Madvillain Madvillainy

Home > Hip Hop Reviews
Posted on 03.23.2004
Madvillain Madvillainy
Add a comment
1 comment(s)

 

Madvillain
Album : Madvillainy
Release Date : March 23, 2004

Label : Stones Throw

Customer Review :
I’ve got pretty minimal familiarity with the two guys involved in this album. Madlib I know only via his Quasimoto project, MF Doom is one of thsoe guys who I’ve read about but haven’t gotten around to checking out. So I came to this not knowing much about what to expect, just that a whole mess of people
have been using phrases like ’best hip-hop album of the year’ when describing it. Don’t know that I’d go that far (though, admittedly, I don’t listen to a vast amount of hip-hop) but it’s certainly one of the best I’ve personally heard.

I was expecting, for whatever reason, something pretty revolutionary. It’s not, exactly. I mean, it didn’t hit me like, say, Dr. Octagon or the first Sensational album - making me look up and say ’What the f*** was that ?’ Yeah, the tracks are short, mostly flow and beat without a lot of hooks per se. Which I suppose, given the state of commercial hip-hop these days, can pass for being revolutionary. Then again, labels like that tend to raise expectations way high and obscure the reality - which is that this is a very, very, very good album indeed.

The beats are near perfect - lazy, scratchy, lots of old jazz loops. I knew, from Quasimoto, that Madlib was a fine producer -his work here made me realize how fine that was. Check out the tasty little flute bit on ’All Caps,’ or the tease he gives us on the too-short ’Supervillain Theme.’ He’s also restrained - he keeps things fairly simple, injecting variety by changing
things up pretty often. A little ADD perhaps, but always entertaining.

As for the rhyming, I’m not completely blown away by MF Doom, but that may be because I’ve only given this a few careful listens. He’s got a good voice, pleasantly rough, a flow that’s not too fast - it works perfectly with Madlib’s beats. I get the impression that he’ll grow on me with subsequent listens.

I guess what I like most about this album is how well the two pieces come together. Madlib’s beats perfectly suit MF Doom’s flow. And vice versa. It’s good listening and I give it a hearty recommendation. Michael Pemulis

Tracklisting :
1. The Illest Villains
2. Accordion
3. Meat Grinder
4. Bistro
5. Raid
6. America’s Most Blunted
7. Sickfit (Instrumental)
8. Rainbows
9. Curls
10. Do Not Fire ! (Instrumental)
11. Money Folder
12. Shadows Of Tomorrow
13. Operation Lifesaver/Mint Test
14. Figaro
15. Hardcore Hustle
16. Strange Ways
17. Fancy Clown
18. Eye
19. Supervillain Theme (Instrumental)
20. All Caps
21. Great Day
22. Rhinestone Cowboy

Related Articles

Share this article

Got a comment ?

No profanity, or inaproppriate remarks.



Who are you? (optional)

Madvillain Madvillainy, by tyg [2008-04-07 02:18:03]

this cd is one of the greatest album of all time everything was perfect before that i wasnt a doom fan but now i am because his style is what hip hop need and actualy he is tyring to save it

More Stuff