Customer Reviews

Bazooka Tooth

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

There are people that live for music like this. The word for it is unique. If you are listening to this stuff, you obviously know a thing or two about underground rap. Underground hip-hop can often times be repetitive and sloppy too. Although the lyrics are always on the forefront in rap music, there is a lot to be desired when it comes down to the production. Obviously, there are going to be a lot of people that won't, or can't get into this record due to it's complexity. Aesop's lyrical delivery is too much for some people on it's own, let alone the production. That's why "Labor Days" and "Float" worked so well. Blockhead's genius production, although minimal, complimented Aesop's complicated flow brilliantly, making it much easier to focus on the lyrical content. "Bazooka Tooth" on the other hand, is a bit different. The production is often referred to as futuristic, since there are so many electronic sounds, bits, and quirks to it. Now, the music moves just as fast as Aesop does. His lyrics can be very difficult to pick out of the unforeseen production, which obviously frustrates some listeners. I for one, recommend listening to this album in headphones. The more you listen to, and pick apart music like this, the easier it is experience their artistic vision. You have to be a fan of progressive music of all kinds to appreciate this music. You'd probably enjoy this record more than most, if you can appreciate trip-hop, house or techno music. I also like this music a lot because of my love for progressive rock music, such as Yes, King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and Pink Floyd. If you are always looking at music as a progression, then you should appreciate the unique approach Aesop Rock has taken to improve this commercially decaying genre.

This album is definitely heavy on collaborative efforts. The album was recorded and mixed by Nasa, El-P being the executive producer/performer ("We're Famous"). We also catch glimpses of Mr. Lif ("11:35"), Camp Lo ("Limelighters"), P.F.A.C. ("Cook It Up"), Blockhead (producer on "Cook It Up", "Babies With Guns", and "11:35"), scratching by DJ Cip One, and DJ paWL, and additional spots featuring Cannibal Ox, S.A. Smash and Murs. Standouts include "Easy," "No Jumper Cables," "Limelighters," "We're Famous," "The Greatest Pac-Man Victory in History," "Babies With Guns," and "11:35".

Keep an open mind, find traits about the album you like and expand them. Keep listening, and remember, a good pair of headphones can be your saving grace for understanding this album a little better. I absolutely love this album after about 4 listens. The album gets even better with each listen, and when given the chance, it will reward you beyond belief.

I've read an awful lot of reviews of this album, but there aren't any on this site. First, I'm undeniably a fan: "Labor Days" was a brilliant album, and I think this one might be more so. Second, when I bought this album, I didn't know what to make of it: I wasn't sure where it fit into the pantheon of good-to-great hip-hop albums. I've listened to it now a bundle of times -- probably twenty or so hours worth -- and I'm pretty sure it's in the top 20 hip-hop albums of the past few years, even if it's only the third- or fourth-best on Def Jux (and I'm not even sure it's that -- it might be better than "Labor Days" though I'm not sure it is.... Here's why:

First, if you don't like El-P, this probably isn't the album for you. Ace Rock didn't just record an album of "Lucy" songs -- which would have pleased a lot of critics of his (if you want that, go listen to Slug's old stuff). He always was a little angry, and he finally got his beats to line up with his words. It'd be hard to be a New York rapper with all of the chaos of the last few years; it'd be hard to write "Apartment 6B" if you had to tour; it'd be hard to stay with the same producer if what you were trying to do was in part artistic (which it really appears to be). He's pushing limits; he's breaking boundaries. In doing so, he put down a great album BUT it takes a lot of listening to to get that.

Second, I suppose I like Aesop Rock for different reasons than do other people. It seems like most of the people who hate this album like when he tells stories. It's never seemed to me that he was a story teller -- sometimes certainly -- but he's always been better compared to other rappers at twisting phrases -- the five to fifty word images that revolve around themselves. There are storytelling rappers: Mr. Lif does great with it on his label; Michael Frente of Spearhead's done it his whole career; Boots from the Coup is pretty amazing at it to. This guy's not doing that, though. He's doing what he does -- his thing, and he's pretty fantastic at it. Buy this album. Maybe it'll calm him down.

Aesop Rock is definately my favorite MC on the scene right now. His previous albums Labor Days and Float are masterpieces of hip hop. Sadly, Ace decided to abandon his usual producer Blockhead and produced most of this new album on his own. Evidently, he decided that El-P's "hip hop of the future sound" is the way to go, with weird electronic beats and loops, bizarre synth and so forth.

Well, El-P's production style may be unusual, as demonstrated on his other Def Jux projects like Cannibal Ox or his own solo effort. But Aesop Rock has taken this style and kicked it up several notches, to incredibly insane degrees. If you are familiar with Aesop Rock's other music, you know his lyrical flow is dense and his style is complex. It's not easy to follow his music, but his flow is so unique that the music washes over you quite easily. It is usually very easy to listen to. Bazooka Tooth requires a tremendous amount of effort to listen to. First, you have to make your way through the unmelodious loops and uneven beats, then the extra sounds that Aesop forces upon your ears. Only then can you listen to his lyrics, which are tough to begin with.

There are 4 songs out of 15 on the album not produced by Aesop. "We're Famous" is produced by El-P (but the song really plays more like an El-P song featuring Aesop Rock on guest vocals). Then there are the 3 tracks produced by Blockhead, and those tracks stand out tremendously, especially the albums best track "11:35" featuring Mr. Lif. "Babies with Guns" and "Cook it Up" are also Blockhead efforts, and they are all superior to any of the tracks that are way overproduced by Aesop himself.

If you have never heard Aesop Rock, this is definately not the place to start. Go back and buy "Labor Days," on the of the best hip hop albums I have ever heard.

First things first: you have not heard this album until you've blasted it full volume in NYC traffic. Hip-hop does not get more New York than this album. I don't know what people are saying about the production on this album, but it really showcases Aesop's evolution as a composer. He should release an instrumental album. He produces all but four songs on this album, and it is really amazing. Admitted, the lyrics are not as good as Labor Days, but the production is incredible. Blockhead also holds his own, with three incredible tracks including "The Greatest Pac-Man Victory in History," which only uses sounds mixed from the classic Pac-Man video game (besides the drumline, of course). The only track that isn't a standout is Super Fluke. So just buy the album, cause it's worth it, punk.

well, i'm not about to call any of amazon's "professional" reviewers unqualified or even inept, but after reading mr. higgins review of aesop's new album i'm very tempted to. granted, aesop rock's style is not for everyone, but when someone says that his verses are gibberish, they're simply proving their own inability to comprehend figurative speech. aesop uses metaphors constantly, and very little of what he says may be taken completely literally and this is where a lot of confusion comes in. casual hip hop listeners probably won't be interested in this album because it requires a little bit of effort from them to get the message. i'm not giving a full review of every aspect of the cd, i just wanted to clear up this little problem people seem to have with this album. and by the way, to say "mars attacks" has incomprehensible lyrics is one the dumbest things i've ever heard. i think somebody wasn't listening very closely. but that's alright, these songs are not the superficial top 40 hip pop types of songs you hear everyday. you're either able to strip away that first layer of discomfort and discover the deeper merits of it, or you can't. and say what you will about el-p and his label, but you can't deny the the fact that they are truly innovating, rather than allowing hip hop to become more and more of the same old mainstream wannabe dr. dre or tribe called quest tracks and lyrics.
def jukie for life. "please remember, that i can build you my friend and if i'm not happy i'll break you the f*ck down and build you again" -aesop himself

(on another note, why do so many rappers wear those gawdy ass chains? chains are for prisoners and/or slaves aren't they?)

"Bazooka Tooth" isn't as accessible as the previous Aesop Rock releases, but the growth of his style and evolution as an artist is still well worth a listen. Hardcore fans of "Labor Days" might have a hard time adjusting to the new sound. Both the beats and lyrics are more abstract and experimental, and unconforming to the earlier Aesop Rock sound, so it takes a few listens to fully appreciate the new type of creativity present in this album and understand the whole "Bazooka Tooth" philosophy hidden inside. Recommended, but be patient and give it a chance.

I have been a Def Jux fan for over two years, taking up every single album (even S.A. Smash), every "outside collaboration" (from "Urban Renewal Project" to a rare mixtape track where El-P is imitating Missy Elliot), and while I still can dislike Def Jux (again, see S.A. Smash), I still enjoy it to some degree or another. Aesop Rock is no doubt one of my favorite artists of all time ever. And, like many, people was greatly looking forward to "Bazooka Tooth" and hoping for the best ...

... and was very surprised at first. Initially I thought that Aesop Rock would be learning from Blockhead (who will be releasing a solo instrumental record through Thirsty Ear on the side of his Def Jux work) instead of El-P (who also is releasing a jazz album through Thirsty Ear). So, initially I was very jarred by the whole experience. "What is this? Why are things so complex now, unlike the orchestral brilliance of before?" Sans the more easily accessible tracks (like the still-phenomenal "11:35", an AR instant-classic, and "No Jumper Cables" a near dance-driven beat that I heard almost four months earlier), my initial listening was fairly disappointing.

Then I gave it another try.

Then another.

This happened with Badly Drawn Boy's "Have You Fed the Fish?". First listens: complete let-downs. "You do Hour of Bewilderbeast and About A Boy only to come up with THIS?!", but a month later, it didn't leave my CD player.

While a month hasn't passed, the small moments of the album come alive. Much like El-P's masterpiece "Fantastic Damage", it's very intimidating, and, like the Avalanches' near-perfect album "Since I Left You", there's so much going on, multiple listens are required to decipher it all. The jarring opener "Bazooka Tooth" later comes to be quite pleasant, as does the excellently dark "Easy" (opening line: "Cameras or guns: one of y'all is gonna shoot me to death"). I still have a few items to settle with the album ("N.Y. Electric" and "Limelighters" primarily), but I must say that I greatly enjoy the multi-layered multi-faceted album that we have today. From the phenomenal conclusion of "Mars Attacks" to the small things like the "Honeycomb Interlude" at the end of "Freeze", it works. Oh, and the infinitely-repeatable "11:35". Yes, it's good enough to deserve two mentions :-)

TO SURMIZE: If you hate this album at first, I can't blame you. I did too. I thought my Ace Rizzle was gone. But then I simply realized what was actually happening instead of what I was expecting, and quite frankly am very easily pleased with the results.

Def Jux (again) rules!

Aesop Rock's new album "Bazooka Tooth" is the best release from Def.Jux this year and all I can say is pick this one up listen to it and make your own judgement. I personally think this Aesop album is better then Labor Days and right up their with Float. The big difference in this one is that Ace Rizzle comes with his own production for 11 of the 15 tracks and does unreal.
It's like he studied right under EL-P's wing, and for that we get another unreal produced album from def jux(on the level of El-P's "Fantastic Damage",and Cannibal Ox's "The Cold Vein").
As far as the Lyrics go well Aesop is at his best coming with his unusally style and orginal wordplay. In order to really feel his lyrics LISTEN TO THIS ON YOUR HEADPHONES A FEW TIMES and then u will see why Aesop Rock is one of the best new hip hop mc's and for all of yall haters EL-p, and Aesop got a track called We're Famous in which El-P had a 4 min verse basically defining definitive jux, and what it stands for also saying F**k you to all that say the new sound of def jux is not hip hop. The whole album is dope from start to finish, and Aesop shows that him and Def jux aren't going anywhere. peace

this album is not easily accessible. call it what you will, but it isn't meant for everyone. it is, however, genius, as, when it hits you, it knocks you senseless. aesop is at his peak here, his honesty and political stances surprising and refreshing. on "ny electric," he makes references to "41 shots over par," and when i got it, i felt chills. this album requires numerous listens, to catch the intricacies of a true masterpiece. if you can catch the genius of "greatest pacman victory ever" (try listening real hard 2 minutes in), understand the raw of "babies with guns," feel the pain on the ending solo verse of "11:35" and catch the old school banger of "frijoles," this album will never leave your cd player. props to aesop, for forcing people to think - don't be too quick to dismiss this album, as it'll say a lot about you.

Very good. Aesop Rock already created Labor Days. You can always play that CD/record again if you want to hear that sound. Bazooka Tooth is different and better. Nothing on it is simple: the production is reminiscent of a room full of broken electronics that coincidentally sounds like something to which you can rap. Ace Rock does just that with words that have no obvious connection to anything resembling a theme. Don't be fooled, though, there is an essay lurking below the surface. Many of the ideas expressed here can only be revealed after repeated listenings. In fact, some songs seem to change depending on how you approach them. A prime example of this is the song "The Greatest Pac-Man Victory In History," which has at least two layers of meaning. Bazooka Tooth, while not as sonically sophisticated as El-P's best, has a more straightforward "street banger" feel. I like this a lot.