From the Jones label, who brought you the head crushing classic "Chains & Black Exhaust," we now get this mix by old school Memphis dj Big Moe, live from R.C's Place. Big Moe was a former radio DJ for WJNS in Memphis...
expand review and was known for playing the best in funk & soul from that region. Vaulted in somebody's house in South Memphis for over 30 years, this live concert tape was discovered in 2003. The concert was Joe Perkins & The Memphians featuring Big Moe as the dj, and he delivers a set of both common and rare unknown Memphis recordings. All these tracks are either Stax, Hi Records, or local pressings, and some of the highlights include groups like the Memphians, Wendy Rene, Gene Anderson, The Charmels, The Fabulous Caprices, Smithstonian and Transplant. No tracklisting though, so you'll have to go after that yourself. And best believe, same as with Chains & Exhaust, people in two years are gonna be scrambling both for copies of this disc, and the original cuts contained herein. A great tribute to the Memphis sound, and a valid piece of history. Recommended. -the mgmnt
As DJ Quicksilva himself says during an interlude on this mixtape: "the mixtape game is fucked up right now." These new "official" Lethal Squad mixtapes are the major labels' concession that mixtapes are good for the business - it's just that they...
expand review wanna regulate them. Can't say I blame them, but the problem is that they don't know how to create a mixtape that people wanna buy. Fortunately, Lethal Squad seems to have a clue. Lots of new and exclusive stuff here, including the new Just Blaze-produced Young Chris single, that Slick Rick/Chamillionaire collab, remixes from USDA, Fabolous, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross, an exclusive freestyle from Peedi, the Pharoahe Monch remix of Amy Winehouse's "Rehab," and lots more. This isn't mindblowing, but I think it's a step in the right direction, and it's definitely something to bump this summer. Very interested to see how this pans out... -Chris Lemon-Red
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Nobody was sure if Green Lantern could get over his highly publicized split from the Shady/Aftermath empire, but this new joint should put any and all haters to rest. Packed with a ridiculous amount of exclusives from all the biggest names,...
expand review Alive On Arrival could be the mix of GL's career. It's hard just trying to figure out what to mention first. There's "The Ice Cream Man" with Pharrell kicking a shocking decent freestyle over a hard GL beat. There's Juelz teaming up with Dem Franchize Boyz for the crossover snap music joint "Show You What I'm Workin' Wit." Ghostface and Busta get gully on the unreleased "Blow His Head Off." The list just goes on -- seriously, it goes on for 35 tracks. T.I., Jay-Z, Bun B, Jeezy, Lil Wayne, Dead Prez... you name it. A strong comeback for the Evil Genius. -Chris Lemon-Red
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It's funny how bands grow up. Nawlins-to-Brooklyn duo Home Video dropped a pair of so-so singles on Warp a few years ago, but this LP finds them in a newly-found top form. What with the DFA name-dropping in the minimalist artwork thank...
expand review you list (not to mention Mr. Goldsworthy remixing their single "Penguin(1)"), you might take these dudes for another screaming gang of Rapture wannabes. But the tracks here are darker, less focused on moving asses and more focused on the half-empty bottle of wine in front of them. Lead-off joint "Sleep Sweet(2)" has some hard hitting percussion, but the nicely-done vocals and swirling atmospherics keep the beat in check. Ditto for the pattering "Dialogue Box(3)," which I could easily hear Sade singing over (and I mean that in the best way possible). If there's a danger with albums like this, though, it's that they can get a bit dragged down by their own signature sound; but the Home Video boys keep it fresh on the B-side of the record with louder (or at least more energetic) tracks like "Confession of a Time Traveler(4)" and "Pidipunk(5)." Perfect timing for this kind of album, with fall and winter coming on strong.
-Chris Lemon-Red
The first in what will likely be a long line of G-Unit solo albums, Lloyd Banks tumbles out of the precision street marketing machine that we've come to know 50 & the Shady/Aftermath crew for lately. Equal parts talent & media hype,...
expand review Lloyd's album lands somewhere in the middle ground of big label big money hip hop. He isn't a complete product- most of the production here comes from small name guys with a minimal amount of pop gloss; but at the same time he isn't ripping anybody a new asshole or anything. Everybody's been talking about much yawns when it comes to Lloyd's mic technique, but with an entire album of production at this level (skip through and you'll get pulled in on just about every track) he's actually a pretty good foil. On single release, we've already seen the chart success of "On Fire(1)," the street success of "Warrior Pt 1(2)" and Part 2(3), plus the recent release "I'm So Fly(4)." And they got to put out "I Get High(5)" with Snoop & 50 next- it's like the "P.I.M.P." feelgood track of the album. Others to check for include "Aint No Click(6)" with Tony Yayo, "Playboy" and "When The Chips Are Down" with new G member The Game. 14 tracks total. -the mgmnt
The long awaited tape from Neil Armstrong, and he's up to a lot of things on here. The main theme is matching up originals with their hip hop sample counterparts and beyond, but he's very busy on the production. The hip hop...
expand review selection is classic east coast stuff and Armstrong keeps it flowing nicely with lots of 4 tracking, quick cuts and doubling up. Not really on the deep funk tip, Armstrong reaches for the dance classics and party joints: Michael, Steely Dan, Steve Miller, Mtume, Isleys, Hall + Oats, etc. The Cleanup Woman/Let Me Clear My Throat section is my favorite. And pay attention to the mixing and dialogue; it gets inventive like going from the "Slow Down" lyric "I've seen ya kind before, you aint original, just a sick mixed up individual" straight into David Bowie's Vanilla Ice sampled tune. Great tape weather you want to examine the technique closely or throw it on the next time you make kool-aid for your friends. -the mgmnt
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