Shifting Gears [Enhanced]

Z Trip | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 19, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Hollywood Records
• ASIN: B0007ZEP1S
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,511 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #17 in Music > Dance & DJ > Turntablists

Track Listings

1. Intro

2. Listen to the DJ

3. All About the Music

4. The Get Down

5. About Face

6. Furious

7. Take Two Copies

8. For My People

9. Bury Me Standing

10. Breakfast Club

11. 3rd Gear

12. Everything Changes

13. Walking Dead

14. Shock and Awe

15. Revolution (STR Pts. 1-2)

16. The Grandmaster [CD-ROM Track]

Editorial Reviews

Shifting Gears Music CD

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dj Kicks, September 5, 2005

By 

R. Lister "burblet" (Palo Alto, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shifting Gears (Audio CD)

Sometimes the inspiration of an album outweighs its execution. Maybe that's a little the case here, but what the hell - this album is also damn fun.

Stepping back: Z-Trip is obviously a fan - like, a major league old school hip-hop culture fan, and having gained enough notice with "Uneasy Listening" he's got to do a little bit of everything he loves, in the styles he loves, with the people he loves. It's totally infectious: the old school is large and in your face: huge party grooves ("Listen to the DJ"), silly stoner lyrics ("Breakfast Club"), tunes for breaking to ("Furious").

But on top of the nostalgic, party atmosphere, there much more going on here. First and foremost: this album has vision, structure and ambition that hasn't been seen in hip-hop since, oh, I dunno, De La Soul? Whatever, but it moves from an old school reunion (take a bow, Sir Whipper Whip: your track is a stand-out moment) to inventive new stuff, folding in down-tempo DJ Shadow-style re-workings ("3rd Gear"), nu-metal ("Walking Dead") and even crusty old Chuck D yelling about George Bush.

It's a pretty breath-taking span to attempt, and Z-Trip mostly pulls it off. Z-Trip also proves he has a pretty tidy sense of melody, creating a hip-hop ballad in "Everything Changes" with a lifting end section that really creates a mood beautifully.

So: in short: beware. This isn't your average party record, your average rap album, your average anything. It's brave and fresh and it knows where it came from. Absolutely respectworthy.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Old School, New School, Electro, Rock....it's all here!, May 30, 2005

By 

Stephanie J. Harrison (Kensington, NH United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shifting Gears (Audio CD)

This is Jared. And I just picked up Z-trip's "Shifting Gears"...I gotta say, what a breath of fresh air. I love old school hip hop/and turntabilism more than the crap hip hop that's out today. No dis to Kanye West, but some should just stick to producing....Anyways, the mix of rock, hip hop and electronica blends for an awesome mix. The only track I'm not thrilled about is "Take 2 copies" other than that, this album rocks. The other downside, is the album begins with old school party jams then after the funny as hell "Breakfast club" track, we get some downright awesome production. Best tracks come near the end ( Everything Changes, Walking Dead, Shock and Awe) Shock and Awe is just simply amazing hip hop/rock.... with Chuck D!!!! Bottom line....this is a breath of fresh air for all of us who long for old school blended with a little new flavor to bang out all these "bling bling" punks that are here and gone in a weeks time! Ya'll know who I'm talking about. Peace! Can't wait for more by Z trip.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not THAT good, April 25, 2005

By 

Derek R. Harding "droc2hard" (az) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shifting Gears (Audio CD)

Being from AZ I've seen this dude live and own some of his underground cd's. So I know how sick this guy is. This cd is good, but it's not sick. Z is very capable of making some sick sounds, but his full talent isn't really present on this cd. One of the other reviewers said that Z couldn't get a lot of his samples cleared, and I think that hurt him. This is a very solid cd, but lacks in something that doesn't make it a five star. the song with murs and super nat is my fav on the cd. If you're looking for a good "mixed tape" cd check out Prefuse 73's Surrounded by Silence, which is pure butter.