Wednesday, April 25, 2007

The D.O.C. - No One Can Do It Better (1989)


Some classic old school hip hop right here on this album. Before Dr. Dre worked with Snoop Dogg or Eminem he produced this album for his very first protege the D.O.C. The D.O.C. previously helped ghostwrite and appeared in some skits on a few N.W.A. albums before starting his solo career. The production on the entire album is fairly similar in style to Dre's previous work with N.W.A. However, the D.O.C. generally stays away from gangsta rap topics despite his close relations to N.W.A.

Kickin off the album strong comes the banger "It's Funky Enough" and not to worry, the song title is misleading in no way at all. In other words, there is a damn funky ass beat and some fresh lyrics all over this bitch. Strong flow from the D.O.C. on this track and you may recognize the very first line of the album (Ya'll ready for this?) from numerous basketball games in the 90's.

"Comm Blues" is a song/skit that is a blues jam featuring a female singer and some other fools talkin. Semi funny and pretty damn bluesy. One of the better skits around.

Right after that nice interlude comes my favorite track of the album; "Let the Bass Go." What a funky ass beat Dre and what a stylish flow throughout. The halfway point of the song comes with some classy Beastie and other various samples and then guess what? Dre drops that bass again and its funky as fuck FYI. I really dig the acapella intro at 2:25 before the last verse because every time that funky beat drop again I go ddeeeeaaaaaamn son.

"Beautiful but Deadly" is a throwaway track to me but the little sound clip at the end is worth listening to though.

First track of side 2, "The D.O.C. & The Doctor," is another winner mainly due to the phat ass on this beat. The beat just kicks in so funky and Dre runs it.

Finishing strong featuring Ice Cube, Eazy E, and MC Ren, and DJ Yella (who contributes live drums) from N.W.A. comes "The Finale." All three guest MCs have strong spots but the standout verses come from Ice Cube in the first verse and the final verse by the D.O.C.

Unfortunately, this was the D.O.C.'s last album he recorded before his vocal chords were damaged in a car accident and his voice was permanently altered as a result. The D.O.C. is still rumored to be helping Dre work on his long awaited new album 'Detox.'

The D.O.C. - No One Does It Better (1989)

or support the artist and:

buy it here

1 It's Funky Enough 4:29
2 Mind Blowin' 3:36
3 Lend Me an Ear 3:20
4 Comm. Blues 2:22
5 Let the Bass Go 3:41
6 Beautiful But Deadly 5:34
7 The D.O.C. & The Doctor 4:06
8 No One Can Do It Better 4:51
9 Whirlwind Pyramid 3:45
10 Comm. 2 1:21
11 Formula 4:12
12 Portrait of a Master Piece 2:29
13 The Grand Finalé 4:39


Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Count Bass D-Dwight Spitz (2002)


Count Bass D is a producer/MC/DJ/piano player hailing from Nashville Tennessee. If any of ya'll heard of him it would most likely be from the sick verse he dropped in Potholders on MM... Food with MF DOOM (who is actually featured twice on Dwight Spitz). You also can hear him mention DOOM multiple times throughout the entire album. He's got a sick ass flow and some production skills to match.

From the opening track "Jussa Playa" you can get an idea of the kind of awesome production that is all over this album. Dwight Spitz is comprised mostly of short songs and short instrumental skits. "Say No to Drugs" is a perfect example of Bass' humorous sampling style using a sample from a sugar advertisement. Count even sample his kids (Cana And Hezekiah) voices on a couple of these instrumentals.

"Sanctuary" has to be one of my favorite tracks on the album. Count Bass D totally rips it up on the mic over the hypnotic and mesmerizing beat.
EDIT: Zack just clued me into why this track might be so hypnotic and all. It's gotta be that Doors sample of Jim Morrison repeating "Can you give me sanctuary?" fucking legit shit man.

DOOM comes in on the track "Quite Buttery" and shreds like always but this time over some Bass D beats and pianos. Pretty short and sweet track.

Another stand out track is "Seven Years" featuring Dionne Farris. Count flows about his wife and three kids not trying to hide his status as a family man and tears it up at the same time. And those fucking oboe's he sampled are fucking genius.

A few tracks fall a little flat but overall Dwight Spitz is an amazing album throughout containing great production, fitting instrumental interludes, solid guest spots from Edan, J Rawls, and DOOM, and of course sick flows from the Count himself.

Count Bass D-Dwight Spitz (2002)

or support the artist and:

buy it here


1Jussa Player (1:20)




2Aural S(ect)S (1:30)




3Gon' Get Yours (0:33)




4Antemeridian (1:37)




5Postmeridian (0:56)




6How We Met (1:18)




7Just Say No to Drugs (0:30)




8Sanctuary (1:43)




9Subwoofer (Dumile) (2:11)




10Truth to Light (1:30)




11Real Music vs. Bu11$#! + (1:29)




12August 25, 2001 (3:29)




13Hello Test Test (0:49)




14Blackman Dreams (2:03)




15Reign or Shine (1:28)




16Quite Buttery (1:06)




17Blues for Percy Carey (1:51)




18Seven Years (3:29)




19Ohio Players (2:07)




20Dwight Spitz (3:18)




21Make a Buck (3:43)




22My First Piece (3:04)




23Take Control (3:44)




24Coming Soon (0:17)




25Beat 4our (26:34)

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Can-Tago Mago (1971)

Can is a band from West Germany that was formed in 1968. They are often classified as a classic example of "Krautrock," an underground German experimental rock genre, although most bands which are clumped into this genre resent the term. But isn't that what usually happens with terms like that?

Anyway, the album is overall pretty much straight forward jammed out rock and roll. Led Zeppelin, Velvet Underground, kind of rock and roll. You know the type. I guess you could even say these guys are a little prog rockish but you can say a lot of things. Most of the songs do feature some sick and funky drum beats as well, which are hard to hate.

"Halleuhwah" is an epic stand out track for the album. It originally took up a whole side of the vinyl edition of the record when it first came out. The song is composed of a series of build ups and then slowing down and returning to a groovy beat followed by another build up and so forth. In the first 5 minutes the drums are fucking ridiculous so look out for that. After the drum tangent, it calms down and then goes right back into another funky ass beat. Then once again is another build around the 7 minute mark this time introducing some gnarley as strings. Somewhere around 8 and a half minutes the vocals come in and fit in real well. blah blah. Pretty much funky drums and an epic 18 minute jam all in one.

"Oh Yeah" is another sick ass track with some backwards vocals at first then about halfway switching at the 3:20ish mark it goes into a mellow yet funky beat with some suiting vocals. Damo Suzuki (frontman of the band from 1970-73) has a pretty sick ass voice and I think it fits well on this track especially. And then once again the band breaks off into another jam session this time with the guitar taking the main roll, but you still can't deny those drums.

The beginning of "Mushroom" sounds a little like the Flaming Lips "Take Me Ta Mars" to me. I wonder if anyone else hears it? But later on there is some crazy percussion and like always those phat drums.

Well, enough talk more rock is what they so have a listen:

Can-Tago Mago (1971)

or support the artist and:

buy it here

  1. "Paperhouse" – 7:29
  2. "Mushroom" – 4:08
  3. "Oh Yeah" – 7:22
  4. "Halleluhwah" – 18:32
  5. "Aumgn" – 17:22
  6. "Peking O" – 11:35
  7. "Bring Me Coffee Or Tea" – 6:47

First Post

Benson Edles is starting up a music blog again folks. Gonna start putting some highly recommended albums on this blog o' mine. It'll probably be all over the place genre wise. I'll be posting about albums that I think people I know should check out and hopefully they will. Posts will be semi-frequent I'm guessing about 2-4 albums a week but I'm not making any promises. Could be more, could be less. If anyone else wants to post a contribution thats fucking swell so talk to me about it. If not, then that's why I didn't ask you. That's about it for the introduction so I hope you guess dig what I've been digging.

Peace.