The long-awaited follow-up to their 1999 LP Self:Volume 1, Triple Crown continues the Mountain Brother tradition of excellent production, rough rhymes and lots of scratching. DJs are the star of the show in about half the tracks, like “Badbasskicks” featuring Fifth Platoon, “MB’s Are Back” featuring DJ Jay-Ski, and “The Roli Rho Show” featuring Roli Rho. Styles Infinite and Peril-L drop science to a lovely blues-inspired beat on “Hostile Takeover,” and producer Chops creates more magic with “Peril-L Universe” and “Birds Of Paradise.” Hopefully this new record will give this hardworking crew some of the respect and exposure they deserve.
Blueprint The Wight Room
Columbus, Ohio emcee/producer goes to bat for himself with his debut solo release The Weight Room featuring his production and a host of guest emcees. Best known for his Soul Position EP with RJD2 and his opening slot on Atmosphere’s last tour, Blueprint has a solid presence in the underground. His highly enunciated, verging-on overly-dramatic rhyme style complements his slow and operatic production beautifully, and the outcome is dope. But all the guests make the album less of a cohesive project than it could have been with Blueprint on beats and rhymes. Established artists like Vast Aire on “I.C.U.” and The Orphanage featuring Aesop Rock and Slug on “Obsolete” outshine most of Blueprint’s lesser-known collaborators like Bru Lei, Bahdaddy Shabazz and CJ the Cynic.
Triple Threat Many Styles
The holy trinity of West Coast turntablism forms like Voltron and drops its first LP of original material. From the first track-Shortkut’s bragadocious cut and paste introduction-you know you’re in for something special. After releasing mixed CDs individually, the Triple Threat crew-Shortkut, Apollo and Vinroc-come together for an album that showcases all their talents. Dope scratching is plentiful (“True Brothers”), guest emcees rhyme over sweet beats (“Ya Feelin’ It” featuring Souls of Mischief), neo-soul songstresses get their groove on (“How U Talkin’?” featuring Goapele) and Triple Threat get silly with some pretty funny skits (“Aye Mang?”). DJs go line-for-line on “Tha Cipha” featuring Rob Swift and Roc Raida, and it appears that funky scratching is back in style. Fr-r-r-eee-s-s-shhhh….
Disco D A Night at the Booty Bar Vol 1
Leave it to the newly neutered Tommy Boy label to cash in on a musical trend that very well may have outworn its welcome. But who can hate on Disco D? Michigan’s X-rated boy wonder and former XLR8R cover model mixes his trademark blend of ghettotech and booty bass in this tight, basstastic mix. Highlights include Disco D productions such as “You Need Another Drink,” “Keys to the Whip” and Disco’s remix of B.G.’s “Hottest of the Hot.” Are you having a booty party at your crib and the DJ hasn’t shown up? Pop this baby in the CD player and watch the ladies twerk it to the floor.
DJ JS-1 Ground Material
In a world of many mediocre hip-hop compilations and producer albums featuring a million guest emcees, this album really stands out from the rest. Don’t let the horrendous cover design fool ya-this LP is action-packed front to back. Underground stars (Ill Bill, Royce 5’9″, Evidence) and Golden Era legends (Special Ed, Kool G Rap, Masta Ace) bless the microphone, and JS-1 comes with nothing but solid production with the help of partner Dub-L. Highlights include Percee P’s trademark lackadaisical rhymes on “Unstoppable” and Breez Evahflowin’ and C Rayz Walz’s one-two punch on “Drug In My Veins.” Big Daddy Kane reinstates his reign with the classic verse he drops on “Puttin In Work.” And through out it all, JS-1’s cuts and scratches are impeccable, exhibiting that this veteran turntablist is still at the top of his game.
Tony Allen Homecooking
The drummer who helped Fela Kuti launch a musical revolution from Nigeria in the ’60s and ’70s returns with yet another powerful piece of evidence that Afrobeat is here to stay. Since striking out on his own, Allen has brought his distinctive drumming style to whatever genre he investigates. On Homecooking, the soul production might lack some of the raw fire of his ’70s recordings, but here, Allen’s signature bubbling snare patterns are introduced to hip-hop, with British/Nigerian MC Ty transposing the revolution into a contemporary context. Funky and uplifting.
Galt Macdermot Up From the Basement: Unreleased Tracks Vols. 1 & 2
The composer of songs such as “Let the Sunshine In” from the musical Hair, MacDermot has finally released these recordings from the late ’60s and early ’70s which compromise a precious time-capsule from our funkiest era. While composing soundtracks and working as a studio musician with legendary jazz-funk drummer Bernard Purdie, he continually performed with amazing bands, and occasionally released the results himself. These are exactly the kind of grooves that have caused everybody from Pete Rock to Buckwild to sample his music. Good sweet soul cooking.
Daniel Carter + Reuben Radding Luminescence
Two stellar musicians present a soaring sonic convergence. Carter’s countless associations include Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor, Sonic Youth and William Parker, while Radding has worked with John Zorn and Wayne Horvitz, among others. This duet, however, is a rare and timeless pairing. When bassist Reuben Radding brought multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter to Seattle shortly after 9/11, Carter brought only his alto saxophone, saying that it “helped create a kind of simplicity, focus, and relative quietude.” How can a record be so primal and filled with emotion, and yet be so peaceful? You’ll listen repeatedly to find out.
PTY LTD Feeling’s Gone
San Fran’s Joshua provides an absolutely storming remix of PTY LTD’s launch release for the Gallery label. Barely recognizable from the silky smooth male vocal-driven original, Joshua loops infectious piano riffs over a raw, bouncing bassline, outer-space synths and dubbed FX. If this doesn’t get them dancing, nothing will.
D’Malicious The Dark Tradition EP
Swedish producer Mikael Nordgren blends the raw energy of early ’90s Detroit techno with the soulful shimmer of Stockholm house, making “The Dark Tradition EP” an extremely versatile mixing tool indeed.
