Amazon.com
From its opening instrumental lullaby,
The Third Hand crafts a double-edged case for Rjd2's departure as the Definitive Jux label's reigning hip-hop producer-of-record. On the one hand, there's nary a straightforward hip-hop cut to be found; Rjd2 plays every syrupy lick of these 15 tracks himself, mostly eschewing his much-used sampler in favor of live instruments and the voice he began testing with 2004's
Since We Last Spoke. On the other hand, hip-shakers like "Reality," "Get It," and "Sweet Piece" offer evidentiary beat-workouts that suggest Rjd2's Jux-taposing his past with a newly insular approach to pop composition that bears almost no resemblance to the rhythmic spine that anchored 2002's
Dead Ringer and recent outings, with emcee Blueprint, as Soul Position. On
The Third Hand, this strange, new alchemy melds a seasoned confidence on the boards with a boldly accruing taste for tempered textures and shifting chord progressions ("You Never Had It So Good," "Laws of the Gods," "Paper Bubble"). The result is a watershed. Long-time fans with elastic adoration will turn a thrilling corner, and for those less ready to follow Rjd2s explorations, there's "Rules for Normal Living," which proves that the man can still modulate a bass like nobody's business. --
Jason Kirk
Product Description
Catapulted to notoriety, fame, and serious hip-hop credibility with 2002's Dead Ringer LP, Philadelphia based DJ and multi-instrumentalist RJD2 has enjoyed a thoroughly prolific career; following that debut album with 2004's critically acclaimed Since We Last Spoke. For The Third Hand, RJD2 seemingly abandons all the notions and titles that have been placed upon him over the past five years. Underground hip-hop super-producer to some, virtuoso sample-based instrumental wizard to others, RJD2 embodies all of these things on The Third Hand but placates none who seek more of the same. Recorded, performed, arranged, and produced entirely by himself in his basement studio, RJD2 commands his trusty MPC 2000XL sampler/sequencer alongside analog synths, electric pianos and guitars, not to mention his own voice. The result is a cohesive pop album in the most classic sense, a sound more akin to Phoenix than Prefuse 73. In essence, this is RJD2's entrance into the continuum of enigmatic songwriter/producers (see Jon Brion, Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder) capable of creating a record full of rich songwriting, complex arrangements, and clever production that transcends genre.
~ RJD2
~ RJD2
~ RJD2
~ RJD2
~ Justice
is RJD2's 
