Bazooka Tooth [Enhanced] [Explicit Lyrics]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The MC Paul Barman-friendly raps flipped by Aesop on his acclaimed 2001 Labor Days release generally didn't register on most hip hop traditionalists scales. And Bazooka proves that he's even less interested in appeasing the boom bap crowd. On "We're Famous", Def Jux label head El-P and Aesop go after the, ahem, critics who might not view their futuro sound collages as legit hip hop. El-P raps "I laugh at critics claiming, 'Hip-hop's over'/ F*** you, hip-hop just started." This being the first release where he handles the bulk of the production, Aesop intentionally goes all Def Jux, programming as many ultramodern found soundscapes on "NY Electric" and "The Greatest Pac-Man Victory Ever" (peep the sampled sounds from the classic video game) as is alienly possible. While his wordy and nearly incomprehensible verses on "Freeze" or "Mars Attacks" will either grate on the nerves or rate near genius, middling they're not. It's just a shame that the lack of soul in his rotating rap deliveries tends to undermine his masterful storytelling capabilities (like, who else writes brilliantly random songs about goings on in their life at 11:35 P.M. on January 21st ("11:35")). Fabolous fans run for cover, this is extreme backpacker rap at its grimiest. --Dalton Higgins

Bazooka Tooth,Aesop Rock,Definitive Jux,Pop,Rap,Rap & Hip-Hop,Underground Rap

Bazooka Tooth [Enhanced] [Explicit Lyrics]

Bazooka Tooth [Enhanced] [Explicit Lyrics]

Average customer rating:

Schweet

Are you kiddin me??

Not His Best, But Better Than Most (Hard Work, Though)

Different than Labor Days, but great in its own way.

another masterpeice

Bazooka Tooth
Aesop Rock
Manufacturer: Definitive Jux
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Experimental Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Labor Days

Float

Daylight EP

Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives

The Cold Vein

ASIN: B0000AWULB
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Tracks:

Bazooka Tooth
NY Electric
Easy
No Jumper Cables
Limelighter
Super Fluke
Cook It Up
Freeze
We're Famous
Babies With Guns
The Greatest Pac-Man Victory Ever
Frijoles
11:35
Kill The Messenger
Mars Attacks

Amazon.com

The MC Paul Barman-friendly raps flipped by Aesop on his acclaimed 2001 Labor Days release generally didn't register on most hip hop traditionalists scales. And Bazooka proves that he's even less interested in appeasing the boom bap crowd. On "We're Famous", Def Jux label head El-P and Aesop go after the, ahem, critics who might not view their futuro sound collages as legit hip hop. El-P raps "I laugh at critics claiming, 'Hip-hop's over'/ F*** you, hip-hop just started." This being the first release where he handles the bulk of the production, Aesop intentionally goes all Def Jux, programming as many ultramodern found soundscapes on "NY Electric" and "The Greatest Pac-Man Victory Ever" (peep the sampled sounds from the classic video game) as is alienly possible. While his wordy and nearly incomprehensible verses on "Freeze" or "Mars Attacks" will either grate on the nerves or rate near genius, middling they're not. It's just a shame that the lack of soul in his rotating rap deliveries tends to undermine his masterful storytelling capabilities (like, who else writes brilliantly random songs about goings on in their life at 11:35 P.M. on January 21st ("11:35")). Fabolous fans run for cover, this is extreme backpacker rap at its grimiest. --Dalton Higgins

Customer Reviews:

Schweet.......2007-06-14

I'm a fan. I personally dont think its as good as Halo Kibbles (No Regrets is an amazing song), but its still a great album. Aes-Rizzle is a genius.

Are you kiddin me??.......2006-03-04

Look, I'm not going to sit here and trash this album. (That's entirely too easy.) As a true hip-hop fan who appreciates, but not necessarily "likes" almost all styles of the genre, I have a serious affinity for cats that go off the beaten path. Not every one is going for the Jay-Z rhyming over Kanye West beats "winning formula" approach. That being said, this Aesop Rock kid is pretty dope. Unfortunately it took me until AFTER "Bazooka Tooth" to find that out! A former co-worker who is a big fan and I listened (the day it dropped I might add) to this album together. I can honestly say that I wanted "no mas" after about the 5th track. If someone can clue me in on this kids steez, then please tell me. The beats and rhymes were a feverish whirlwind of utter nonsense! I forced a full listen out of this album, only to wish I could get those wasted moments of my life back. Like I said, I repect mc's that forge their own path in this wasteland that is current hip-hop, but damn, is it too much to ask to stick to the basics of banging beats and dope lyrics?? If it wasn't for the Basement T.V. DVD I recently copped, I'd have no idea that Rock actually has skills. Granted I'm new to his stuff, so if any fans of his can point me in the right direction, I welcome it. Seriously, if this is the alternative to todays wackness, give me H to the Izzo all day every day! Do yourself a favor and cop Little Brother or Foreign Exchange instead. Oh and as for my co-worker who's a A.R. fan?? He thought it was wack too. Apology accepted Jeff!

Not His Best, But Better Than Most (Hard Work, Though).......2005-10-03

Most of the people I hang with who know who Aesop Rock is find it near impossible to fully agree whether his debut, Float, is better than his sophomore, Labor Days, or vice versa. However, they all generally agree that Bazooka Tooth is inferior to both, making it the lowpoint of his full-length career thus far.
Sure, it's a departure from his first two albums. On Tooth, Ace Rock has slowed his delivery just a little bit from 500 mph to, say, about 375. Some will argue that his lyrical content isn't as strong as it used to be - I disagree there. He's still just as poignant and witty as he's always been, IMO.
The other complaint about Tooth is that the musical direction has taken on the Definitive Jux persona 100%, meaning that everything is cut from the same cloth as the cold and emotionless wall of sound that El-P's Fantastic Damage made famous. This is due to the absence of Aesop's long-time producer/collaborator Blockhead; Aesop produced all but four of the tracks on this album, and while he did produce tracks before, leaving the bulk of the beat-making to Blockhead probably gave Ace Rock more time to focus on specific tracks, meaning the finished product sounded better.
Whatever the reason, Bazooka Tooth is a different animal entirely to the two albums before it. So, it's really unfair to compare here.
It's still great underground hip-hop, fitting for anyone who carries El-P or Rob Sonic in their CD collection.
The first 3 tracks are hot. "NY Electric," "Easy," and "No Jumper Cables" all start the album off with a bang after the short title track/intro.
"Limelighters," with a guest-feature from Camp Lo, was the first skip-worthy track to me; I didn't like it at all. It tried too hard to be commercial; the chorus was wack, straight up.
Next up, "Super Fluke." A lot of people say they don't like this one, but I did like it! It reminded me of Fantastic Damage (now a favorite of mine).
"Cook It Up", in which Aesop Rock actually tries on the pimp persona that's so hated in the underground. This is probably my favorite track, and it's the ONLY one produced by Blockhead.
Other faves are "Babies With Guns", "The Greatest Pac Man Victory Ever" (though it should be noted, Ace spends more time talking about LSD than Pac-Man), "11:35" featuring Mr. Lif (who I CAN'T STAND, but actually held his own in this one), and the brilliant closer, "Mars Attacks".
All in all, most of the album is pretty good, and definitely worth more of a listen than a lot of what's out there. It's just that it disappoints when compared to his earlier stuff. Of course, that's just due to Aesop's excellence; the guy arguably made two classics in a row - even HE couldn't keep up that trend.
For those who found this too "hard" to listen to, I won't fault you, like a lot of the musical snobs who listen to Ace Rock; music SHOULD be fun, not challenging.
For those who want to get into Aesop Rock and Def Jux, and think that this will kill both birds with the same stone, think again. Instead, shell out an extra 12 bucks and buy "Labor Days", which chronicled Ace at his hungriest, and El-P's "Fantastic Damage", as El-P is more experienced when tinkering with this futuristic. They're the best starting points for those trying to get into the underground. Most people will have to work up to this.

Different than Labor Days, but great in its own way........2005-06-21

First things first: you have not heard this album until you've blasted it full volume in NYC traffic. Hip-hop does not get more New York than this album. I don't know what people are saying about the production on this album, but it really showcases Aesop's evolution as a composer. He should release an instrumental album. He produces all but four songs on this album, and it is really amazing. Admitted, the lyrics are not as good as Labor Days, but the production is incredible. Blockhead also holds his own, with three incredible tracks including "The Greatest Pac-Man Victory in History," which only uses sounds mixed from the classic Pac-Man video game (besides the drumline, of course). The only track that isn't a standout is Super Fluke. So just buy the album, cause it's worth it, punk.

another masterpeice.......2005-06-17

aesop is a lyric genious, infusing brooklyn hip hop with a tessarus
type lyrics, his rhymes are over analytical in a good way. this cd is a type of creation you would only hear coming out of the def jux crew, and any copiers of the style does it in severe mediocrity. aesop, who is one of the main originators of this style, comes again with some lyrics for that brain! bazzoka tooth, being a new type of endevore, takes his float and labor days style and adds something new to the mix, leaving the fans wanting more! i extremely recomend you buy this album along with the daylight ep, float, labor days, fast cars, AND IF YOU CAN FIND IT! music for earthworms and appleseed.
remember, F@#$ TRAIN BUFFERS