The dawning of the millennium has seen a Western uprising in the Canadian hip-hop scene, a movement led by the guts-and-gore-obsessed Swollen Members. The Vancouver, Canada-based duo of MCs Mad Child and Prevail was awarded Best Rap Junos (the northern Grammy equivalent) in 2001 and 2002, for Balance and Bad Dreams, respectively. The first win was a shock, but the second came as no surprise at all. With a fistful of catchy radio singles and a generous dose of Swollen’s trademark cellar-dwelling fatalism, Bad Dreams confirmed that when it comes to Canadian rap, the West is indeed the best. Swollen’s latest effort, Monsters in the Closet, is a collection of rarities, remixes and spanking-new bangers. It plays like a brief history of Canada’s most popular rap outfit, from its Cali-influenced beginnings to its current electro obsession. Since adding longtime cohort Moka Only as a permanent member, the group has taken things in a more melodic, up-tempo direction, a shift most evident on the sensationally synthesized "Steppin’ Thru." "Breathe," meanwhile, is a headbanger propelled by a Berlin-by-way-of-Brooklyn electro beat and a knockout hook from fellow Canuck Nelly Furtado. Later on, the trio rides high over a reworked Sarah McLachlan vocal on the wistful "Long Way Down," a track that recalls Eminem’s successful collaboration with Dido. Beats from the street-credible Evidence and Zodak give Monsters a steady, if unspectacular, foundation, but as demonstrated on the best of this album’s joints, Swollen’s future lies in the fast lane of hip-hop’s electro renaissance.
Martin Turenne
Product Description
2002 album from Swollen Members is set to take them to an even higher level. The album includes banging new singles & remixes taking the raw heavy substance of Balance (1999) and combining it with the polished maturity of Bad Dreams (2001). Battleaxe Records.
Monsters in the Closet,Swollen Members,Battle Axe,Pop,R&B/Soul,Rap,Rap & Hip-Hop
Average customer rating: 
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Monsters in the Closet
Swollen Members Manufacturer: Battle Axe ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD  General
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| R&B
| Styles
| Music
General
| Soul
| R&B
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rap
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Indie Music
| Stores
| Music
Similar Items:
ASIN: B00006RG7K Release Date: 2002-11-12 |
Tracks:
- Intro
- Steppin Thru
- Breath (featuring Nelly Furtado)
- Fuel Injected (remix, featuring Saukrates)
- Battle Axe Exclusive
- Heavy Thinkers
- English Breakfast
- Red Dragon
- Bring It Home
- Zenith
- Members Only
- Act on It
- Long Way Down
- Temptation
- The Capitol
- Crunch
- Northern Lights
- Rockapella
- Freak Fantastic
- New Details
Album Description
2002 album from Swollen Members is set to take them to an even higher level. The album includes banging new singles & remixes taking the raw heavy substance of Balance (1999) and combining it with the polished maturity of Bad Dreams (2001). Battleaxe Records.Customer Reviews:
This is an awesome album.......2007-02-22
The songs with Nelly Furtado "breathe" and Sarah Mclaughlin "long way down", are amazing, almost trip hop feel to them, just amazing, and the song " act on it" has a smooth classy feel to it, like old school Roots stuff...it's just a great album..
=S=
Monsters in the Closet ---> TOP STUFF.......2006-08-27
Goofy Rap From Guys Who Shouldn't Be Rapping.......2005-11-23
please skip.......2005-04-03
Terrible........2005-03-13
The day it was released, I bought it. Took it home. Put it in my CD player, and it was horrible right from the start.
Average customer rating: 
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Monsters in the Closet
Swollen Members Manufacturer: Battle Axe ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
West Coast
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
Experimental Rap
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rap
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
Similar Items:
ASIN: B00008X5BE Release Date: 2007-01-08 |
Tracks:
- Steppin Thru
- Breath
- Fuel Injected [Remix]
- Battle Axe Exclusive
- Heavy Thinkers
- Red Dragon
- Bring It Home
- Zenith
- Members Only
- Act on It
- Long Way Down
- Temptation
- Crunch
- Northern Lights - Iriscience, Swollen Members
- Freak Fantastic
- New Details
Average customer rating:
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Monsters in the Closet - INSTRUMENTALS
Swollen Members Manufacturer: Battleaxe Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000NZY7LA |
Product Description
[This is the INSTRUMENTAL version of the album]. ---TRACKLIST: 1.Steppin Thru (instrumental) 2.Breath (instrumental) 3.Fuel Injected - (remix)(instrumental)4.Battle Axe Exclusive (instrumental)5.Heavy Thinkers (instrumental) 6.Red Dragon (instrumental) 7.Bring It Home (instrumental) 8.Zenith (instrumental) 9.Members Only (instrumental) 10.Act On It (instrumental) 11.Long Way Down (instrumental) 12.Temptation (instrumental) 13.Crunch (instrumental) 14.Northern Lights - (featuring Iriscience) (instrumental) 15.Freak Fantastic (instrumental)16.New Details (instrumental)Christian Music:
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