea’s never been the happiest rapper, and is no stranger to pessimism, but there is an undercurrent of recovery to this record that gives his sad tales weight beyond simple whining rants.
By the time we reach the album’s closing Eyedea has vented his spleen over soulless scene groupies, fake friends, what appears to be some drug problems, and enough self doubt to make Kanye West start to question himself. Opening up about his rough childhood and struggles with depression on “Smile” he provides an almost uncomfortable amount of honesty from one of battle rap’s most cocksure combatants. “Burn Fetish” cuts through the bullshit of the music business to address the struggles of an artist whose mind and stage presence seem to constantly be at odds. His second verse on that track in particularly stands out.
“Outnumbered by such a large amount
No wonder why we lost the battle, the counterculture can’t count
Welcome to my private hell
There’s no one to fight now enjoy myself
Rather drown than ask for help
I wish I was someone else
Mr. Perfect, misconstrued
Lead the way, follow through
Probably hate me, I do too”
The whole affair would be oppressively dark if not for two shining lights. The first is the album’s title (and closing) track “By the Throat.” Through the pain of the album Eyedea comes out on the other side capable of living thanks to a friendship that provides him some outlet for trust and companionship in the world. His closing bars on the record tell it all.
“I turned love inside out a thousand times tryin’ to see if it was ever
anything more than the will to persevere
but the two go hand in hand, the clouds surrounding you eventually will clear
I can breathe, I found contentment in the end
Tellin’ a god I don’t believe in to go to sleep so I can think again
We went through thick and thin, came out separate on the other end
But please know no matter what you’ll always have me as a friend”
And that second shining light? Eyedea and Abilities picked up on one of the most important lessons of punk rock, one that more rappers could do well to learn, namely brevity. No song on the record is longer than 4:15, and barely any reach three minutes. Considering the unconventional structure of the songwriting the basic pattern of allowing the song to build until they’ve made their point and then moving along to the next creates a record where no song, no matter how weird, wears out its welcome. At a lean 29 minutes “By the Throat” is the kind of record you’ve got no excuse not to check out, if only because it doesn’t require the same 70+ minute commitment of most other rap albums. Oh and the fact that it’s an emotional and creative masterpiece in the genre of hip hop. You’ve got 24 hours in the day to shake your ass, take 29 minutes of it and taste something out of the ordinary.
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
tags: edea, abilities, by the throat, 2009, flac,
November 25, 2024
Slammer - Nightmare Scenario (1991)
*First pressing.
Contains 10 tracks total.
Country: United kingdomGenre: Thrash Metal
Style: Technical Thrash Metal
Label Number: HMR XD 170
© 1991 Heavy Metal Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: slammer, nightmare scenario, 1991, flac,
Behemoth - …From The Pagan Vastlands (1994) (Demo)
*First pressing.
Contains 7 tracks total.
Country: PolandLanguage: English
Genre: Black Metal
Label Number: Nazgul's Eyrie Prod. 002
© 1994 Nazgul's Eyrie Productions
There are two things one must know about Behemoth. Firstly, their best phase began very early on. Secondly, their best phase ended very early too. Thank Lucifer, the demo “...from the Pagan Vastlands” is among the oldest releases of the band. With the first tones of the opener – blowing winds welcome the listener – the release reveals a very high degree of atmosphere. “From the Hornedland to Lindisfarne” scores with a haunting, enchanted mood, fragile acoustic guitar tones that duel with sinister e-guitar lines and croaking vocals. Moreover, well integrated keyboard carpets show up and the drums are hammering somewhere in the distance. It goes without saying that one cannot expect a professional recording, but the crucial thing is that “...from the Pagan Vastlands” has definitely a lot of raw underground charm. The mix is like the artwork, both can rely on a simple yet adequate recipe.
Compared with the opener, “Thy Winter Kingdom” offers an almost smooth flow. Already in winter 1993/1994, Behemoth were able to manage more than just one approach. Nothing on this demo sounds formulaic or predictable. Behemoth followed their then black hearts and this way of proceeding resulted in archaic, authentic and spiritual tracks. The dudes did not shy away from a proper number of melodies – nevertheless, “misanthropy” is written in big letters over each and every track. Maybe it is correct to say that the excellence of this demo is based on the rare mixture of a surprisingly early achieved musical maturity and absolutely non-commercial individualism. Okay, Behemoth did not grow up in a vacuum and therefore their mid-paced tracks breathe the spirit of bands like Graveland. Anyway, the dudes are able to bring their personality into the compositions which are expressive, charismatic and equipped with an atmospheric density which turns out to be a big plus.
What does not really work here? Well, nothing sucks, only minor details are irritating. The Mayhem cover comes after the “outro winds” of “Fields of Harr-Megiddo”, which actually close the circle. And speaking of this song, its solos are slightly confusing for the listener, because they are more or less airy, light and almost emotional. Yet if I ignore them, the further parts of the track are on a par with the remaining material – songs that are full of suspenseful moments and in which the almost 35 minutes pass by quickly, although the single pieces themselves often only move at a medium speed. However, especially the strong “Blackvisions of the Almighty” illustrates that the musicians did not suffer from an allergy against speed.
The story of Behemoth (Nergal) is a story of musical evolution, to say it positively. From my point of view, it is a story of fickleness. Today the words “Black Metal is not a trend (inverted cross) it’s a cult!”, printed on the digipak, seem like mockery. Drive through Poland and if you see a guy pissing with the wind, it will probably be Nergal. But if one takes “...from the Pagan Vastlands” alone, and I guess this is meaning and purpose of this review, it is definitely a great document of this thing we call true black metal and an auspicious harbinger of Behemoth’s masterpiece from 1996, “Grom”.
tags: behemoth, from the pagan vastlands, 1994, flac,
Marco Polo & Torae - Double Barrel (2009)
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: DDM CD 2105
© 2009 Duck Down
It’s difficult to decide where to start when it comes to the latest Duck Down Records release. I could continue to praise Duck Down Records for the high profile releases they keep giving us since their resurgence. I could praise Marco Polo for the fact that he’s quickly established himself as one of the top producers in the game. I could praise Torae for such a quick rise in the rap industry, turning an independent album into a deal with Duck Down in less than a year. All in all, everyone involved in the production of this album deserves some props. It pairs a hungry emcee with a hungry producer. It was delivered as promised with no delays. Most importantly, it lives up to the hype and expectations.
The album kicks off with DJ Premier on the intro which eliminates any accusations that Marco Polo is merely another Primo imitator as the man would not cosign a copy cat. The closest Polo gets to jocking Primo’s style is on “Double Barrel” and “Lifetime” when DJ Revolution lends his scratching skills to the hooks. Marco Polo shows his versatility on tracks like “Crash The Party” where he makes a club banger for Torae to hard body with his raw rap style. While Marco Polo was clearly influenced by all the production greats, his beats and sample selection are so dope he makes up for his lack of innovation.
Torae is an emcee who made noise before with the production credits on his first official album, “Daily Conversation.” He sounds dope on the right production and Marco Polo provides that here. He is not a ground breaking emcee, but he gets the job done well as he shows on “Crashing Down:”
“Yo, I put all my eggs in the same basket
This rap shit, or should I say got stuffed in the same casket
Because if music is really the way Nas said
Then I guess I should deal with the life after it
I make joints from the heart when I’m crafting it
And sit in the sessions to mix it and master it
When I was eleven, started to chase after it
Took seventeen long years later to catch the shit
And by the time that I got it
It seemed like the best years was far behind it
I done witnessed the high heights, the plummets
The same niggas that ain’t go gold that used to run shit
You can’t rely on the public
At least niggas used to cop it and then dub it
So what the fuck do you do when you still love it?
And struggling to make your living from it?”
Torae can tell a story well and craft a clever metaphor at times. He is never boring or wack, but fails to rise to the levels of the truly great emcees. Still, on “Double Barrel” Torae holds his own quite well.
Overall, “Double Barrel” is a banging album full of unadulterated hip-hop. Duck Down continues to outdo itself on the underground circuit with its albums. In addition to rejuvenating the careers of other Duck Down stars, this album shows Dru Ha still has the ear and business acumen it takes to be successful in the changing music industry. Marco Polo should surely become a hot commodity with his brand of head banging boom bap beats. Polo has the ability to craft organic and soulful music in different vibes and moods. This means that you don’t get one monotonous CD and instead get a nice balance of songs on the CD. Torae is a solid emcee who can really shine with the right production behind him. He tells a very good story and is good at brash brags. His passion matches that of the best emcees and shines through on each track he rhymes. Even if the only end result of this collaboration is “Double Barrel II” that would still be a positive step for hip-hop fans and all people involved.
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
tags: marco polo and torae, double barrel, 2009, flac,
November 22, 2024
King Geedorah (MF Doom) - Take Me To Your Leader (2003)
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: BDCD051
© 2003 Big Dada Recordings
MF Doom's Big Dada project Take Me to Your Leader (as King Geedorah) is a monster-movie concept record, featuring a parade of tracks and samples that conform to the age of Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, and of course, the mighty King Ghidorah -- a three-headed monster from outer space. Most of the film references are going on in the background while guest rappers contribute their own rhymes; while MF Doom the producer deserves a lot of credit for flooding the production space with beats, effects, samples, and plenty of crackling movie dialogue, the combination of high-profile arrangement and dense rapping is nearly overwhelming. "Fastlane" floats a good rap from Biolante, but he's drowned out by the production, with a squealing guitar sample stuck on auto-repeat for three minutes. For "Krazy World," Gigan spits his thin, throaty lyrics over another simple sample, this one a string-heavy descent that often cuts out and back in with no warning, but hangs on for more than a minute after Gigan's rap is finished. For what it's worth, MF Doom's two vocal features make up for much of the mentalist madness. Though the first, "The Final Hour," is far too short, "Anti-Matter" (with Mr. Fantastik) allows the rappers to shine over a swinging, groovy soundtrack. A cold, pummeling, relentless record, Take Me to Your Leader is a quintessential side project: far more extreme and uninviting than Doom could afford to be on his solo-billed records.
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
tags: king geedorah, mf doom, take me to your leader, 2003, flac,
