Customer Reviews

Piece of Strange

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After dropping 2 great albums, I can honestly say I didn't expect the Cunninlynguists to step their game up like this for their 3rd offering. 'A Piece Of Strange' is their first full length album since 2003's 'Southernunderground', which was followed by two volumes of 'Sloppy Seconds', both worthwhile offerings with some great standout tracks (including one of 2005's best tracks, 'Fear', off of Vol.2).

On this album, Kno tried to perfect his production, and as a result he almost gave up rapping alltogether. He only drops one verse the entire album (on the track 'Brain Cell), and it sort of makes you wish he would have taken the time to drop a couple more verses. But then you realize how much Kno has upped his production game for this release. 'Remember Me (Abstract Vs. Reality)' is probably the best example of this. As the only full legnth instrumental track on the album, Kno provides the listener with a beautiful piece of music, and as an INSTRUMENTAL this is one of the best songs on the album. That might be a first for me, when it comes to hip hop albums, as instrumental tracks are usually filler, or nowhere near the level of this song. On 'A Piece Of Strange', the beats are incredible. You can really tell Kno took his time perfecting this album.

The album is DEFINATELY on point lyrically. While I don't think Deacon & Natti are, or will ever be ELITE lyricists in the game, they're more than exceptional, especially when it comes to southern rap. Tracks like 'Hourglass', 'Caved In', 'Nothing To Give', 'Since When' & 'America Loves Gangsters' showcase their lyrical abilities the best, and are also some of the best overall songs on the album.

Ultimately, this is just an extremely dope album, and one of the best southern rap releases in YEARS. The lyrics, the production, the feel...Everything here was executed perfectly, and I would say this might just be the Cunninlynuists' best album so far (although 'Will Rap For Food' & 'Southernunderground' were both great, too), and they're quickly making their way into Hip Hop's elite groups.

Top 5 Songs (In Order):

1. The Gates (Featuring Tonedeff) - Just a GREAT song. Incredible piece of music with Tonedeff dropping one of his best songs.

2. Hourglass - Love the production here...Deacon & Natti also drop some great verses.

3. Hellfire - Great high energy song, and actually the only one on the CD.

4. Caved In (Featuring Cee-Lo) - The amazing Cee Lo provides the hook to an overall dope track.

5. Nothing To Give - One of the best beats and one of the best tracks lyrically.

Worst Track:

None. There isn't a song on this album I can classify as 'the worst'. All of them are great, and worth listening to.

Lyrics/Substance/Subject Matter - 9/10
Flow/Delivery - 9/10
Production - 10/10
Overall Feel - 9.5/10

Guest Apperances - Cee-Lo, Tim Means, Immortal Technique, Tonedeff & Club Dub - 9/10 - Tonedeff, on basically a solo song, produces one of the best lyrical performances of the album, and Cee Lo & Immortal Tech. really help this album succeed.
Overall Rating - 9/10 - The (very) early frontrunner for album of the year of 06, and HIGHLY reccomended to any hip hop fan.

With Kno's production, Deacon's rhyming and guests such as Tonedeff, Natti, Cee-Lo Green, Immortal Technigue and Club Dub this conceptual album most definately shows growth for the group CunninLynguists.
Although I was hoping to see a few more verses from Kno, his ill production more than makes up for his absence vocally.
My favorite tracks include:
Beautiful Girl
America Loves Gangsters (feat. the very talented Tim Means)
The Gates (feat. Tonedeff)
Remember Me (Abstact/Reality)

I believe this album is a must have!

I honestly can't believe how beautiful the music featured on this album is - everything from the first track until the last is masterfully laced by Kno, and spit over by immensely talented pair of emcees, Deacon the Villain and Natti. While Little Brother maybe viewed as the saviors of the South, the CunninLynguists are real group reviving the magic OutKast and Goodie MOb onced delivered the world; Southern soul in the form of hip-hop, with some of the tightest production found anywhere, and two ill brothers spitting introspective tales about the struggles found in their lives.

While a good handful of musical masterpieces require multiple listens to appreciate the brilliance of, A Piece of Strange will hit you full-force upon your first listen. While the album does have strong spiritual undertones, it's obvious that they're all in spirit only - this is no religious album, so don't let certain reviews from other sources discourage you from checking out this album. It's also conscious hip-hop, but more so in the De La Soul sense than the Mos Def - they produce music that is profound, and thought provoking, but isn't strictly positive; they literally go from heaven to hell on this release, providing some majestic moments, as well as some utterly terrifying ones.

With guest appearances coming from talented emcees like Immortal Technique and Tonedeff, as well as a crooning Cee-Lo Green, this album suffers not a single dull moment. Even the interludes add to the effect, and overall cohesiveness of this album; you won't find any urge to skip them, as they're all passages of elegant, albeit short, music. I would normally highlight the exceptional tracks, but the truth is, that everything found within this album is exceptional; it maybe hard for some to believe that such an original, and captivating album is able to be released in this day and age, and especially with little to no publicity. Even if you've followed the underground scene for years, how dope this album is may still come as a shock.

With extravagent samples found throughout the album, ranging from Spanish guitar chords to full-blown church choirs, this album is an epic journey into the minds of one very ill posse. A concept album in the truest sense, and the definition of 'instant classic,' the CunninLynguists' A Piece of Strange will be looked at in years to come as an obscure classic, and will influence those who have the opportunity to listen to it. It's too early to be seminal yet, but this release will be viewed in the same light as KMD's Mr. Hood, or Mic Geronimo's The Natural in years to come; a perfect album, which went fell far below the mainstream's radar. If you're reading this product's page, and are even vaguely intrigued by this album, do yourself a favor, and pick it up as soon as possible; these reviews aren't hype, they're truth. This is essential to your collection.

I dare you to find an album better than this one.
I honestly can't say i've seen perfection in purer form....
Cunninlynguists raised the bar of musical excellence by a mile with this record, you really got to hear it to believe it.
Available WORLDWIDE, so you have no excuse for not putting down the few dollars this album will set you back.
You will in return get an album that will blow you away, i dont care if you aint a fan of the group.. It is not humanly possible to dislike APOS, even the cover and the liner notes are so on point and brilliant!

The album is a concept album and the story can be a little tough to get at first. (because the music sounds so good, you'll be lost in its brilliance).. But as you get to listen a couple of times i think the story in the album will sink in, and you can appreciate the album in a whole new way. The music speaks for itself, it did not need a concept to sound this good, thats for sure.. but its just a little something that puts it in a different league than many other albums.

In the year 2015, I think this album will be viewed as a classic just as Illmatic, Ready To Die, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Food for Soul, etc... An its well deserved. This is they're third album (not including the critically acclaimed Sloppy Seconds mixtape series), they're best album, and hopefully not they're last one. Where they will go from here - I can't even imagine.

Its almost impossible to name some random standout tracks from this album, it being a real deep conceptual album and all, but here is a couple of titles...

-Nothing To Give
-Since When
-Caved In
-The Gates
-Hellfire


BUY THIS ALBUM, IT'S THE BEST ALBUM OF 2006

This album is a sonic masterpiece. All hiphop heads should get out there, pick up a copy of this disc, blaze up, and dig the dense and multi-layered soundscape this band has created. Great words, fantastic beats and ryhthms, unique soiund effects and carefully chosen and interwoven samples make this an album unlike no other you own. BUY IT!

This album is conceptual. It does have a basic story behind it and if you catch on to it.. it's really somethin' you probably wouldn't expect from a Hip Hop album. Kno drops the sick, diverse beats like always with Deacon and Natti on the vocals with the southern influence. This album doesn't really have any songs you'd hear at a club and want to jump around to (except Since When and possibly Hellfire) but that definitely does NOT lessen this album in ANY way. It's a deep CD, you're either gonna love it or hate it. Compared to the CunninLynguists' past CDs, this definitely is breaking the norm.. even outside of CL's past albums, this is something fresh. Even though the songs all have a basic serious meaning behind them.. That doesn't mean they all got some gloomy beats.. There are some beats that just F'n BANG, like the instrumentals to Nothing To Give, Beautiful Girl & The Light (with its sick drums).. And once again some amazing interludes (Inhale, Damnation & Remember Me) which fit the feel of the album perfectly.. You don't even have to listen to the full album to feel most of the songs.. I know it must've been difficult to have a conceptual, somewhat story-telling album and still have the songs sound good without listening to the full album. But, the CunninLynguists make it work. This album is ahead of its time..

I've always been a fan of the Cunnin Ones. From Will Rap for Food to SouthernUnderground, even enjoyed the Sloppy Seconds they served. This LP is definitly a different sound from the prior 2 Lps. From the Production to the lyrical content. The punchline rap style definitly takes a back seat in this album. Its more of a.. should I say "storytellin" album, but still brings the Cunnin sound. You'll notice the Mr. SOS doesnt appear frequent on this cd. I believe he's on only one track. Definitly a disappointing aspect of the album. He's replaced with and emcce named Natti, who isnt as polished as Mr SOS but doesnt take away from the album.

Kno again does his thing. After hearing the "White" album i was looking forward to hearing some new material, and I definitly was pleased with what I heard.

Overall I would strongly recommend picking this CD up. it would be a nice addition to anyones collection!

This is the first review I've ever written, basically cause I can't sleep, I'm listening to APOS, and I think it deserves all the praise its been getting. I can't say there is a single track I would want to take off of it. Its an album I wish was 30 tracks longer and isn't gonna leave my car for a long time. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone trying to just add to their dance playlist. I would recommend it for anyone that listens to hip hop for the lyrics, the beat, or both. Hell, I don't know if I'm making sense anymore, just buy this album.

Whoa. Okay, I liked CunninLynguists enough have bought one of their albums in the past but this is a sharp departure from their earlier works. In a word, this album is best described as Melancholy. Gone are the joking metaphors, uptempo beats loopy beats and exchanged for rich sonic textures, drawling half sung vocals, and more serious matters. While I'd compare this albums sonically most closely to older Outkast, the immediate comparison that comes to my mind is to Little Brother, two great MCs and a truly gifted producer. I'm not the first to reach this conclusion but both groups are representing the South while earning the respect of hip hop heads without being cliche dirty south.

Interestingly enough, Kno only spits one verse on the album and Deacon let Kno take the boards for all 16 tracks. While Deacon is a good MC and alright producer, the Kno is the star of the show from the opening chant to the long downtempo instrumental gaps. The interludes are as compelling as the songs themselves, Damnation is compete fire and the only thing missing from perfection Remember Me is a verse or two. Its a complete and plays out as an album, rare for a rap record. Its apparent Kno does know (for lack of better words) that he's great... one of the best. In the album credits, Kno takes time to thank the musicians he sampled as he feels they are the the artists. In some way, its a strange admission that the art of sampling is only secondary to the art of being the originator.

Also CunninLynguists take some needed time to defend the South from what they feel as unjust attacks from the rest of us. While its stated plainly on the album, actions speak louder and words and they back every bit of it up. Its a shame kids aren't running to Target to pick this album up instead of Young Jeezy.

I'm not one to go around rating 5 stars for much, but seriously this is top choice. QN5 seems to be on a roll as Tonedeff's Archetype was one of the best albums of 2005. Only downside is that CunninLynguists put out candidate for album of year so early but even in 2007, it should still be on the tip of people's tongues.

If I could only listen to one album for the rest of my life, A Piece of Strange would be that album. It was the first Cunninlynguists CD I bought, and it turned me into a fan instantly. Hell, APOS ignited a new appreciation of hip hop for me. CL is a great group, all of their albums are good, but this one is on a whole different level.

From start to finish, it's flawless. Not one bad track, not one moment of filler. The beats are the most beautiful you could imagine, and the lyrics...captivate you. You never have that moment of "Could they stop repeating the ****ing hook and rap already" like with most albums. Every track has meaning, and they fit together seamlessly. It's the most sincerely done concept album I've ever heard.

If you are a fan of hip hop in any way shape or form, this is a must-have. 5 stars.