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[rating:77/100]
Money- I like the rapping, I like the beat, I LOVE the falsetto arches, but I hate the theme. In my opinion, there isn’t a more tired topic in hip-hop than money. I’m so sick of hearing about how much you’ve got, how much you spend, and how now that you have it, how lame it is for anyone else to want it. Because of the topic, the song comes across as a little tired, which is unfortunate because the musicianship is brilliant. But with lyrics like, “Money! Money, money, money, money, money. Money is the root of all evil,” it’s hard to get too exited. We get it hip-hop; you’re rich. Great. It’s tacky to keep talking about it.
Way Down- This piece is straight up legit. I consider this song to be the smoothest offering on the album and is audio deliciousness. The sung vocals are gorgeous and dominate the song, which on a hip-hop album is a little different, but a welcome addition. The rapping portion is understated but solid. Barbie Hatch has a really pretty Dominique Durand-ish sound, and commits strongly to the emotion of the song and lyrics. Love her, love the song.
The People Tree- This song could have been a b-side on the last Gorillaz album. That isn’t meant as a slam against it, in fact, if anything that speaks to how highly I think of it. While not sounding entirely original, it’s impressively eclectic, and textural. You’ve got a hip little mix of one dude singing, over a chorus of kids, over another dude rapping, over some nice turntablism. It’s a fun, cool track.
Gifted – This is just plain awesome. In my opinion, Gifted is the best work Kanye West has done since Graduation (lets all be honest with ourselves and admit that 808s & Heartbreak was good, not great). Don’t know if it’s the Japanamation-like chorus, Santogold’s sweet contribution, or that Kanye actually realized that he should only rap, never sing (not to add insult to injury, but did anyone else see SNL with Kanye slaughtering his 808 singles? Geeze man… you scream how great you are all day, but when you suck that bad on live TV, you’re not really backing up your tantrums)… whatever it is, this is solid stuff.
There are times where the album gets dangerously close to self-indulgent, and comes across like Ocean’s 12 did- like the artists are almost too impressed with what they’ve just done. Still, when any work of art comes across like that it’s usually because it actually is something to be proud of, and that’s the case with The Spirit of Apollo. It really is a brilliant collaboration. There’s no way this full act can tour, so it will be interesting which artists join the collection at which tour stop. I’d love to see them preform live.
Tags: Favorite New Albums, Kanye West, Lykke Li, N.A.S.A., Santogold
This album is hit or miss, but considering the “hits” its definitely hard to let a few bad tracks spoil it.
ITS NOT TACKY. I FUCKING LOVE THAT SONG.
I guess was hoping for a bit more with the great roster on this album, but it was a solid effort..I like most of the songs, though.
Good review though.
i don’t think it didn’t meet people’s expectations, i just think peoples expectations were wrong after they heard gifted and the LA riots remix of NASA music. this isn’t a party/hyphy/electrorap album that most people expected, it’s a chill-out hip hop album.
ehhh. hit and miss. gifted made my expectations too high
same here.. gifted is TOO perfect. The rest of the album falls short. midget short.
When CokeMachineGlow reviewed this album a few days ago (settling with a 35% rating http://tinyurl.com/cj389y), they made a totally fucking egregious claim of its worthlessness, citing Diplo as the culprit of its hipsterdom. I just had to delete my RSS feed to that p.o.s. site. (and compare that to the PRGz review http://tinyurl.com/chbbzf which is not recycled at all!)
Aside from that, I agree with you Luis, and above commenters. Its not a dance-able album (a trait a Diplo production would lend), but it does its job at highlighting it’s “northamerica-southamerica” diversity. (And to be honest, I hear heaps more old-school hiphop than “bastardized, Brazilian baile-meets-LA sleaze-hop hybrid”)
Only listened to “Spacious Thoughts” once and have no interest in returning to it but will probably still give it another try or two. But “Way Down” is GREAT!
Seriously? No one has love for “Strange Enough”?! Karen O on the chorus kills it. And “Whachadoin’” is phenom. I’m bias towards “Spacious Thoughts” because I think everything Tom Waits touches turns to audio gold. But Del also deserves props for his cameo on “Samba Soul.” I agree that people’s expectations for this album were so skewed. Instead of appreciating the fact that this kind of effort is nearly unprecedented – drawing artists this diverse together is so rare unless it’s for a charity record, and in that case the tracks aren’t this experimental – we’re ridiculing it for not being 17 straight “Gifted” tracks. I think this album should be praised at the very least for its daring and progressive statement on musical collaboration.
Well we did give it an 8/10
Is no one else disappointed that gifted isn’t longer?
they let kanye steal the track and a chorus or two would not have hurt. I do kinda wish it was an album more gifted sounding but still i agree with the review overall.
Nicely done, Jeff. Thanks for breaking apart this album.
For anyone who thinks this record is ‘good’, please spend some more time listening to music and considering whether you’re saying it’s good because of the artists on it or because you’re just not a very bold person… compilations are like super groups, they’re either hit or miss (often misses because of the lack of chemistry), this compilation misses the boat entirely, I give it an A for effort, but it just doesn’t get anywhere, it’s a great idea but it just didn’t come together with a very genuine sound, sorry…
After the brutal critique of “money” it was the first track I listened to. A very Thievery Corporation type groove as opposed to a hip-hop oriented one and if anything it speaks against the “money-mongering” you claim the song is about. Chuck D is on the track, c’mon, how much dollar worshiping could be on the track. Very little after a critical listen. Thanks for putting a good album on point.
I guess the idea of it is just as interesting as the execution. But it stands out just the same.
“Very Good.” Man that is so wrong. Jimmy Spliff is right on, although no A for effort. This album is the example of how the term “musician” broadens everyday to include a whole bunch of hacks who like music, but don’t know how to make it at all. Saying anything from this album should be on a Gorillaz project is sorely mistaken, and extremely wrong. Please don’t spread crap like that around.
Hey Jeff, love the last line in your article:
“I’d love to see them PREFORM live.”
You might also consider watching them perform live…
@ Anonymous: What’s not to love?
(Hate those pesky e’s. Always jumping around…)
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