Juggaknots
Use Your Confusion
Amalgam

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

If you’re an artist and your debut release was anything comparable to the Juggaknots’ Clear Blue Skies, I’ll feel sorry for you when you’re faced with the daunting task of putting out your sophomore album. Not only has become somewhat of an underground hip-hop cult classic; but add the anticipation of a ten-year time span, and expectations for the Juggaknots’ follow up, Use Your Confusion went through the roof. Of course if the sibling trio tried to recreate Clear Blue Skies to appease purists, it would sound outdated, as well as a cheap cop-out. But even with an evolved sound, Use Your Confusion is a valiant attempt at a successful follow-up that falls just short.

Today, with maturity and longevity in the music biz, Juggaknots no longer have that first time innocence. Use Your Confusion is recorded with purpose and tact. The song “30 Something” best encapsulates this element as Breeze is joined by guest Sadat X, and the two trade verses about aging with peace of mind in the hip-hop game. Another guest appearance comes courtesy of fellow New York native Wordsworth on “Liar, Liar.” While Breeze and Herawin are worthy emcees, Wordsworth proves himself to be an emcee’s emcee when he drops lines like, “Can’t say nothing nice for the life of you/Lying ain’t right/But in tight situations it’s polite to do.”

With the production credits split up among six beatsmiths, the Use Your Confusion tracks are hit or miss. Stones Throw’s Oh No shines with “Daddy’s Little Girl.” The track exudes soulful grime from the Oxnard, CA resident, and Herawin plays biographer as she relates the experiences of little girls growing up. Meanwhile “Strip Joint,” produced by Breeze also raises question marks. It is about …well, you guessed it, a strip joint, which the chorus very unimaginatively reminds the listener of by repeating the song title over and over.

Use Your Confusion isn’t altogether negative. Other head bangers include “Smile” and the EMPD-esque “New $$$,” the former on which Breeze laments how the simple act of smiling is clowned on in hip-hop today. Overall, Use Your Confusion isn’t a bad release. But when held to the candle of Clear Blue Skies, it can’t hold the weight.

– James O’Connor

Clipse
Hell Hath No Fury
Re-Up Gang/Star Trak/Zomba

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

If you like good beats and rhymes, you will like this record. If you like lyrics about selling cocaine, you will really like this record. On Hell Hath No Fury, Clipse further the marriage between rapping and “pushing weight” with style and finesse. Just when it seemed that every avenue of word play had been explored in regards to talking about coke, Virginia brothers Malice and Pusha T legitimately raise the bar while glorifying the lifestyle.

Instead of the ever-so-common braggadocio found in cocaine rap, Clipse bring an element of sympathetic guilt. Throughout Hell Hath No Fury, there are a number of religious references that let the world know the
brotherly rap duo have consciences. “Sorry Heavenly father/Once again I hate to bother/Its ‘P’ the evil creeper sending some to the grim reaper/Meanwhile me and my mistress like Solomon and Sheba,” raps Pusha T on “Mamma I’m So Sorry.” They make clear, however, that they are young, rich and more concerned with Bapestas and Ferraris, so they’re going to enjoy it while they can.

The premier track off Hell Hath No Fury is unquestionably its lead single, “Mr. Me Too.” Pharrell must have bought a new production tool to make the “blunted” effects of the song. Still, I thought that after “Frontin” everyone agreed Pharrell shouldn’t sing on recordings anymore, but here the brand of a man is at it again in
“Hello New World.” With tracks like “Ain’t Cha’ and “Nightmares,” he almost makes up for it –… almost.

Regardless of where your opinions over cocaine rap lie, Clipse undeniably destroy each track. Some of the aggression on Hell Hath No Fury may go deeper than just an assault of hungry emcees, and relate to
their frustration in dealing with Zomba Records, which constantly delayed its release. But now, with Hell Hath No Fury finally out and drawing universal acclaim perhaps Clipse might find peace now with their moral dilemmas.

– James O’Connor

Frank N Dank
Xtended Play version 3.13
Chisel Sound

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

It has been a little while since we’ve heard from the Detroit rap duo. Their last appearance was on Jaylib’s 2003 project, Champion Sound. That same year, FND also put out their debut LP, 48 Hours, an album initially booked to come out on MCA before the group left the label. With Xtended Play, the Motor City rappers have expanded their list of collaborators and stayed true to their approach of fuzzing the line between club music and basement sounds.

Some assistance comes from Toronto producer Kemo on “Wit FND.” Somewhat Madlib-esque, the neck jerking groove might be the first of more to come from Kemo if he keeps on the grind. And speaking of the grind, or hustle rather, I know the cool thing to do is to rap about stacking paper, but how many more uninspiring songs do we need to hear on the matter? Didn’t Jay-Z finalize who’s the best and close the case? With “Wit FND’s” chorus — “We get money each and everyday/Chase that money each and every day/There’s only one thing left to say/It’s time to hustle” — there’s only one thing left for me to do, which is throw my hands in the air and hit “next” on the CD player. In their defense, though, FND says Xtended Play exposes how “hood life is much the same everywhere. It’s soul music for players.”

Probably the most noteworthy hit off Xtended Play, “My City,” is a Dilla crafted banger that describes life in their hometown, “the D.” This track comes correct for Motor City residents who need a little pick-me-up after the Tigers returned home without a World Series title. When the break on the mellow “Blaow” first hits your ears, it’s hard not to note that People Under the Stairs previously used the same drums on their track, “A Fly Love Song.” But FND hold their own as they describe how they live up to their responsibilities of providing for their families.

Frank N Dank aren’t going to blow minds with complex rhyme schemes or challenging content. What they are going to do is give their fans what they’re looking for. It’s not gangster and it’s not backpacker. It’s not quite underground yet it’s not mainstream. Xtended Play is just good hip-hop, straight up.

– James O’Connor

Tres presents Shipping and Handling
Tres Records

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Tres Records is being nice. With the release of Shipping and Handling, the L.A. imprint unleashes all of the B-sides, rarities and remixes it previously released exclusively on wax. As the number of fans familiar with the phrases “pitch adjustment” and “tone arm” continues to dwindle, the elitist vinyl collector mentality may have begun to pinch the label’s pocketbooks. With Serato as an option, even DJs are becoming apt to purchase MP3 as opposed to vinyl. Whether it’s a smart business move or a way to look out for their fans, the bottom line is that Tres is spreading the love by releasing this double disc compilation.

To kick the whole set off, co-founder and flagship artist Thes One from People Under the Stairs delivers “Noonen,” a track inspired by the Caddyshack character. A floating sample phases in and out over the head jerking drum break, and Thes One delivers lyrics on how life has changed in his elder years in the hip hop world: “So the moral, I’m getting up at eight o’clock/Come on Noonen, you getting older, gotta stop/So I’m setting the clock for sunrise/And whatever lies ahead/I’m facing it by getting outta bed.” Another track to check for is Lightheaded’s “Surprise Cypher II.” Here, production credit goes to new school powerhouse Ohmega Watts as he masterfully reworks the same Minnie Ripperton sample A Tribe Called Quest tapped for “Lyrics to Go.” Ta’Raach, an MC with a gully approach to his beats and rhymes, gets his time to shine on tracks such as “Yeah” and the David Axelrod bass-laden “Heaven.” The Detroit native’s style nicely offsets the lighter, backpacker-esque sounds of his fellow Tres artists, rounding out the compilation and offering a little something for everybody.

– James O’Connor

I’ve heard that imitation is the best form of flattery. Some would debate that sampling is a form of imitation. Regardless, as a musician, it must be flattering to have a producer make an album based solely on your own personal body of work.

Such is the case with legendary Canadian musician/composer Galt MacDermot. The Stones Throw beatsmith Oh No recently released his latest album, Exodus into Unheard Rhythms, and it is based entirely on samples pulled from MacDermot’s catalogue. Fellow compatriot and Stones Throw general manager Egon understood the implications of MacDermot’s mastery when he pushed a fat stack of records into Oh No’s hands to do some remixes. Within a mere matter of days, the foundation for Exodus Into Unheard Rhythms was laid when Oh No did what he does best: crank out a mind-blowing amount of beats quicker than when Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” got played out.

Oh No isn’t just another producer handcuffed to his MPC. As he proved on his 2004 debut The Disrupt, he can write rhymes as well as pound the buttons on his beat machine. For Exodus into Unheard Rhythms, however, the Oxnard, Calif. native only appears on three songs. Meanwhile, a slew of Stones Throw affiliates drop in to work their lyrical magic: Aloe Blacc, MED, Wildchild, Dudley Perkins, DITC’s AG, De La Soul’s Posdnuos, Buckshot and Wordsworth, just to name a few. In the true tradition of hip-hop, new breathes life into the old, and Oh No adds his own style and flare while keeping faithful to MacDermot’s compositions.

Despite a case of walking pneumonia, Oh No made time to discuss music, family, video games and the “Ox.”

Plug One: How did you develop the idea for this album, Exodus into Unheard Rhythms, using samples solely form Galt MacDermot’s catalogue?

Oh No: I had been wanting to do a compilation for a minute, and Egon over at Stones Throw helped set that up. … He had asked me to do a Galt remix for him, and then he gave me a bunch of Galt’s stuff. I flipped like 27 beats in three days. Egon was hyped, and approached Galt about the project.

Plug One: How did he react when you first approached him with your idea for the album?

Oh No: Galt was real cool about it. He was feeling the idea behind it. I mean he’d been sampled many times before, but this was something new to him. He was down.

Plug One: Describe working with Galt and your relationship with him?

Oh No: He’s a really down to earth person. It was mad cool meeting with him and talking about the music.

Plug One: Did he have a hand in the creation of Exodus at all?

Oh No: Besides using his samples, which added to the creativity, Galt got to hear everything beforehand, but that was about it.

Plug One: What has it been like for you making a name for yourself alongside your brother Madlib, who was already a recognizable name by the time you began making a splash?

Oh No: It’s been fun. You know, my brother has taught me a lot, and I’ve learned a lot from watching him. I appreciate it. Of course I’m just doing me, so things are going to be more me. But its dope that we both can get our stuff heard. Shoot, even my pops [soul vocalist Otis Jackson] is putting some stuff out.

[Editor's note: Otis Jackson recently released The Art of Love on CDP Records. It features his sons Oh No and Madlib. You can learn more at www.myspace.com/otisjackson2.]

Plug One: What is the age difference between you and your brother?

Oh No: 33-28.

Plug One: The styles between you and Madlib are similar but still distinguishable. What part of your music is influenced by him and what would you say is your imprint?

Oh No: Madlib of course influenced me and helped me see some things, but the thing that we both are doing, is we are doing us. I’ve got stuff that’s hardcore, underground, funky, jazzy etc. Madlib does his thing too. He can do whatever he likes. The thing is that we are both just doing us. Do what we want.

Plug One: How has your craft of making beats changed for you over the years? In essence, any major changes in style or technique along the way, or different techniques after your beats began getting released on a larger scale?

Oh No: Well I don’t know if I can say the techniques have changed much. I still just create the way that I create. One thing that is different is that I’ve learned the technology and work with whatever I’m feeling at the time.

Plug One: What was going on in the life of Oh No before the world saw your Stones Throw debut on Lootpack’s Soundpieces: Da Antidote?

Oh No: Man, I was just rapping, producing, making music with my crew Kaliwild, CDP and others. Just working on the grind. Oh, and of course getting my game on…ha ha… …

Plug One: Compared to past projects, what was different about making Exodus for you, if anything?

Oh No: Man, just trying to make sure everything was coordinated. Also being able to just sample whatever I wanted without worries. It was dope.

Plug One: What is it about Oxnard that seems to have generated such a multitude of unique, interesting and talented artists?

Oh No: Oxnard is just a little city by the sea. We really didn’t have much to do out here … It was either doing music, banging or smoking. I chose smoking and music…ha ha… …

Plug One: How did you develop the name Oh No?

Oh No: Oh No actually came from Wildchild. Kinda as a thing that just stuck. Oh No the Disrupt … Cuz I’m always disrupting something. Ha ha, just playing. Yeah…Wildchild gave me that.

Plug One: What’s the hot shit with the games lately?

Oh No: Scarface … check that out. I’m actually digitalized somewhere in the game, so you can see me and Roc C. Of course there’s a ton more, but Scarface is ill.

– James O’Connor

Nicolay
Here
BBE

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

Whether as a metaphor to the fact that Netherlands producer Nicolay has “made it” in the music world, or an allusion to his recent move to North Carolina, for the listener, Here is not always where you want to be. It is disappointing to pop Here in the deck after a wave of quality releases from Nicolay like Connected, his 2004 collaboration with Little Brother’s Phonte Coleman as the Foreign Exchange and his big break in the U.S.; and his more recent Scion sampler, From Across the Pond.

Looked at as one of hip hop’s up-and-coming producers, Nicolay doesn’t emphasize complex drum programming. He gives his sound a particularly “clean” feel with just a typically booming kick and a tight snare. But it is his melodic focus that has truly won his fans over. Though he always approaches his beats with a sound incorporating quality within simplicity, a lot of the songs on Here are too simple. It gives the album a drowsy feel — particularly the intro track, which is a crucial element to setting up the rest of the album.

There are a few redeeming aspects on Here which should help his fans hoping it’s just a stumbling block as opposed to an oncoming pattern of lackluster releases. Every track Nicolay does with singer/songwriter Yahzarah is a highlight and “Adore,” a song in which she jumps effortlessly from octave to octave about finding love after knowing so much tragedy in her life, is no different. Another number classified in the “banger” category is “I Am the Man” featuring Black Spade, except for the chorus that continually repeats, “I take you there/In the midnight hour/In my B-boy stance/’cause I am the man.” Otherwise, it’s a successful collaboration between the two, and shines light on a new talent to keep an eye on.

When listening to Here, there is no denying the signature Nicolay sound. But compared to past releases, it just does not have that certain je ne se qua. Let’s hope that once our friend from across the pond settles into his new Carolina digs, he’ll come back strong. When he does, listening to those tight, clean beats will be like a breath of fresh air.

– James O’Connor

DJ Shadow
The Outsider
Universal

Rating: ★★½☆☆ 

Remember the game we played as children, when we tried to catch our own shadow? Those shadows were as elusive as DJ Shadow’s The Outsider, an album that refuses to be caught in simple genre classification. Even fans who expect a complete change of pace from 2004’s Live! In Tune and On Time may find themselves blindsided by its near-schizophrenic nature.

Hyphy, the West Coast interpretation of crunk, is the largest influence on Shadow’s latest, resulting in tracks like “3 Freaks,” “Keep ‘em Close” and “Turf Dancing.” It’s hard to comprehend how the same producer/DJ went from a debut like Endtroducing to heading the hyphy movement, and incorporating droning synthesizer sounds over what sounds like a drum machine borrowed from Lil Jon. Had the entire album been saturated with nothing but hyphy, people would have demanded to know who produced this album and where the real DJ Shadow went. Included among the club songs, however, is the bouncy soul track “This Time.” The chorus warns the listener that Shadow is “going to try it [his] way,” but I’m not aware of a time when he wasn’t trying things his way.

There are more palatable moments throughout the album. Some of the songs have a Radiohead influence, like “The Tiger” and “Erase You” featuring singer Chris James, who sounds eerily similar to Thom Yorke. Rap/rock fans will thoroughly enjoy “Backstage Girl” featuring Phonte from Little Brother. Phonte relates a tale of freaking a bad girl, and he explains, “I told her straight up, I got a significant other but she didn’t care/She just told me that for tonight, she wanted to be my insignificant other.” Then The Outsider’s schizophrenia really begins to sink in when “Artifact” hits your ears and offers a quaint touch of grindcore.

After trying to digest the erratic mash up of songs on The Outsider a few times, it struck me that the album is based on Shadow’s extensive knowledge of music and his purported vast record collection. That’s a lot of music for one man. The DJ serves as a channel, so eventually he’ll reach a point of critical mass from the building up of sounds. In that sense, The Outsider may very well be similar to Common’s Electric Circus. Not that they sound similar, but rather that it is something Shadow has to get out of his system. Hopefully, like Common did with Be, next time Shadow will come back strong.

– James O’Connor

Four Tet
Remixes
Domino

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

It is hard to put into words that which escapes them. Beauty is one word, and genius is another for the music of Kieran Hebden, otherwise known as the one man sound machine behind the Four Tet moniker. On a two-disc remix project aptly titled Remixes, Hebden is like a puppeteer with his fingers holding one end of the strings, directly striking his listener to the core, and your emotions dangling at the other.

The imagery one often associates with electronic music is often cold, mechanic and inhuman. But producers like Hebden are evolving the process, and the emotions he punches through beat machines are increasingly gaining impact. Feelings, and Hebden’s ability to express them, are a strong underlying theme throughout Remixes. He’s able to give his music a highly interpersonal feel, even with using free jazz-style drums, electronic glitches, and stop-go chopped loops.

Many of the songs, like his remix of Aphex Twin’s “Untitled,” pull your mind in opposite directions by employing soothing samples along with oddly syncopated drum patterns. The result is an equilibrated peace. On “A Joy” featuring Percee P, Hebden’s offbeat yet so on beat programming supports the legendary lethal lyricist’s vocals. Other highlights include a reworking of Madvillain’s “Money Folder,” where Hebden matches a 80s video game sample that sounds like it came straight out of NES’ Excitebike. The sound works perfectly with MF Doom’s cartoon persona.

The second disc features other artists remixing Hebden’s original tracks. On his remix of Hebden’s “My Angle Rocks Back and Forth,” Icarus consistently loops a piano riff throughout the track. It is not annoying as one might expect but, rather, is like that of a drum circle inducing a trance-like state.

Throughout Remixes, however, each song is clearly stamped with Hebden’s style and influence, even when he works via the music of others. The title of producer falls short of Four Tet’s work. Rather, Hebden is a composer in the true sense of the word.

– James O’Connor

Mojoe
Classic.Ghetto.Soul
Music World

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

The Lone Star State is something like a Petri dish, culturing a duo of super soulful MCs that comprise the group Mojoe. With the release of Classic.Ghetto.Soul, Easy Lee and Tre along with the Mojoe Family Band issue an album chock full of soul, jazz, blues, funk and hip-hop. The group presents an incorporated musical experience, where all of those individual genres blend together. It’s as down home as Uncle Ben’s when you just add water. But in this case, you just gotta hit play.

It would be easy to expound upon the phenomenal sounds of Mojoe’s music and pick apart the duo’s lyrical content. But Easy Lee and Tre prove they can flip their flows just as easily as they can croon their hooks. Their songs hold depth, like the message behind “True Jewels.” It brings home the idea that these cats are not in this for the stardom, and work hard to hone their craft. In their words, “While you shine, I’ll grind.”

In their press biography, Mojoe are described as “the Roots meet OutKast over dinner with Marvin Gaye at D’Angelo’s house.” However, comparing Mojoe with such musical monoliths at this stage in their career might be a bit premature. The “Ghetto.Soul” part of the title holds true, but time will tell whether or not the album is a classic. In the meantime take Classic.Ghetto.Soul as Mojoe intended, and enjoy it.

– James O’Connor