Dave Chappelle's Block Party

YOURZ

When the incomparable Mr Dave Chappelle decides to throw a party, he doesn't just invite a few friends, he throws down one of the best events ever staged on the streets of New York. 

Of course, the music is going to be the cream of hip hop and soul but not the normal shit you might hear on the radio.  This is the real, full flavoured, heavy bodied cream, which includes The Roots, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Jill Scott and Common.  And then of course, there's the comedic talents of Dave himself, who acts largely as narrator, announcer, master of ceremonies and roving crazyman-on-the-ground.

If you've not seen this documentary, I can't recommend it highly enough, not just because of the music but also for the general bonhomie of both the performers and the crowd, who turned out in droves to go to an event they knew little about.  And what an event it turned out to be. 

As a soundtrack, it features highlights from the show but not all the highlights, which means if you want to hear The Fugees (who reunited for this show) or a number of other great tracks, watch the movie.  On the soundtrack, the standouts for me are Dead Prez's Hip Hop, every time Jill Scott opens her mouth, Boom by The Roots, Back In The Day by Erykah Badu and Umi Says by Mos Def.

But there are so many good tracks, really it's worth listening to the album as a whole.  And for those of you who don't like hip hop, all I have to say is you really don't know what you're missing out on.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

We live in Brooklyn, baby.  The soundtrack to the documentary to the Block Party is flavoured with summer.

From the incidental conversation between the tracks, we learn there's going to be two barbecues set up, one for the vegans,and they'll be frying up some tofu for the girls.  That's the lovely Erykah Badu and the incomparable Jill Scott, who I've also enjoyed in her role as Precious Ramotswe in the TV series of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

But I digress.  This is a terriffic soundtrack to a fantastic idea Dave Chapelle had, and it really should be played on a summer's afternoon after a day at the beach, with the doors to the balcony wide open and something grilling on the barbecue, with a cold glass of something giving me a nice buzz and the salt crusting on my shoulders.  Roll on summer.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.chappellesblockparty.com/home.html

Cody Chestnutt - The Headphone Masterpiece

MINE

Funny, I thoiught this was a good album when I heard it before.  I guess that's because I wasn't really listening - it was just background.  And now I've listened to it, I can tell you I don't think it's very good at all.

While the tunes are OK, this man is NOT a lyricist.  Banal, misogynistic and full of that niggaz-n-hoes stuff that makes me shudder.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

YOURZ

Okay, so I bought this long-winded double album for one song - Look Good In Leather - mainly because the accompanying video looked so much fun.  The song is a piece of lo-fi perfection.  However, a lot of The Headphone Masterpiece falls short of the promise of this song and the rather over-bearing album title.

However, as you wade through a lot of the crap, there are a few promising gems: Eric Burdon, Daylight, Upstarts In A Blowout, The Seed (famously covered by The Roots) and No One Will.  There probably are a few more but when stretched for time, I just couldn't be bothered listening to both discs in one go.

The biggest problem I have with the whole thing is the inconsistency of recording.  It pans back and forth, instruments drop out and there's an unnerving clunk at the start of each song.  Obviously, he couldn't afford to have this mastered.  And while I know Cody spent a lot of time in his loungeroom with four track recording a whole bunch of diverse tracks, I really think should have picked the best and released an EP.  Or maybe an extended single.

As for the title, well it's nothing if not ambitious because a masterpiece this certainly ain't.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

For more information: http://www.myspace.com/codychesnuttmusic

Damian 'Jnr Gong' Marley - Welcome To Jamrock

YOURZ

Barely two years old when his father died, Damian 'Jr Gong' Marley grew up in the shadow of his Bob's reputation and the fanatical following he inspired around the world.  His youngest son could well have turned out to be another spoilt underachiever living on the reputation of his parents (like so many).  But if anything is true, it's the opposite.

A musical force in his own right, Damian turned the collateral of having a famous father into a spectacular Grammy-winning career.  Performing since the age of 13, he's a reflection of the Marley clan's many talents, his speciality being a toaster (and not the baddies from Battlestar Galactica either - how's that for a geek-fact). 

On Welcome To Jamrock, he continues updating the traditional Jamaican template to include samples, beats and sounds more associated with hip hop than with reggae but with such great effect it won him two Grammys on the same night, something no reggae artist has ever previously done. 

Now, if you like reggae and hip hop, this is absolutely a must have.  Every track, from the opener political manifesto of Confrontation to the more personal Beautiful (for the ladeez) and the genre blurring tracks Pimpas Paradise (featuring The Roots Black Thought) and Road To Zion (featuring Nas) are just brilliant.  In fact, there is not a dud track on this record, as far as I'm concerned. 

I like this album so much, I'd love to call it a Forgotten Gem.  Problem is I play it too much so I'm not likely to forget it.  For me, it is truly one of the greatest albums of this genre and well in line to be one of THE albums of the decade. (Mine says: And there's a great example of how different our tastes can be sometimes.)

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

I have a confession to make.  I don't like reggae music.  Oh sure, I'll sing along to some old Bob Marley or Peter Tosh, but generally it's not really my thing.  You know the quote about golf being a good walk spoiled?  I think reggae's some good music spoiled.  (YourZ sez: and yet you love ska - what gives?)

Notwithstanding Damian's stellar lineage, this album just annoyed me.  There's too much shouting at me from the toasters, some of the nominal melody lines are horrifically repetetive, and then there's the matter of being able to understand what's being said or sung or shouted, which is intermittant.  And that's not because Damian doesn't know how to enunciate, it's that he chooses not to.  Or chooses to stir in that thick, gluey Jamaican accent.  Now, all power to him, Jah be with him and keep him and all that good stuff, and I'm not criticising the music or the playing or the production.  But I just can't imagine ever wanting to listen to this ever again.  Not even if you paid me.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For more information: http://www.myspace.com/damianmarley

The Roots - Game Theory

YOURZ

Of all the bands my foray into the world of hip hop introduced me to, The Roots are, without a doubt, my most favourite.  (Having said this, I've always been a big fan of both The Beastie Boys and Run DMC). 

This collective includes not only some of the best songwriters and MCs in the business but also some of the best musicians (if you've not seen David Chappelle's Block Party, which feature most of The Roots as the house band, then I highly recommend it as not only is it funny but the music is superb).  Jimmy Fallon picked them to be his house band, a decision I was mighty pissed about when I heard this because it meant The Roots had to cancel a forthcoming tour of Australia and I would have finally got to see them live.

This particular album also has one of my all time favourite songs, Here I Come.  While not as political as some of their other tracks, this one has such an infectious groove, it is hard not to want to try to dance like I'm really fly.  (Incidentally, I'm not).  But then this album is chock full of great songs; Clock With No Hands, In The Music, Long Time, False Media...  In fact, I could name every track on this album because there isn't a dud one.

I think I made a big statement in the recent review of Fun DMC by People Under The Stairs when I said I thought theirs was what real hip hop was about.  But the fact is the articulation, both musically and lyrically, The Roots have accomplished over the years, is what hip hop should be about; relevant, smart, confident and intelligent.  It's unfortunate the genre, for the most part anyway, is everything but this.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP and teach the kids what it really is all about

MINE

It's not very cheerful, is it?  Ah relax YourZ - just pulling your leg.  I get it, it's really great hip-hop, actually reminds me of the Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy.  Politically aware, eclectic, well structured.

Hmmm, but when will I actually feel like listening to it?  Maybe if I'm bored with my pop sensibilities and want something a bit meatier.  The problem with that is my job.  REVEAL: I'm a journalist and spend my days dealing with the hard realities of politics, crime, natural disasters et al.  Is it any wonder I feel like some Kylie in the car on the way home?

VERDICT:TURN IT DOWN (but I'll play it when I'm on holidays, honestly)

For more information: http://www.theroots.com/

In our collection, we also have: Rising Down, Phrenology  and  The Tipping Point

Roots Manuva - Awfully Deep

MINE

Ermph.  Reasonable.  Not Tricky.

I can't figure why YourZ thinks I'll like this, there's too much rappin' and not enough melody.  It just made me want to play Blue Lines full bore to remind myself what good Sarf London dubby-stuff is like, especially when you mix it with good melodic lines sung by great-voiced girls.

I liked the lyrics on some of it.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN/THROW IT OUT (can't raise enough interest to decide) (YourZ sez: c'mon, you have to pick one or the other) (Mine says: whatever YOU say we should do, darling)


YOURZ

I went through a phase where I brought a lot of hip hop, mainly because I was working with a young MC, writing and producing backing tracks for him.  I saw this as a way of educating myself about the variety of sounds and production techniques used by various artists around the world.  I knew I wasn't interested in any of the established black American artists mostly because I didn't (and don't) like their misogynistic attitudes and conspicuous consumption - bling culture has never interested me.

But there are artists making great, interesting music in the genre.  Artists like Handsome Boy Modelling School, The Roots and Mos Def make truly intelligent and innovative music.  While I get what he does and enjoy some of the tracks, for me Roots Manuva, unfortunately, can't be included in this group. 

While named by some as the one of the innovators of the British grime movement, Rodney Smith aka Roots Manuva, makes music that is almost Tom Waits-ian in its production with literate, intelligent lyrics and lots of deep overdubbed voices.  There is also a bit of a nod to his Jamaican roots in some of the beats and use of horns.  But it is not particularly joyous music.  It is dark and challenging and often depressing in it lyrical content.

To be honest with you, hitting on this merely reminded me of how much crap I've added to the collection over the last half dozen years or so.  It actually kind of annoys me because I could've used my hard earned dollars to buy a lot of music we both like as opposed to music I considered necessary to have at the time. Damn it, I should've been more selfish.

Anyway, not to beat that puppy to death, while Mine and YourZ (truly) regularly go through our various collections (believe me, the music one is nothing compared to the book one), a lot of that stuff has managed to avoid the Great Axe of Disinterest (patent pending).  But not any more.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT (can you believe it, Mine, huh?)


For more information: http://www.rootsmanuva.co.uk/

In our collection we also have Run Come Save Me and Slime And Reason