Customer Reviews

Further Adventures of Lord Quas

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is my first outing with Quasimoto. After hearing the Madvillain album, I was totally enthralled by Madlib's unique and original production. I was also interested in Quasimoto's helium-voiced banter, and how it would hold up through a full length album. The results are definitely not what I expected; as it pushes the envelope much further than the "Madvillainy" album. The 26 tracks actually translate to nearly 60 grooves, skits, songs and interludes. Which means if you like or dislike a part, it will most likely pass within the same track. But there is an underlying theme to the whole album, and most of them are observatory under the influence of marijuana, among other things (see cut 19, "Shroom Music"). It's a parody of urban street life. Quasimoto appears to be a street-smart kid, spouting off his perspective on several things. Good examples of this would be "Bullyshi*", where he deals with bullies, or "Greenery" where he smokes and buys weed, or "Bus Ride" where he deals with a crazy cracked out panhandler. Some of this stuff is so crazy, it would seem that the Anticon label would be distributing this stuff. Where artists like Dose One and Pedestrian seem excentric and forcefully unusual, Quasimoto and Madlib hold stronger to their hip-hop roots. Not to say that it's all hip-hop; as several quirks of jazz, soul, funk and easy listening have been thrown into the mix. Make no mistake about it, this album is as pro-weed as any Cypress Hill record, and is probably most enjoyable over a packed bowl. But where the music brought forth by Cypress Hill was very lazy, sticky and stoned itself, Madlib shines new light on the same message. His music does sound stoned, but in a much dirtier, complex multi-element sort of way. Take "Players of the Game" for instance (one of my favorites); water splashes, zipper sounds, crazy tweaked out bells, soft soulful background vocals, and beat juggling turntable action. Tracks like that are just candy for the ears.

Although I very much enjoyed the adventures that take place throughout the album, I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't an exhausting listen. It's not easy to digest whatsoever. There are times where you just start to settle into a groove, and then poof, it's gone. But that's something I, and many fans of Madlib have come to accept (and expect). This is definitely on the cutting edge of hip-hop; musically, lyrically, and thematically. I would like to say that the balance of weird quirky elements and accessibility is perfect, but it's not really, thus the four star rating. I've listened to the album about 6 times, and it's still growing on me.

Madlib lives in the studio; that's obvious. Getting blazed and making music is his thing, and he does it very well. Music like this can be compared to Ween's "The Pod" (where they locked themselves cabin, inhaled lots of scotchguard, and made an album on an eight-track). It's an adventure in inspiration brought forth while under the influence of drugs. I know that seems harsh, but it's not something you hear everyday (at least this extreme). Madlib is on the forefront of futuristic production in hip-hop, and he's proven himself time and time again. Madlib is the epitome of originality. And originality is hard to grasp sometimes. So be patient with this baby.

The Further Adventures of Lord Quas is the Trout Mask Replica of rap. Madlib, much like Captain Beefheart, has a unique style that is hard to penetrate and hard to pin down. The songs on this album aren't really songs per se, they are more like random clips and odd ball samples with the occasional spattering of rhyme thrown in. The album is dizzying to listen to. Their must be 50 or 60 little mini skits, song fragments, and other oddities sprinkled through the album. All this combines to make one of the best and innovative rap albums to come down the pipe this year.

Madlib/Quasimoto has created an innovative and unique production style that he created with the first Quasimoto album the Unseen, continued with the excellent Madvillian record, and continues to refine with this production. Overall I think that his production sounds more complete on this record than on Madvillian. What makes this a weaker release than Madvillian is the quality of lyrics and the MC involved.

Quasimoto is not as good as MF Doom. Quasimoto seems to be riffing on Doom's style throughout, and his voice can get kind of irritating. He sounds like Eminem on helium and without all the homophobic gay bashing. It's an interesting trick, kind of like what Prince did on If I Was Your Girlfriend, but extended for a whole album. His style can be grating though.

Overall, The Further Adventures of Lord Quas is a good album that fans of off-kilter alternative rap will love. If you like Dr. Octagon, MF Doom, Peanut Butter Wolf, or Aesop Rock, then you'll enjoy this. You want to be patient with it though, Madlib's style is like peeling an onion, you need to remove some of the outer layers before you can get the full effect of it.

The first Quasimoto album was fantastic. Frenetic beats and rhymes, sprinkled with even more hyper Melvin Van Peebles quotes.

Some people couldn't take the heliumized (is that a word? I doubt it, but I digress...) vocals, but I thought it was hilarious and original.

However, "The Further Adventures of Lord Quas" is a little bit too, I guess, interrupted, for my taste.

I still like the deep-diggin' obscure jazz samples and the Van Peebles quotes (he gets guest billing on the back of the album this time around), but the tracks are pretty short, and too often, they stop right in the middle of a hot beat.

"Greenery" rides a nice 808-style beat while Quas extols the virtues of his favorite herb, and it's fairly obvious that Madlib enjoys spending his days blunted behind the boards. Like I said in the review title, maybe this one will grow on me, but my guess is Lord Quas just hit the sophomore slump.

REVIEWER'S NOTE: Since I've written that review, much of the album has grown on me. There are still a few tracks that I could do without, and a lot of them are interrupted by sound bytes and the like, but "Closer" is front-runner for my Hip-Hop Song of the Year, as Quas and MF Doom stick-and-move atop a dissonant jazz riff. "Raw Addict, Pt. 2" is my write-in for Beat of the Year and "Hydrant Game" sports an addictive track and hilarious chorus ("You ain't gotta go away mad, girl/Just go away/Lord Quas ain't the one to play the hydrant game...").

Not as good as the first Quas album, but still a deep-diggin' banger for the most part.

The hype surrounding Quasimoto's 2000 debut album, The Unseen, rendered Madlib (aka Lord Quas, aka Otis Jackson Jr., aka DJ Rels, aka Monk Hughes) as a forever stoned, twenty-four hour beathead unable to function outside of his private basement studio. The albums' curious, multi-personality design had much of the hip-hop press wondering if Madlib was okay; the rock press, however, loved it. Was this another case of the alternative press turning a hip-hop act into a novelty, or were folks really grasping what Madlib was trying to do while standing on stage dressed as a six foot tall yellowish, furry, snouted creature?
Eventually word surfaced that while working on multiple serious projects, Madlib pieced together his Quasimoto concept on the side, never planning to release it. The story goes that Stones Throw owner/Madlib landlord Peanut Butter Wolf talked Jackson into taking a chance and releasing what was at the time perhaps the most daring hip-hop album to see widespread distribution. In the years since, Madlib has become arguably the most creative and prolific figure in underground hip-hop. And Lord Quas? He's done a nice job of dividing hip-hop fans with his lunacy, and believe it or not, he's back for more mischief with his unimaginable sophomore album, The Further Adventures of Lord Quas.
Spread out over twenty-six tracks, Adventures plays out more like a Captain Beefheart or Frank Zappa project than your typical rap release. Using more samples than any standard ten rap albums combined, Madlib has created an ambitious sound menagerie that can hardly keep it's focus long enough to ever hit the two minute mark. Mixing oddball samples, vocal experiments, various sound-bites, and other unidentifiable sources with beats and an occasional rap, Jackson doesn't tell a story, but further sculpts the world he shares with his high-pitched alter-ego Lord Quas.
So what exactly is Quas like, you ask? First off, he is the bad character. Much like Madlib, Quas is a big fan of the greens. In fact, similar to The Unseen, Adventures often feels like a testament to the raw creative madness that can be brought on by a little bit of reefer, or in Jackson's case, a boat load. Rather than exploring themes, Madlib focuses on style and attitude, spending the glut of his time developing the personality of his all-too-bored studio partner Quasimoto.
Equal parts funny and confusing, Adventures is not for the everyday rap (or rock) listener. In fact, Adventures isn't for the everyday mind. With repeat listens, the beats start setting in and the subtle themes and jokes become lovably novel. Believe it or not, the vocal effects, bothersome as they may first seem, might even start to make sense. Quas is not here to be easy, Madlib makes that very clear from beginning to end with only the single, "Rappcats Pt.3," coming off as accessible.
Often times feeling more like a hip-hop version of a Cheech and Chong film, Adventures retains a high entertainment value throughout; that is, if you realize before pressing play that you are in store for a wholly madcap listening encounter. Jackson already has a number of first-rate hip-hop and jazz albums under his belt; to some, Adventures is just another peep into Madlib, hip-hop's current classic character, and his studio shadow, Lord Quas, the bad character.

From the intro to the end this album is a good listen. Just like in the "Golden Era" I do not find myself skipping any tracks on this cd.

The lyrics exhibited by the Quas MC aren't the tightest rhymes but the beats back him up quite well. The topics coverd generally are weed, women, & beats. The album is extremely comical.

Be prepared to have the dopest/craziest beats you ever heard interupted. But rest assured the next song will be just as creative as the previous. I believe that he cut up the album to compensate for the weak but tolerable rhymes. Regardless of the lyrical ability of Quas, my digust w/the current Rap scene helps me appreciate a cd like this one.

This is where Hip Hop needs to be.....These days most MC's and producers would be afraid to drop a cd like this 1. This album is futuristic and @ the same time reminds me of the originality of the 90's Hip Hop.

if u posses at least some form of intelligence and have a good sense of humor, dont sleep on this one! especially if u actually listen to the lyrics. but the beats on this are so ill, it runs with dr. octagynocologist but its more cerebral, insightful, and multidimensional. it goes great with a volcano vaporizer

Madlib's Quasimoto persona is one of the greatest things ever concieved in hip hop. The Unseen is not only a stoners dream, full of a helium pitched MC and obscure jazz samples, but it encompasses everything that is great about hip hop and in a lotta ways is a very traditional album, just warped enough to seperate the real hip hop heads(who appreciate experimentation), from the people who think liking The Notorious B.I.G.'s juicy makes you a head. It was more or less perfect, and Microhone Mathematics was one of the greatest underground singles of the decade. So ofcourse there was alot of aniticapation from the golden boy of indie hip hop, Madlib... who lets not forget has produced classics tracks for the Lootpack, a collab with fellow underground fiend J dilla, and ofcourse MF DOOM's most succesful album, Madvilliany.

The history behind Quasimoto leaves the true Madlib fans to know that this is Madlibs most personal project. There was a period of Madlibs life after working with Lootpack and Tha Alkohlics where he lived in the owner of stones throw records, Peanut butter wolf's, basement. Supposedly during this time, he did nothing but make beats from all the obscure records he's collected over the years and smoke dooopppeee cali bud. Madlib, who really didn't want anything to do with his own voice, and didn't like it for the most part, decided to make an alter-ego. This comes across as even more profound seeing as where he was in his life at the moment. generally alone, making art, and doing lots of drugs. So this creature that emerged form his warped trips in Peanut butter wolfs basement is really more than just a silly idea... it's an extension of Madlib himself. But, I feel this album almost loses that edge to it though.

Most likey do to the fact that Madlib has reached considerable fame in the hip hop world at the time of this realease. madlib has more or less become the face of indie hip hop, especially west coast underground. And it's quite obvious that the days of bewildering experimentation are over. Hip Hop artists have been trying to recreate the best moments of their career, when they were at their rawest all the time(Stillmatic) but 9.9 times out of ten, it just doesnt work... That's not to say Madlib isn't the best anymore... no sir.

The beats on this album are more or less the best of his career. The production is so deep, so dense, that he has finally made a sound no one would dare replicate. There is also an unreal amount of obscure samples, and references to past idols. I look at this album as almost a collage of what makes Madlib... well Madlib! There's also a very intricate pattern of weaving Madlibs own vocals, into crazy offbeat banter with his own Quasimoto, they respond to ecother line for line sometimes. Lastly the songs are very short, very very short. And most of them have 20-30 second intro's AND outros. So your left with really only 45 seconds to 1 minute of real rapping on every song. There's so many songs at 29, that after a while it just becomes so dizzying that it can almost work against itself... who am I kidding it does!

I understand what he's trying to do here... but it just goes on to long and I don't think it works to be honest. The Unseen may have had almost as many tracks(24), but it was complete with much more intact themes and had a real conventional design to it(for the most part). And if it did have outros and intros to songs, they were molded in the Pete Rock tradition... with just small breaks and loops in the beggining. This has so many outros and intros and interludes and interludes to it's interludes you can never really get comfortable with the album.

But I really can't be completely against what Madlib did here, because I feel this is in manyw ays a monumental piece of work. Something that questionably has never been done in such a indepth way. Really I think the main problem is the lack of singles. Even the first song released for promotion, Bus Ride is litered with Melvin Van Peebles samples. And the other 3 songs released along with Bus Ride, which have the most structured mainframe, come within the first 4 songs, or like rappcats is really just a collage of his most influential rappers.

I would recommend this album, but really only after listening to all of Madlibs most important realeses, and ofcourse after The Unseen.

Considered one of 2000's most accomplished (if not indeed the best) leftfield Hip-Hop albums. Quasimoto was intitally a side-project for prolific Hip-Hop producer 'Madlib'. An idea that he'd been working on (on & off) since 1996, and a completely ludicrous idea of having a Madlib himself cast as the straight-talking weed obsessed rapper, with 'Quasimoto' (Madlib's voice electronically altered, and sounding remarkably like someone having inhaled too much helium), as the stoned cartoonish extra-terrestrial, with a fixation on smoking a lot, Wack rappers and weed-fuelled consipracy theories. The first album was a masterpiece of, off-beat stoned humour, free-associative sped up raps, Bizarre skits, and some of the most inventive and agreeable Jazz & Funk inflected instrumental Hip-Hop breaks & Production (thanks to Madlib), over which the lyrics were laid. And although the helium voices repelled some, those that got the idea & Concept, quickly made others aware, and the albums reputation spread by word of mouth.

2005, takes Madlib's concept a step-further on the follow-up album, with ideas and concepts flung together without much in the way of a liner structure, it's almost as if he had so many ideas for the whole 'Quasimoto' universe that it would take several records to realise them all. The first album (after listening to this record) feels more like an introduction for the multitude of experimentation that would have been a little too far-flung to include on the first record, as on this album...Madlib's love of obscure beat-heavy Funk / Soul / Jazz fusions are arranged in such a way, that go beyond the Hip-Hop hybrids of the first album. Grooves lurch from left to right, tunes suddenly stop and morph into something completely different, samples frequently burst over tracks without any warning, production wizardry dominates the album with a uncompromising approach that it feels a little intimidating at first. So much so, that It the first albums off-centre grooves feel positively pedestrian in comparison.

So with this far more experimental fusing of Hip-Hop with just about anything, it opens the way for an album that is far more unique sounding than its predecessor, yet arguably slightly harder to penetrate, whether its: quirky Thumping hard-edged Electro ("Greenery"), slinky bass heavy hip-Hop beats moving things along ("Crime"), mind-bending synth-laded Electro-booty bass ("Hydrant Game"), Cut & Paste stuttering synth-fused rare groove ("Don't Blink"), twitching soul incrusted percussion-led groove, that's becomes frequently warped and jumps from Jazz to Hip-Hop samples ("Players of the Game"), Classic Quasimoto styled old-school Hip-Hop spliced with Jazz-funk, that stops and starts with vocal cuts interspersed ("Bus Ride"), psychedelic Soul-Jazz, which is actually ripped from a fantastic psychedelic-soul track by an artist called "Doris", who's "You never come closer" track this is, with "MF Doom" superbly rapping over ("Closer"), Drum Hi-Hat crashes mixed with Dj Spin-back sounds, overlayed with Indian 'Bollywood' chorus samples, and yet bizarrely works really well ("Maingirl"), upbeat Piano-led summery jazz, with smooth soul ("Bartender say"), sweeping Jazz horns, hung over tight Hip-Hop soul, that's largely reminiscent of the first Quasimoto album ("Another Demo Tape"), slow burning twinkingly instrumental 80's soul, that gets a street-smart freestyle rap over courtesty of M.A.D ("The Exclusive"), triumphant DJ shadow-esque referencing turntable electronic beats & booming intermittent bass ("Fatbacks"), old-school Jazz & Hip-Hop that collide into a simple clicky warped beat-reliant funk ("Shroom Music"), celebratory northern shouty soul-funk, mixed with turntable beats & crashing cymbals fuse perfectly here, in arguably one of the best tracks ("Rappcats, Pt 3").

This album is a natural progression from the previous album, and is production-wise far more experimental than the first album, with moods in music shifting rapidly and without warning, tracks start one way, and then stop and morph into something completely different and musically there is far less reliance on Hip-Hop sounds than before, and the music pushing more determinedly into funk / Soul / Rare groove / synth-keyboards than before...in fact such is the wildly eclectic approach here, that it almost begins to feel like an avant-garde form of beat production. Samples are in abundance here and are littered across the whole album, and vary wildly in their relevance, being draw from a huge back catalogue of sources: Sfi-dialogue, Jazz musicians (a favourite of Madlib's), old commercials, Cartoons (sounds like a Warner Bros sample in there somewhere), educational soundbites, and various other obscure vocal samples that Madlib was able to get this hands on. But for those of you that weren't convinced of the brilliance of the first album, will find even less here to sway their opinion, and if the helium voices irritated first time around, there is no let up on this album (even though Madlib lyrics and vocal timing have improved ever-so slightly), and if you're new to the Quasimoto sound, then starting with the more accessible first album, would be a very good idea. Because the production here, pushes the boat out even more than before, and may be hard going for some. But then this album doesn't seem like it was designed to snag a new audience, as it takes the whole 'Quasimoto' concept and runs away with it. It's more likely that this is purely for existing fans, that feel that the quasimoto concept still had some mileage in it, and on that premise Madlib delivers, possibly an album with next level production, and a sense of smoked-out humour with its tongue firmly in its cheek. Admittedly the novelty of the whole 'Quasimoto' concept isn't as unusual and surprising second time around, so Madlib has had to rely on this exceptional prodcution skills to counter-act consumer indifference, and believe me.....he's pushed the bar in terms of distinctive production, god knows where he goes from here.

Album of the year so far in my book. Amazing how so many ideas can pour out of a 2-3 track and yet sound so cohesive. The album weaves in and out of ideas just like a comic book would.I know some people on here complain about the breaks in tracks for chatter or whatever... but listen... it all makes perfect sense. Ever listened to The Books? Ya, same idea. It gets to the point where these 'pointless' breaks become the whole point of the track. Take 'Bus Ride' and 'Life is' for example, those breaks turn out to be the hooks of the song... just genious. Anyways, if you are unfamiliar with Madlib's other projects... you might want to listen to 'Madvillainy' first because its pretty simliar but has MF Doom as the featured rapper.

With so much greenery on the planet, thank god for Lord Quas.

So this review requires a bit of a story. Three weeks ago I was sitting around with some friends when one suggested we listen to some guy named Quasimoto. I had heard of Madlib, Lootpack and Madvillain, but for some reason the Unseen, Quas' first album, eluded my notice. We listened to it, and the very next day I ran out, bought it, and put it on my headphones until I memorized it. The only album that had ever had that effect before was the chillest album of all time: Tribe's Midnight Marauder's.
So unlike the initiated, I have not been waiting for five years, with my expectations building for that long. I picked up the album today, and I am as blown away as the first time I heard Unseen.
It certainly is strange, with samples from all across our cultural conscious, but this is not some random trip. The album is meticulously contructed, and Quas throws out verses that will dull down your rewind button until it doesnt work anymore. It has a consistent and totally distinct flavor, but this is hip-hop. It is a fully realized landscape, with recurring themes, strange landmarks and incredible, simply incredible beats that roll like hills and waves beneath the vocals.
Astounding. This will not come out of my headphones until every second is on continual play in my brain, much like Unseen.