Customer Reviews

The Surviving Elements: From Soul Survivor II Sessions

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you loved Petestrumentals, stop reading this right now and get this album. Pete Rock has done it again; somehow his "leftovers" have turned into another classic instrumental cd. As with Petestrumentals, these beats don't even sound like they were meant for anyone to flow over. SSII fell short in a lot of ways for me, not because of the production (which at times was just mind-blowing) but because all too often the MC's just can't even come close to touching Pete's track. Thankfully, like P-mentals that's never a problem here.

There are two differences on Surviving Elements that don't make it as complete as P-mentals. First, there are no interlude beats. You'll know from before that almost every track concluded with a 10 sec snippet of another beat. Some were so sick they had you dying for the complete track. Needless to say it added a whole lot to the feel of the album. Secondly, no guests period. I don't think anybody would be apposed to have CL, the U.N., and maybe one other MC rock over a beat. Don't get it twisted, this should be almost all instrumentals. But, like with P-mentals, those three tracks with CL, UN, and Freddie Foxxx just took it to the next level.

But, no real complaints... those two factors only really come from comparing it to P-mentals. In a lot of ways, pound for pound the beats are better here. Just upon one listen tracks certain tracks will stick out. The Al Green "You Oughta Be With Me" sample on the opening "You Remind Me" is genius, "Glowing" drove me absolutely nuts becoming an instant Pete Beat classic, "Standard" is incredibly smooth, "U Are What U Are" just has a sick Wu-tang esq. thumping beat, "Intrigue" is amazing. Pretty much it's fair to say that you could list every track as an album highlight. You really just can't go into too much detail with these tracks without just experiencing them. Even with the ones that don't jump out right away... the more you listen to them, the better they sound.

I can't stress enough that if you love Pete Rock, instrumentals, 90's hip-hop, or heavy sampling - you will love this album!
Pete Rock has somehow done it again and crafted some of the greatest and most intricate beats I've heard. In case you forgot, Surviving Elements reminds you that this guy is a genius.

Only Pete Rock would have the wherewithal to chop up my favorite Johnnie Taylor song into a rugged banger. There's also some obvious uses of Herbie Hancock and Curtis Mayfield (among others ;), which might explain why this went out of print so quick. In fact, I've heard Pete discredit this release as done behind his back. But still, it is one of the dopest records of all-time, even better than the hallowed Petestruments (which you can't even get with my favorite track, "what you waitin for" anymore). Tru headz who really understand beatsmithery need only apply. Get this before they really jack up the used prices, spark a spliff, and work on your turns or/and rhymes. Modern art.

The guy should have his hands bronzed.

From listening to the beats I can only come up with one conclusion why these masterful tracks were not used...the beats are too complex for most rappers to flow over. They are just another level. The drum track in Pimp Strut and the bassline in Fairground are all you need to hear to understand why Pete is the Chocolate Boy Wonder.

Yeah, pick up Petestrumentals as well.

It does my heart good to see the cats that I grew up on still doing their thing. Not only is Pete Rock still doing his thing, but he's doing it VERY well. The album is virtually flawless. All of the tracks are smooth and have that vintage PR vibe, but the standout to me is "You Remind Me". One listen to "You Remind Me" will have you screaming for more (that song hasn't come off of repeat in my car for about 3 days now). Like another reviewer said, "You Remind Me" schools producers on how to REALLY freak an Al Green sample. I think that's what makes this album so special. Pete Rock doesn't just jack entire songs. He crafts works of art around small pieces of the sample, not the other way around. I think that's what's missing most from rap music today. When compared to Petestrumentals or Soul Survivor 2, you could argue that these beats are better than those from the other two albums. In fact, this album is like a blend of the two, but without people rhyming over them.

My only beef with the album (if you want to call it that) is the fact that none of these songs are longer than 3:24. It makes some of my favorite tracks seem way too short. Also, "Standard" and "Fairground" are kind of basic for a man of PR's capabilities. But that's about it though. The rest of the album is brilliant.

Obviously, Pete Rock will never change. It's been sort of a trademark of his to only hit you off with enough to keep you racing back for more. I still have trouble figuring out why these beats didn't make it onto the SS II album. I can think of at least 5 beats on this album that are better than any beat on that entire album. If you're a Pete rock fan or if you just want some dope, laid back hip hop beats to vibe to, then cop this. Pete Rock hasn't failed me in 14 years. This is a must own album that I HIGHLY reccomend.

Standout Tracks: U Are What You Are, Placebo, Hip Skip Jump, Flying, Intrigue, Glowing, Hip 2 Hip, You Remind Me (My Favorite), Smoking Room Only, and Midnight & You

Pete Rock has been one of my favorite producers ever since he made "Mecca & The Soul Brother" with C.L. Smooth. Personally, to me he's Hip-Hop's answer to Miles Davis. With "Surviving Elements", it only helps prove my point. Building off of the strides of "Petestrumentals", here's an album with a whole array of different vibes. "You Remind Me" is the proper way to freak an Al Green sample and the later tracks, such as "Hop, Skip & Jump" and "(Pimp)Strut" have a soul reminiscient of those old 80's joints blasting at block parties. The light-headed feel of "Smoking Room Only" gives me the feeling of soaring over the city in the evening. "Midnight and You" is the definitive beat to play during a late night on the stoop with your peoples (real introspective), followed up to drive it home with "Stormy Weather", a quiet storm joint. The banger of the album is "U Are What U Are", very reminiscient of when PR was still with CL. And the album closes out with, "Intrigue", a somber melody with a feel that there is still more to come...

Pete Rock hits it up again, with this sweet album full of intriguing key beats, that cannot be heard anywhere else. As he says on his previous album: "some nice driving music, some nice cruising music..." indeed he is spot on with The Survivng Elements which is superior in quality and production over his Petestrumentals. The tracks vary in pace and composer, "Hop Skip & Jump" is an uppity synthesized flarem, and the soft touch of piano. In fact his usage of the Piano plays perfect in several of the tracks such as "smoking room only" and "intrigue." I wish PR would come out with more instrumental albums more often. Especially with summer approaching, this album is the drops of beats while driving. Love it and live it.

This is increddible instrumental music from Pete Rock. If you are a MC are just like instrumental music I would get it now.
Songs like Hip Skip Jump-Smoking Room Only-Placebo-Midnight and you-Fairground-Stormy Weather-Intrigue are among his best ever productions. When he is he is easily one of the top 5 producers ever. DJ Premier should come out like a album this beautiful that is 100% Instrumental no BS just do it. Want great music check this out. It is like illmatic without Nas are Kemistry without Kem or a album of Sade without Sade on it.

There is hip pop that people who really don't know hip hop(and treat it like as a disposable art...thank you masta ace) and there is Hip-Hop. This is not commercial, even though it should be, but this is from pete's soul and deeper still from Hip-Hop's soul. This is joyful, chill-as-hell, relaxing, exciting and the absolute bomb. Thank You Pete Rock, there are a lot of people who do appreciate what you do, please believe that...so keep doing the damn thang man, keep on, keep on. We'll be right there listening and grooving along with you. Peace.

in this present age of predictability,cliche and the ever
present,highly overused moniker of "bling" or "krunk" over
saturation..its a joy to know that the artistry of the real
HipHop culture still shines through..and with aural masterminds
such as the legendary Pete Rock behind the sp1200;you know
thats exactly what the listener will experience'a-r-t-i-s-t-r-y.
mr Rock always has the distinct ability to take the listener on
a vibrational, soul drenched,jazzy journey .{he's quite consistant with this skill} and on "the Surviving Elements"there
certainly are no exceptions to speak of .Pete Rock is considered among the best beatsmith in HipHop HANDS DOWN.and a
major influence for up and coming producers such as 9th Wonder, Nicolay and others.if youre looking for the eulusive vibe,the soul thats so sadly missing in today's RB garbage.or just great
HipHop music.REAL HipHop MUSIC!! then do yourself and your ears
a big favor; pick up masterpiece! i gaurantee you will not be disappointed.

While some of the emcees on "Soul Survivor 2" were questionable, the production flirted with perfection. Similarly, "Surviving Elements" makes the listner wonder why Pete Rock would not put such stellar beats to better use by having hip-hop heavyweights rhyme over them. For instance, Talib Kweli would have fit beatifully on "Hop, Skip, and Jump," and Pharoahe Monch likewise on "Intrigue." Other beats, such as "Smoking Room Only" and "Glowing" would have served well as narratives or interludes had this album featured guest artists. Despite the absense of emcees, however, "Surviving Elements" is the ideal album for traveling, rhyming, or dancing to, and it surpasses "Petestrumentals" in its cohesiveness and creativity. Pete's growth as a pioneering beatsmith is evidenced on tracks like "Pimp Strut," which obliterates all "southern" producers' styles in one fell swoop, and "You Remind Me," which schools producers on how to REALLY freak an Al Green sample. In the end, "SE" succeeds by taking the concpet of "Petestrumentals" and combining it with "Soul Survivor 2" production elements to produce the first solid hip-hop release of 2005. A Must-Own.