Caltrops - No Stairway to Heaven - Re: 2004: The year in music.

Forum Overview :: No Stairway to Heaven

by curst 12/29/2004, 8:08am PST

Kthor wrote:

You really think No Said Date is weak? I think it's got an element of nostalgia to it but that's because when I was getting into hip-hop in a more serious way the RZA's production was what hooked me so I think I have a soft spot for that style. I do really dig it, though. He was greta live.

No Said Date is 1/2 AWESOME, 1/2 bland. Part of the reason why I'm glad some songs are a throwback to the old Wu sound is because that sound was so fucking great. And "Digi Warfare" is one of a few recent songs that somehow highlight all that was great about electro music while avoiding everything that made it so cheesy.

I also liked Madvillainy more than Mm... Food for the production, mostly - I wouldn't hold it as a classic all-time album (because, frankly, I don't think Doom will EVER make one of those, Vaudeville Villain included, as he's just way too inconsistent and willing to release waaaay too much shit), but that's personal preference.

Bleh. MM... Food is fantastic, while Madvillainy fell way short of my expectations (how many actual rhymes were spit on there? even fewer than Food, which has few enough) and the new Viktor Vaughn was only somewhat better (somehow the beats put me to sleep for the most part). *SHRUG!* MM Food samples the old theme to the ending credits from Sesame Street in "Kookies", and I think that alone is what in my mind propels it to elite status. I always wondered why someone hadn't sampled that already because it's perfect hiphop beat fodder.

I dunno, it just rankles me that this totally ball-less, gutless nov-hop is lapped up.

The one "concept" hiphop album I've ever heard that I legitimately enjoy is Mr. Lif's "I Phantom". And even then, his flow is bland (think Young MC crossbred with KRS-One) to the point where it detracts from the usually great rhymes and mostly dope beats.

Forgot to say that the best hip-hop album I bought this year was Paris - The Devil Made Me Remix.

De La Soul's "The Grind Date"! It blows the AOI albums and "Stakes Is High" out of the fucking water. It's arguably better than "...Is Dead", which used to be my favorite LP of their's. Even Ghostface can't see De La, let alone the other pretty good '04 rap releases from Ludacris, Nas, Talib Kweli, the Beasties, MF Doom, anyone you want to name.

BTW, what is on the Paris remix that makes it so good? I have the original and, okay, it wasn't bad at all, but he always struck me as PE-lite, Ice Cube-lite, etc. And these days The Coup have taken over the political rap scene to the extent where no one comes in second place. I haven't even touched that Paris album in years because I basically forgot about him.