Customer Reviews

Dr Octagonecologyst

5 star:		(81)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

(In my opinion), since his early days with the Ultramagnetic MCs.

In this album (produced by Dan the Automator), Kool Keith plays the deranged Dr. Octagon.

This album is full of bizarre lyrics and is filled with electronic and unusual beats.
A crazy album from a crazy MC (who has spent time in a mental asylum) -- makes sense

There are several great tracks to listen to on this album such as:"3000", "Blue Flowers", "Bear Witness" 1 (1st of several by Dan the Automator and Prince Paul), and "I'm Destructive".
And there are entertaining and perverse skits throughout the album.

There are also musical contributions by: Prince Paul, DJ Shadow, and DJ Qbert.

If you like Kool Keith or unusual and innovative hiphop this is a good album.

Considered a classic.

Dan The Automator demands space on you iPOD. Here Dan escapes from producing his classic blues variety of hip-hop to produce a sort of darker 'Deltron 3030' with the same futuristic feel. Although this album is nearly 10 years old this is where where hip-hop is moving at the moment! It is also (like all of Dan's other works) eons more musically ahead of the game where ganga' hip-hop is kinda stuck coming up the next harder than thou rapper who can impress eight year olds too. Although Dr. Octagonecologyst is not as fast as modern raps it is just as complex with great artists like MF Doom probably nodding at this album which obviously has majorly influenced them. Like I have said before, once you have finally gone through the mainstream stuff you will probably venture down the avenues of MF Doom, Aesop Rock, Mr. Lif and most certainly you will want to start a Dan the Authomator collection. And again, with a COVER like THAT how can you refuse?

This album is five years old and still eons ahead of what most people are doing with hip hop. In every facet of its being, this is the BEST record I have ever heard. Its beats-- spartan yet dense, dark and trippy, laid together by Automator, have not even been approached on any other album. DJ Q-bert's scratching comes from a different world. Sir Menelik, the guest rapper, raps like he is a computer-- this plays right into Keith Thorton's hands as he weaves together some of the most far out lyrics that have ever been thought. Its a Darius James book put to music (read Negrophobia!)In a day, if you listen to his statments regarding it.....

One comment, the Mo' Wax version is a good bit better than the Dreamworks one (because the additional tracks are tight...) Look for Biology 101 on Napster and tell me that it is not the most mind-blowing thing ever.....

BUY THIS if you don't have it. You could put it in your car next year and people would still go out of their head for how futuristic is sounds....

To some, bugged-out is an insult. To Kool Keith, it's a lifestyle. While other emcees talk about how insane they are, and use it merely as a gimmick, Keith has time spent in an asylum as proof of his authenticity. Is spending time in a padded-room neccessarily something to take pride in? Absolutely not. But for Kool Keith, it's something that has greatly set him apart from his contemporaries.

There isn't a moment on this album that Keith, under his Dr. Octagon alias, is even close to being sane; the stuff he spits is so outrageous, and so absurd, that even if you lived your life as a continuous acid trip, this album would still fly over your head like the UFOs Keith's so obsessed with. When he does the chorus to "Earth's People," spitting "Earth's people, New York and California, earth's people, I was born on Jupiter," he'll literally leave you scratching your temple for days on end, pondering what the heck he just said.

Yet he's so dope on the microphone, it doesn't matter. Track after track, he comes correct with tight, albeit off-beat flows, with intricate rhymes about the most random of things. On No Awareness, he opens the song with "Your organic medical talk propels off my arms, the atom bomb final Lionel Richie not couth for this battle. I battle sing-sing-sing like bing-bing-bing," and understanding that is next to impossible. Sometimes Keith doesn't even bother to rhyme, yet his flow will have you thinking otherwise, as he never loses it throughout this release.

The production is absolutely phenomenal. Dan The Automator is clearly one of the best behind the boards, and doesn't get the proper credit he deserves in most hip-hop circles. The production is eery, and the science-fiction influences are heavy; much like Keith's rhymes themselves. There is not a single bad piece of music on this album, from either the emcee or his producer; creating a masterpiece which, unfortunately for Keith, greatly overshadows his enormous catalogue.

While Keith may've disowned the Dr. Octagon alias due to this album's success, and not attracting the audience he'd wanted, that doesn't change the fact that this as original an album as you'll find in any form of music. Recommended to any hip-hop head with an open mind.

For those of us who recognize the significance of the long forgotten Ultramagnetic MC's and their early rap accomplishments, already know Kool Keith is indefinitely ahead of his time. In fact, Kool Keith's "rap moves on to the year 3000" is an understatement considering the magnitude of groundbreaking material found on Dr. Octagon. From beginning to end, this dark and foggy sci-fi adventure will have the listener literally, "spaced-out."

The brilliant combination of Kool Keith and Dan the Automator, could quite possibly be the greatest formula of emcee and producer, that hip-hop has ever seen. Unlike all of Keith's other albums, the producer is given just as much credit as the artist, and for good reason. The Automator's instrumentals are simply revolutionary and Grade A world-shattering. Then again, Kool Keith's bulletproof flow and extraordinary intelligence, seems to take a life of it's own, deadlocking the listener in a state of bewilderment. It's hard to say who should be given more credit. Both, Dan the Automator and Kool Keith, feel they're the prime modernizer behind the project of Dr. Octagon and it's ultramodern status. Me personally, I say they're both equally responsible for this risky venture that flourished into the work of genius that it is today.

One can't forget the amazing work of DJ Qbert as well. He shouldn't be given as much credit as Keith or Dan, but without the sharp and on-point scratching from Qbert, Dr. Octagon would be like a brand new pair or Jordans, but without the must-have custom laces.

The album's subject matter is extremely experimental and very risky, however, not much of anything is successful without risk these days. Dr. Octagon isn't a platinum album, but since when did having a platinum record make it a masterpiece? Most would agree both Kool Keith's and Dan the Automator's pinnacle of work can be found on Dr. Octagon, past, present, and future. Will hip-hop ever create an album as great? If rap moves on to the year 3000, maybe.

When this album was released in 96' it set the standard for all other hiphop releases to follow. From the innovative skratching on such traks as Real Raw and No Awareness, to the off the wall lyrics of the rapper Kool Keith who takes on the persona of the insane doctor that we've come to know as DocOc. I first heard this album while riding in my best friends car. Having never heard the lyrical geniusesness of Kool Keith I was left only to listen and let myself be consumed into the world of horror that Keith portrays in this album. The Beats are unlike any other that you've ever heard. They have that unmistakable Keith edge that only true fans can appreciate. This album is destined to be a classic. A must have!

This album almost transcends rap music as it was in 1996. Anyone who heard the DJ Shadow song "Why Hip-Hop Sucks In 96" knows what I am talking about. It's the money. This was a strictly underground, independent, non-commercial release. This was a true concept album. Kool Keith from the Ultramagnetic MC's took the role of Dr Octagon, a doctor who does not necessarily help his patients. This album is a true work of art. It plays on everyones fascination with mad scientists as it brings us in touch with the character of Dr Octagon.

The songs on the album themselves took the old hip-hop metaphor of "droppin science" to a new conclusion. The structure remained the same, but the substance grew into something entirely different from anything before. These are still rap songs with the typical verse, chorus, verse format with odd hooks thrown in. The songs together made for a concept album that actually stuck to its concept, avoiding the unrelated tangents that many rappers end up with in their verses. The lyrics, especially the choruses, sound weird. Listening to the words "Megatron, Rejuvinate!" over and over again begins to wear away your patience. The verses make up for this as the warped mind of this mad doctor is opened up for you with a rusty scalpel.

The production here is top-notch. Dan the Automator brings the beats hard and heavy. The eeriness of the subject matter presented by the lyrics is accentuated by some tight beats and plenty of weird noises. Squelching synthesizers and breaks that you think you've heard before bit cannot remember where are all here. Each track is in a down-tempo, trip-hop style. The interludes are mostly porno movie samples that get in the way of the music. Additional production comes from Kut Master Kurt. There are scratches and cuts from Q-Bert from the Invisibl Skratch Piklz. "Bear Witness", the only up-tempo song, may be one of the most sophisticated scratch tracks ever, as Dan the Automator changes his style to go with the furious turntable work of Q-bert. Q-bert adds some touches to the vocal songs with his excellent scratches.

There will never be another album like this one again. The following projects by Kool Keith and the Automator have failed to live up to this one. Kool Keith has released a bunch of other albums with other alter-egos which have lead to weaker results, skip his other albums "Black Elvis/Lost In Space" , "Mathew", and "Dr Doom" . The Automator has had his own projects, like the Handsome Boy Modelling School with Prince Paul, Deltron 3030 with Del the Funkee Homosapien, and some solo work. The two may never work together again as they are rumoured to have had a falling out after Kool Keith didn't show up for the Woodstock '97 tour they were billed to perform on. The only blemish on the legacy on this album has been that it seems like these guys release something new every month.

Kool Keith is one of the best kept secrets within the music industry. Kool Keith has dozens of alter egos and personas. "Dr Octagon" is probably his best known and most creative, distant, original, spaced out, dark, etc. etc.

The only over Keith album that even comes close to being as great is the classic "Dr Dooom" (too bad Dooom kills Octagon). This is by far the most popular album from the master mind behind the late 80's Ultramagnetic Mcs. I can't think of any way this masterpiece could possibly be greater.

Keith's flow on "Dr Octagon" blows away ALL other rappers/emcees. His dark yet distantly ill lyrics display a mentality of nothing less than someone who is zoned out completly and couldn't be more creative. His diverse flow and mind tingling lyrics combine to transform the perfect album, not just within hip-hop but all music areas. No wonder "Dr Octagon" has recieved so much international attention. Easily one of the top 25 albums of all time hands down. Top 5 hip-hop albums of all time.

Keith is only half the story with "Dr Octagon" though. We have to give credit to the notable Dan The Automator for his best work he has ever accomplished. Dan has worked with the Gorillaz and was the mastermind behind the classic "Delton 3030." But still, his best work is on "Dr Octagon." I doubt this album will ever be topped. By Keith or Automator.

Every track, every skit is purely flawless. The instrumentals are without a doubt beyond the imagination. You can listen to this album for days, weeks, months, years, and it will never get old. How many albums can you find with that ability? DJ Qbert does some work on "Dr Octagon" also, but I feel it might have been a little better without the scratches. Still a flawless album.

My favorite tracks include "Technical Difficulties" "Halfsharkalligatorhalfman" and "Blue Flowers revisited." There is not one track or skit I skip.

"Dr Octagon" is a timeless classic and stands along on its own as one of the greatest albums of all time. If you like "Dr Octagon" try his other albums, they aren't as excellent but they are worth the money.

You can't go worth with this.

After hearing the instrumentalist version of Dr. Octagon, I blindly decided to by this album. I did enjoy it; it provides quirky beats along with interesting/strange skits. However, alot of the lyrics don't rhyme, which is one thing I do like when it comes to rap. The lyrics are essentially incomprehensible. Yes, it's English all right, but nothing he seems to say makes any sense, as there is no real, general theme to follow. I would definitely recommend this album to people who are looking for something different. Not traditional rap, rather a science fiction movie style hip hop CD.

A true classic from the never-to-be-repeated conjunction of mc Keith Thornton, producer Dan Nakamura, and scratch artist DJ Q-Bert. Please note: the out-of-print 1996 Bulk Records release is far superior to the Dreamworks re-release, which for legal reasons excises two crucial tracks (featuring Sir Menelik) and the indispensible intro to HalfSharkAlligatorHalfMan.