REVIEW : DJ Shadow - The Outsider
Not a man to rush matters Josh Davis’ third long player, “The Outsider”, the follow up to 2002s “The Private Press” comes out on CD, Gatefold Vinyl & limited edition CD / DVD on the 18th of September. Featuring collaborations with Q-Tip, Kasabian, emcees Keak Da Sneak and Turf Talk amongst others, it’s good to have him back.
The record was put together from disparate elements over nearly three years. Artifact (Instrumental) is a relic of Shadow’s work on an abandoned solo LP by former Rage Against The Machine front man Zack De La Rocha. 3 Freaks, which features the hyphy emcees Keak Da Sneak and Turf Talk, was the impetuous, inspired result of Shadow’s love-at-first-listen affair with the Bay’s answer to crunk. Seein’ Thangs, featuring Mississippi’s finest, David Banner, was supposed to include a rap by Mystikal, but he was in prison: so was Shadow’s second choice, Pastor Troy. By the time Davis went back to Banner to ask him to add a second verse, Katrina had devastated America’s southern shores, a disaster that couldn’t help but colour Banner’s rap. Kasabian’s Sergio Pizzorno and Christopher Karloff were introduced to Shadow by his engineer, and The Tiger was the standout result. And even Bay Area icon E-40 is in there, rapping about “the legendary DJ Shadow”, suggesting that this Outsider really is anything but.
There’s a video for the new single “Enuff” - http://www.djshadow.com/news/article/37 and Shadow is headed to the UK for a tour in December.
September 19th, 2006 at 7:57 pm
Still unconvinced from what I’ve heard so far. I’ll have to be blown away to spend me pennnies, though.
November 1st, 2006 at 1:06 pm
I’ve got the album and although there are some really good tracks on there it is just SO eclectic that it doesn’t really hang together as an album. It’s certainly a different approach to previous albums and you can never blaim an artist for trying different things. But ultimately it sounds a bit like the Shadow couldn’t make up his mind about where to go so he just did a bit of everything. There’s a lot more vocal ‘inyerface’ hip-hop than previous outings, but equally there’s some really lovely melodic tracks as well. All in all I’d say that it’s worth a listen but it’s not going to be everyones cup of cha.