Customer Reviews

Sound Directions: Funky Side of Life

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

 

 

Madlib has certainly been one of the pivotal forces behind the 'Stones Throw' label. He has been behind some of the best production efforts the label has had to offer. Remaining remarkably regular and consistent with his releases, he frequently produces under different names, enabling him to mess with various approaches, different ideas and styles, that some of his other aliases wouldn't allow for. Here he revisits his "Yesterdays New Quintet" project, which is predominately a Jazz-Funk, Jazz-Experimental project that took the instrumentation of Jazz and mixed slight traces of beats, and a strong emphasis toward the sort of soulful Fender Rhodes grooves that, were beginning to make their presence felt in the early 70's Jazz scene. And so what you were left with were beautifully angular sound drifting keyboards, confident improvisational pieces, and a meticulous attention to detail that was clearly a labour of love, and a project that is clearly a reference tribute to the music that inspires and influences Madlib.

Not everyone got (or indeed 'gets') "Yesterdays New Quintet", and some found the predominately instrumental takes on Jazz-infused grooves, a little wearing, and likened it to background music, with no real soul. So that might explain why this new album, although falling under the Yesterday's New Quintet umbrella, doesn't make direct references to the name, and it doesn't seem to be clearly labelled anywhere on the retail CD either. And it now means that this release takes on a far more upbeat and lively sound, that although in parts is still clearly the work of Madlib, and features tracks that easily sit within the Yesterdays New Quintet' name, now feature sounds and arrangements (and more importantly, ideas) that seem to be culled from his other production aliases (beat Conductor, Madlib), and livens an album that now isn't reliant on Jazz-Funk styled tracks, and now incorporates: leftfield funk, freewheeling instrumentals, Psychedelic Soul, celebratory breakbeats & progressive rare-groove, and as much as I love the first "Yesterdays New Quintet - Angles Without Edges" album, this is now a far more broad and eclectic sounding album, with a lot of the criticism of the first albums ponderous pace, now replaced with a wildly different tracks that have all been given the special Madlib touch, and so by skitting through vintage soul grooves, electronic freewheeling funk , and fusion-orientated Jazz breaks, that use horns, guitar, Rhodes keyboard, sampling, breaks, bass, organs, drums, into a gloriously messy collection of tracks that although never really gelling as a coherent album, make for a spectacularly thrilling sound, that'll attract the attention of anyone within listening distance. Madlib's skill at interpreting and arranging music that has influenced him, is staggeringly good, and justifies his reputation of one of the most gifted beat-constructors around.

In a strange way, this album feels like Madlib has drawn on the sounds and styles of all his aliases, and produced tracks that can (and do) work vaguely within the context of the Yesterday New Quintet name, and yet it does present a sound that although clearly a part continuation of Yesterdays New Quintet, is different enough to not really justify being considered 'just another' YNQ ('Yesterdays New Quintet') release. Perhaps this is why the album is more commonly called "Sound Directions", possibly signalling a new direction that he wants take the music. And this seems to be the sensible option, as there is a little bit too much Funk, and Beat-orientated tracks (as stunningly realised as they are), and leftfield Hip-Hop referencing, to really be considered a true YNQ release. And it'll possibly disappoint the Jazz Purists that be expecting more of the contemporary Jazz compositions (albeit with a decidedly abstract feel), that brought YNQ to their attention to the first place. (Although they will probably love his cover of "David Axelrod's - A Divine Image")

If you are considering buying this album, that I have to say that It's got to be a 'No-Brainer' purchase if you are a Madlib Fan. And so long as you understand that (A) this is prominently an instrumental album, (with the occasional sampled hollering), (B) It shifts between slow more cerebral subtly layered Jazz tracks, to energetic freewheeling imaginative breaks, Exuberant and Passionate electronic crossover funk, and organic jam-heavy soul-fusions. (C) is a relatively short album (40 minutes), (D) and if your a YNQ fan (like myself), be prepared to accept that although it does contain some of the mood and style of the YNQ Jazz-style sound, it now doesn't wholly make up the whole album. And you should be thinking more along the lines of it being a album that touches upon most of the production styles that Madlib has produced at one time or another. And to be completely honest....Who's going to have a probably with that???

Highly Recommended

sorta similar to YNQ in a way, but more live and made with real instruments. if you like madlib or YNQ for that matter this is a definite buy.

Jeremy is wrong. The reason why the compositions sound compressed is because they're not using a totally digital format of recording which sounds more like older recording albums, but I remind, whomever, that digital formats sound more mechanical and less human, so this album has a more human feel and is backed up by some great musicianship. There are a few songs that are hard on the ears, but with any great experimenter, you have to give them a break; they're creating something new, and so any listener should just open up to them. Trust me; they have a great sound that isn't matched by anyone of our generation.

As another reviewer mentioned, this is a great example of terrible compression. I listen to more old music than new and know what analog recording sounds like and this is not it. I have a hard time listening to this album as music because of it.

i would like to point out that the way this cd sounds is clearly intentional. anybody who listens to "The Beat Konducta (movie scenes) would know that the sound is intentional. i personally cant get enough of the wavering sound. especailly the way some of his kick drums seem to suck all the sounds of the track down into a pit and the track comes back strong ("the payback").

First let me say that this is merely the observation I have of the CD I bought. If other copies don't do this, then I want to know and I'll exchange it. But I have a feeling this is actually as lame as I think it is.

ok, is it just me, or is there something seriously wrong with the sound on this cd? I own most of Madlib's releases, and in the past madlib has been guilty of adding so much compression to his drums and other tracks that the entire recording pumps (when compression is too high, it sounds like the volume ducks in and out, like when you cup your hands over your ears and release them rhythmically). But it's rarely very bad, and maybe only for a track or two. Most of the tracks on this album have so much poorly-done compression that the whole recording dips in and out, to the point where it feels like your hearing is damaged. This is not a matter of personal taste or recording aesthetics; It is a matter of a good recording versus a bad one, not a different one.

I recently saw a screening of an old film print of "North By Northwest" by Hitchcock in the theater. I was looking forward to seeing this classic on the big screen, but the sound cut in and out through a similar effect as on this album. It was so bad that many people left because they didn't want to have to keep jumping in their seat every time a spoken word became preposterously loud, or lean forward and strain when the dialogue became so quiet as to cease to be intelligible. This is what it's like to listen to "Sound Directions." Madlib shows himself to be a competent drummer, and I think overall the songs on this album are fantastic. In fact, if the sound was ok, I'd probably listen to this album a couple of times a day. But as is, it's one-third excitement and two-thirds disappointment. Someone as experienced in the studio should never let such a basic technical problem get that out of hand.

If you make music that's instrumental, you don't have lyrics to distract the listener from compositional, production-related, or performance-related letdowns. This album is essentially instrumental, and funky in the tradition of some of David Axelrod's and Herbie Hancock's work. Given that, I'll say that it is not a matter of personal taste that a listener, when listening to INSTRUMENTAL BREAKBEATS, would not only want the sound to be clear, but that the drums stay audible in the mix. Due to the compression problems, as well as plain old bad mixing, crucial instruments drop out at the most inappopriate and moodkillings moments.

So 4.5 to 5 stars for the musicicans and arrangements and Madlib as a composer, and 1 star for bad production and/or mastering.

I don't expect nor want every album I buy to sound as clear, brilliant and clean as Steely Dan's "Gaucho." But I DO expect, when I buy an album recorded in a studio on decent gear by an experienced producer, that the album doesn't have overriding and distracting production problems. You've heard recordings of your friend' bands in clubs that have occasionally been more coherent than a lot of this album.