CD REVIEWS
Deep Thinkers - The Necks Move
Attempting to follow the success of label-mate Approach's Funk Reaction must be a daunting prospect. Confounding expectations and pushing the envelope are positions Kansas City's Deep Thinkers will have to get used to when its debut drops Nov. 14 on Lawrence-based Datura Records. The Necks Move album is the result of countless hours spent in the studio for Kyle "Leonarddstroy" Dykes and Aaron "Brother of Moses" Sutton. The effort is not wasted. Featuring cameos from Miles Bonny and Joe Good of Sounds Good, Mac Lethal, beat broker, Commute and Approach, the track list reads like a who's-who of the local hip-hop scene, but the focus is strictly on the duo of Dykes and Sutton. They do not disappoint.
Beginning with the opener "Building," the group shows and proves that its priority lies in providing deep lyrical content over even deeper beats. Dykes' soundscapes employ myriad sounds and influences, while Sutton possesses one of those rare voices that is instantly recognizable and unique. Addressing issues ranging from the sorry state of mainstream music to wrongheaded characterizations of the Midwest, Sutton's flow feels like freestyle, but sounds as if every word were wrenched from his pen. In "Bottled Slaughter," he offers this view of contemporary life: "What a combination in this wonderful nation/ Where the rich go on vacation and the poor on probation/ Parole the prison/ Dirty deck they playin' with/ So they can keep the division/ We found a bridge to cross the gap with our rhythms/ So listen." Whether or not you share his outlook, this level of awareness is sorely lacking in many artists' work.
While not every song is as political as "Bottled Slaughter," none are just filler. The Necks Move ups the ante for all future local releases and shows a local label at the top of its game.
—Josh Powers
Host of "Obscured by Beats"
7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays
Grade: A+
Aesop Rock - Bazooka Tooth
"Hey stupid, you're listening to Bazooka Tooth, Dental Cannons, Molar Pistils...this is Aesop Rock...check it out, like, living legends."
Ah, intelligent hip-hop is like a breath of fresh air, and Aesop Rock's newest release since the 2001 Labor Days does not fail to please. Some may call the music hip-hop, others, underground rap. Whichever, this album is definitely a little darker than the previous. The beats seem deeper and slower.
At times, the beats are even a little too weird and unorganized,but the unique
The latest Deep Thinkers' album The Necks Move will be in stores Nov. 14.
and well-placed samples, and Aesop Rock's intelligent and satirical lyrics, carry the listener through those hard times. He has an amazing way with words, as any good hip-hop/underground rap artist should.
Note: When checking out this album, please listen to the unedited version. The edits take away, at times, from the amazing harmony between the beat and lyrics.
-Collin LaJoie
KJHK DJ
4 a.m. to 6 a.m. Wednesdays
Grade: B+
The Chemical Brothers — Singles 93-03 [with Bonus Disc]
This is the soundtrack to a frantic morning played when the distance between shower and class is measured in minutes.
This is the play list to a supreme dance party spun when it becomes necessary for you dudes to get up off of your futon and move somethin'.
This is the vibe to a fantastic road trip. When turned up just right, it makes 45 mph in yo' daddy's old hoopie feel like 95 mph in a movie star's Porsche.
Hear the best of those moments again all on two discs. Beat-heavy, energetic supreme - the best of The Chemical Brothers' last decade guarantees just that which is the best in your headphones or speakers for infinite decades to come.
—Cornelius Minor, II Host of "Voice Activated" 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays Grade: B
Death Cab for Cutie Transatlanticism
Death Cab for Cutie can make you love indie rock again. I'll admit, I quit listening to most indie rock years ago (with some exceptions), but after listening to this album, I wonder why I ever dropped it like a bad habit. Death Cab's fourth full-length album, Transatlanticism, is full of catchy, reminiscent lyrics. By the second listen, you'll be singing along and rocking out. With the February release of Give Up from lead-singer Ben Gibbard's side-project, The Postal Service, critics wondered if Gibbard could possibly put out two high-quality albums in one year. Now, both albums are being hailed as two of the best releases of the year. Buy this album. Listen, listen, listen.
—Elizabeth Marvel
KJHK DJ
4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays
Grade: A
LFO - Sheath
First, to clear up any misconceptions, this is NOT the LFO of "Summer Girls" fame. The LFO in question is a duo that helped pioneer the "bleep" sound — a minimal, bass-heavy house variant — in the early 1990s. Mark Bell, one half of the original duo and frequent Björk collaborator, is the man behind Sheath. Most of the material is quirky IDM, intelligent dance music, sound experimentation, but there are a few more upfront dance tracks. "Freak" is quite easily the dance single of 2003 and is already taking off overseas. Almost every track on Sheath is good in its own right, however, and Bell's synthwork and production serve as a refreshing update to the bleep style.
—Chris Shively Host of "Superdisco Galactica" 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays Grade: B-
22 jayplay
lhursday, october 16, 2003