CD REVIEWS
Dec 1, 2006 12:00 PM
SNOOP DOGG
Tha Blue Carpet Treatment (Doggy Style/Geffen)
Doggfather returns, olive branch in hand
Joining his considerable might with producers known (Dr. Dre, Pharrell, Timbaland) and lesser known (1500, Nottz, Niggaracci), Calvin Broadus creates a sweeping album that everyone can love. It's Snoop's first album to reach out to blacks and Latinos, Crips and Bloods, fans of streetwise hip-hop and the kind of commercial dreck that will bore purists and make the Dogg Pound pack leader scads of cash. Vocal guests include Stevie Wonder, The Game and B-Real, a sign of Snoop's new “Can't we all just get along?” message.
The album's first single, “Vato” (which is Spanish for “homeboy”), features B-Real in a tag-team rap that promotes black and brown peace in the wake of 2005's Mexican Mafia uprising. Snoop goes practically hyphy on “Intrology,” moans about rappers “using my flow” on “Think About It,” cranks up the party on “Crazy” (with Nate Dogg), “wipes the boogers out of my eye” on “Candy” and offers gangland shout-outs (“Yo Ka-Rip, Yo Sa-Ru”) on “Gang Banging 101.” Madly diverse, Blue Carpet Treatment confirms Snoop as the Donald Trump of hip-hop, his hallowed canine presence able to draw a star as big as Stevie Wonder for a tepid remake of “Have a Talk With God.” — Ken Micallef
DJ WALLY/DJ WILLIE ROSS
Mrs. Millers House (The Agriculture)
Fragmented fairy tales from NYC wackjob
A renowned sonic scrutinizer with eight albums of hip-hop absurdity to his credit since 1997, DJ Wally (accompanied here by DJ Willie Ross) follows the leads of such charming nutters as Kid Koala and Coldcut, using his sampler as a mental bulletin board to match cranky beats with barmy sounds in expression of his surrealist mindset. Mrs. Millers House lacks a cohesive center, but that doesn't detract one iota from the delight that emanates from its 30 goofy tracks. Sure, the pervasively brown artwork recalls a child's vision of ghouls and goblins, and spoken-word snippets (“I did wicked things in my life!”) hint at dismemberment and debauchery, but this is more comedic than fright filled. The bumping beats are mid-tempo to a fault, but Wally's taste in samples makes this a freak-tastic ride. Sampling ABBA (“Mamma Mia”) and '70s blues rockers Free (“Mr. Big”), as well as orchestral instruments, ghostly cries, heavy breathing, jazzy upright bass riffs and more spoken-word silliness (from “a two-horned eagle” to “the spirits of the dead”), Mrs. Millers House is pure monster mash. — Ken Micallef
A.G.
Get Dirty Radio (Look/Tha Ave)
Bronx borough big guy heads West
A.G.'s first solo release in almost seven years leaves very little to be desired. There's West Coast funk supplied by the likes of Oh No and DJ Design, East Coast rawness offered by longtime Diggin' in the Crates cohorts Show and Lord Finesse, and A.G. himself spitting with the same sharp wit and brashness as always. The MC definitely avoids the curse of the classic artist failing at the comeback attempt, as Get Dirty Radio is solid in every respect. Stand-out cuts include Jake One's bass-laden “If I Wanna” and Madlib's “Take a Ride,” featuring Party Arty and Aloe Blacc. — DJ Ethx
CAJMERE VS GREEN VELVET
Sessions (Ministry of Sound)
Chicago house renaissance
One of the sonic architects responsible for Chicago's deep-house roots is none other than Curtis Jones, who on this two-disc installment of the Sessions series battles himself as two of his alter egos play tug-of-war for the listener's ear. Disc one showcases Cajmere at his best, employing rich, soulful vocals to complement his uptempo backdrops, evident on Cajmere feat. Dajae's “I Need You (Mark Grant Remix).” Meanwhile, disc two showcases the darker, underground-inspired Green Velvet beats of tracks such as “Flash.” This is bipolar enjoyment at its best. — Anthony Roberts
CAURAL
Mirrors for Eyes (Mush)
Tasty treats for your headphones
Zachary Mastoon's second release for Mush Records arrives on a silver platter from left field, serving up another of his layer-cake ambient feasts of experimental sound. Mixing up organic instrumentations with peppery metallic electronics, it's a noisy set best listened to with both ears as Caural slices and dices playful drumbeats, floaty synths and handpicked guest musicians, all to do production justice to such innovative compositions as the weary “Cold Hands” (with Hrishikesh Hirway), the phased vocal trickery of “I Won't Race You” and the clap-along 3-D stylings of “Dead Armies.” — Kristi Kates
CLARK
Body Riddle (Warp)
Pretty and nutty rolled into one
The sophomore effort from Warp's best hope Chris Clark extends the jittering beauty of his debut, Clarence Park, but still clings to the ancient language created by Aphex Twin, Squarepusher and Plug. Aided by modern samplers, intelligent soft synths and smarter drum machines, Clark rewrites drum 'n' bass history with frightening focus. The tumbling drums and tranquil vistas of “Springtime Epigram” find their opposite in the clattering beats of “Ted” and the brain drilling of “Roulette Thrift Run.” Tracks often climax like an orchestra bolting over a cliff — beauty and madness in equal portions. — Ken Micallef
ANTHONY DAVID
The Red Clay Chronicles (Brash Music)
Chronicling new rules
Lazy R&B songwriting is usually so abhorrent that even good production can't save it. The Red Clay Chronicles won't convert haters, but it offers Anthony David's dense multitracked vocals, welcome guests and decent programming. The kick-snare beat and patches of keys make “Better Than” the album's slickest; its synth strings and meandering loops demonstrate an attention to what should be cast in stone regarding contemporary R&B: Keep it interesting. David knows that. With lustrous arrangements and keen songwriting in cuts like “Words,” Chronicles is recasting some rules. — Dominic Umile
FRANK N DANK
XtendedPlay Version 3.13 (Chisel Sound)
Pause and check it
With braggart heat from streetwise duo Frank N Dank, “Pause” is one of the standouts on J Dilla's Welcome 2 Detroit. There are only three (sizzling) Dilla beats on XtendedPlay Version 3.13, the appended CD/DVD U.S. rollout of FND's Canada-only release, but the production beams anyway. “The Hustle” packs the stellar '60s-sounding clackety breaks that Oh No is lately perfecting, while synth twitches and bleeps adorn a more aggressive “My City.” Canadian beatsmiths DJ Kemo and Tone Mason bring feisty decoration, rendering the somewhat-tired subject matter pretty bump worthy. — Dominic Umile
DJ GARTH
Unleash the Hound (Grayhound)
Beautiful noise
Quirky dance junkie and Grayhound label founder DJ Garth has assembled an intoxicatingly addictive collection of dance tracks to satisfy even the hardest-to-please body movers. Choosing to highlight the label's brightest young upstarts, the disc is a seamlessly mixed collage of synth-driven selections for the ears. Beginning with the mellowed-out, psychedelic loops of Stranger's “Over Her Under” to the pulsating drum patterns of Michoacan's “2 Bullets (Disaster),” Unleash the Hound is a cleverly constructed mix of techno and house music's beautiful love child. Keep on dancin' on. — Anthony Roberts
GREENSKEEPERS
Polo Club (Om)
Who let them in?
With the “hey motherfuckers” intro, Chicago's electro pop — punkers Greenskeepers fit snugly into one groove with Polo Club: the house party. In fact, there are probably many sodden get-togethers that could be brightened by the album's absurd lyrics (“Alphabet Man [Shine on Remix]”), bubbly Moogs (“Martini Lunches”) or bonus house disc (mixed live by member James Curd). The band updates Huey Lewis' “I Want a New Drug” with stutters and swirls before countering with subsequent fuzz-guitar rocker “A Week Ago (Disappeared Mix).” Polo-club members won't like the raucous goings-on, but devoted fans will. — Dominic Umile
HONEYCUT
The Day I Turned to Glass (Quannum)
Bay Area trio breaks through
Thanks largely to keyboardist/arranger Hervé “RV” Salters' fondness for quirky melodies, Bay Area trio Honeycut serves up an atypical dish of soul on its debut. That's not to discredit vocalist Bart Davenport, though; his curious Brit-pop tone sounds ideal atop Salters' concoction of vintage keys with live strings and guitar riffs. And drum programmer Tony Sevener also deserves props for his oft-shifting tempos created on the MPC. While not every track equally showcases each artist's talents, the title cut, for one, is proof that these three can work wonders together. — Max Herman
KIDZ IN THE HALL
School Was My Hustle (Major League/Rawkus)
The brains and the hooks
An MC/producer duo in the tradition of Rock and Smooth or Kweli and Hi-Tek, Kidz in the Hall is Chicago's Naledge (rhymes) and Jersey's Double 0 (beats). School Was My Hustle tells of a smart player chasing legit money and trying to stay positive in a negative world. Double 0's highly stylized production re-creates late-night '70s soul jams complete with horns, Rhodes, strings and smooth backup vocals (“Wheelz Fall Off”) to complement inspired lyrics. Symptomatic of what's wrong in a lot of hip-hop, however, sometimes the vocals are a bit too up front. — Markkus Rovito
SONDRE LERCHE
Phantom Punch (Astralwerks)
A one-two punch of smartrock
Touring with His Hipness Elvis Costello has definitely rubbed off on singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche. Where Lerche's music was already clever, it's now even wittier as he strolls casually toward a more aggressively rhythmic rock sound. Production by Tony Hoffer (Beck, Air, The Kooks) gives these songs extra zip, from the machine-gun-lite trills on “Airport Taxi Reception” and the slight ska tinge on “The Tape” to the title track's stealthy, wily bass line and disco guitar. The Norwegian punk-popster also reveals plenty of thoughtful words behind those infectious beats. — Kristi Kates
MALAJUBE
Trompe-L'Oeil (Dare to Care)
Canada's pop-rock darlings
Montreal is Canada's answer to San Francisco. As the artistic culture there thrives, bands like Arcade Fire and now Malajube come to notoriety, not just in their French Canadian confines. Malajube's sophomore album, Trompe L'Oeil, presents an assembly of crafty bubblegum punk pop. Go the 8:54 mark of the album-ending track, “La Fin,” and spend the next two minutes with a taste of the quartet's lighthearted appeal. But then take a listen to “Fille à Plumes” and witness French-tinged guitar fire. For the band's second release, Malajube proves that they have the chops to go the distance. — Chris Clark
XZIBIT
Full Circle (Koch)
An uneven try from a skillful guy
Opening with dramatic piano flourishes and Xzibit's gravelly vocals, Full Circle kicks off with opener “Invade My Space,” which quickly falls apart as an inhuman beat jarringly takes over, pulling all focus from Xzibit's rap. This, unfortunately, sets the tone for the rest of the disc, which is an admirable effort led astray by spotty production work.
Xzibit's storytelling talents are still intact here for the most part, which is perhaps the album's one saving grace; whether he's looking at life through the eyes of a dishonest police officer (“Ram Part Division”), a peacemaker for L.A.'s Black/Latino conflict (“Black & Brown”) or a grateful rap star giving a shout-out to his fans (“Thank You”), X's lyrics remain sharp and his narratives poignant and to the point. The weaknesses are in what surrounds those sounds; whether it's Jelly Roll or the Fyre Department, X's producers often seem to be in a separate space from X himself. It's good to see Xzibit back because we haven't heard from him since 2004 (with the exception of his hosting duties on MTV's Pimp My Ride), but let's hope that next time he picks a better posse to help him bring his songs to their full potential. — Kristi Kates
NICKODEMUS
Endangered Species (ESL)
Better the second time
For Manhattan's drunken and relatively beautiful, Turntables on the Hudson has been one of the city's most appealing parties since 1998. On Endangered Species, longtime Turntables resident DJ Nickodemus bears the mark of a weathered, culturally diverse beat peddler. The ESL rerelease of his 2005 production debut offers a few new cuts and mixes. Though the frenetic mixed-percussion stomp of “Bailamos en el Junque” didn't appear the first time around, the house and handclaps of “Crazy Stranger” did, and it still brings worldly, stimulating warmth to a wonderfully rounded mix of sound. — Dominic Umile
NIGHTMARES ON WAX
My Definition (Apace)
UK visionary unveils his inspirations
George Evelyn, aka Nightmares on Wax, may be known best for his chill-out soundscapes, yet this Brit has long been under the influence of pulsing hip-hop, funk and soul. In the first installment of Apace Music's new compilation series, My Definition, Evelyn shares 18 of the songs that have helped shape his career — and these selections are damn good. Party-starting NYC hip-hop (Camp Lo's “Black Nostaljack”), flamboyant '70s jazz-funk (Tom Browne's “Thighs High”) and electrified Afrobeat (Pablo's “Roll Call”) are just a few sounds that embody Evelyn's “definition.” — Max Herman
SCIENCE FACTION
Dubstep (Breakbeat Science)
King Tubby eats his young
Dubstep. Say wha? Taking the feel of dub and splashing its externals with reggae, drum 'n' bass, grime and breakbeat, dubstep is like walking on the moon with broken kneecaps and a glass eye. Breakbeat Science's own DJ Clever drives this seamless, ricocheting mix — with newfound glories like Scuba, Mark One, Pinch, Gravious, Vex'd and Luke.Envoy — and provides the grist for the spinning mill. The tracks tend to bleed together, and vocals are scant (save the horror-show choir of Mark One's “Devil Boy”), but the pervasive vibe is deeply nervous, bass 'n' brain drenching and atom smashing. — Ken Micallef
THE SCUMFROG
Mega Scum (Effin)
Letting it all hang out
Other than the unconscionable cover art, there's little to complain about on this funky-as-hell mix. Mega Scum chugs along with a deep progressive and tech-house flow for the dancefloor. The Scumfrog's smoothly mixed selections — including some exclusive-to-CD releases — are typified by chunky, swinging drums and beefy, driving synth leads. A highlight is the anthemic yet nasty synth attack of Gaudino's remix of “Deep End” by Pete Tong & Chris Cox, and even the Billy Ocean sample in the Scumfrog's “Beat as One” track is somehow kind of cool. Move the furniture into a corner and play this silly. — Markkus Rovito
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Plant Music (Plant)
Two green thumbs up
The New York — based Plant label collects previously unreleased or vinyl-only tracks on a CD that will teach kids who think music begins and ends with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Strokes to dance. Retro revivals of garage rock and synth pop combine to make thoroughly modern dance-rock on many selections (such as Shy Child's “Summer”), but Plant music also glamorously dips into full-on '80s pop (Champagne's “Mazatlan”) and Kool & the Gang — style '80s funk on the corny but cool “Digital Lover” by 33 Hz. And the Glass' remix of Neurotic Drum Band's “We're Gonna Rock New York” delivers on its promise. — Markkus Rovito
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Tres Presents Shipping and Handling (Tres)
Hip-hop label gathers its rarities
In its brief existence, L.A.'s Tres Records has released a ton of true-school hip-hop on wax. Because most of its titles are already out of print, Tres is wisely rereleasing singles from Thes One, Giant Panda and others with Shipping and Handling. This 19-track compilation is undeniably complete, although not every cut is as striking as the next. But skipping past a few humdrum B-sides is permissible when you have standouts like Headnodic's lush keyboard-driven single “The Drive,” which features guest MCs The Procussions at their best. — Max Herman
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