Nice & Smooth - Nice & Smooth 2xLP - Green & Yellow Split Vinyl

Priority Records (2017, Reissue)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

I have told this story a bunch of times over the years, including on this website.  One day in 1991 I was at a Coconuts record store with my dad.  I'm not sure why I had money, but maybe it was saved up from mowing the lawn or something, but I had enough to buy three CDs.  The three I bought were Def Before Dishonor by The Hard Corps (Ended up not liking it at all, a purchase greatly influenced by my love for the PE/Anthrax version of "Bring The Noise"), Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest (Loved it to death and still do to this day) and Ain't A Damn Thing Changed by Nice & Smooth.

I didn't end up liking the Nice & Smooth record quite as much as I had hoped based on the strength of the videos they had on Yo! MTV Raps, but I did like it.  It was a totally solid record with a few high points that were pretty great.  I eventually got their follow up Jewel of the Nile a few years later, but wasn't really into that at all.  What I never did was work backwards and check out their first self titled record from 1989.  It wasn't until many years later that I finally gave that a listen.  I picked up this LP a few years ago, but it's been sitting in a pile of records to write about that has grown way too big.  I'm trying to get through those though.

So what to make of this record?  It's very good, certainly better than their 1994 album.  Is it as good as Ain't A Damn Thing Changed?  Not to me, but I also have 33 years of history with that record as opposed to maybe eight with this one?  But if I try to ignore emotional and nostalgic connections, it might be the actual better record.  Sure there's a few slow jam-y R&B tinged songs that are absolutely not my cup of tea, but for the most part the production is on point.  The beats have aged better than a lot of other albums that came out in 1989 with the highlights typically being the faster paced songs.

Greg Nice and Smooth B are always great on the mic.  They compliment each other perfectly, with B's slicker, laid bad flow being a balance point to Nice's high pitched, somewhat frantic delivery style.  On their own they're both good, but together there's a PB&J type chemistry going on that elevates both.  I'm not sure why Ain't A Damn Thing Changed never got a reissue, but this colored vinyl edition of their self titled album came out in 2017.  I'm a sucker for split color vinyl too, so that's a fun bonus.

Nice & Smooth - Nice & Smooth:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nBpWc5eL9OffVT9zwE9olWLCADOld0S7I

Autobahns - First LP

Feral Kid / Legless / Phantom / Magüt (2024)

I have a little pile of records people sent to me to review that's building up, so I'm trying to get through some of those.  Autobahns are from Germany and four labels went in on putting out this album.  Other than that I don't really know anything else about them other than the music that is on this LP.  I'm not sure I have that much to say about it.

It's fast punky rock with something of a Marked Men style guitar attack, if the Marked Men only recorded their albums in the sea and didn't have interesting chord progressions.  The guitar tone on this record is pretty silly and I can only describe it by saying that it wounds like a cartoon version of what a guitar being played underwater would sound like.

The vocals are ultra distorted to the point of being incomprehensible and they're pretty much screamed on top of being fuzzed out.  Is this better than your run of the mill hardcore band?  Yes, absolutely.  But it's not really good either.

Autobahns - First LP:
https://feral-kid-records.bandcamp.com/album/first-lp

MF911 - Idol, The Bloodsport LP

Next Plateau (1993)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

MF911 is another one of those groups that eluded me when they originally were active.  I have no memory of seeing anything about these guys in The Source or on Yo! MTV Raps back in '93.  Had I known about them, I'm sure I would have picked up the record, particularly due to a hip hop luminary being a big part of this album.

Who is that luminary?  Ced Gee of Ultramagnetic MC's.  From what I've read, he brought the group to Next Plateau.  But even if that story isn't accurate, he was very involved in the creation of this album, even handling the production for about half the album.  And if you know me, 1993 era Ultramagnetic is one of the high points of that time for me.

You can absolutely hear that in the production.  Even though MF911 are from Detroit, the production screams early 90s New York boom bap.  There are those jazzy loops and hard hitting drums that would not be at all out of place on The Four Horsemen.  Top to bottom, the production on this album is great, with the tracks that weren't produced directly by Ced Gee still having a similar sound leading to a cohesive album.

Lyrically, the folks in MF911 are flowing in a much more straightforward manner than the Ultramagnetic boys do.  And that's not a shot at them.  I don't think the world needs too many groups rapping like lunatics.  That works for Ultra, but doesn't often work for others.  MF911 has MCs that have vocal similarities to Ced deep voice, but they're staying on beat and spinning stories that are more narrative in structure.  The lyrics complement the beats nicely and the total package is an album that has been slept on (including by me) for far too long.  Hopefully some label will release this lost gem one day to get more attention on a record that deserves it.

MF911 - Idol, The Bloodsport:
https://mf911.bandcamp.com/album/idol-the-bloodsport

Teen Cobra - Buzzkill LP - Yellow Vinyl

 

Big Neck (2024)

There's lo fi and then there's no fi.  Teen Cobra fall in the latter category and that just makes this album even more fun.  Buzzkill is an LP full of loud, fuzzy garage stompers.  As far as production goes, the album is certainly rough and ready.  The vocals are fuzzed out and constantly in the red, the guitar is also ultra-distorted, but still manages to maintain an element of jangle to it and those components are fueled by a primitive, primal drum beat.  It's a lot of noise out of two people.

I think the thing that I like the most about this album is how it feels like a sister record to something that Doo Rag or The Black-Eyed Snakes would have released decades ago.  A lot of that is the percussion and the way the deceptively simple sounding drums add an energy and propulsion to every song.

It also helps that the vocals aren’t the standard garage snarl posturing.  I mean, there's a little of that, but you've never heard an album trying to cram in so many vocal harmonies while keeping the vocals so intentionally blown out.  It's really unique and makes Teen Cobra stand out from the pack.  I dig this.

Teen Cobra - Buzzkill:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/buzzkill

Brokin English Klik – Brokin English Klik LP

Wild Pitch (1993)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

If you look at some of the labels releasing music during the golden era of hip hop, you'd be hard pressed to find a label with more of a murderer's row of great albums than Wild Pitch.  At various points they had Gang Starr, Ultramagnetic MC's, O.C., The Coup, The U.M.C.'s and Main Source among others.Another group they had maybe wasn't as renowned then or remembered now was Brokin English Klik.

I certainly wasn't aware of these guys when they were originally out and releasing records.  But having discovered them later, I can't really understand why they didn't break through more.  I'm positive I would have loved it back then and this probably would have been one of those records that I had on repeat pretty non stop.  The album was produced by one of the members, Da Mad Scientist Phase.  

Digging around, I can't see that he ever worked on any other albums, but his production on this album is just tremendous.  It's rugged with tons of low end bass.  From song to song, the bpms change, with some tracks being fast and others slowing things down.  It has all of the hallmarks of my favorite albums of that era and shows just how much hip hop can be elevated when a song's production is more robust than one beat just repeated ad nausea with someone rapping with no chorus or hook.  The beats ebb and flow, dynamically changing within a track to further highlight the lyrics.  It feels like a lost art to me and it's why I tend to find most hip hop production boring these days (that and so much of it today is just so slow).

As far as how the microphones are handled, I'd put this up against most records records that came out in 1993 and I think it holds up just fine.  Is it lyrically among the most elite of that year?  No, but it's good and is enhanced by how great the beats are.  Sadly, the only vinyl of this album that was released was the bare bones Wild pitch generic sleeve with a sticker gimmick.  I'm glad to have it period, but if there's an album that is looking for a delux 90s Tapes style treatment, I would definitely nominate Brokin English Klik.

Brokin English Klik – Brokin English Klik:
https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCEd3MBPzpj3e7DXr04ocErg

Reduced - Reduced 7" - Yellow Vinyl (/265)

Brassneck (2024)

I've written more than a few old man screeds on this site over the years.  The older I get, the less in vogue the sort of things I like to listen to tend to be.  I'd like to think it's less me being a cranky old guy that is falling out of touch and more about how bands just flat out sound different these days.  They have different touchstones and inspirations than I do.  I don't begrudge any of them, it just feels like I'm not the target for what they are doing, and that's fine.

Luckily my desire for music is satiated by reissues, lost recordings, new discoveries of old bands I missed the first time around and old folks that are still making music.  Much more rare is a new band that I'm not familiar with coming out of nowhere and hitting that sweet spot of upbeat and energetic punk with hooks and vocals that don't sound like a band started by a former Decepticon.  Enter Reduced.

This is a UK punk band that is probably a little more aggressive than the Choppers, Broccolis and Hooton 3 Cars of the world, but I still hear a kinship to that scene which is something I don't get to hear anywhere near as often as I'd like.  The music drives forward, but is still catchy.  But it's not as straightforward as you might think as I find the chord progressions veer off into unexpected places not unlike something you'd expect from Red Dons or maybe the first Estranged album.

And unlike so many No Idea/Hot Water Music growly vocal folks that seem to inhabit the bands that I would probably listen to if not for the vocals, the singer from Reduced sounds like someone singing.  There's a slight raspiness to his voice that I'm pointing out as a compliment because if it was too slick, I wouldn't like that either.  It threads the needle perfectly, meshing with the rest of the band and carrying the hooks.  This is a band that is playing loud, fast music that is catchy, has hooks and generally is the sort of music I want to listen to.  I hope they're working on a full length.

Reduced - Reduced 7":
https://brassneckrecords.bandcamp.com/album/reduced

Mad Flava - From the Ground Unda 2xLP

Profile (1994)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

In my never ending quest to try to listen to every forgotten band of the golden era, I came across this 1994 album by Mad Flava.  I had never even heard of these guys before stumbling across their name within the last few years.  They were absolutely not on my radar back in 94, which is the year my interest in hip hop was starting to wane.  I'm pretty confident that I would have dug this had I heard it back then.

The main reason I would have, and do like this album is the production.  From start to finish, this album has the sort of rugged jazzy beats that I tend to like the most.  Though they are a west coast band, they have more in common with their east coast peers than any G funk style nonsense.  The production was handled by the group along with Erich 'Hype Dawg' Krause.  The only other thing I know him from is the JCD And The Dawg LB LP that I gave a few listens to and decided I didn't need.  The beats on Mad Flava are much better.

Lyrically, you'd be hard pressed to hear these raps and not think that there are certainly some similarities to House of Pain.  Lucky, it's not as over the top or goofy as HOP can get, but you're not going to listen to this and be bowled over by lyrical prowess.  Everyone who touches a microphone gets the job done, and nothing is ever bad - for me, it's just a means to an end showcasing an album full of beats that I really like.  I'm never not amazed at how much stuff came out in the early 90s that got lost in the shuffle.  There was so much insanely great music being released that something like Mad Flava, which is very good, just sort of fades into the past with little fanfare.  Worth checking out.

Mad Flava - From the Ground Unda:

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mR6eJ1vH4sCbgPUgladYPRUMlstq2-OQg

Trenchkoat - Apocalypse Hits LP

Big Neck / No Front Teeth (2024)

If we're going to venture into judging a book by its cover land, I had an inkling while looking at this album by Tenchkoat that it might not be up my alley.  But with the minimalist design and the straight lines, I figured, who knows - maybe there's a chance it's gloomy but not super evil.  I was wrong, Apocalypse Hits is, in fact, super evil.

I feel bad when I write about records like this, because I'm never quite sure what to say about a band that sits so far outside of the scope of what I tend to listen to.  I can say that from a music standpoint, the band is certainly tight, it's not a sloppy hardcore crew.  The guitar work has some interesting riff and lead work and the drummer is absolutely pounding the hell out of the kit.  If you are looking for aggressive, dark music, this could be for you.

That said, I absolutely cannot understand the appeal of vocals like this.  They are so shredding, and cartoonishly dark.  It sounds like an orc from Lord of the Rings in the midst of some sort of incantation.  Lots of yelling, lots of reverb.  It just sounds kind of insane to my ears, but I'll say again - I am definitely not the target demographic for this sort of thing.  

I dig a lot of what Big Neck sends my way.  Even the stuff that's not always in my wheelhouse is usually interesting or at least a top notch example of the band's given genre.  This is one of those rare bands that just completely puzzles me.  I'm sure it makes sense to someone, but it's not for me.

Trenchkoat - Apocalypse Hits:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/apocalypse-hits

Digital Underground - The "Body-Hat" Syndrome LP - 2 Versions

1992 (Tommy Boy)

2023 (Tommy Boy, RSD Black Friday Reissue)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

The "Body-Hat" Syndrome is the third Digital Underground album and it originally came out back in 1993.  I'm pretty sure I bought it back then, but it didn't survive one of my CD purges over the year.  The reason I'm pretty confident I owned it is because both of the LPs I'm about to talk about are missing a track I remember vividly where DU called out a bunch of other artists that lifted or repurposed the beat of "The Humpty Dance" over the years.  

I didn't listen to this album for many years, but decided to revisit it a few years ago.  And like the Digital Underground records that came before it, I enjoy it - for the most part.  Every DU album is too long.  That's kind of the gimmick, really.  A long, diverse album with some grand slams and a few misses along the way.  

The albums single, "The Return of the Crazy One" is the main Humpty song on the album, and for my money it's actually the best Humpty song in their entire catalog.  It has such an ear worm of a beat behind it and it inevitably gets stuck in my head for days every time I listen to it.  While writing this right now the album is playing in the background.  I actually skipped "Return of the Crazy One" so it's not stuck in my head all day, but its piano riff is still managing to penetrate my brain.

The other thing that I like about the album is that it marks one of, if not the earliest appearance of Saafir on record.  He pops up with his off kilter cadence and in my opinion elevates every song he touches.  I wish he had been part of the group on their first two records as well.

So, I have two versions here.  The single LP version is the original pressing from 1993 that only came out in Italy.  It's missing a few songs, and it's a whole lot of music crammed onto a single LP, but it was the only thing out there for 30 years.  Thanks to my buddy Scott, for grabbing it for me to ship over to the US.

So naturally, within months of me finally pulling the trigger and buying a copy, a deluxe double LP version was announced for 2023's Record Store Day Black Friday.  This version is infinitely superior, but it is missing the "Humpty Awards" track from the CD I mentioned earlier.  Still, it has all of the real songs, sounds great and can still be found super cheap on Discogs.  Worth it just to get "Crazy One" stuck in your head for a month.

Digital Underground - The "Body-Hat" Syndrome:

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l-giHafleaouUvM364aeD6CL6R7eXFdtI

Rough House Survivers - Straight from the Soul LP

Relativity (1992)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

As far as the golden era of hip hop goes, I think that 1992 is a year that really gets overlooked in the best year in hip hop discussions.  Maybe it doesn't have the line up of stand out classics like 91, 93 or 94 do.  There's no Tribe album that came out this year, The Hieroglyphics records didn't come out in full force until 93 (til infinity).  Yeah, the Chronic came out in November or so, but that's not an album I rank as a classic in my world, plus it got way more play in 93 than it did in 92.

But when it comes to consistency, 92 was just full of great records with production that really hits the sweet spot for what I'm looking for in hip hop.  Even those records that completely fell through the cracks are pretty elite.  Case in point is this Rough House Survivers album.  Even with guest appearances from CL Smooth, Sadat X from Brand Nubian and Grand Puba, it didn't really make much noise.  I don't remember it from back then, though there were certainly quite a few ads for it in The Source that I've seen rereading those.  Straight From The Soul didn't register then, but it sure stands out to me now.

The production is pretty flawless here.  With jazzy loops, low end bass and big hooks.  Perhaps the thing I miss most about older hip hop is the use of hooks which seems to have all but vanished, even from the folks from back then that are still putting out records.  Give me a hook!  Lyrically, I can't say anyone in this crew is top level elite, but everyone that touches a microphone is really good and wouldn't be out of place rhyming next to anyone.  They all hold their own next to the guest appearances, who are among the top tier of the era.

It's a record that really shouldn't be forgotten.  Anyone that likes golden era hip hop would probably really dig this.  Particularly the disciples of 1992, perhaps the hidden best year of hip hop.

Rough House Survivers - Straight from the Soul:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nu-P0iHFdiBhPRqlciuz6O-Gvz2vb0QXo

Sprocket Wheel - Stand By Me 7"

Brassneck (2023)

When I first discovered Snuffy Smile records in Japan it felt like the marquee bands were Lovemen, Blew, Navel and Sprocket Wheel.  At least, that's how I saw things.  I started off buying split 7"s they had with other bands that I liked such as Hooton 3 Car, Chopper, Goober Patrol, Travis Cut and Less Than Jake.  Blew and Lovemen also both had full albums on Snuffy Smile (Navel;s would follow a couple of years later).  Sprocket Wheel didn't have that Snuffy Smile full length, and after a while they sort of faded out of my view since I wasn't seeing anything new from them.  

At the time, I didn't know they had released a full length and an EP on their own.  It wasn't until many years later that I got a hold of those songs.  So while I was not as familiar with their discography for as long as some of those other Snuffy bands, I caught up eventually.

And that's why I was pleased as punch to see that Sprocket Wheel had started playing some shows in Japan over the last couple of years.  Though I was pretty shocked to find out that they were putting out a new 7".  I mean, you can't even get The Urchin to put out more songs, but now we have new stuff from Sprocket Wheel?  Crazy.

And I'm pleased as punch to report that the songs on this 7" are absolutely fantastic.  Aside from the recording quality being improved a little bit, the three new original songs sound like they could have been plucked from the band in 1995 at the height of there powers.  There's also a fourth cover song on the 7" of the Christmas so.g Feliz Navidad which is fun, but can't hold a candle to the originals.

Those originals are exactly the sort of melodic punk rock that I live for and that I rarely hear any more.  It hits that sweet spot that I'm always looking to hit ever since finding this music back in the 90s.  I cannot possibly say enough good things about these songs and I hope against hope that it's just the first in many new recordings that the band puts out.  

Sprocket Wheel - Stand By Me:
https://brassneckrecords.bandcamp.com/album/stand-by-me

Swami & The Bed of Nails - All Of This Awaits You... LP

Swami (2024)

Swami & The Bed Of Nails is the latest incarnation of John Reis' "solo" endeavor.  "Solo" is in quotes because this isn't a solo, singer-songwriter exercise.  It's a full band experience, but there's something of a rotating cast of characters helping out release to release, song to song.  The last time he put out a record like this it was released under the name Swami John Reis.  No matter what this band or any other band of his is called, I've been one of the world's biggest John Reis fans ever since first hearing Rocket From The Crypt in the 90s.  For me the Bed Of Nails is just another great band to add to his catalog.

The thing that strikes me most about All Of This Awaits You.. is that it's fun and joyful.  The songs are upbeat and catchy.  Even the songs that have negative lyrics (like hating a hardware store) are done with an exuberance that still makes it feel like a positive song.  I'm not going to pretend to be smart enough to dig down for deep meanings in most songs.  It's possible there's something about the lyrics of these songs that I'm missing belying a motive I can't see.  But for me, I'm typically happy enjoying things at the surface level most times and boy do I enjoy this record.

The LP is a very economical nine songs long, with three of the songs having appeared on 7"s leading up to the full length.  I think it raises the bar higher than the previous Swami John Reis album, Ride The Wild Night, though there are similarities to that record on here.  There are also times I hear echoes of the Night Marchers and Rocket.  Ultimately, it's a tight, fun record that whizzes by pretty quick, but also never fails to engage me.  

I really dig the aforementioned hardware store song "Harbor Freight."  "Ketchup, Mustard and Relish" is an unexpected entry into the "_______, _______ & _______" song title pantheon that the Swami has been contributing to over the years.  "Lost In Bermondsey" hits even harder than the version played on cardboard instruments that's been floating around on YouTube for a bit.  All in all, I just really like listening to this record.  It puts me in a good mood and if I have anything resembling a complaint it's just that I want more and wish it was longer.

Swami & The Bed of Nails - All Of This Awaits You...:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kMQmWp8SuqpiOBLIwY5LzpG0c-STNyR3M

And yes, I got the bundle with the T shirt...

WC and the Maad Circle - Ain't a Damn Thing Changed LP

Priority (1991)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

WC and the Maad Circle are yet another golden era act that I didn't hear back in the 90s.  If I had actually heard them in 1991, I can't imagine not have being just about as into them as I was Ice Cube.  There's a pretty good reason for that and that's because half of this album was produced by Sir Jinx, one of the masterminds behind Death Certificate.  Which unsurprisingly results in Ain't a Damn Thing Changed having an extremely similar feel, production wise, as that west coast classic.

The beats on this are great.  That heavy low end, kind of smooth sound that was poised to take over before Dre came and ruined the west with The Chronic.  Lyrically WC handles the bulk of the rhyming and he has a strong voice and descriptive, story telling flow.  He had cut his teeth in a group called Low Profile (still looking for that LP at a good price) before forming the Maad Circle.  You know who else is in the Maad Circle?  Coolio.  Yeah, that Coolio.  I have never been a fan of Coolio, but that's probably mostly due to not liking his production.  On this album, with Sir Jinx beats, he's totally fine and a nice compliment to WC.

This is an album that I'm really surprised hasn't been reissued in some form.  The only LP out there is the original from 1991, which has 18 tracks crammed onto a single LP.  It doesn't sound bad or anything, it's totally fine.  But I nice double LP reissue is absolutely something I'd add to my collection if given the chance.

WC and the Maad Circle - Ain't a Damn Thing Changed:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k5QYp2eKxOlkQQGSH7uUscLReKma4KsKw

Masters Of Ceremony – Dynamite LP

Traffic (2005, Reissue)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

The first and only Masters of Ceremony album, Dynamite, came out in 1988.  Slightly before I started digging into the world of hip hop and a year that was so full of absolute classics that some of the other albums released that year faded into obscurity.  I never heard of Masters of Ceremony back in the 90s, but had I know that they were the first group that Grand Puba was in before Brand Nubian, I'm sure I would have went out of my way to track down a copy.

And that's exactly why I tracked down a copy many, many years later.  I've always been a big fan of prime era Grand Puba.  His work on the Brand Nubian debut, his first solo record and the myriad of guest appearances he made in the early 90s was a hell of a run.  It's interesting to go back a few years before that to see how he came up.

In no way is Dynamite anywhere near as good as any of Puba's early 90s work.  It's from 1988, so it has an older school feel, especially production-wise.  Most of the beats are OK though.  While the production certainly sounds dated compared to other golden era releases, even those that came out in 1988, Masters are definitely taking advantage of some of the new tricks and techniques that were starting up.  Yes, a lot of it sounds a little hokey, but the bulk of it just sounds like good, early hip hop.  Aside from the song "Redder Posse."  That song is just straight nonsense.  The group comes off like a bunch of sappy R&B clowns with horrible synth and the worst crooning in the hooks.  Luckily, this song is an anomaly.

Lyrically Puba shares his time with another MC called Dr. Who.  They do a lot of the Run DMC style of passing the mic back and forth, even mid sentence.  Puba isn't rapping at the level he'd hit in a few years, but he is quite a bit better than Dr. Who.  Again, none of this is bad, it's just a little simplistic compared to where hip hop and Grand Puba would end up in just a couple of years.  This probably isn't the sort of record I would listen to as part of my regular rotation, but it's a decent enough change of pace when I'm looking to indulge in some of hip hop's earlier times.

Masters Of Ceremony – Dynamite:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3DTua2OfNY&ab_

The Stools - Live At Outer Limits 12-28-19 LP - White Vinyl

Big Neck (2024)

I'm never going to be a big fan of live albums.  Even the live albums that I like aren't records that I play very frequently.  For me, it's always just been one of those things where the experience of being at the show will always dwarf anything that gets recorded.  Despite not being at this Stools show, or being super familiar with them in general, I have to think the folks who were at that show had a significantly different experience than the one that I have listening to the record.

Starting off with the positives, I really like the music and in particular the guitar playing that The Stools are bringing to the table (yes, that's sort of a joke about stools and tables, all apologies).  There's a lot of blues riffs played at warp speed that makes me thing of that first Black-Eyed Snakes album, but with less of a Doo Rag feeling.  The pounding rhythm section just further highlights this riff-a-polooza and I imagine watching it live was pretty incredible.

Where this album dips down for me a bit is the vocals.  They're a little screamier than I usually like, but I think the main issue is this is where the fidelity of the live recording breaks down.  It's all very muffled, particularly compared to the instruments and more than anything, it makes me feel like this is the recording of someone with a tape player in their pocket.  I imagine that's not the case, but for me it's tough to get into the record when the vocals are so muted.

The Stools - Live At Outer Limits 12-28-19:
https://bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-outer-limits

Unwound – A Single History 1991-2001 2xLP - Black w/ Splatter Vinyl

Numero (2024, Reissue)

I wrote a lot about Unwound on this website many years ago as I picked up the various Numero box sets that came out.  I love those records and they are the epitome of completeness and a well done retrospective.  That said, there are so many great Unwound songs that are sprinkled throughout those boxes, which makes listening a little scattershot when you're looking at non-album tracks.  Numero makes it easy for dummies like me and have put out a reworked version of the A Single History compilation.

This was originally called A Single History 1994 - 1997, was a single LP and came out on Kill Rock Stars.  Obviously it didn't contain the entirety of Unwound's singles, but gathered up most of the early 7" songs.  Numero took that ball and ran with it farther than a very far thing.  This version is called A Single History 1994 - 2001.  It boasts 23 songs as compared to the original's 16 and is a double LP set.

They also fixed one of the things I find most annoying on singles comps.  The Numero version has all of the songs in chronological order and keeps all of the songs that were on a single together in the track listing.  It's always been a pet peeve of mine when tracks aren't in order on singles comps and to me, this is a much more satisfying listening experience.

There's a ton of great Unwound songs here like "Mkultra," "Corpse Pose" and "Negated."  All hits.  Plus it has my very favorite Unwound song of all time, "Broken E Strings" from the Jabberjaw compilation.  While my friend from high school Pat was super instrumental in making me pay attention to Unwound even before that Jabberjaw comp came out, that song is the one that really grabbed me and made me a fan for life.  This is a great compilation and despite owning these songs on those Unwound box sets, I'm excited to have the easy listening experience of a proper Unwound singles comp.

Unwound – A Single History 1991-2001:
https://unwound.bandcamp.com/album/a-single-history-1991-2001

Tha Alkaholiks – Coast II Coast 2xLP - Blue Vinyl (/500)

HHV (2018, Reissue)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

As I mentioned when I wrote about the first Alkaholiks' record, 21 & Over, I hadn't listened to them back in the 90s when they were first coming up.  They flew under my radar and it wasn't until many years later that I took a chance on them.  After really enjoying their debut, I decided to hunt down their second LP that originally came out in 1995.  As frequent readers of this nonsense may remember, 1995 is typically where hip hop fell off a cliff for me.  1994 is the definitive end of my golden era.

That said, for a 1995 release this is pretty solid stuff.  I don't think Coast II Coast is anywhere near as good as Tha Alkaholiks' debut was, but in comparison to most releases of 1995 it's a good listen.  As with most hip hop after 1994, the main issue I have with the record is the beats.  They just are not as innovative as what was being done on 21 & Over and they feel slower.  The upside of that is that the slower beats seem to give the Liks a little more room to grow as lyricists.

I think the rhyming is much improved on this outing.  Before, they were totally fine - I can't say anything negative about any of those songs.  That said, the growth to this second album is considerable with more complicated rhyme structures and just what feels like a lot more words per minute.  If the beats were a little bit more in line with the sort of thing I like better, this would be a killer record.  With how it stands, it's still good and a fun listen, but I like 12 & Over better.

Tha Alkaholiks – Coast II Coast:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lTxSE3V0satyB2fWTe_9AZ3UoreZdJbbo

Ultimate Fakebook – This Will Be Laughing Week LP - Coke Bottle Green Vinyl (/250)

Rocket Heart (2024, Reissue)

In 1999 I was the music director of a college radio station in New Jersey.  Every day we'd get packages in the mail of CDs that labels and promotions companies wanted us to play.  It should come as no surprise that the vast, vast majority of these were completely terrible.  Particularly when it came to bands you probably never heard of before.

Back in my music director days I had a very strict formula to try to get through all of the albums that were arriving every day.  I had to make quick decisions about what should get played and what should go in the garbage.  There just wasn't time to listen to every note of every CD.  That amount of time was only given to ones that were definitely going into rotation - which were reviewed, scanned for curses and had recommended tracks picked.  

How does an album end up in that pile?  By passing a test that originated hanging out with my buddy Alan at the record store.  You get the first 30-60 seconds of the first three songs.  If you don't show something interesting in that time, you were in the garbage pile.  

One day, in one of these constantly arriving packages, A CD from a band called Ultimate Fakebook appeared.  It had a roughly drawn cartoon monkey on the cover and lots of weird high school yearbook style artwork.  It seemed kind of charming, but I can't say I expected much of anything from the album.  I pressed play on the Ultimate Fakebook CD.  "She Don't Even Know My Name" came ripping through my speakers and knocked my socks off.  Holy crap, I was not expecting a perfect guitar pop band.  

Let's try the next song.  "Tell Me What You Want (I'll Be Anything)" comes on and it's another absolute hit.  Great chord progressions, killer drumming and the vocal melody is a total earworm.  At this point I already know that this record is going into rotation, but I'll move on to track three just because that's what I always do.  "Of Course We Will" isn't as immediate as the other two.  It has a slower pace but hits in a similar way as something like "Say It Ain't So" does.  Maybe not as angsty, but in the way that a slower song can fit into the context of an album and not drag things down, even ending up as a highlight.

After those first three minutes I was instantly an Ultimate Fakebook fan.  I played the CD to everyone I possibly could, trying to get DJs and friends to hear a band that was very obviously flying way too far under the radar at this time.  That record has been with me ever since, one of my favorites from that era and most likely the best new band I ever discovered during my time working as the music director of the radio station.

The band would go on and get picked up by Epic records, who would rerelease the album, but with different, slicker artwork.  It's that artwork that adorns the cover of the first vinyl pressing of this wonderful album.  And it's the only complaint about this release that I have.  I just wish they used the original monkey art, because that was the art on the copy that I fell in love with 25 years ago.  That's a minor complaint though, now that I finally, FINALLY have this record on vinyl.  It was one of a handful of CD only releases I had that was still waiting for an LP.  One down, a hundred or so more to go.

Ultimate Fakebook – This Will Be Laughing Week:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mhddJ5KECXwRAG3k0eEWstb0LEz9fcweY

King Tee – Tha Triflin' Album LP - Orange Vinyl

Taha / JTLM (2020, Reissue)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

Although this record came out in 1993, which was probably the year I was most focused on hip hop and buying the most records during that ear, I literally never heard of King Tee or was aware of this album.  Despite the fact that it had guest appearances from Ice Cube and Tha Alkaholiks, it was not on my radar at all.  It wasn't until much later that I gave a few King Tee albums a chance.  Though the others never really grabbed me the same way that Tha Trflin' Album does.

The production is outstanding. It has a bass heavy feel that's smooth like West Coast style of the time, but still has enough hard hitting East Coast boom bap that it doesn't turn into the g-funk nonsense that bored me silly back then.  There's some real heavy hitters on the production side of this album,  The aforementioned Alkaholiks, Marly Marl, DJ Pooh, Bobcat and King Tee himself take turns mapping out the feel of Tha Triflin' Album.

Lyrically, King Tee does feel like a West Coast rapper.  It's no surprise that he was friendly with Cube Dr. Dre and folks like that.  He can tell stories just as well as he can battle and it's his voice that is the glue of the album able to take the work of so many different producers and have it still feel like a cohesive, and wonderfully diverse album.

King Tee – Tha Triflin' Album:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lTC4PyWZep2TIS0TS7X1G6Uen5AiP9PeU

Godfather Don - Hazardous 2xLP - Red Vinyl & Yellow Vinyl (/750)

90s Tapes (2022, Reissue)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

My pile of records to write about is still pretty big and today I'm reaching back to a record I picked up two years ago:  Godfather Don's Hazardous.  I had first heard of Godfather Don due to his work the 1993 Ultramagnetic MC's masterpiece, The Four Horsemen.  Back when I first had that album, I don't think that I was aware that the Godfather was responsible for the production of several songs, I mostly knew him from his guest verse on "Raise It Up."  I never heard any more from Godfather Don at the time and was completely unaware that he had released his own LP two years earlier.

When I did discover the existence of Hazardous, it was long, long out of print and at the time was commanding crazy prices on Discogs and eBay in the multiple hundreds of dollars.  Luckily 90s Tapes came to the rescue with this, the definitive double LP version.  It looks amazing and sounds even better.  The odd part is it was reissued again a year later by Select Records.  That one's just a single LP, so I really recommend hunting down the 90s Tapes version, which is still surprisingly affordable on Discogs.

As far as the album goes, it's a pretty perfect slice of 1991.  It's heavy on breaks and samples, with the sort of full sounding production that was coming into vogue at the time.  It's sounds old, but it sounds classic more than it does dated.  And for 1991, it was pretty much on the cutting edge of hip hop production, while still hanging on to some of the 80s techniques.  It's a great album, that really bridges two schools of production style.

Lyrically, Don more than holds his own.  He's no Kool Keith or anything like that, but I'll put him up next to anyone putting out records in 1991 and Don is just as good as.  After many, many years of trying to find a copy of the record I could afford, I was thrilled to add this to the collection.  Sure, it took me a minute to finally write about it here, but I've certainly spent a good amount of time playing it these past two years.

Godfather Don - Hazardous:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k_B0nwoRM8Y2MH7yBy3wFx7r1qWftG99E

The Drolls / Gentlemen Rogues - Split 7" - White Vinyl (/100)

Snappy Little Numbers (2024)

What do you get when two of my favorite active bands and one of my favorite active record labels hatch a plot for world domination?  In my opinion, you get possibly the best split 7" of the last five years.  I have to go back to 2019's Chestnut Road/Navel split to find a release that has two bands I like this much on.  Both bands are in top form as well.  These aren't throwaway cuts or album rejects, these songs are all grade A rock.

The Drolls check in with two songs.  "Burned Out" is another top shelf song in their still burgeoning pantheon of great songs.  It's a mid tempo song that certainly has some similarities with the sort of thing that Denny was cranking out in Sicko's later days, with its bouncy chorus and excellent guitar riffage.    The second song, "Happy Hour," is a bit different, which it would be as it's a cover of a Housemartins song (which I am unfamiliar with).  It has a quicker pace, lots of lyrics and really nice backing vocals in the chorus.  I'm sure all three Drolls are probably tired of the constant Sicko references, but it's hard to ignore one of my all time favorite bands and the fact that two of that band's members are in The Drolls.  But The Drolls are more than standing on their own, away from the shadow of Sicko.  Two more hits that only make me want to hear more.  Give me LP 2!

Gentlemen Rogues are following up their stellar Surface Noise full length from earlier in the year.  I'm sure the Rogues are equally sick of me talking about the band Jill when I write about them, but it's impossible for me to hear Danny's voice without calling back to seeing Jill play in a garage in New Jersey in the 90s.  Once again, we've got two stellar songs, an original "Young 'Til We Die" and a Rolling Stones cover, "Connection."  While Danny's voice certainly makes my think of Jill, the music is definitely different.  I think I've mentioned before, but this is the grown up version of pop punk, with more similarities to Superdrag than to Zoinks.  Tons of vocal harmonies on songs that I just want to listen to over and over.

As has been my way for the last several years, I have been lamenting the lack of records coming out this year that are exciting to me.  If I could have a few dozen more that are as good as this split, I wouldn't have to do so much complaining.  This one everybody should go grab as quickly as their fingers and internet connection will allow.

The Drolls / Gentlemen Rogues - Split:
https://snappylittlenumbers.bandcamp.com/album/split-sln-250

Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Live and Let Die 2xLP

Traffic (2012, Reissue)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

Live and Let Die was the third and final Kool G Rap & DJ Polo release.  It originally came out in 1992, but I never had it back then.  Like with all of Kool G's records, they just didn't enter my world for whatever reason.  I feel like I have some memory of "Ill Street Blues," but only the name of the song, I don't remember hearing it back then on Yo! MTV Raps or anything.

Of the three albums the group released, this one is probably my least favorite, even though if you just look at if from it's technical execution, it's the strongest and most fully realized of the group.  I think I just like the roughness of Road to the Riches the best and tend to go back to that one the most often, but you can't argue how well done Live and Let Die is.

The bulk of the production on the album was handled by Ice Cube cohort Sir Jinx.  As such, it has a similar vibe to Death Certificate and The Predator, which were recorded around the same time.  There's an early, pre-Chronic west coast feel, with super low end bass lines and a laid back tempo.  That gives Kool G Rap the breathing room to really go all out with his lyrics, which lean much harder into the mafiosa gangter style that was starting to show itself more fully on Wanted: Dead or Alive.

Throughout the album, Kool G shows why he was one of the best during the earlier portion of the golden era.  He's not Rakim or KRS-One, but he's definitely at the level right below that as far as lyrics of that early time period go.  Again, no denying that this a great albu, but for whatever reason, I tend to gravitate towards their first album if I feel like spinning some Kool G Rap & DJ Polo.

Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Live and Let Die:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rPTvGcdYjo&ab_channel=deal4real2000

Cloud Nothings – Final Summer - Blue Vinyl (/250)

Pure Noise (2024)

Would you believe that this is the seventh Cloud Nothings full length album I've written about for this website in the last ten years?  That seems kind of crazy and it made me think about this band for a while before writing this.  When I really put my mind to it and try to recall the prior six records, I can't.  And I realize that while every single one of them is a good record, inevitably I listen to each record for a month or two when it first comes out and then it gets filed away on the shelf and not listened to again.  The only one that I go back to repeatedly is Here and Nowhere Else.  I love that record and still play it a few times a year guaranteed.  The rest?  I'm not sure I've listened to any of them other than the year I first got them.

And that sort of sums up my feelings about the new Cloud Nothings album Final Summer.  It's a good record, with good songs - sure to please anyone that likes Cloud Nothings prior records.  And I like it, genuinely.  At the same time, it's kind of unremarkable.  I wouldn't say it's boring, necessarily, but there isn't any song on here that makes me sit up, take notice and say "this is great."  It's kind of the definition of a solid record.  It does what it's supposed to, but nothing more.  It fades into the background very easily and isn't the sort of thing that makes you want to keep going back to it.

The main reason I've listened to this album as many times as I have, is just so I could write about it.  Without that to do, I don't know that I would have been motivated to spin it more than a time or two.  Again, it's a good record.  If you like the other Cloud Nothings albums, you'll like this one.  But if you have other Cloud Nothings records, I'm not really sure you need this one.  The others get the same job done and none of them can really hold up to Here and Nowhere Else for me.

Cloud Nothings – Final Summer
https://cloudnothings.bandcamp.com/track/final-summer

Double XX Posse - Put Ya Boots On LP

Big Beat (1992)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

Double XX Posse is a group that I didn't listen to back in the 90s.  I don't remember seeing them on Yo! MTV Raps, but in rereading old issues of The Source, I certainly see that they were advertised pretty heavily there for a few months at least.  Not entirely sure why I didn't investigate further, but for whatever reason, limited money or limited knowledge, those ads just passed me by and I din't think about them at all until decades later.

When I finally got around to listening to Put Ya Boots On, I was instantly mesmerized by the booming East Coast production.  It's rough and while not as funk driven as EPMD, I certainly feel similarities in the way this album sounds when compared to Long Island royalty.  

Lyrically, for 1992, this is really strong stuff.  It's hard to tell exactly how many different people are rapping on this album, but I believe there are two main MCs responsible for the lion's share.  Whoever is on the mic on whatever song you decide to play on this record brings the goods.  The lyrics are not what I would call complicated, but they are layered with well constructed rhyme schemes and patterns.  The pacer is fast and you get a whole lot of words per minute.

There's nothing pop or crossover friendly here, this is early 90s underground East Coast boom bap.  If you like that sound, this is an album that you definitely need to check out, but if you need something a little smoother or catchier, there may not be as much for you here.  For me, this is the total sweet spot of the sort of hip hop that tends to resonate with me the most.  It's the sort of album just begging for an expanded double LP 90s Tapes reissue.

Double XX Posse - Put Ya Boots On:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mBu9rv8VX0z4wwZXP8-iMVIGKMJ1XiQ5Q

Superchunk – Misfits & Mistakes 4xLP

Merge (2023)

I have been a Superchunk fan for a really long time.  They played at one of the earliest shows I ever went to and have been a constant in my rock and roll life for 30 years.  They've been remarkably consistent over that time.  The records that I love, I really love.  The records that I don't love are still pretty good all things considered.  I wouldn't say there are any bad Superchunk records, just ones that I don't listen to as often as others.

Superchunk has had three previous singles comps.  The single LP Tossing Seeds in 1992.  The double LP Incidental Music in 1995.  The triple LP Cup of Sand in 2003.  And now, for their fourth singles comp, we have Misfits and Mistakes, clocking in at a staggering quadruple LP set.  FOUR LPs worth of Superchunk B sides and oddities.  I love me some Superchunk, but this is way, way, way too much.

Don't get me wrong, there are flat out great songs on this thing.  "February Punk," "Blinders (Fast Version)" as well as singles versions of some of the best songs from their last few albums.  The artwork and liner notes are also top tier.  I love reading about individual songs and seeing the art of all of the singles I bought leading up to this. But there's so much here to get through.  A billion covers. Fast songs.  Slow songs.  So many songs.  As much as I love Superchunk, four LPs worth of songs, clocking in at two and a half hours of music is  just too much.  

Had they broken this up into two double LPs released a year or so apart, that would have been better.  I'd probably be really psyched on that.  But this much Superchunk, the vast majority of which is not the cream of their crop, is just overwhelming and kind of difficult to get motivated to listen to.  It almost feels like a chore.  Could I just listen to one of LPs at a time, sure.  But there's something about that just seems weird.  If it wasn't meant to be listened to together, why did they release it together?  For whatever reason, this is too much and is destined to be one of those Superchunk records I don't play very often.

Superchunk – Misfits & Mistakes:
https://superchunk.bandcamp.com/album/misfits-mistakes-singles-b-sides-strays-2007-2023

Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – Wanted: Dead Or Alive 4xLP

Cold Chillin' / Traffic (2007, Reissue)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

I said the same when I wrote about Road to the Riches a while back, but I didn't listen to Kool G Rap & DJ Polo when they were active back in the 90s.  I just don't remember seeing them on Yo! MTV Raps, though I definitely knew the name from reading The Source.  I think I mainly attribute it to the fact that this album, Wanted: Dead or Alive came out right as I was getting into hip hop, the same summer that Mama Said Knock You Out had come out and completely changed my musical worldview.  I wasn't immediately digging into the more underground sounds or the albums that came out before that moment, so they slipped through the cracks.  And I guess when their final record came out in 1992, it didn't make as big a splash in my world as others.

I eventually fell for Kool G Rap & DJ Polo when the Take It Personal Radio podcast did a show long feature on their music.  I had always been aware of G Rap's reputation on the mic, but I really wasn't prepared for the ferocity that he attacked his lyrical delivery.  Wanted: Dead or Alive is step up in that regard as compared to their debut.  The lyrical content is also cranked up a notch as the mafiosa style that he's reknown for really came into focus on this album.

Production-wise, things are a little darker this time out.  Gone out the bouncy pianos of "Road to the Riches," replaced by slinkier bass lines and pounding kick drums.  While I do actually prefer the first album, you can't argue with a crew of producers that includes Biz Markie, Eric B, Marley Marl and Large Professor.

The version of this album that I ended up hunting down is the quadruple LP reissue that came out in 2007.  In addition to the main album there's two extra LPs full of remixes. B sides and instrumentals.  Is it essential material?  Probably not for most people, but the B sides are great and some of the remixes shine just as strong as the originals.  For me it was worth it.

Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – Wanted: Dead Or Alive:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nzT1Vv7Fcm0AYJPVCR8PwKb6ZlqcS-1EI

Spells - Past Our Prime LP - White Vinyl (/300)

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Snappy Little Numbers / Big Neck / Rad Girlfriend / Keep It A Secret / Shield (2024)

Spells are back with their third LP, not counting their two excellent singles comps.  Past Our Prime has been a long time coming, and while I realize bands are not on the yearly album cycles of yesteryear, four years sure feels like a long time since their last full length.  I always wonder if the band is going to undergo any sort of major change or if they we still keep cranking out the tunes that I like.  In the case of Past Our Prime, it's kind of a bit of both.

One of the key selling points of Spells for me is just how so many songs sounded like a party.  Huge energy, catchy riffs and singalong choruses.  While I would never say that this album is lacking in energy, riffs or singalongs, the vibe in general feels more serious to me.  The songs feel a little slower and at times lean into a darker territory, with churning bass and pounding drums.

What this album also has is a huge old pile of gang vocals.  Do you like gang vocals?  My friend, do I have an album for you.  Essentially every song has a thunderous chorus with what feels like the entire world singing along.  Even outside of the choruses, there's a ton of dueling vocals and combo vocals between Stevie and Dusk.  That's not really a surprise when a band has two dedicated vocalists, but it really stands out on this album.

So what does this all mean at the end of the day?  Past Our Prime does feel different than past Spells albums to me.  I don't get the same sort of Rocket From The Crypt leanings or upbeat-ness (unsure that's a word, but let's go with it).  But what I do hear is a band that is coalescing into something bigger than their back catalog.  Every member moves in lockstep with each other, you can hear just how ridiculously tight and on point everything is.  The album is massive sounding and everything has a feeling of being more important than it used to be.  It's an extremely well done and great sounding album.  As I've said, I always felt like Spells was a party band.  They still are, but there's a chance you might get punched in the face at this party.

Spells - Past Our Prime:
https://snappylittlenumbers.bandcamp.com/album/past-our-prime

Casual - Fear Itself LP (Black Vinyl, UK Version) & 2xLP (Black & Red Swirl, RSD Version)

 

Jive (1994, UK Pressing)
Get On Down (2024, RSD Pressing)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

Wrapping up the fifth and final Record Store Day purchase for 2024 is Casual.  But as an added little bonus, I'm also including the 1994 UK pressing of the album, which until this year was the only version that had a picture sleeve.  I picked up the UK version quite a while ago, maybe close to two years?  But it had remained in the 'to write about' pile as I had already written about the non-picture sleeve US version on this site at the beginning of the Ed Lover Dance Day project.  That made it not as big a priority to get to, but we can add it here for a two for one deal.

The picture sleeve is the only selling point of the 1994 UK version.  As a single LP, the album is crammed onto two sides of vinyl and does the dynamics no favors.  It doesn't sound bad or anything, but it definitely doesn't compare to either of the double LP versions.  I wasn't sure Fear Itself would ever get the proper reissue treatment, but it was important to me to have a copy with artwork.

The new double LP Record Store Day version on colored vinyl looks pretty good and sounds pretty great.  The bass sounds low and full on my stereo, and that's always been one of the real selling points of this record for me.  The colored vinyl matches the art well enough, but the black in it isn't really dark enough.  The inclusion of the obi strip covers up most of Casual's face on the art when everything is in a plastic sleeve, so I wouldn't say that's a bonus, but it is nice to have the bolder spine when it's sitting on the shelf.  I personally would have made the bulk of the obi also be based around that portion of the album art.  I've seen it enough times to know it's a thing and I'm not sure why they didn't go that route.

The album itself is among the very best.  If I'm ranking my favorite hip hop records of all time, this is my number two on the list, only behind Del's No Need For Alarm.  It's a nearly perfect record showcasing everything I love about that era's production.  Casual's rhyming has always been more straightforward that the rest of the Hiero crew, but that doesn't make him a lesser MC.  In fact, because his flow is a bit more straightforward, it sort of forces his to really show his command of rhyming and building complicated, but easy to follow patterns.  He can tell stories when he needs to and battles better than all but the absolute most elite rappers on the planet.

Can't say enough good things about the album and this new Get On Down pressing is the definitive version of it.  Even though it's a Record Store Day release, I still see it readily available on many online stores.  If you like 90s era hip hop and didn't catch this one first time around, I can't recommend adding a record to your collection more strongly than this one

Casual - Fear Itself:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_m61K-0X-SVBBfbt_K3FmNlIs8uu6DMgcw

Night Court / The Dumpies - The Shit Split Part Duh 7"

Hovercraft (2024)

I feel like the split 7" is really an endangered species at this point, so I am always happy to see a new one get released.  Having that 7" include one band that I really like and one I'm not at all familiar with is exactly what I want out of a split.  A sure thing that I know I'll like and an opportunity to hear something new.

Night Court is back with four songs of ramshackle fuzz pop songs.  They are all pretty short as they would need to be to fid that many on one side of a 7".  As with everything they've released so far, I enjoy this immensely.  There's enough punk energy to keep things upbeat and exciting, the right amount of pop hooks to keep my brain singing along and just enough oddball chaos to keep things interesting.

My first impression of The Dumpies is that they are similar in spirit with The Marked Men.  Fast guitars with a mix of fuzz and jangle, distorted vocals, but an unwavering commitment to catchy melodies.  They're not quite as polished as The Marked Men just yet, but really who is.  I went into this 7" as a Night Court fan, but I'm leaving it being really interested in The Dumpies as well.  Though I will say that I wish all of their songs weren't quite so short.

Night Court / The Dumpies - The Shit Split Part Duh:

https://nightcourtpunk.bandcamp.com/album/shit-split-part-duh

https://thedumpies.bandcamp.com/album/shit-split-part-duh

Boogie Down Productions - Edutainment 2xLP - Yellow & Black Swirl (/2500)

Get On Down (20245, Reissue)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

The fourth album I picked up on Record Store Day this year was the double LP reissue of the fourth Boogie Down Productions record, Edutainment.  I was really excited about this one as this was the most recent Boogie Down Productions album that had been released when I first started listening to them.  I've had the CD for decades and I have a mediocre single LP pressing that I picked up a few years ago, but there's a whole lot of songs crammed on to each side of that record.

This reissue is the first ever double LP pressing of Edutainment to be released.  Now, it wouldn't be truthful if I didn't mention that I'm bummed that this new reissue didn't include the two bonus tracks from the CD, "7 Dee Jays" and "30 Cops Or More."  Not that either is anywhere near the stongest song on the album, but for completist purposes, it would be nice.  I'm sure the nine minute run time of "7 Dee Jays" was the main culprit that probably would have pushed it to a triple LP.

That said, just having the vinyl version spread out over two LPs is a massive improvement over the original pressing.  Plus there is one extra bonus track, the remix version of "You Know The Rules."    Now there has finally been a high quality rerelease of every Boogie Down Productions full length (and the first KRS-One solo album).  It would be nice if someone tackled Live Hardcore Worldwide, but I don't think it's super important in the grand scheme of things.  The main album run is all out there and reasonably affordable (by today's vinyl price standards anyway).  And what a run of albums it was.

Boogie Down Productions - Edutainment:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kA9-4nMh9LtkMuoYvf2ZmIk12rdNpYFo4

Public Enemy - Revolverlution Tour '03 3xLP

Culture Factory (2024)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

Number three in my 2024 Record Store Day pickups is this Public Enemy live album.  I’ve gone on record many times (including just two weeks ago) as not being a big fan of live albums.  This wasn’t even on my shopping list for the day, but when I was looking through things day of, I scanned the track list of this and thought that there were enough hits present that it was worth picking up.  Plus as a triple LP, it was fairly reasonably priced in comparison to some others.  The clincher was I had a gift card from selling some old posters to the store a few months ago, so I added it to the pile. 

I’ve never had the chance to see Public Enemy live, something I absolutely intend to correct next time they are playing anywhere near me.  I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, especially after the Ultramagnetic live album.  What I discovered when I put this guy on the turntable is that this album is Public Enemy backed by a live band.  There’s still a DJ and some of the classic production pops up here and there, but for the most part it’s Chuck and Flavor in front of a rock band. They still play the hits, and the vast majority of the tracks are from the group’s first four albums.  The band is very tight and Chuck and Flavor are super energetic frontmen.  

In general I like the album, but there’s definitely a little bit of weirdness scattered throughout.  The one thing that really jumped out at me is that it seems like they are rapping over a vocal track sometimes.  It’s particularly prominent on Flavor Flav songs, but every so often you hear it for Chuck D as well.  I can’t really figure out what’s going on with Chuck, it’s possible he picked a couple of random times to use a vocal track, though it may be just as likely that he just has a particularly energetic additional hype man that creates the feeling of a double vocal track.  I’m not sure, but luckily it only happens in a few places. 

The other bit of oddness is for pretty much an entire side of the third LP, Chuck and Flavor vanish and some other people play some other rap/rock songs that I’m not at all familiar with.  I like that it seems this is a full, uncut show, but I don’t listen to a Public Enemy record to hear other people who I don’t think are in Public Enemy.  Again, just a little odd.  

As far as my usual ambivalence to live albums, I’m not sure this one changes my mind too much.  It’s a cool listen and absolutely makes me want to see them live even more than I did before, but it’s not the sort of thing I see myself listening to all that often.  But if you were on the fence on picking it up, it’s pretty cheap on Discogs right now, so it’s not an expensive chance to take if you are thinking about taking the plunge. 

Custody - 3 LP - Orange Vinyl (/179)

Brassneck / My Ruin / Combat Rock / Shield / Sell The Heart (2024)

I have such fondness for Custody.  In addition to being PopKid alumni (We still have a few copies of their incredible Blistered Soul 7" in the PopKid Webstore & Bandcamp) they are also perhaps the most consistent and reliable melodic punk band going. With two prior LPs and a half dozen singles under their belt, it's no surprise to me that their third full length, appropriately called 3, is another triumph.

After writing about so many of their records, it's difficult to describe their sound without repeating myself a bit.  My go to comparisons are the melodic hooks of Samiam mixed with the dynamic guitar work of Leatherface.  That's not the be all end all of what they sound like, but it's certainly as good a starting point as any.  And if it's not obvious, comparing Custody to two absolute pillars of punk rock is no accident.  If you like Samiam or Leatherface, I just can't fathom you not being able to find something to love about Custody as well.

Compared to their prior albums, 3 shows Custody once again being as great as ever.  They aren't reinventing the wheel here.  Instead they're refining their songs that one step further to perfect them, rather than change what they are doing for the sake of it.  The ten tracks on this latest album are as good as anything they've done previously.  Searing guitar work, gigantic hooks and the sort of impassioned vocals that you just can't help but sing along to if you happened to be driving around listening to the album in your car at an unreasonable volume (or so I've heard).

Every Custody record is incredible and every Custody release is bittersweet for me.  They are a band that I wish I could have just kept putting everything out on PopKid.  They'd be quite the flag bearers, but I'm happy for all of the other labels involved as they've been able to add another classic to their catalogs.

Custody - 3:
https://custody.bandcamp.com/album/3

Nas - Illmatic Remixes & Rarities LP

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

The second Record Store Day release I'm going to write a little bit about in the Nas Illmatic Remixes & Rarities LP.  I am not a Nas devotee the way a lot of folks my age are.  Illmatic came out in 1994, as my interest in hip hop was starting to wane in favor of punk and indie rock.  The hype for Illmatic completely passed me by as by 1994 I had a car and a job, which meant my viewings of Yo! MTV Raps were becoming less frequent every day.  I wasn't aware of the famed Five Mic review in The Source.  I can't say how I missed something quite so big, but I did and it wasn't until many, many years later that I gave Illmatic a shot.

And it's a good record.  I still don't think it's anywhere near as incredible as a lot of folks do.  Lyrically, it's very good.  Production-wise, it's a mix of some of the best producers of all time, but the sound is that of a record caught in the middle of a transition in hip hop production.  Still very good, but starting to drift into territory that didn't connect with me.  But again, it's a good record and I like it enough that it made sense to pick up this remixes record for Record Store Day.

There's only one proper new song that isn't on Illmatic, "I'm a Villain."  There's also a really cool live 'freestyle' from the Stretch & Bobbito show.  Everything else is remixes of album tracks that originally appeared as b sides on singles from the album.  Maybe we don't need three versions of "It's Hard To Tell" on one album, but all of the remixes are good enough where it's fun having them all in one place for easy access.  Is it essential? Probably not, but it's very good and was not that expensive compared to the other RSD records I got taken for this year.

Zonaea - Zonaea LP - Pink Vinyl (/75)

Self Released (2024)

Zonaea hail from South Carolina and have already won the award for the band name I mistype the most while trying to write something (it's the 'aea' at the end that keeps throwing me).  The band reached out to me to send me an album to check out.  While I don't imagine it'll end up being the sort of thing that I listen to repeatedly, it does check a very specific checkbox of a style of music that I do enjoy listening to from time to time.

Despite being from the southeast, it's really the pacific northwest that comes to mind when I listen to this album.  It's brings me back to the mid 90s when I was checking out bands like godheadSilo, Karp and Unwound.  While those aren't bands I listen to every day, they are bands that trigger a very specific nostalgia for a time where I was a bit lost and trying to figure out what I wanted to listen to.

The pounding, angular guitar riffs coupled with the slightly more gentle breakdowns is what reminds me the most of Unwound.  The vocals are a tad bit shoutier than I usually prefer, but they're not so over the top to where there's no melody being conveyed.  I tend to prefer the songs that are the closest to having conventional hooks.  "Ditch" being a song that stands out in that regard.  Though there's something to be said about the punishing guitar work in album opener "3's Become 4's."  End of the day, it's a totally solid record that has moments where I get really drawn into what's going on.  Again, not an everyday listen sort of thing, but certainly something I'd get out from time to time.

Zonaea - Zonaea:
https://zonaea.bandcamp.com/album/zonaea

J. Robbins - Basilisk LP

Dischord (2024)

I was later to the J. Robbins party than most.  I never listened to Jawbox in the 90s or Burning Airlines in the early 2000s.  It was my wife who eventually showed me the error of my ways and put all of this incredible music in front of me.  I've been trying to devour as much of it as possible since then and have been adding his various bands' records to our collection over the years.

Basilisk is the second J. Robbins solo record, following up on 2019's Un-Becoming.  Chances are that if you've been following J. Robbins career and have enjoyed the various other bands he's been a part of (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Channels, Office of Future Plans) there's probably a pretty good chance you will also like this new album of his.

Not that I have the most discerning ears in the world, but for my money these J. Robbins solo records are right up their with any of the other releases he's been a part of.  It's the same sort of angular, but familiar guitar work that constantly sneaks incredible hooks into songs that don't seem like the sort to house that sort of thing.  

There's keyboard and synth usage here and there, but it's so well done and isn't chasing any 80s pop throwback bullshit.  They actually enhance the songs, rather than work as a gimmicky sound effect thrown in just for the sake of it.  The vocals always have melodies that carry the songs and always seem to get lodged in my head after a few listens.  Basilisk is such a satisfying listen.  I think I appreciate J. Robbins much more now that I'm older and this is another record that sits right in the pocket of the sort of thing I want to listen to these days.

J. Robbins - Basilisk:
https://jrobbins.bandcamp.com/album/basilisk

Ultramagnetic MC's - The Ultra's Live in Brixton LP - Red Vinyl (/1500)

Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for thirty plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.

Record Store Day 2024 might as well have happened on Ed Lover Dance Day this year as every record that I bought was a hip hop release this time out.  The costs of these records were ludicrous, partly because the Record Store Day release tax is still a thing and everything is already priced high to begin with, but also because the store I go to seems to have marked stuff up another five to ten dollars per release after poking around online after the fact.  The flip side of that annoyance being that the store always has what I need and I don't have to camp out over night to get it.  That said, maybe I just hunt for leftovers the next day next time.  We'll see, there is a nice dopamine hit getting the records in hand day of.

On to the record for today.  Ultramagnetic MC's is one of my favorite hip hop groups and even though I'm not really a live album guy, I just couldn't pass up a live recording of these guys recorded in 1990.  I should have listened to my inner monologue and left it on the shelf.  I'm not going to sugar coat this at all, this record is awful.

There are a few tracks on here that are alright.  All of which are freestyles or DJ interludes.  But whenever the Ultras do an album track, they are rapping over the actual album being played.  So you can hear the vocals on the record, and then hear a second set of muffled vocals on top of that.  It sounds so bad and I can't believe that anyone would have ever played a show doing this.  

Maybe they didn't have instrumental versions available at the time, which would be forgivable - but most of their singles did have instrumental versions on them, so who knows what happened there.  But the bigger issue is I'm shocked that anyone would think it was a good idea to release a recording of this and then charge over 40 bucks for it.  Even the cover picture is kind of crappy and blurry.  

A regrettable purchase that, based on Discogs prices, I probably couldn't unload if I wanted to.  It'll probably just sit on the shelf next to all of my other Ultramagnetic MC's records.  While I play those others all the time, I can't fathom ever spinning this one again.