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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Flawed, but still an awe-inspiring listen, February 7, 2004
Though OutKast recently took home 6 Grammy nods, including Album, Producer, and Record of the Year, it's easy to overlook the joys of indie-rap. And while Jemini is certainly a very good lyricist, he's no Aesop Rock, but when J fails to bring the heat (rarely, mind you), it's Danger Mouse who delivers some of the freshest beats you'll hear entering 2004.DM drops a layered, complex, almost Basement Jaxx "Kish Kash"-era collage of sounds to the shifting, changing productions. "Born-A-MC" is filled with rising string and creshendos, "The Only One" using an early 70's guitar riff for a club-pulsating beat, while the sexy electro-funk of "Here We Go Again" sits nicely with the near-ballad of a song "I'ma DooMee". Yet, when the heat clicks, jaws are dropped. "Copy Cats" is a brilliant sample-based satire, the dangerously underrated "Bush Boys" a thought-provoking yet still-hilarious take on the current state of affairs in America, while the comedic "Don't Do Drugs" and album highlight "Medieval" simply need to be heard to be believed. Production & lyrically - new watermarks for indie rap. And any song that is as brilliant, short, and funny as the "Ghetto Pop Life (Intro)" garners two stars right there. This is surprisingly accessible, yet also incredibly relistenable. Not a modern-day "Labor Days" or "Fantastic Damage" by any means, but this will no doubt be rocking off socks for years to come.
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