Customer Reviews

Peanut Butter Wolf presents Chrome Children (CD with DVD)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Stones Throw records, owned by indy-legend Peanut Butter Wolf, has been known to bring the most abstract, and experiemental hip-hop to the market. All of the emcees on the label have a delightfully perverse sense of humor, and the thirst for creative rhymes, and beats. Whether you were introduced to Stones Throw through Quasimoto's The Unseen, Madvillainy's Madvillain, Jaylib's Champion Sound, or any of their other masterful release, you can't deny just how dope, and diverse their roster is.

With cuts from the label's multi-faceted emcees and producers, you'll find self-produced Oh No, Koushik, J Dilla, J. Rocc, and other tracks on this album; you'll even find tracks from Stones Throw's most renowned endeavors, such as Madvillain(Monkey Suite), Jaylib(Take It Back, No $ No Toke), and Quasimoto(Raw Heat, also featuring underrated emcee Percee P). However, this isn't strictly a hip-hop compilation; tracks from Stones Throw crooners such as Gary Wilson, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and Pure Essence are also dope tracks, that while not hip-hop, any fan of Stones Throw records, or good music for that matter, should enjoy.

This compilation shows exactly why Stones Throw records is as popular with college students who listen to indy-rock, as it is with hip-hop heads; they produce captivating, and thought-provoking music, that'll get your feet tapping just as much as it'll exercise your mind. It's the perfect soundtrack on a rainy day, when you just want to chill out, and possibly reflect upon your life. Layered with multiple dimensions musically, and pounding with profound lyrics, this deserves a place in anyone's music collection.

Descriptors of the tracks from these artists:
Oh No - a cool breeze with a phat beat; reminiscing
Guilty Simpson - tough; regarding the daily struggle
Madlib - groovy; scratchy mcscratch; can you say "layed back, but biting, battle rap?"
Koushik - tranceish; far more rhythmic than trance and I like it
J Dilla (RIP) - this song makes me feel that music is my life and J Dilla is the sensei on my path to enlightenment of music
James Pants - crazy and I like it; "clap your hands, stomp your feet"; catchy
MadVillain - as usual MadVillain is mysterious, poetic, Doomish, Libish (I just made those words up for this review)
Georgia Anne Muldrow - simply a joy; couldn't have been titled better
MED - no more reminiscing, we're in the here and now; what does it take to be a quality rapper, let's find out
Dudley Perkins - Dudley is the most unique vocal artist of our day; a little of all the classic singers r&b and soul and of course a dash of contemporary street knowledge and reverence
Percee P, Quasimoto - Lord Quas goes with anyone, but Percee compliments his vocal most; heart of the battle
Jaylib - i think this and the first Dilla track stand out as the most transcendent on the album; i hear the sirens and I love it
J-Rocc - who wants drama? not me; i feel like i'm on a car chase with this track; can't tell if i'm following or leading?
Roc "C" - i've always had a special place in my heart for perseverance songs; these are the steps and the trip ups that make life worth living
Gary Wilson - bicca-ch bicca-ch; 70's groove at it's finest; great song to ufck to ;)
Pure Essence - the mothership has not left the building; very cosmic; these tracks are titled well
Aloe Blacc - very African rhythms; what direction will we take next?
Baron Zen - Peanut Butter Wolf can take any genre and make it his own; droning lyrics; works with the track
Young Jazz Rebels - so glad to have these eclectic tracks on an [adult swim] album;that Stones Throw is linked to artists like this is amazing; soft and emotional drumming; seemingly a drum circle and flute

Overall Rating Through the Roof!

Adult swim and stone throw keep it blunted and keep it comin'. Nothin but pure beats and rhymes out of this collection of essential hits. Sounds like more then a soundtrack or anything like that. If you like Stone throw or just good lyrical and good beats to complement them then this is a diamond in the ruff, because it's beyond the average.

the dvd is worth the price alone, awesome doom performance,
really good qualtity ,
and the selections are exactly what ST has to offer.
get this while its still artound .. trust me..

The last third of 'Chrome Children' leaves a bit to be desired, but c'mon. It's a compilation--you gotta take the good with the bad and search out the gems.

Far as I'm concerned, there are plenty of those here, from Oh No's frantic-elevator-music 'Oh Zone' to Madlib's woozy-nasal 'Take It Back,' where J. Dilla crafts a beat that could easily have been an outtake from the latest Quasimoto album. Koushik's 'None in Mind' has a nice Bollywood/Blaxploitation vibe, and James Pants' 'Do a Couple of Things' just goes the straight blaxploitation route.

Roc C puts down a few solid verses on the Oh No-produced 'Movin,' MED does the same over Madlib's 'All I Know,' and 'Monkey Suite' should have just about everyone salivating for the next Madvillain album.

I'm not sure what the last few songs are all about, though. I mean, they're alright, but I'm not sure why they're on this record. They don't really fit with the first 14 songs. But oh well. I'll take 'em.

The true appeal of this for me was the companion DVD, which features performances at a Stones Throw show in Texas from MED, Percee P, Madlib and MF Doom. Doom's performance of 'Rhymes Like Dimes' alone is worth the price of admission.

And, of course, Guilty Simpson's 'Clap Your Hands,' on the CD, has the best one-liner I've heard in a while: 'I don't care who y'all rollin' with/'Cause a real ***** don't need sponsorship.'

It's good, for a compilation at least. I have never liked compilations or even greatest hits because I don't think they showcase anyone's personal strengths. There are a few gems on the album (Oh No, Madlib, Madvillain, Pure Essence, J Dilla) but most of the tracks are mediocre at best. A lot of the instrumentals are just boring and some, albeit different, are just bleh. I like Stones Throw and I like Peanut Butter Wolf, and I like most of the artists on here, it's just poorly put together, better songs are out there. It's Okay, I want to give it 4 stars but I just don't think it's that good. Not worth the new price but maybe used is a better deal.

This is a great collection of Stone's Throw artists. I have actually gone back and picked up as much of the Stones Throw catalog as i could. Their stuff is great!

It about time there were some hip-hop songs with great beats by skilled artist, though the last track was weird. Thank you Adult Swim for letting the artist connect with the listeners.

Love Dreams by that master of funk Gary Wilson.....

Soul Traveling on volume two by Gary buzzes the breeze!!!!!!!!!

Plenty of songs that'll reach out someone. Madlib n P-NUT Butter Wolf the s&%t! The DVD that it comes with gives alot of backround on these genius musicians. Great cruisin music