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July 22nd, 2009Uncategorized
1. INTRO
This is the kind of rap album intro that critics hail as “organic” and “innovative”, thus validating the artistry attempted, but people who listen to music for entertainment purposes hate this pretentious shit. Max falls into the latter category.
2. GASOLINE DREAMS (FEAT KHUJO)
A high-energy, and, yet, incredibly weak, way to start off Stankonia. I always thought the song was decent and forgettable in the past, but I realize today that this is a master class in misdirection: it's all loud noises and shouting, diverting audiences from the fact that all three rappers sound off.
3. I'M COOL (INTERLUDE)
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4. SO FRESH, SO CLEAN (FEAT SLEEPY BROWN & RICO WADE)
At least Stankonia seems to pick up steam early on. Single number three was an interesting choice, as there was nothing like it on the radio at that point in time. This track remains cooler than sipping a milkshake in a snowstorm. There's a remix for this song featuring Snoop Dogg (featured on the soundtrack to Calvin's horror flick Bones) readily available on the Interweb: that version is hardly worth the price of admission. (While writing this part of the review, I also discovered that there's a Fatboy Slim remix of this song that was commercially released. Has anybody ever heard that version? Let me know if it's worth my time.)
5. MS. JACKSON
This second single also sounded absolutely nothing like anything else on the radio at the time. Hell, it didn't even sound remotely related to Stankonia's first single. It's altogether pleasant, and the inclusion of the wedding march hidden behind Big Boi's final verse was a nice touch. However, while it is a good song, it's not essential Outkast. Yeah, I said it.
6. SNAPPIN' & TRAPPIN' (FEAT KILLER MIKE & J-SWEET)
The outro is entirely unnecessary, but this collaboration between Big Boi and Killer Mike (who would later win a Grammy alongside Outkast for “The Whole World”, a track which only appears on the duo's greatest hits compilation) is infectious otherwise. Andre 3000 is nowhere to be found, though: I assume he drew the short straw.
7. D.F. (INTERLUDE)
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8. SPAGHETTI JUNCTION
The beat only barely evokes the feeling of starring in a Sergio Leone classic spaghetti western, but it's still pretty dope. The back and forth between Dre and Big Boi reminds me of how they sounded on their debut album, the one with the long title that I don't feel like spellchecking right now. Anyway, this song is pretty good.
9. KIM & COOKIE (INTERLUDE)
Already there are too many fucking interludes on Stankonia.
10. I'LL CALL BEFORE I COME (FEAT GANGSTA BOO & ECO)
This song is silly, but ultimately unnecessary. This track was recorded before Gangsta Boo (formerly of the Academy Award-winning group Three Six Mafia (I love the fact that the crew will always be known for that now)) found Christ and stopped rapping about fucking and fighting, at least until she realizes that she won't make any money rhyming about the Lord.
11. B.O.B. (FEAT THE MORRIS BROWN COLLEGE GOSPEL CHOIR)
The first single, which was originally given the unfortunate title “Bombs Over Baghdad” before it was amended (by the label? by the United States government?). I seem to remember reading about a twelve-minute version of this track: whatever happened to that song? This is still really good, and incredibly musically ambitious for a rap song, but you can easily get sick of it if you heard it every single day.
12. XPLOSION (FEAT B-REAL)
I loved this song upon Stankonia's original release, thanks to the unadulterated hip hop and the left-of-center guest spot it provided. Today, it's still really good, and B-Real (from Cypress Hill) actually sounds fantastic, but the song is overshadowed by the classics that Stankonia produced. The hook is pretty weak, though. A marked improvement over the last time Outkast and B-Real worked together, on Tash's “Smokefest 1999” from his Rap Life.
13. GOOD HAIR (INTERLUDE)
That's also the name of a documentary Chris Rock directed (that should be released to theaters later this year) that supposed to be pretty good. Also, Chris Rock used "B.O.B." in his directorial debut, Head Of State, in which his psychic powers predicted the first African-American president of the United States. I include that tidbit just so you don't think I went off on a tangent while completely ignoring this boring-ass skit.
14. WE LUV DEEZ HOEZ (FEAT BACKBONE & BIG GIPP)
This sounds as if it were recorded as a joke. If you look past the corny musical backdrop and the hook, Big Boi's rhymes, at least, are decent, Backbone sounds terrible, and Big Gipp (from Goodie Mob) stumbles through admirably.
15. HUMBLE MUMBLE (FEAT ERYKAH BADU)
This track, which I'm sure is beloved by Outkast stans the world over, is run into the ground by Erykah's singing, which makes this song sound as if it's reaching for too much. The message in the hook is a good one, though, and the beat switch when Andre starts rapping is an unexpected plus.
16. DRINKIN' AGAIN (INTERLUDE)
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17. ?
This is really more of an interlude than a song, but it's appealing in the same way that A Tribe Called Quest's “What?”, an obvious influence, was. “What could make a n---a figure he ought to be a pimp 'cuz he don't like love?”, indeed. It's a valid question.
18. RED VELVET
Can't say that I remember anything about this one. Oh well.
19. CRUISIN' IN THE ATL (INTERLUDE)
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20. GANGSTA SHIT (FEAT SLIMM CALHOUN, T-MO, & C-BONE)
This is actually my favorite song on Stankonia. The slow groove literally drives your car for you while you cruise around the ATL (or wherever you happen to live). A lot has been said about Andre's verse (which begins “'Outkast' with a 'k'/Yeah, them n----z are hard”), but everybody involved with this posse cut pulls it off. The chorus is repeated at least three times too many, though. I believe there may be a remix of this song on someone's compilation album, but I don't have any more information than that.
21. TOILET TISHA (FEAT ROSALYN HEARD & SLEEPY BROWN)
Meh.
22. SLUM BEAUTIFUL (FEAT CEE-LO)
A pretty sweet ode to the female half of the population. Cee-Lo's contribution is especially touching. It leaves you wishing that the musical backdrop were a bit more appealing, though.
23. PRE-NUMP (INTERLUDE)
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24. STANKONIA (STANKLOVE)(FEAT BIG RUBE & SLEEPY BROWN)
Big Boi must be an awfully good sport to allow Stankonia to end with this bizarre and polarizing final track. I can't imagine that anybody has ever heard this song more than the once, and I'm including the artists themselves in that sentiment.
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July 17th, 2009Uncategorized
1. CONVERSATION #1
I appreciate how they tried to make it sound like “Oh, I just finished recording the last vocal for Conversation, so let's see how the final product sounds”, although if you've never even heard of this album before today, I just gave away the ending, so whoops! Anyway, regardless of that theme, this is still a rap album intro, and everyone at this point knows how Max feels about them.
2. ROUND & ROUND
I didn't care for this song when it was released as the first single from Conversation, but hearing it today, it's pleasant as hell. The two rappers are in no way ever going to be considered as twin Rakims or anything, but they are both better rappers than producer Warren G. So of course it makes sense that Warren is the only one of the three that still has what can be considered a rap career.
3. GOOD TIMES
Shit, this sounds so good that I'm going to go hit up a barbecue right fucking now. I'll be back in a few hours or days, give or take.
4. 4 EYES 2 HEADS (FEAT GORGEOUS JUDAH RANKS)
The vocals at the very beginning are unnerving, and the hook is just weird, but looking past that, this song is really good. I believe this was also a single at some point: I recall a video being shot, even though I don't remember ever actually watching it.
5. JUMP TA THIS
Well, they can't all be winners.
6. EASTSIDE LB (FEAT WARREN G.)
The hook is a little corny, but otherwise, this song will bring your soul to a level of inner peace that isn't possible when listening to, say, Lil' Wayne. This may have been a single, too: Conversation was released back in a time when Def Jam really tried to sell the shit out of their albums prior to giving up, unlike today, when they drop their promotion after an album fails to move more than one million units in its opening week. (A somewhat related side note: is anybody else worried about how the label will treat Method Man and Redman's Blackout 2 when it's released tomorrow?)
7. SORRY I KEPT YOU (FEAT WARREN G.)
This was my favorite song on Conversation back when I first bought it. The Rakim vocal sample is a nice bonus, but the real draw here is Warren G's production work. The track still sounds just as good as I remember, by the way.
8. CONVERSATION #2
Skit...
9. JOURNEY WITH ME
Actually sounds a bit too much like “Good Times” for my liking. Because they already made that song, you see.
10. HOLLYWOOD (FEAT JAH SKILLZ & NEB LOVE)
I would have appreciated some more hardcore tracks on Conversation, it's okay, since ultraviolence isn't in the nature of theTwinz. At the time I picked this up, I was a West Coast freak and was more familiar with the laid-back Cali sound: the only East Coast act I followed religiously in 1995 was the Wu-Tang Clan, and I picked up everybody else's albums whenever I got around to them. (Oh, how the tides have turned, huh?) Anyway, this posse cut is pretty bland.
11. 1st ROUND DRAFT PICK (FEAT WARREN G.)
Sounds like an outtake from Regulate...G Funk Era, which it might actually be, since this is the most violent track on here, and that still isn't saying much. This is too melodic to ever be confused with “actual” gangsta rap, but it still sounds alright.
12. CONVERSATION #3
Skit...
13. DON'T GET IT TWISTED (FEAT NEW BIRTH)
I always skipped this song when I was younger, and today I find it to be okay, but nothing to write home about. You may want to call home, though, because your parents have missed you, and want to make sure you're doing okay, and besides, I'm pretty sure they could give a fuck if you liked “Don't Get It Twisted” or not.
14. PASS IT ON (FEAT FOESUM & WARREN G.)
I've heard more engaging weed songs in my lifetime. Which is weird to say, since weed is supposed to relax you, not make you more energetic and amped. Oh, well.
