El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead
Definitive Jux, 2007
El-Producto (born Jamie Meline) is, without a doubt, one of the most important figures in modern backpacker hip-hop. So important, in fact, that it's damn near impossible to address anything he does without mentioning his groundbreaking work in Company Flow or his highly successful label, Def Jux.
Consider them mentioned.
It's hard to believe that it's been five full years since El-P dropped Fantastic Damage, his first full-length. Any reviewer would like to say that in that time, his style has changed, or that he's relaxed a little after turning thirty, like a lot of rappers disillusioned by the game do, but the fact of the matter is that he hasn't. He's the same dude he's always been, and if anything, he's more paranoid, more frantic, and more dense than ever, and it all shows on I'll Sleep When You're Dead.
Another thing that shows is the kind of company El-P keeps. The album features guest spot from your fallbacks on the Def Jux roster. You got Aes Rock throwing down a verse on "Run the Numbers", which is probably the hottest track on the album. On the flipside of that, the untalented and overhyped Cage (formerly of the Smut Peddlers) helping out on "Habeas Corpses (Draconian Love)", which is probably the weakest point on the album. Slug and Murs provide backup on "The League of Extraordinary Nobodies" and Lif shows up for backups on "Up All Night". That's not the interesting part though. All over the album, there's live bass contributed by Yo La Tengo bassist, James McNew (who apparently shares an apartment building with El-P). Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala show up to add guitar work and vocals to the opener, "Tasmanian Pain Coaster", Glassjaw/Head Automatica frontman, Daryl Palumbo adds vocals and keys to "The Overly Dramatic Truth", Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails sings the hook on the lead single, "Flyentology", and indie-rock sweetheart, Chan Marshall (Cat Power) duets with El-P on the closer, "Poisenville Kids No Wins".
When El-P set out to make this record, he wanted to create a "psychedelic Boogie Down Productions record," and it's safe to say that he's accomplished it. The album is thick with heavy beats, and there's hardly any space to breathe in it. Admittedly, El-P's strength isn't as a rapper, but he makes up for it with his immaculate and diverse production work. His strength is in the way he is able to match his almost awkward vocal style to his beats. The denser his rhymes get, the denser his beats get, and the more he lets loose, the more frantic the beat becomes. For the most part, the album consists of the traditional Def Jux sound; tracks like "Smithereens (Stop Cryin')" and "Drive" wouldn't sound out of place on damn near any Def Jux release. At the same time, El-P is traversing a lot of styles here. "The Overly Dramatic Truth" is almost like a ballad, and probably the closest El-P's going to come to a love song. This track is where a lot of the live instrumentation becomes apparent, and it works well with his style.
"Flyentology" sounds like El-P's remix of a Nine Inch Nails song he made up in his head. In fact, a lot of this album reminds me of a time when Trent Reznor was more beat-oriented (I call that time 1999). The at once grimey and lush production is reminiscent of NIN's double-album The Fragile, and it holds up without being too overbearing.
Unlike with some of his recent work (High Water, I'm looking at you), Lazerface rarely missteps on this album. It's everything he's good at; diverse instrumentation, claustrophobic vocal delivery, experimental soundscapes. If El-P can drop a solo album like I'll Sleep When You're Dead every five years, he's going to continue giving backpackers all over the country something to strive towards. (4/5 Stars)
Key Tracks: "Run the Numbers", "Flyentology", "Drive", "Tasmanian Pain Coaster"
More Along These Lines: Aesop Rock - Bazooka Tooth, Company Flow - Funcrusher Plus, Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile
Download The Album In This Free Link I've Provided For Your Broke Ass: El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead
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So I've been slacking a lot lately here. It's been, what, a month, since I last posted. Today we got a nice fancy review of El-Producto's new album, and as an added bonus, i'm adding a review of the El-P show I caught at the Bowery a couple of weeks ago. In addition, since I'm on spring break (woo) these days, I'm going to try to update everyday for the next week or so, depending on how many papers I feel like not writing. In the coming week(s), look for reviews of:
Hot Cross - Risk Revival (Equal Vision Records)
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (Epic Records)
The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (Matador Records)
Citizen Fish/Leftover Crack - Deadline Split LP (Fat Wreck Chords)
Air - Pocket Symphony (Virgin/Astralwerks Records)
Nine Inch nails - Year Zero (Nothing Records)
Along with whatever albums I've been listening to lately, plus whatever movies I feel like talking about, so that should be fun.
But sincerely, kids, it's been a rough couple of weeks out here on the island. I'm trying to keep up, but it ain't easy to run a blog that nobody reads. I'm currently stuck at work with nothing on television but a Flavor of Love (Season One) marathon, so I felt like I'd give you fuckers something to read. Before I start this review of the El-P show, I'd like to state that it's not going to be quite as professional as other reviews I write, seeing as how when I showed up, I had missed the opening acts and was fairly whiskey drunk. Anyhow, here it is, it should explain everything. Later, skaters!
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El-P/Aesop Rock/The Weathermen/Def Jux Allstars
Bowery Ballroom, NYC, 3/22/07
On the average Thursday night, I'm drunkenly attempting to get a bunch of unruly college kids to focus on creating a humor magazine so that we can finish our meetings and go get drunk(er) somewhere. It's a rare event that will cause me to give this up. El-P and Aesop Rock at the Bowery Ballroom is that kind of an event. Being that I had been loving El-P's new record and that Aesop Rock is kind of like Jesus to me, I couldn't resist.
That evening, I set out for Queens to meet up with a friend and get my whiskey on in his apartment. After a run-in with another friend of ours, I departed, drunk, on the F line downtown, and when I finally arrived, I saw (literally) the last 20 seconds of The Weathermen's set. A little disheartened, I was still psyched about Aesop Rock being on next.
Wrong.
Now, let me explain that this is my second time "seeing" Aes, and the first time, he split a set with RJD2 and did 2 songs altogether ("Coma" and "Fast Cars"). After waiting, El-P takes the stage. I'm confused, wondering if maybe I had caught the end of Aesop's set, and if I had, why had Aesop gained so much weight.? Either way, I embraced the fact that I'd never see Aesop live and moved on to be psyched about El-P. El-P's set was absolutely solid. He played damn near every song off I'll Sleep When You're Dead (and goddamn near in order). The transition of the songs from the studio to a live setting with live bass and drums and keys was pristine. Everything sounded great, Camu Tao was hyping the crowd the whole time, and El-P had mad energy.
About halfway through the set, El-P brought out Aesop, and they did "Run the Numbers", and then as a bonus treat, Aesop stuck around to perform "None Shall Pass" the title track from his upcoming full-length. I've been having trouble getting over what a great song "None Shall Pass" is, and it's nice to see Blockhead back on the beats for Aesop. After that, Aes left the stage, never to be seen again, and El-P finished out the set on his own. Introducing "The Overly Dramatic Truth", El-P introduced his backing band as R.O.D. (or Room of Dudes, if you will), and declared that they were working on an album, which could prove to be an exciting take on rock music. Or a complete disaster, I'm not quite positive yet.
The set finished out with "Poisenville Kids", and an encore comprised of songs from Fantastic Damage, which featured "Deep Space 9mm", "Accidents Don't Happen" (bringing Cage out for the second time in the evening), and "Constellation Funk". After the show, I picked up a sick Def Jux t-shirt, which someone has pointed out to me, may have been designed for a woman. I refuse to believe it, personally. Also, I was able to snag ISWYD on vinyl for ten bucks, which was mad sweet. I finished out the night by driving home and drinking wine from a box while my friend Chandy got naked. All in all, though, a good experience. (3.5/5 Stars)
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