skip to main |
skip to sidebar
The Dust Brothers were mentioned in the last post on this blog and here is another release with their indelible signature sound. Beck's album 'Odelay' from 1996 may not elicit the same sample spotting interest as other Dust Brothers productions like the Beastie Boys' 'Paul's Boutique', but 'Odelay' has its share of unusual and soulful samples, which will be covered in today's post.The driving breakbeat of the opener 'Devil's Haircut' is a classic drum part: Bernard Purdie's explosive drum fill laden 'Soul Drums' from his 1968 album of the same title. The track and the album are a must for aspiring producers and beat heads alike full of remarkable drum sections from Pretty Purdie. 'The New Pollution', the album's third single, uses a sample from Joe Thomas' 'Venus' from the 1976 album 'Feelin's from Within'. The album's lead single 'Where It's At' famously samples its robotic voiced phrase "two turntables and a microphone" from Mantronix's 'Needle to the Groove' on 1984's 'The Album'. The song also samples Lee Dorsey's classic break 'Get Out of My Life Woman' and Danny Hathaway's 1970 cut 'The Ghetto' from his stunning album 'Everything is Everything'. Beck's 'Readymade' samples a cover of 'Desafinado' by Laurindo Almeida and the Bossa Nova Allstars. If the name of the group didn't drop a big enough hint to the style of their music, Laurindo Almeida also titled his album 'Bossa Nova!' (mind that exclamation point). Finally, 'High 5 (Rock the Catskills)' samples the relatively unknown group Rasputin's Stash and their funky cut 'Mr. Cool'. That's not an easy one to find, consider picking up a digital copy while you can.The Dust Brothers would work with Beck again for his 1999 album 'Midnite Vultures', but not in the capacity of this album. Recently, 'Odelay' was rereleased as a deluxe edition with B-sides and remixes, though there have been complaints about the selection and sound quality of some of the cuts - buyer beware. You should pick up a copy of 'Soul Drums' instead.The Lowdown:
Beck 'Devil's Haircut', 'The New Pollution', 'Where It's At', 'Readymade', and 'High 5 (Rock the Catskills)'
from 'Odelay' (1996) (MP3/CD)
Bernard Purdie 'Soul Drums'
from 'Soul Drums' (1968) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Joe Thomas 'Venus'
from 'Feelin's from Within' (1976) (MP3/Import CD)
Mantronix 'Needle to the Groove'
from 'The Album' (1984) (MP3/CD)
Lee Dorsey 'Get Out of MY Life Woman'
from 'The New Lee Dorsey' (1966) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Donny Hathaway 'The Ghetto'
from 'Everything is Everything' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD)
Laurindo Almeida and the Bossa Nova Allstars 'Desafinado'
from 'Bossa Nova!' (1962) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Rasputin's Stash 'Mr. Cool'
from 'Rasputin's Stash' (1971) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
This post is a sequel, of sorts, when you consider the movie Edwin Starr's 'Easin' In' was originally a part of. 'Black Caesar', the 1973 Fred Williamson film with a soundtrack produced by James Brown (which was covered in depth here and here), had a lesser known sequel titled 'Hell Up in Harlem'. James Brown was originally set to produce the soundtrack for the film, but the film makers opted for Motown artist Edwin Starr who had previously scored a series of anti-war protest hits. Joined with production team Fonce Mizell and Freddie Perren, the soundtrack to 'Hell Up in Harlem' yeilded the single 'Easin' In', which has been used frequently by hip-hop producers.On his landmark 1988 album 'Power', Ice-T used 'Easin' In' on his hit single 'High Rollers'. In the same year, Michael Ross and Matt Dike (half of the production superduo the Dust Brothers) produced the beat for Tone Loc's 'Loc'ed After Dark' from the album of the same title. Five year later, the Digable Planets would sample 'Easin' In' for 'Reachin'''s excellent single 'Nickel Bags'. On their debut single in 1997, Evidence of the Dilated Peoples used 'Easin' In' on their B-side track 'Global Dynamics' from the 'Third Degree' 12" single. Finally, in 1998, Irv Gotti and Lil' Rob sampled Edwin Starr for DMX's album cut 'Crime Story' from his hit release 'It's Dark and Hell is Hot'.The Lowdown:
Edwin Starr 'Easin' In'
from 'Hell Up in Harlem' (1974) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Ice-T 'High Rollers'
from 'Power' (1988) (MP3/CD)
Tone Loc 'Loc'ed After Dark'
from 'Loc'ed After Dark' (1988) (MP3/CD)
Digable Planets 'Nickel Bags'
from 'Reachin'' (1993) (MP3/CD)
Dilated Peoples 'Global Dynamics'
from 'Third Degree' 12" (1997) (MP3/CD not available)
DMX 'Crime Story'
from 'It's Dark and Hell is Hot' (1998) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Crime Story'
Bonus Cut:
Dilated Peoples 'Global Dynamics' (Instrumental).
Related Posts:
Source Material: James Brown 'Black Caesar' (Part 1)
Source Material: James Brown 'Black Caesar' (Part 2)
We've covered a lot of material by the late great J Dilla on this blog, but every one of his releases are essential in their own way and I'll be damned if he doesn't dig deep for some of the craziest songs to sample. This post will cover the source material from Dilla's first solo outing, 2001's 'Welcome 2 Detroit' on BBE, as Jay Dee.The album's intro track takes a sample from 'Sunset in Golden Horn' from Turkish band Les Mogul's 1971 album 'Danses et Rhythmes de la Turquie'. See what I'm saying? With assistance on the bass from Dwele, Jay Dee delivers an impressive version of 'Think Twice'. The original 'Think Twice' appeared on Donald Byrd's highly sought after 1974 album 'Stepping into Tomorrow' produced by Mizell brother Larry Mizell. 'Beej-N-Dem (Part 2)' features a sample of the Beach Boys' later career album cut 'Feel Flows' from their 1971 album 'Surf's Up' as well as drums from Billy Garner's absolutely sample laden cut 'I Got Some'. Look below for more on 'I Got Some'. 'Featuring Phat Kat', as one would assume, features Phat Kat from Slum Village. Jay Dee pulls Steve Howe's 'Beginnings' out of the crate for the track 'Will O' The Wisp' for 'Featuring Phat Kat''s beat. On the album's final track, 'One', Dilla samples the Ohio Players' controversial (due to the cover imagery) 1971 album 'Pain''s title track. 'Pain' is a highly sampled track and is on the short list for this month's Five On It.
Though Jay Dee had many high profile production credits, many previously reviewed on this blog, it would be another two years before he'd release another solo effort: 2003's 'Ruff Draft' EP which has recently been expanded and re-released.The Lowdown:
Jay Dee 'Intro', 'Think Twice', 'Beej-N-Dem (Part 2)', 'Featuring Phat Kat', and 'One'
from 'Welcome 2 Detroit' (2001) (MP3/CD)
Les Mogul 'Sunset in Golden Horn'
from 'Danses et Rhythmes de la Turquie' (1971) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Donald Byrd 'Think Twice'
from 'Stepping into Tomorrow' (1974) (MP3/CD)
The Beach Boys 'Feel Flows'
from 'Surf's Up' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Billy Garner 'I Got Some'
from 'I Got Some' 7" (1971) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Steve Howe 'Will O' The Wisp'
from 'Beginnings' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD)
The Ohio Players 'Pain'
from 'Pain' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Bonus Cuts:
Why aren't more people messing with the drums from Billy Garner's 'I Got Some'? It might be because the track was so fluidly flipped by DJ Premier for Gang Starr's memorable B-side 'B.Y.S.'. It's kind of hard to follow that one up, but beat makers shouldn't fear falling short of Primo. One more bonus: 'I Got Some' (Part 2).
Related Posts:
Producer Profile: J Dilla (Part 4, 2000)
Producer Profile: J Dilla (Part 5, 2001-2003)
 |
 |
Maybe it's me, but it does not at all feel like 'Tha Carter III' was released on this date last year - Lil Wayne has easily given the American consciousness three years worth of crazy in just the last 12 months since his album finally dropped. This post will cover the sample material used by Wayne and his production cohorts for 2008's massive album 'Tha Carter III'.
The album's undeniable cut is the throbbing smash single 'A Milli' produced by Bangladesh. The song contains a sample from Norman Cook's remix of 'I Left My Wallet in El Segundo' from A Tribe Called Quest's 1989 UK version of the single. The Kanye produced track 'Comfortable' that posts Lil Wayne up with Babyface (uh?) includes a sample from another Kanye West produced track: 'You Don't Know My Name' from Alicia Keys' 2003 album 'The Diary of Alicia Keys'. As previously covered on this blog, Swizz Beatz produces a very un-Swizz sounding beat for Lil Wayne's 'Dr. Carter' by looping fragments of David Axelrod's 'Holy Thursday' bass and drum breakdown.Kanye West also produced the song 'Let the Beat Build' on 'Tha Carter III' using a sample from ex-Temptation Eddie Kendricks' 'Day by Day' from the 1972 album 'People... Hold On'. Probably the most well known use of another song on the album is Wayne's vocal interpolation of the Rolling Stones' 'Play with Fire' on his own track 'Playing with Fire' produced by StreetRunner. Since the interpolation was never licensed, the track has been removed from newer copies of 'Tha Carter III' and undoubtedly there is some kind of cash settlement (lesson: clear those samples). Finally, Rodnae and Moussa produce a scorcher for Lil Wayne, the nearly ten minute 'DontGetIt', by sampling Nina Simone's 1964 cover of 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood' from her classic album 'Broadway - Blues - Ballads'.
In a year when record sales were few and far between, Wayne managed to do the unthinkable: go platinum in one week (I'm going to date myself, but I remember when 'Doggystyle' did the same thing, and it was a HUGE deal - and that was when people actually bought CDs). So far, the album is three times platinum and Lil Wayne is showing no signs of slowing down with more albums planned and mixtapes released.The Lowdown:
Lil Wayne 'A Milli', 'Comfortable', 'Dr. Carter', 'Let the Beat Build', 'Playing with Fire', and 'DontGetIt'.
from 'Tha Carter III' (2008) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'A Milli', 'Comfortable', 'Dr. Carter', 'Let the Beat Build', and 'DontGetIt'.
A Tribe Called Quest 'I Left My Wallet in El Segundo' (Vampire Mix)
from 'I Left My Wallet in El Segundo' (1989) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Alicia Keys 'You Don't Know My Name'
from 'The Diary of Alicia Keys' (2003) (MP3/CD)
David Axelrod 'Holy Thursday'
from 'Songs of Innocence' (1968) (MP3/CD not available)
Eddie Kendricks 'Day By Day'
from 'People... Hold On' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Rolling Stones 'Play with Fire'
from 'Out of Our Heads' (1965) (MP3/CD)
Nina Simone 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood'
from 'Broadway - Blues - Ballads' (1964) (MP3/CD)
Related Posts:
Producer Profile: David Axelrod (Part 2, 1968-1969)
There haven't been many posts in the category for The Future and this one may not be the best way to restart it as this dude's been the future for a while, but the focus of this post will be on Croydon dubstep artist Skream.
After early appearances on the Big Apple label, one of the few labels breaking the dubstep sound at the time, Skream hit it big in 2005 with the single 'Midnight Request Line', which is still in the pantheon of the most recognizable singles of the genre. Following the single's success, Skream began to issue music with his Skreamizm series, starting in 2006 with 'Skreamizm Vol. 1' which contain slamming cuts like 'Glamma'. In the same year, Skream released one of dubstep's first full length albums: 'Skream!'. The album contains tracks like the JME backed single 'Tapped' and the B-side cut 'Dutch Flowerz'.More recently, Skream has honed his style on newer singles like 2008's 'Hedd Banger', which pulls a clever sample from Missy Elliott's Timbaland produced hit 1997 single 'The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)'. Just a few months ago, Skream released a split single with the dubstep artist Benga with a new intense track titled 'Trapped in a Dark Bubble', which will surely ignite dubstep heads.
If you are in Seattle this week, Skream will be playing at Trinity on Wednesday, June 10th. See you there!The Lowdown:
Skream 'Midnight Request Line'
from 'Midnight Request Line' 12" (2005) (MP3/CD not available)
Skream 'Glamma'
from 'Skreamizm Vol. 1' (2006) (MP3/CD not available)
Skream 'Tapped' and 'Dutch Flowerz'
from 'Skream!' (2006) (MP3/CD)
Skream 'Hedd Banger'
from 'Hedd Banger' (2008) (MP3/CD not available)
Missy Elliott 'The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)'
from 'Supa Dupa Fly' (1997) (MP3/CD)
Clean: 'The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)'
Skream 'Trapped in a Dark Bubble'
from 'Trapped in a Dark Bubble' (2009) (MP3/CD not available)
Bonus Cuts:
'Midnight Request Line' is so popular that it has spawned two fairly high profile remixes: Switch's remix of 'Midnight Request Line' adds signature blog house grinding synths to a slowed down rhythm while Hot Chip's remix of 'Midnight Request Line' banks on the band's indefinable style.
It's no secret that MF Doom has a vast catalog of beats, so another look at his beats should not come as a surprise to readers. This post will cover the beats and samples from MF Doom's 'Special Herbs Vol. 4, 5, and 6' as Metal Fingers.The Metal Fingers track 'Galangal Root' samples the huge breakbeat track 'Walk on By' from Isaac Hayes and the 1987 pop / R&B track 'Always' by Atlantic Starr from their album 'All in the Name of Love'. The beat was previously used by MF Doom on his track 'Gas Drawls' from 1999's 'Operation Doomsday'. 'Spikenard' from the album uses a sample from the Spinners' 1973 album 'Mighty Love': the track 'Ain't No Price on Happiness'. This track also appeared on 'Operation Doomsday' as the song 'Go with the Flow'. Doom samples Galt MacDermot on the track 'Cinquefoil', using the track 'Space' from his sought after 1969 album 'Woman is Sweeter'. The cut 'Valerian Root' samples New Birth's 'Do it Again' from 1974's 'Comin' from All Ends'. Finally, Isaac Hayes is sampled by Doom again for Metal Fingers' 'Patchouly Leaves' which uses Isaac's 'Our Day Will Come'. The instrumental backed 'Operation: Doomsday''s 'Operation: Greenbacks'.
Check back for further looks at MF Doom's discography.The Lowdown:
Metal Fingers 'Galangal Root', 'Spikenard', 'Cinquefoil', 'Valerian Root', and 'Patchouly Leaves'
from 'Special Herbs Vol. 4, 5, and 6' (2003) (MP3/CD not available)
Isaac Hayes 'Walk on By'
from 'Hot Buttered Soul' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Atlantic Starr 'Always'
from 'All in the Name of Love' (1987) (MP3/CD)
MF Doom 'Gas Drawls', 'Go with the Flow', and 'Operation: Greenbacks'
from 'Operation: Doomsday' (1999) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Spinners 'Ain't No Price on Happiness'
from 'Mighty Love' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Galt MacDermot 'Space'
from 'Woman is Sweeter' (1969) (MP3/CD not available)
New Birth 'Do it Again'
from 'Comin' from All Ends' (1974) (MP3 not available/CD)
Isaac Hayes 'Our Day Will Come'
from '...To Be Continued' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Related Posts:
Rewind: Metal Fingers 'Special Herbs Vol. 1 and 2' (Part 1)
Rewind: Metal Fingers 'Special Herbs Vol. 1 and 2' (Part 2)
Here it is, this month's Five On It: the most necessary breaks of the past month distilled for maximum usability / listenability. This month had some burning hot cuts and also had some big tracks from our James Brown week. Check out what we've got for you.UGK's 'Hard to Swallow' review was full of classic breaks, two of which we'll highlight this month. Bill Withers' 'Still Bill' is a classic album and no cut is more useful for slo-mo tracks than the hit 'Use Me'. Also, other 'Superfly album cuts have been previously featured as Five On It picks, but this month highlights the single 'Freddie's Dead' for its usefulness to producers. James Brown week featured a look at James Brown's 1974 album 'Hell' and featured the big cut 'My Thang', which may not be the first break one would pick from J.B.'s archive, but is a heavy one. Also featured during our look at James Brown was Myra Barnes' 'Message from the Soul Sisters' when we looked at the numerous songs that sampled that break. Finally, during our look at Ice Cube's 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted', we mentioned Funkadelic's heavy 'Standing on the Verge of Getting It On' from the album of the same title. It's no secret that P-Funk samples make up a large part of West Coast hip-hop history, and this song is no exception.The Lowdown:
Bill Withers 'Use Me'
from 'Still Bill' (1972)(MP3/Import CD)
Curtis Mayfield 'Freddie's Dead'
from 'Superfly' (1972) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'My Thang'
from 'Hell' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Myra Barnes 'Message from the Soul Sisters'
from 'Message from the Soul Sisters' 7" (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Funkadelic 'Standing on the Verge of Getting It On'
from 'Standing on the Verge of Getting It On' (1974) (MP3/CD)Bonus Cuts:
Bill Withers' 'Use Me' intro drums have always been a popular sampling source, but that shouldn't take away from the impact of the song itself, which was covered many times by great artists. Esther Phillips delivered a version of 'Use Me' as did Isaac Hayes who played a live version of 'Use Me' at the Sahara Tahoe. In 1981, Grace Jones had a spooky version of 'Use Me' as only Grace Jones could. The original was recently sampled by Kanye West for Nas' track 'Still Dreaming'.
Welcome to part 2 of our two part look at Ghostface Killah's most recent album 'The Big Doe Rehab'.Ghost and Anthony Acid share production credits for 'Supa GFK', which samples Johnny 'Guitar' Watson's hit 'Superman Lover' from his well received 1976 album 'Ain't that a B----'. The Hitmen's LV and Sean C dig deep again for the sample of the Independents' 'It's All Over' for Ghostface's 'I'll Die For You'. Following that, LV and Sean C sample NYC's El Michels Affair for the Ghost and Raekwon team up 'Shakey Dog Starring Lolita'. El Michels Affair is noted for their covers of Wu classics, but this new Wu track was made from a sample of El Michels Affair's original track 'Musings to Myself' from their debut album 'Sounding out the City'. Finally, Ghostface and Anthony Acid sample Faze-O's single 'Riding High' from their album of the same title on Ghost, Method Man, and Masta Killa's 'Killa Lipstick'.Though 'The Big Doe Rehab' was an album of new works, it fell mostly on deaf ears much to Ghostface's chagrin (as witnessed on an infamous Youtube video to his fans). This is the last album of new work from Ghost and is bookended by 2006's 'More Fish' and 2008's 'The Wallabee Champ', both made up of B-sides and unused tracks.The Lowdown:
Ghostface Killah 'Supa GFK', 'I'll Die for You', 'Shakey Dog Starring Lolita', and 'Killa Lipstick'
from 'The Big Doe Rehab' (2007) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'Supa GFK', 'I'll Die for You', 'Shakey Dog Starring Lolita', and 'Killa Lipstick'
Johnny 'Guitar' Watson 'Superman Lover'
from 'Ain't That a B----' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD)
The Independents 'It's All Over'
from 'Chuck, Helen, Eric, Maurice' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
El Michels Affair 'Musings to Myself'
from 'Sounding out the City' (2005) (MP3/CD)
Faze-O 'Riding High'
from 'Riding High' (1977) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Bonus Cuts:
El Michels Affair have recently released an album of their Wu covers and a couple are Ghostface Killah classics: check out rethought instrumental versions of 'Cherchez La Ghost' and Raekwon and Ghost cuts 'Criminology' and 'Glaciers of Ice'.
In 2007, Ghostface Killah delivered his 7th major label solo album 'The Big Doe Rehab'. This two part arc will cover the sample sources, producers, and guests of Ghost's latest album to date.Beanie Sigel and Styles P appear on Ghost's heavy hitting album cut 'Toney Sigel A.K.A. the Barrel Brothers' produced by the Hitmen production teams' LV and Sean C. Similar to the team's work on Jay-Z's 'American Gangster', this track relies on a deep crate sample: Al Wilson's 1971 single 'Falling in Love with You'. The team used a much more well known sample for the album's opening single 'We Celebrate' with Kid Capri. They use Rare Earth's huge 1971 hit 'I Just Want to Celebrate' from the album 'One World'. On 'Walk Alone', Anthony Acid uses Little Milton's 'Packed Up and Took My Mind' as a backing for Ghostface, Trife Da God, and Sun God. Scram Jones and Frequency provide the beat for Ghost's bizarre celeb-obsessed 'White Linen Affair (Toney Awards)' which lifts a sample from 'That's the Way It's Got to Be (Body and Soul)' from the Soul Generation's 1972 album 'Beyond Body and Soul'.Check back for more tracks from 'The Big Doe Rehab' and their sources.The Lowdown:
Ghostface Killah 'Toney Sigel A.K.A. The Barrel Brothers', 'We Celebrate', 'Walk Around', and 'White Linen Affair (Toney Affair)'
from 'The Big Doe Rehab' (2007) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'Toney Sigel A.K.A. The Barrel Brothers', 'We Celebrate', 'Walk Around', and 'White Linen Affair (Toney Affair)'
Al Wilson 'Fallin' in Love with You'
from 'Fallin' in Love with You' 7" (1971) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Rare Earth 'I Just Want to Celebrate'
from 'One World' (1971) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Little Milton 'Packed Up and Took My Mind'
from 'Tin Pan Alley' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Soul Generation 'That's the Way It's Got to Be (Body and Soul)'
from 'Beyond Body and Soul' (1972) (MP3/Import CD)
Related Posts:
Rewind: Ghostface Killah 'Ironman'
Rewind: Ghostface Killah 'Supreme Clientele' (Part 1)
Rewind: Ghostface Killah 'Supreme Clientele' (Part 2)
Rewind: Ghostface Killah 'Supreme Clientele' (Part 3)
Rewind: Jay-Z 'American Gangster' (Part 1) (Hitmen production work)
Rewind: Jay-Z 'American Gangster' (Part 2) (Hitmen production work)
