Customer Reviews

Atlantis: Hymns for Disco

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a great album. I've listened to K-os for a while now and truly think that this is his best effort. A great mixture of rap and singing. He is a guy with many talents. He doesn't just sit back and rap over beats that other people make for him. He writes, raps, sings, produces, plays guitar, harmonica, piano, and keyboard on his songs. Very admirable especially in this day of age where the music industry constantly releases clones. I really hope this album makes it to mainstream ears. People will not be disappointed.

I've already reviewed the import version of this album, but I only gave it a 4.5 rating. After having this for a few months already, and noticing how often I keep reaching for this 6 months after I got it, I felt I had to rework some things. Personally, the new release buzz wears off somewhere around 3 months for me, but I keep coming back to this album and it continues to grow on me. Therefore, I had to revise this review and give it a rating of 5. The following is a revision of my review for the import:

Coming from a purely musical standpoint (instead of a hip hop standpoint), this album is a serious piece of work. k-os seems to grow with every release and the music gets better with every release because of this growth. While it took me a while to get into a lot of songs from Joyful Rebellion, this album grabbed me from day one. Songs like "Born To Run", "Highway 7", "Sunday Morning", "Catdiesel", "Black Ice - Hymn 4 Disco", "Flypaper", "Ballad Of Noah", and the excellent "Electrick Heat-The Seekwill" are instant classics -- and that's over half of the album (8 of 13). The rest of the tracks, while not instant classics, are still excellent selections as well. You'll be happy to know that there are no fillers on this album -- even the bonus track with it's beatboxing is dope.

The only tracks that I would label as skip material are "The Rain" and "Equalizer" (I'm not feeling the Elvis sample here, but the hook/break is dope). I'm not saying that they are bad songs, because they're not, but they don't really grab this particular listener (well, "Equalizer" does, but not until the halfway mark). Those are the only blips I found on my radar. The rest of the album flows smoothly. My last beef is the short running time (13 tracks at just under an hour). It's a minor beef, but k-os is one of the few artists where I actually count the days between releases, I'd love to get a little more. Oh well.

Atlantis: Hymns For Disco is an excellent release from k-os. Regardless of what genre of music you dig the most, he has a little something for everyone and continues to deliver his music in a way that's head and shoulders above the music of his contemporaries. It may not be Joyful Rebellion or Exit, but it's still an excellent release. I recommend making this one, as well as the rest of his catalog, a part of your music library.

Standout Tracks: Ballad Of Noah feat. Buck 65, Flypaper, Highway 7, CatDiesel, Sunday Morning, Born To Run, Electrick Heat - The Seekwill, AquaCity Boy, Mirror In The Sky, Black Ice - Hymn For Disco (My Favorite), and Vallhalla feat. Sam Roberts

Coming from a purely musical standpoint (instead of a hip hop standpoint), this album is a serious piece of work. If you're expecting the hip hop version of k-os, then proceed with caution. While his past efforts were an equal mix of everything (rock, roots reggae, rap, acoustic, etc...), this album is about the same, but with a lot more rock this time around. Now, I'm not saying that it's a bad thing. I just think the listener should know what he's getting into before he/she runs out to buy what they might think is going to be Joyful Rebellion part two. There are some great songs to be found like "Born To Run", "Highway 7", "Catdiesel", the excellent "Electrick Heat-The Seekwill", and a few others.

There are a few passable tracks here and there. "Flypaper", despite being pretty good, sounds like a rehash of his previous hit, "Crabbuckit." "Born To Run" and "Equalizer" are songs that I tend to skip. Not saying that they are bad, but they don't really grab this particular listener. Those are the only blips I found on my radar. The rest of the album flows smoothly. My last beef is the short running time (13 tracks at just under an hour). It's a minor beef, but k-os is one of the few artists where I actually count the days between releases, I'd appreciate a little more.

Atlantis is definitely one of the few must have 2006 releases, regardless of what genre of music you dig the most. K-Os has a little something for everyone and he continues to deliver his music in a way that's head and shoulders above the music of his contemporaries. I recommend making this one a part of your music library.

Standout Tracks: Highway 7, CatDiesel, Sunday Morning, Electrick Heat - The Seekwill, AquaCity Boy, Mirror In The Sky, Black Ice - Hymn For Disco (My Favorite), and Vallhalla feat. Sam Roberts

K-Os does more than meet expectations with his third studio LP. Atlantis is solid from front to back, with everything from break-dancing, head-nodding hip hop beats to soulful ballads to reggae and pop (the good kind, think early michael jackson). He continues to put not only T-Dot (toronto) on the map, but also the entire country of Canada. Big props to kev for an amazing release.
DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS ONE!

still amazing.

This is the canadian "rapper's" third studio release, and he increasingly becomes better with each release. On this trip, the entire album has a feel, whether its the somber "Highway Seven" or the rock-laden "Born To Run". With some much intersection of genres including hip-hop, rock, reggae, and jazz, it's sometimes difficult to pinpoint what exactly you're listening to. K-os does it all, and does it all well. From rapping on the album's opener "Electrik Heat" to crooning on the album's highlight (for me at least) "Highway Seven", he has proven he can hold his own and more in just about any form. This is a highly recommended cd for any fan of...MUSIC. If you like music at all, you should at least listen to this album. Some tracks might not be for you, but you never know until you try. With so much diversity, there's something for everyone on here. 5 stars out of 5, and if you haven't heard his previous releases, especially "Joyful Rebellion", be sure to check those out as well. You won't regret buying this cd from K-os.

Top Tracks:
Highway Seven
Born To Run
Funky Country
Cat Diesel
Flypaper

I've already reviewed the import version of this album, but I only gave it a 4.5 rating. After having this for a few months already, and noticing how often I keep reaching for this 6 months after I got it, I felt I had to rework some things. Personally, the new release buzz wears off somewhere around 3 months for me, but I keep coming back to this album and it continues to grow on me. Therefore, I had to revise this review and give it a rating of 5. The following is a revision of my review for the import:

Coming from a purely musical standpoint (instead of a hip hop standpoint), this album is a serious piece of work. k-os seems to grow with every release and the music gets better with every release because of this growth. While it took me a while to get into a lot of songs from Joyful Rebellion, this album grabbed me from day one. Songs like "Born To Run", "Highway 7", "Sunday Morning", "Catdiesel", "Black Ice - Hymn 4 Disco", "Flypaper", "Ballad Of Noah", and the excellent "Electrick Heat-The Seekwill" are instant classics -- and that's over half of the album (8 of 13). The rest of the tracks, while not instant classics, are still excellent selections as well. You'll be happy to know that there are no fillers on this album -- even the bonus track with it's beatboxing is dope.

The only tracks that I would label as skip material are "The Rain" and "Equalizer" (I'm not feeling the Elvis sample here, but the hook/break is dope). I'm not saying that they are bad songs, because they're not, but they don't really grab this particular listener (well, "Equalizer" does, but not until the halfway mark). Those are the only blips I found on my radar. The rest of the album flows smoothly. My last beef is the short running time (13 tracks at just under an hour). It's a minor beef, but k-os is one of the few artists where I actually count the days between releases, I'd love to get a little more. Oh well.

Atlantis: Hymns For Disco is an excellent release from k-os. Regardless of what genre of music you dig the most, he has a little something for everyone and continues to deliver his music in a way that's head and shoulders above the music of his contemporaries. It may not be Joyful Rebellion or Exit, but it's still an excellent release. I recommend making this one, as well as the rest of his catalog, a part of your music library.

Standout Tracks: Ballad Of Noah feat. Buck 65, Flypaper, Highway 7, CatDiesel, Sunday Morning, Born To Run, Electrick Heat - The Seekwill, AquaCity Boy, Mirror In The Sky, Black Ice - Hymn For Disco (My Favorite), and Vallhalla feat. Sam Roberts

It reminds me of reggae style beach music. I like it a lot but you need to be in a certain mood to listen to it. Great for long road trips. It put my boyfriend in "stealth mode" as he called it - he was able to concentrate on driving while stil enjoying the K-Os.

I know it's still early in the year but this can easily be my favorite for the year. If you want straight hip hop you might want to look elsewhere but if you enjoy some experimenting of styles and flavor this is the album for you.Overall vibe is very nice on this album because it plays all the way through smoothly. I look forward for more great songs from this guy.

Atlantis is K-Os' third CD and he continues to ascend to perfection. K-Os is incredibly creative and multi-faceted. He is arguably Hip-Hops' most literate lyricist. His vocals can be unigue or invoke the sounds of Prince, Michael Jackson and even the Marleys. Several genres of music are covered ranging from soul, rock, Hip-Hop and even Reggae. K-Os surpasses KRS-ONE and Common as a vocalist, writer and composer of music. He is very spiritual and compassionate evidenced by his vegetarianism and animal rights advocacy. I wish this Canadian Superstar can obtain world-wide acclaim. He is remarkably talented, visionary, cerebral, musical, innovative and profound. His previous CD's "Exit" and "Joyful Rebellion" are also bona fide masterpieces. K-Os is one of a kind and he wants to make the world a safer and more humane place for all of its inhabitants

I have been a K-Os fan since exit, and every album this man, puts out gets better,and better everytime, joyfull rebellon ws genius, now this one Atlantis, is just a masterpiece, i really can't call this Hip Hop album, becuase he ranges from pop,rock,soul,and much more, a lot of emccee from the U.S, can trully learn from this man, and the biggest plus for me is he does not curse, or use th n bomb, so anybody who is ready for a change and wanna hear something besides, the crap you here on the radio, pick up atlantis you will not be disapointed.