The Rug

Big Ass Truck | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 31, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Terminus Records
• ASIN: B00005MK4U
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #528,260 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A little more experimental and sample-heavy, August 9, 2001

By 

Willie the Pimp (Memphis, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rug (Audio CD)

Another good album from my favorite local band. I waited anxiously for The Rug to come out, and I'm not disappointed. I will say, however, that this is a slightly different sound from their past records. Whereas Kent and Who Let You in Here? are greasy with Memphis grooves and rock riffs, The Rug is a little more experimental. Let's break down the track listing:

"The Path" - "I promised my mother I'd stay on the path." This and a string of random samples introduces us to this funky number. This is your standard BAT groove piece. I really like how the louder drums kick in after a second. The 70's-ish keys are good as well.

"The Wardrobe" - Weird little ditty. I do like the drums and the beep boop sampling. This is one of the few songs that has actual lyrics.

"Doughblood" - Funky as all hell. This is the centerpiece of the record, dominated by Colin Butler's scratching and samples. I really love the synth passages in this. This is great dance music!

"Locked In" - The opening piano makes my car speakers fuzz. This is a really cool pop song with some inventive lyrics - "My only defense / a limited knowledge of karate."

"The O" - Horns are cool. That's all I have to really say. Like "Doughblood," sounds are just layered and layered on top of each other here.

"Add-a-Shag" - Ummmm, okay. This sounds like a prank call or something. I kinda like the keys in the background. Short track, not much to say until...

"The Me" - This is a beautiful song. The conga sample is great. I like how the guitar is slowly introduced, builds, and then- it's all over. It's some very nice soloing though.

"The Ghost Story" - Colin directs this one again. That's his voice, too. This is the most out of control number on the album. It's just all-over-the-place sound. I like the sampled outro into...

"The Rug" - This is "Breathe" by Pink Floyd, in a nutshell. Not only are the guitar chords almost identical, it's the same tempo and there's even some piano accompaniment, *just like* Dark Side of the Moon's opening track. The chorus section is a little different, but even the guitar tone makes you think Floyd. It's a little too monotonous to be so long. A slightly disappointing end to a great CD.

The Rug is high quality music. I like this direction for the band, with the heavier reliance on sampling and layering. However, at least on this album they've lost the same sing-along qualities of earlier songs like "Taylor, Mississippi", "Hands of a Working Man," "Sweetness," "Just Sick" and many others. Samples have ceased to be fun little motifs and now direct whole songs. Luckily, the funk remains. Like previous albums, a lot of this sounds like a 70's blaxploitation soundtrack. I think the important thing is to flow along with the band's direction. It just wouldn't be fun if they did the same thing all the time. Like Radiohead, if they keep the old material alive at live shows they'll be one of the most versatile groups around. The Rug is highly recommended.