Customer Reviews

Bottle of Humans

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

4.5 stars actually...

Sole is one of the best MCs in hip-hop today, along with Common, Pharoahe Monch, Talib Kweli and others, but in terms of originality, he is unquestionably number one (or maybe two, behind the overrated Dose-One). To paraphrase a line from the title track "Bottle Of Humans", he feels no need to sacrifice his cadence and flow to rhyme - but his cadence and flow are so fluid, you wouldn't even notice. And lyrically, he is amazing - one cannot go more than 10 seconds on this album without hearing something insightful and profound. The music is excellent, too, featuring production from Jel and Sixtoo among others. If you are looking to expand your mind and your musical horizons, this is the album to buy and I highly, highly recommend it. Sole may have gotten noticed by foolishly dissing El-P (and ultimately losing the battle), but if there's any justice in the world, this album will make him famous.

Whether you love Anticon or hate them, you have to admit that their bringing something different and new to hip-hop. Sole's (not to be confused with female MC Sole') Bottle Of Humans album does just that. Throughout the album, Sole drops many methaphors and verses that may take a while to decipher, but work in great ways. Sole discusses the troulbes in his life on some tracks ("Sole Has Issues," "Dismantling Of Sole's Ego," etc.) as well as the state of hip-hop and what he has come to do, and he does it by twisting together complex lines and poetic verses. As Sole says, "I can't say that I'm ahead of my time, I fear my time will never come." Some the standout songs include the title track, "Year Of Da $exx $ymbol," the dark "Suicide Song," and "Famous Last Words." The production courtesy of Jel, Controller7, Alias, etc. is also very good with eerie string samples and a jazz/funk loop or two. If you're looking for a hip-hop album that brings something different to the table, pick this one up.

First off, Sole didn't come out of nowhere with his free-associational, non-pareil Anticon style. He did release an album back in 94 which was recorded in New York City, and features a more straight forward emcee approach. Sole was even signed to Rawkus for a period, before he got fed up with the label and decided to embark on one of his own.
This iteration of Sole is chock full of metaphors, ego bashing and in many ways the album is confessional. Instead of rhyming about trivial topics, Sole branches out in a fashion that is in many ways a 360 degree variation of what is popular or accessible for many heads. This is not to imply that his artistry is a sham or inauthentic as some reviewers evidently feel. "Save the Children" is a song whose content would probably put off most musicians. Sure one must "peel back the layers" to comprehend it, but the message is there and it is strong indeed.
Depression is another uneasy subject which Sole addresses in several songs, and he tackles it in the same fashion as labelmate Alias, which is through introspection and rhymes that are heavily metaphorical and interpretive. A method that many artists choose to employ in their efforts to convey their melancholic emotions.
Sole's style is loquacious and complex, but this is not a detriment to his album (s). "Bottle Of Humans" is a fascinating listen for the most part, its momentum only occasionally burdened by sub-par material. Anticon and its associates are truly representative of an alternative to hip-hop's boorish world of bling and faux conscious artists set to beats that are equally sedating. Perhaps not an "advancement of hip-hop" overall, but it certainly takes the music down new avenues of self-expression.
Another great, albeit scarce, release is Man's Best Friend which came out a year ago. A sequel is even floating around out there, and worth the effort to locate.

This is one of the best hip-hop albums I have heard in a long time, the lyrics are consistently initially over the head, requiring many intent listenings before the meaning is caught. Jel does smooth production that lends itself to Sole's lyrics (or vice-versa). I don't think the Anticon crew is for everyone, they require a different taste than your average hip-hop, but if your into a somewhat artsy / experimental sound and usually extremely deep lyrics, I suggest you purchase this album.

Please read my review of Anticon's Music... for a better (and longer) retort to the "pseud bashers", but anyway, I just wanted to point out that Sole is an MC, true to heart, rhyming for the sake of RIDDLING. Which, most of these 20-something college grads wouldn't know anything about, as they're not listening to Anticon for the right reasons, they hear one Dose One verse (and that's all it f***ing takes, he spews garbage) and immediately discard the entire lable's roster of artists. But clearly, they don't listen close enough, they just let the beats cluster and verses string together, never really paying attention about what the artist has to say for himself or his sub-culture. As Sole says on the first d*mn track on the album, (and, it's even in the frickin audio sample above) "I've got a thousand ways to say nothing". Quite true, but they're pretty clever, and the production IS thumping, something I wouldn't mind hearing Eminem himself rap over. So, disregard these holier-than-the-holiest-of-thous reviews, and listen to what a REAL hip-hop head has to say. I like all types of music, not just rap, but hip-hop is the culture I grew up with, sampling is what got me involved in all other kinds of music, and I'm here to say that any true afficionado of experimental music would be pleasantly surprised if they truly opened their ears to what Sole (and his more talented lable-mates, like Alias and Sage Francis) are doing these days.

I was somewhat weary when I ordered this CD. It was like little I have ever heard before, and I wasn't sure what to respect. However, as soon as I was about half-way through the first track, I had realized that my decision to purchase this CD had not been made in vain. This is what true underground hip hop is all about: creative production, poetic lyrics, and an overall sense that this is art. The title track, Bottle of Humans, is one of the best tracks from flow point of view with equally impressive lyrics. Then, tracks like Suicide Song truely push the definition of hip hop, incorporating nonrhyming original vocal patterns, basically spoken word. If you love hip hop, and definately are open-minded, don't hesitate purchasing this CD.

This CD, along with Buck 65's Vertex and Cannibal Ox's The Cold Vein, made me fall in love with Hip-Hop all over again. Great songwriting with great beats. I do agree that it's a bit wordy at times and the songs sometimes are a bit drawn out but it still has a lot of content that I am digesting till this day. There is a really good reason that this CD was worth quite a lot when it was out of print. Definitely in my top 10. Suicide Song, Year Of The $exxx $ymbol, Bottle of Humans are my favorites.

I wouldn't go so far as to call this a underground classic, but it is definitely Sole's seminal album. For me, only three songs really stand out.. Bottle of Humans being the greatest on the album.. The sample (which escapes me at the moment is beautiful), and his pent-up angst and aggression come through in his lyrics. A great song.

This is an awesome album. Sole trumps Cannibal Ox's Vast Aire in the lyrics dept. This is true poetry by a truly pissed off young man. Bizarre, and completely worth the title of "art". I listen to it again and again.

I usually don't care for rap/hip-hop, except when comically thudding the base out the car windows, flashing gang signs at the 8-year-old neighbors and pretending to be the pimpin' scourge of the town. Yes, it's good fun.

Sole is not a ganster; he is more of a creative "loser". Basically all the songs are stating in some obscure way or another that he doesn't like anyone and is unhappy with life. I like it! "Save the Children" is really a cool song, no other way of putting it. "I Don't Rap on Bumper Stickers" is another classic with original, honest lyrics. "Suicide Note" is catchy and bizarre as hell. This is rap for people who hate rap.