Unlearn [Explicit Lyrics]

YoungBlood Brass Band | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 1, 2000)
• Original Release Date: November 1, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• ASIN: B0000541BS
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #464,476 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #94 in Music > Indie Music > Rap & Hip-Hop > Experimental

Editorial Reviews

Christina Knapp, The Daily Cardinal, Madison, WI

"...Some sections of 'Unlearn' are so good it hurts...brass will never be the same."

Product Description

UNLEARN (un-lurn)v. To return to that which we never had to learn in the first place, e.g. how to eat, sleep, love, smile, play, and listen without judgment; to recognize cultural sublimity over commercial and mass influence.

Combining the freshest man-made beats with ingenius harmonic horn lines and ill lyrical delivery, not to mention the only hiphop sousaphonist/composer/human DJ ever, "Unlearn" also features appearances by some of the most forward-thinking minds in music, including:

Talib Kweli of Reflection Eternal/Black Star - Undoubtedly one of the most ground-breaking, driven, absolutely illest MC's in the world. Reppin Brooklyn, NY. His new album with DJ Hi-Tek is in stores now on Rawkus Records.

Mike Ladd - Cambridge-bred Bronx-residing poet whose lyrical mastery will leave you speechless after taking you on a journey around the universe. A true wordsmith. His latest project is The Infesticons, who just released "Gun Hill Road" on Big Dada Records. His solo album "Welcome to the Afterfuture" is diverse, moving, frequently hilarious and always serious.

DJ Skooly - Reppin Chicago’s own Platter Pirates, the most-feared battle crew in the MidWest. The youngest man appearing on the album. If you sleep on Skooly, he’ll probably wake you up in 3 years by cracking you on the skull with his turntables, and leave the world's tightest mixtape shoved in your ear.

Ike Willis - Frank Zappa's long-time vocalist blessed us with a track that has received the most enthusiastic replies from our fans. We're just glad he could shake things up a bit. Ike can sing his ass off, nuff said.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bang! Zoom! Pow!, March 2, 2004

By 

"jazzduck" (Madison, WI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unlearn (Audio CD)

I first became aware of Youngblood Brass Band at a concert on the third floor of an old warehouse in LaCrosse, WI. I rarely buy CDs these days, but I bought their first two albums immediately. Their blend of New Orleans jazz and hip-hop, with distinct flavors of Afro-Cuban percussion and an arranging style with hints of top-level drum corps (no doubt gleaned from co-creator David Henzie-Skogen's stint in the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps), is not only one of the most seamless crossover styles ever created, but also has more raw passion and power than any other band I've ever heard. The other co-creator, sousaphonist Nat McIntosh, has such technical majesty you'll wonder if your ears are hallucinating. Throughout his material, he makes a tuba sound like a dj turntable, electro-synthetic bass, rock organ, and even some sounds that defy classification. Having started playing together in high school, the core of the band has developed an incredibly tight synchronization with each other, and it shows. Each of their songs is well-crafted and has beautiful transitions and grooves in it. Their infectious fire will keep you dancing and humming their tunes to yourself for weeks, even months. And "fire" really is the only word to describe it; it's like having a horn line throw gasoline on you, a snare drummer/mc master strike a match to you, and then having a whole sousaphone full of liquid oxygen dumped on you just to kick it up a notch. In short, there is no band more passionate about what they do or how they do it.

This album is my favorite out of the three they've released to date. The balance of parts and influences is perfect. No one song on the album really stands out, but that's because they all approach such a high level of quality. If anything could be said against this album, it is that I sometimes find that a few of the songs blend together. Nearly all of their material is based on simple minor descending/ascending chord progressions, but for what they're trying to do, this is totally appropriate. Compared to "Word On The Street," their first album, the sound is much more solid and rehearsed. Tracks like "Bloodshot" and "It's All Over" are classic Youngblood; their covers of Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise" and Madonna's "Human Nature" are perfectly arranged; "Acousticon Theme" is a slower, meaty groove that will give you chills. "Da Bomba" is their nod to their latin roots, while "Chinatown" is essentially straight-up New Orleans jazz. And don't miss Nat's solo track, "The Warrior Comes Out To Play." Overall, this is probably my favorite album out of the past ten years. Enjoy.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars YoungBlood's got me singin' new songs!, February 4, 2001

By 

maryjane (Detroit, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unlearn (Audio CD)

Anyone reading this should know that i never heard of YB till i saw them perform in a tiny club in St. Joseph's MI. They were one of the best bands i have ever seen perform. When i got their CD, i assumed it would be quite a change from the intense performance i saw, but i was in for a complete surprise. The CD lives up to my expectations and the intesity and surpassed my musical amazement. If you know what is good for you buy this CD, and make it a point to see them play live.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TWICE HYPE, January 29, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Unlearn (Audio CD)

The album is hot, and the band is the best live group I've ever seen. These cats are focused. The revolution will not be televised...it will come out of a trumpet. Big ups.