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• December 11, 2007
• Reviews

12/11/07

Ghostface Killah—The Big Doe Rehab

Daft Punk—Alive 2007 Without releasing a new record and without any radio play, Daft Punk has come close to reclaiming the popularity they had in the States when they released their debut album, Homework. All it took was a giant flashing pyramid and the biggest concert spectacle to hit America since Parliament brought the Mothership. In the spectacle of their world tour, It was easy to forget how great Daft Punk's music is and how brilliantly they managed to cover their whole career without any of the songs sounding quite like their original recorded versions. This album puts the music front and center, letting you hear just how inventive this band is, even when doing something as simple as going through their back catalog.

Sunset Rubdown—Random Spirit LoverA thoroughly odd album from Wolf Parade keyboardist Spencer Krug, Random Spirit Lover recalls David Bowie immediately. But whereas Sunset Rubdown borrow the grandiosity of the Ziggy Stardust-era Bowie, the music itself sounds more like the trash aesthetic of the first side of the Low album. The keyboards have a way of sounding like the racket you hear when you first enter a music store and there are a hundred different people trying out their favorite Casio. In the end, it's spazzy pop that's not afraid to be weird and we respect any musician that's just trying something new.

Ghostface Killah—The Big Doe Rehab From one of the most consistent voices in hip hop, comes yet another solid effort. Staten Island's Ghostface has managed to stay relevant while the rest of the Wu-Tang Clan have fallen off (and almost New York rapper, for that matter). It's hard to say what he's doing right that sets him apart because this album sounds like it could have been released any time between 1996 and 2009. Maybe it's because he sounds like he cares and he has an uncanny ear for beats. Or maybe it's because, instead of just sampling soul records, he puts the soul in his voice and raps like every record is his last one.

From one of the most consistent voices in hip hop, comes yet another solid effort. Staten Island's Ghostface has managed to stay relevant while...