Trip the Light Fantastic

Ladybug Mecca (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 28, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nu Paradigm
• ASIN: B0009IRKZG
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #238,009 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars She's Back On Time/Broadcast Where We See/Run & Tell A Friend, February 9, 2006

By 

Nia Maishani "derbycitybooksandmore" (Midwest, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trip the Light Fantastic (Audio CD)

Our Sista of Conciousness Ladybug Mecca has been through a lot since the days of Blowout Comb, and now reappears with an evolved and deeply thoughtful pastiche of new gems. Many of the tracks have a real airiness about them, though we do hear the more familiar Ladybug/Mecca of yesteryear on at least a couple of tracks. Musical arrangements: impeccable. Creativity: way outside the box. Singing: ethereal. This album is a steal at fourteen bucks for 18 great tracks.

I wrote this review while listening to the album beginning to end. Lyrics in parentheses are ones I guessed at. Though not an easy task, I would rank the tracks in order from most superb to least superb but still good as follows: 15, 4, 9, 13, 12, 5, 11, 14, 18, 16, 3, 17, 8, 7, 2, 1, 10, 6

1. Dark Matter. A very nice instrumental intro. Wind chimes. Makes you think because of the title. If you listen with headphones, you can hear some conversation in the background. Not sure what it's about.

2. Don't Disturb the Peace. This one's an alt-rock style track. Very short and to the point. "...she didn't know the consequence of being an unconditional punching bag breathing"... "Oh, what a mental game--so irrational--Have you ever had a conversation with a head case?" This was the first song that caught my attention, not only because it's the first song on the album, but because of that hook. I think this is going to turn out to be a very revealing album. "What is up with you when you just talk that shi+ and don't live up to that? Sucka-free, now sucka, get back." Damn those abusive relationships.

3. Children Say. "I used to hang out in my room, just sit around watching TV. I'd watch the stories on the news. I'd swear it all was deceiving `mysterious weather patterns sweep the nation'... I close my eyes, a child... *dag, am I going to live to see my 15th birthday???* I ask my mommy why... the situation has come as far to this." Interesting trip back in time. Children know when things ain't right. Young Ladybug was no exception.

4. Ladybug Come Outside. A funky, bouncy track that re-introduces the hip hop Ladybug to those who have been waiting for so long. I love it! "Raise your right fist, in Goddess we trust. Mama Earth where we dwell (is adverse to us).....[She's flows on this one] It's the beginning of the end, the beginning of the end, of the paradigm shift, so...run `n' tell a friend. " "Walk the walk with those like-minded. Talk the talk... to the ones that are blinded." "Ladybug, Ladybug, spit one rhyme. Miss Ladybug Mecca, do you still have time?" "Ladybug, Ladybug, my oh my, I'm glad you left the game, `cause you back on time."

5. Show the World. Another airy, mellow track with a Latin feel that showcases the beauty of Ladybug's singing voice. "You're 9-to-5'ing, your bills are piling, but there's no dollar still"... "The streets is violent, your daughter's wyling, you've done all you can do"... "Smile with your eyes...speak with your heart...and show the world some soul...show the world...it ain't easy...show the world...this is you." "A bad decision...the wrong religion...we all are on our path..." "Sometimes we may fall, it's all good, we will make it ..." "Smile with your eyes..."

6. Mr. Mayor. A rock'n'rollish track that hasn't quite grown on me yet, but has a lot of interesting experimentation, including a little scratching here and there and some guitar riffs. "Parade around like you've got something to do; if you're livin' for the people, why do I see right through?" "You are (a fraud), you are (not large), you are (not in charge)." I hope I got those lyrics right-kind of difficult to decipher.

7. Dogg Starr. Wow. A track called Sirius B/Dog Star. She's rapping on this track and "All the way live, everyday life, live from Earth-yo, I hit you from the Dog Star... broadcast where we see-Sirius B." "Now you see the complexity it takes to compete--simple minds and simple rhymes play the back seat. Regu-lar shi+ lo-ses, don't get abused, kid." A lot of interesting sound/music effects going on here as well.

8. Leaving It All Behind. A little vignette of a conversation/debate between Mecca and a homegirl during which Mecca floats away into dreams of leaving the projects for the beach. Segues into another very light, airy, flute-enhanced, Latin-flavoured ditty that, to my mind, recalls 1970's feel-good songs that became TV show soundtracks. "Sheeeeeee walks alone, but she says she'll never cry... Sheeeeeeee says that the game's an illusion, living in twisted confusion.....and she's leaving them all behiiiiind." "Sheeeeee loves to play with ladybugs in trees...sheeeeeees gone bon voyage on a journey, giving into all the yearning, and relieving her slave-made mind..." Ends with her heading off to catch her bus and bidding farewell to her homegirl.

9. Sexual Alchemy. Keep up with the pace, now. Do I hear a Fela Kuti horns intro??? Oh my GOSH, this is TOO funky!!! Oh, this is off the hook. "To the break of May, or to Auset, catch me in a fre-quen-cy--unh. In your wildest dreams, ever knew this thing? Sexual Al-che-my--unh." "Let us come two-gether like mag-netic. Imagine there's no pain, `magine there's no shame, no longer each other to blame. Dabble in a little bit... if you don't like it, split." Now see, this here is artistry. What a complete and total reinvention of the squeaky, rusty wheel. There's much more, but you've gotta buy the cow to get the milk, darlings.

10. Centre of Nowhere. There's some more Latin flavour here, and a lot of harmonizing. Another throwback to the `70s. I can tell there's some EWF influence here. More flutes. I just love it. "Living at the center of nowhere, puncturing your wings, knowing change will come." "All you've got to do is tell yourself to leave the burden behind you." Definitely sounds like Esthero on this one.

11. Please Don't. More Latin flavour! I LOVE the drum intro! Some spoken word, too 4 ya! Mellow. "So... please don't, unless you like the rejection of my tone..." "He thinks he's really that slick cat. He thinks he's intelligent, all that. [Wow, reminds me of Jill Scott!] Well, Supafly, check out the headlines. Chicks like me, we see you from miles & miles." "It's cool and all, that now you can talk that junk--got the noni, then you ran like a punk. But we know the truth though, you really in a smokeless funk--took a tad, now you think you a hunk. You're just imaginin', fathomin' havin' it like that. When you abuse your sexuality, it makes you feminine, Jack. Who wants a man like that? And that's a fact. So please keep it movin', `cause there ain't no turnin' back." H!Hwellll.

12. Last Train. Oh, a really nice jazzy one. Martin Luther: "Last train for Mary will be leaving (choo-choooo), better get your ticket. Headed for freedom, it's time to shiiiiiine." This is a fun one. I feel like doing the Lindy Hop. Listen to that piano! Ladybug: "It was 7:45 in the a.m.--I am... taking time off for Mec, and you know how... I keep it going, `cause things are what I make it, and who I am is mine for sure." Martin Luther: "You got me huffin' and puffin', I'm chuggin' like a choo-choo train (Choo! Choo!)... the state of the world might make you want to go insane... so keep on pushin' `til you reach a better day." Ladybug: "Embrace the spirits around you. Be one with the sun, devour your power." "The intentions of your soul is pure. Your mind is deeper than the ocean floor." "It's like shimmy shimmy cocoa puff, shimmy shimmy sham. I'm gonna buy myself some gold, and buy myself some land." *snapping to the melody*

13. Sweet & Polite. Oh, I like this one. "I'm always on my job, straight creepin' through the fog..." I LOVE this song! "...up top, cop it--bet. You know it's...LadyBug Mecc..... Fall-in...to my velocity, and do a couple ohms and open up to something clear." "She's so sweet and polite, petite and (on the blithe). A rebel on the outskirts, cute, clever, make it hurt. She's so sweet and polite, petite and (on the blithe). Tricky like I'm doin' dirt, cute, clever, make it hurt." Sprinkle a lil' Portuguese lingo about here and there. "Cops hide behind the gun, kid shot the same night, oh shi+, that's what's up, be prepared to head it up."

14. Suicidethol. Time for a little commercial break.

Ladybug: "Walking through the park used to be such a drag. My runny nose would always let me know that Spring was on the way. But since I've started taking Suicidathol, I have no secretions at all." Gentleman: "Suicidathol killufast tablets help control natural body fluids by drying them up permanently, over a short period of time-in most cases. It can help you feel confident that your nose won't run ever again. Common side effects include kidney failure, liver damage.......muscle pain, fast heartbeat, sore throat and urinating every two minutes." This is a hilarious parody! I've only given bits & pieces of it.

15. You Never Get Over It. My very favorite song on the whole entire album. Starts slow, then is upbeat but melancholy. "What do you think of first thing when you wake up? What do you think of when the one you love is suf-fer-ing the most? What do you do when some-one tells you they're going away for a long, long time and the echoes from the pit of your heart keeps go-ing and they don't stop, no, no, they just don't stop." "Standing on the top of the roof just look-ing up. A sprinkle of cotton and turquoise blow as re-ality stings when the (*?*) rings. What do you do when someone tells you they're going away, and you must be brave, and there's gonna be some time and a little re-action, but it's the way and it's not going to change and.." "...loneliness and visions of you got me react-in a language a girl can't even imagine... loneliness and visions of you got me re-act-in a language a girl can't... Read more ›

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This album will definately get me thru till the DP's 3rd album drops, July 7, 2005

By 

J. D. Bramwell "mainone3000" (Philly baby!) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Trip the Light Fantastic (Audio CD)

I saw the show in philly 7/5/2005 and it felt like it was history in the making. It was like the Beatles reuniting. The show was amazing, they performed practically every song off of both albums, they did their new stuff, Mecca did her solo stuff, Butterfly did his solo stuff and they performed for 2 HOURS straight and came back for an encore for ANOTHER half hour for about 8 songs. I got plenty of pictures and Ladybug signed her album for me and gave me a hug. This was the greatest show I have ever been to, and one of the greatest nights I ever had. My only regret is that I didn't save any flim for pictures with Ladybug.

And the album is hot to def.

Forget 5 stars, IM GIVING THIS A DOGSTAR!!!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars betta let the girl grow, July 5, 2005

By 

R. Worsham "Dm Cosby" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Trip the Light Fantastic (Audio CD)

Six days ago I saw Digable Planets rock The Loft in Atlanta; it was the best hip-hop show I have ever seen (probably the best show, period). During the show Ladybug performed "DoggStar", one of the cuts off of this newest project. The blend of haunting horns and keys over a tripped out beat made me feel like I was on some sort of trans-galactic journey with Mecca as the guide. I loved it!!! But I'm so glad that I didn't buy the album expecting to hear only similar tracks or some sort of Blowout Comb part 2 (best hip-hop album, ever) because I would have missed out on just how good "Trip the Light Fantastic" really is (for all of you waiting for the trio to reunite, don't worry. They are going into the studio after the tour and, if the new cuts they performed at the show are any indication, they are actually, if you can imagine, better!!! than they were...be patient :-).....ok, back to the "trip" cd.....One cut will have you on the Beach. The next will have you with your fist in the air and then another will have you thinking of lost but not yet forgotten love. All of them will certainly make you think because, as you all know, Mecca does not waste words ("now you're seeing the complexity it takes to compete/ simple minds and simple rhymes take a back seat/regular sh&t loses/don't get abused kid/find ya at the Covenant house holdin your mouth/BOOM").That's only some of what this album made me feel and think about. It offers so much!!! I've listened to it front to back everyday since I've had it. It's really beyond description but if you imagine the cool personality that Lady Bug had (has) when she was with Digables, seasoned with a worldliness and maturity that has come through 10 years of travelling and motherhood (she has had 4 kids since the Digable days!!!!)put to music you can maybe begin to feel what I have been feeling. Or, you could just go and get the album. Some of you will be disappointed because we have a tendency to not let our favorite artist grow beyond our past memories of them. But for the rest of you who have grown while Mecca has, you won't be disappointed.