lee van cleef
11-12-2007, 05:37 PM
in the mail today, your man lee received a copy on cd of this new album that the beatsie boys began recording in october. i know, it's remarkable how quick that they've finished it. but what's truly remarkable is how good it sounds. i'm just assuming that my family received this copy because of the veterans we've got living here - but regardless - this is some fresh shit people! it is a well rounded effort by the threesome featuring all sorts of stylings from beatboxing to brazilian folk to calypso to death metal to even some cinematic strings type shit. and the collabos (as the kids call them) are top drawer!! here we go people, here is my breakdown of this latest beastly effort!
album title: GRAPE MOAT the significance of a grape moat is beyond me, but the cd cover has the three of them around a grape moat that surrounds a midevil castle. mca is pictured about to dive into the moat in his scuba gear, mike d is actually swimming in the moat in a tanktopped bathing suit circa 1900, and the king adrock is leaning over the moat with a giant straw he has inserted into the moat, actually drinking from this grape moat!!! also pictured is a very old woman leaning out a window in the castle, announcing in captions: " get out my got dang moat!"
alright, so that's that. here's my track by track breakdown of the album.
title:1. 'WE CRUISE LANDS USED BY STAN KUBRICK'
it's a hot potato rhyme skeme hip hop track to open the record. right on!
#2. 'ELEPHANT CRUSHED!!' (feat. Afrika Bambaataa)
dope rap track that features numerous samples from the animal kingdom. upon first listening, it's some frightening shit. Bambaataa lends a hand for the chorus with his voice coming through a vocoder.
#3. 'PYRAMID TIP'
jazz track with bubblegum vocals that according to the linear notes was recorded in cairo.
#4. 'SHOO BEE DOO WOP' (feat. edward plank)
the beasties finally get on some barbershop quintet type shit with the help of some up and coming, diamond in the rough lyricist from spokane named edward plank.
#5. 'CHELSEA CLINTON'
potent death metal number with lyrics by mike d that have him reminising about some president clinton era times.
#6. 'CROP CIRCLES' (feat. Kool Keith and Rammellzee)
these ears have never heard 5 mc's rhyme in such a paranoid manner. but somehow, it works!
#7. 'COMO ESTAS?' (feat. Jose Feliciano)
a latin folk song with pep.
#8. 'BROOKS, MOATS, STREAMS, LAKES, AND QUARRIES'
rap track that i'm not quite feeling. maybe it'll grow on me.
#9. 'MOSES, SMELL THE ROSES'
this axl rose dis track has my family thinking just one thing: will axl respond??
#10. 'CROC IN THE SEWERS!!'
a speed metal song that comes in a music video dvd version with the cd. the video has the beatsies travelling through the sewers of nyc looking for a crocodile that has been tormenting the streets of nyc at night. they finally catch the thing and mca ties the thing up with an extension cord. in the video, mca becomes a hero in nyc and after reading his press clippings decides to go and record a solo album without mike d and adrock. i can't wait for this record to come out!
#11. 'THE HAWK' (feat. Connie Hawkins)
sweet soul number that has basketball hall of famer Connie Hawkins singing the hook. who knew he sounded so silky smooooth?
#12. 'MATHEMATICAL TACTICAL TYPICAL RITUAL'
hip hop track about who the fuck knows.
#13. 'OVERBITE!'
hip hop track with some dental awareness rhyme skemes. they flip it nice! way to go!
#14. 'ITINERARY' (feat. KRS-ONE, Moe Dee, Percee P, Special K, Melle Mel, Weird Al, Rakim, and Julio from Sanford and Son)
this dope "posse cut" sounds like something circa 1988. my one concern is why Weird Al feels he needs to continuously reference using his gat. Al, you've already got street cred. chill son.
#15. 'CANNED NOODLES' (feat. Heavy D)
rhymes about cheap food on the stove.
#16. 'REC SPECS' (feat. Eric Dickerson)
spoken word.
#17. 'MIKE'S RHYMES' (just Mike D feat. Mike G from the Jungle Bros. and Mike C from the Fearless 4)
now these three work well together. i'm thinking they should each clear they're calenders and get in the studio for a full length album effort.
#18. 'CATS DON'T KNOW HOW TO ACT SO WE'LL SUBTRACT THE NINE'
calypso shit. indeed!
#19. 'BADD TO THE BONE' (feat. Color Me Badd)
Adrock kills it on this track with his harmonies. he sounds like that 3rd guy in the Chi Lites.
#20. 'LOCKBOX' (FEAT. Al Gore)
Al Gore raps about his lockbox theories from his 2000 presidential candidatecy. the beatsies rhyme about the dangers of identity theft. good shit.
alright, so that's the damn album, cop that shit! (that's street for "purchase it"). i give the album 4 stars, out of 5. it's close to 5, but the only album i've ever given 5 is that alter ego project that garth brooks did a few years back. chris gaines or some shit. anyways, that's a dope album, cop it!
album title: GRAPE MOAT the significance of a grape moat is beyond me, but the cd cover has the three of them around a grape moat that surrounds a midevil castle. mca is pictured about to dive into the moat in his scuba gear, mike d is actually swimming in the moat in a tanktopped bathing suit circa 1900, and the king adrock is leaning over the moat with a giant straw he has inserted into the moat, actually drinking from this grape moat!!! also pictured is a very old woman leaning out a window in the castle, announcing in captions: " get out my got dang moat!"
alright, so that's that. here's my track by track breakdown of the album.
title:1. 'WE CRUISE LANDS USED BY STAN KUBRICK'
it's a hot potato rhyme skeme hip hop track to open the record. right on!
#2. 'ELEPHANT CRUSHED!!' (feat. Afrika Bambaataa)
dope rap track that features numerous samples from the animal kingdom. upon first listening, it's some frightening shit. Bambaataa lends a hand for the chorus with his voice coming through a vocoder.
#3. 'PYRAMID TIP'
jazz track with bubblegum vocals that according to the linear notes was recorded in cairo.
#4. 'SHOO BEE DOO WOP' (feat. edward plank)
the beasties finally get on some barbershop quintet type shit with the help of some up and coming, diamond in the rough lyricist from spokane named edward plank.
#5. 'CHELSEA CLINTON'
potent death metal number with lyrics by mike d that have him reminising about some president clinton era times.
#6. 'CROP CIRCLES' (feat. Kool Keith and Rammellzee)
these ears have never heard 5 mc's rhyme in such a paranoid manner. but somehow, it works!
#7. 'COMO ESTAS?' (feat. Jose Feliciano)
a latin folk song with pep.
#8. 'BROOKS, MOATS, STREAMS, LAKES, AND QUARRIES'
rap track that i'm not quite feeling. maybe it'll grow on me.
#9. 'MOSES, SMELL THE ROSES'
this axl rose dis track has my family thinking just one thing: will axl respond??
#10. 'CROC IN THE SEWERS!!'
a speed metal song that comes in a music video dvd version with the cd. the video has the beatsies travelling through the sewers of nyc looking for a crocodile that has been tormenting the streets of nyc at night. they finally catch the thing and mca ties the thing up with an extension cord. in the video, mca becomes a hero in nyc and after reading his press clippings decides to go and record a solo album without mike d and adrock. i can't wait for this record to come out!
#11. 'THE HAWK' (feat. Connie Hawkins)
sweet soul number that has basketball hall of famer Connie Hawkins singing the hook. who knew he sounded so silky smooooth?
#12. 'MATHEMATICAL TACTICAL TYPICAL RITUAL'
hip hop track about who the fuck knows.
#13. 'OVERBITE!'
hip hop track with some dental awareness rhyme skemes. they flip it nice! way to go!
#14. 'ITINERARY' (feat. KRS-ONE, Moe Dee, Percee P, Special K, Melle Mel, Weird Al, Rakim, and Julio from Sanford and Son)
this dope "posse cut" sounds like something circa 1988. my one concern is why Weird Al feels he needs to continuously reference using his gat. Al, you've already got street cred. chill son.
#15. 'CANNED NOODLES' (feat. Heavy D)
rhymes about cheap food on the stove.
#16. 'REC SPECS' (feat. Eric Dickerson)
spoken word.
#17. 'MIKE'S RHYMES' (just Mike D feat. Mike G from the Jungle Bros. and Mike C from the Fearless 4)
now these three work well together. i'm thinking they should each clear they're calenders and get in the studio for a full length album effort.
#18. 'CATS DON'T KNOW HOW TO ACT SO WE'LL SUBTRACT THE NINE'
calypso shit. indeed!
#19. 'BADD TO THE BONE' (feat. Color Me Badd)
Adrock kills it on this track with his harmonies. he sounds like that 3rd guy in the Chi Lites.
#20. 'LOCKBOX' (FEAT. Al Gore)
Al Gore raps about his lockbox theories from his 2000 presidential candidatecy. the beatsies rhyme about the dangers of identity theft. good shit.
alright, so that's the damn album, cop that shit! (that's street for "purchase it"). i give the album 4 stars, out of 5. it's close to 5, but the only album i've ever given 5 is that alter ego project that garth brooks did a few years back. chris gaines or some shit. anyways, that's a dope album, cop it!