A Healthy Distrust

Track Listings

1. Buzz Kill

2. Sea Lion

3. Gunz Yo

4. Escape Artist

5. Product Placement

6. Voice Mail Bomb Threat

7. Dance Monkey

8. Sun vs Moon

9. Agony in Her Body

10. Crumble

11. Ground Control

12. Lie Detector Test

13. Bridle

14. Slow Down Gandhi

15. Jah Didn't Kill Johnny

Editorial Reviews
URB Magazine
"We're in the hands of a master lyricist...A distinctive raw talent is emerging"

Product Description
Francis is one of the most controversial, gifted, and innovative MCs today. For nearly a decade, his relentless DIY approach--equal parts eloquent poet and vicious MC--brings a style that smashes genre boundaries. His music is rooted in classic hip-hop, but he comes across like an amalgam of Dylan, Lou Reed, Chuck D, and George Carlin. Introspective but aggressive, politically incisive but funny as hell, "A Healthy Distrust" is Sage's first Epitaph release. Eclectic and complex. Features collaborations with Will Oldham, Saul Williams, Danger Mouse, Alias, and Joe Beats.

A Healthy Distrust,Sage Francis,Epitaph / Ada,Hardcore Rap,Pop,Rap & Hip-Hop,Underground Rap

A Healthy Distrust

A Healthy Distrust

Human the Death Dance
Average customer rating:

Read my reasons before you disagree with me.

pick it up!! you won't be sorry

Sage, Human Death Dance

I Wanted To Like This

Sage's Best Album -

Human the Death Dance
Sage Francis
Manufacturer: Epitaph / Ada
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Experimental Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Undisputed Truth

I'll Sleep When You're Dead

Personal Journals

A Healthy Distrust

Desire

ASIN: B000OMD4D4
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Tracks:

Growing Pains
Underground For Dummies
Civil Obedience
Got Up This Morning
Good Fashion
Clickety Clack
Midgets and Giants
Broccoli Break
High Step
Keep Moving
Water Line
Black Out On White Night
Hell Of A Year
Call Me Francois
Hoofprints In The Sand
Going Back To Rehab

Amazon.com

After cutting his teeth in spoken-word and rap-battle circuits, Sage Francis launched into hip-hop, sort of. On his first handful of nationally visible solo records (Known Unsoldier being the must-have of the bunch), Francis knotted his stylistic roots, mixing his vocal skills in an emcee's equivalent of cracking his knuckles. As Non-Prophets--with DJ Joe Beats--he signaled his hip-hop arrival on Hope, with referential credentials blaring over beat-down backdrops. Of course, he'll tell you all this himself, and more, and does. The first proper track on Human the Death Dance, "Underground for Dummies" brings all comers up to speed on the Francis oeurve. Thus primed, Francis outs with the clearest presentation of his entire, moody, linguistic repertoire. He's had it in him for years, but this time around, he learned to make a mix tape. In one exemplary run, "Got Up This Morning" brings in revenant folkie Jolie Holland for a back-porch jam that rags on the deserving Charles Bukowski, then "Good Fashion" muscles forward, percussion-free, on the strength of a pounding string ensemble. Finally, "Clickety Clack" explodes forward in a thunderous, dungenous groove. It's hip-hop, sort of, but if this is a death dance, good riddance to the deceased. --Jason Kirk

Customer Reviews:

Read my reasons before you disagree with me. .......2007-06-28

A bad song by Sage is better than anything supposedly good on BET or the radio. Let me get that straight. I base my reviews off other Sage CDs not the "mainstream" or any body else out there.

Now that I said that here is my review.

My personal favorite stuff from him is the Sick series. Personal Journals was very good but different (just like the song says) Healthy Distrust I needed to listen and listen again to actually catch on. But I love that CD too. Now Human the Death Dance...I hate to say it but I am not feeling this one. Every cd is totally different from the last one. Which is not a bad thing but this cd is really out there and is nothing even close to the intial Sage I heard that made me a life ling fan (The Sick Series). If you have never heard any of those CDS please find a way to check those out...great great stuff. My favorite track on this cd is Keep Moving that song is the best on this cd. When the next cd comes out I will get that one too. I buy the CDs of people I really like and regardless of what I think of this cd I bought and will keep it.

pick it up!! you won't be sorry.......2007-06-23

This cd is a must have if you are into the mid-west scene, or underground period. Definitely one of Sage's best albums. If you don't believe me just give some of the samples a listen. Great beats and amazing lyrics just pick it up man.

Sage, Human Death Dance.......2007-06-12

In general I like this CD. I am an avid Sage fan and have been following his music for years. I really enjoyed some of the beats on this CD though I felt many did not reach their very possible apex. I like this one about as much as Healthy Distrust. His verbage is there as always, my favorite "Buried in a Faustian bargain bin." However none of the songs got to me as much as say, Hope or Make-Shift Patriot. I felt the potential for some of the songs on Human Death Dance to hit this pinnacle but they just fell a little short. The CD is definetly worth purchasing but if you do not have his older stuff I would start with that - Known Unsoldier, Personal Journals, and Hope are my favorites though there are others. In fact on Human Death Dance on the second song, last verse, Sage goes through his story using all the titles of his CD's in different and effective ways, very cool.

I Wanted To Like This.......2007-05-31

Let me start off by saying that I am a FAN of sage francis. I love his music, his words, his ideas, his creativity. I could go on and on giving him praise but this is a review on a cd i found to be dissapointing.
Perhaps my hopes were just set too high. After a dissapointing Healthy Distrust album I was ready for Sage to come back and reel me into his world again. It is hard to be critical about something that someone obviously put his heart into but i was unable to find myself being "caught" by this album like i have been with so much of his past work. While it is definatly leaps and bounds above A Healthy Distrust, this album is no where near as good as Personal Journals or any of his ..Sick albums

Sage's Best Album - .......2007-05-26

If you've heard Sage Francis before and you're considering buying this album, do yourself a big favor, and buy it.

Before I got this album, I had only heard about 8 songs of his from several years ago (Majority Rule, Hey Bobby, etc.). I thought that his stuff was great, but like my expectations of a lot of independent artists, I thought that it was probably just a fluke. You know, the artist fades into obscurity, never advancing.

Well, Sage proved me wrong on this one. He's advancing by leaps and bounds.

This album, Human Death Dance, brought back everything I learned to love about hip hop: Braking the mold, Love of fresh word & rhyme, beats and music that make you realize what you are hearing is totally new.

It starts off with a cool little montage of old recordings he had of himself rapping when he was a kid - then the next track "Underground for Dummies" is a summary of his experiences starting out, his naivete as his strength, managers, etc... his influences (very cool). The background music sounds like nostalgic memories (hints of 80's pop music?) with the end result being a sound in hiphop I've never heard before. It's timeless and an instant classic.

I could go on for every song on this album ("Clickety Clack" blew me away!) but I recommend you get this album, open the lyrics book that comes with it, strap on your headphones, and enjoy the ride.

It's one of those albums that will remind of you of this summer, years into the future.

Average customer rating:

Not his best
Very good
Thank you, Francis.
Emo-Metal minus the Guitars / with No Beats; the New Fred Durst
surprise surprise... no sarcasm

A Healthy Distrust
Sage Francis
Manufacturer: Epitaph / Ada
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

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

Personal Journals
Hope
Human the Death Dance
Labor Days
Shadows On The Sun

ASIN: B00079HZZC
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Tracks:

The Buzz Kill
Sea Lion
Gunz Yo
Escape Artist
Product Placement
Voice Mail Bomb Threat
Dance Monkey
Sun Vs Moon
Agony in Her Body
Crumble
Ground Control
Lie Detector Test
Bridle
Slow Down Gandhi
Jah Didn't Kill Johnny

Album Description

Francis is one of the most controversial, gifted, and innovative MCs today. For nearly a decade, his relentless DIY approach--equal parts eloquent poet and vicious MC--brings a style that smashes genre boundaries. His music is rooted in classic hip-hop, but he comes across like an amalgam of Dylan, Lou Reed, Chuck D, and George Carlin. Introspective but aggressive, politically incisive but funny as hell, "A Healthy Distrust" is Sage's first Epitaph release. Eclectic and complex. Features collaborations with Will Oldham, Saul Williams, Danger Mouse, Alias, and Joe Beats.

Customer Reviews:

Not his best.......2007-03-13

I really like Sage but this is not his best work, not even close

If you want to get into Sage dont start with this album

Very good.......2007-02-16

"Dance Monkey", "Slow Down Ghandi", "Jah Didn't Kill Johnny", "Sun vs Moon," "Agony in her body" are the reasons I didn't give this album 5 stars. This is a strong dose of everything good and bad in Sage Francis's music. Smart lyrics that are very fun to untangle and interpret, good powerful music, occasional lapses into angsty poetry which, even though it doesn't take itself too seriously, is still a little lame. Better than much music being released, way smarter than rap by criminals about killing their own kind.

Thank you, Francis........2006-11-05

Thank you, Sage Francis, for expanding on the hip-hop genre, and confusing narrow-minded fools who possess an even smaller scope of what hip-hop is 'supposed' to be. People always fail to realize that hip-hop is an art-form, and as such, it will consistently evolve, and move into the future. When hip-hop was created, it was merely about partying; the Sugarhill Gang and Kurtis Blow weren't exactly reaching new levels of profound lyricism, people, no matter how close "Rapper's Delight" and "The Breaks" are to a hip-hop head's heart. Moving into the future, artists like Public Enemy and LL Cool J showed different elements in their music, with a political and macho approach respectively; they also showed far more intellectual, and complex lyrics, and rhyme schemes. Gang culture wasn't truly exposed in hip-hop before the N.W.A., and sadly, a lot of closed-minded individuals think N.W.A. was the be-all and end-all of hip-hop, and that every hip-hop record from 1990 and on had to involve elements of drugs, guns, and *****es.

Come on, guys; are we really that dense of a species that we think everything must sound alike, or otherwise it's not appropriate hip-hop? I'd really like to know; what's wrong with Sage's approach? Is it because he exposes his vulnerability, while other rappers adopt a Superman, apathetic persona? Is it because he raps about struggles that happen in his life, instead of talking about popping shotties and shorties? Honestly, come on. There's more struggles in life than the ones that take place in the ghetto, and hip-hop, as an artform, is to be used by anyone who wants to express themselves, even if they weren't born in the gutter.

I've heard people call Sage an 'emo-rapper,' or a, creating a word here, emocee; and is there something wrong with a rapper having emotions? Are all of these people supposed to be cold-blooded killers, and misogonystic ****ards? Hip-hop is for people of all backgrounds, all ethnics, all creeds, and Sage offers us a look into his life; a life full of pain, anguish, confusion, and angst. So what if he's upset at the world, and wants to share his distaste with his audience; he's an artist, people, isn't that the point?

This album is definitely not your typical hip-hop album, but make no mistake about it; this IS most definitely a hip-hop album. What isn't hip-hop about it? His delivery? No, he's definitely got that covered. Beats? Check, that's covered. Subject matter? Again, as I said, hip-hop is about anything; you could write a song about visiting Dunkin' Donuts for a dozen of glazed pastries, and as long as you stick to the basic structure of a hip-hop song, it'd STILL be hip-hop. Would it be a good hip-hop song? Well, if it was interesting, and cleverly done, then yes, it would be. What people need to understand is that hip-hop is music; it may have closer ties to real life than any other form of music, and it may feel more personal, but in the end, it's still effing music.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this album; in fact, it's amazingly dope, and one of the most original collections of music you'll find from any genre. Each cut on this album is as great at the next, whether it's the sung "Jah Didn't Kill Johnny," the parodying "Gunz Yo," the passionate "Sea Lion," or the concept track of "Sun Vs. Moon." Any hip-hop head with an open mind can appreciate this release; maybe if you think 2Pac's the greatest emcee of all time, this isn't for you, but if you can accept that people from all walks of life can make great hip-hop music, then you'll love this release.

Emo-Metal minus the Guitars / with No Beats; the New Fred Durst.......2006-06-12

Francis ain't a rapper. How anyone could consider him such is funny. This guy spouts half-azzed "poetry" at a fast pace and almost near yelling. Know what this guy is? He is an Emo-Metal singer without the guitars. And there is not a single good beat on this album or in Personal Journals.

Both albums are a spoiled punk kid whining about how his life is so bad and how the world is such a terrible place. This is music for twelve - eighteen year olds who were into the whole Emo-Metal scene and DO NOT LIKE RAP / HIP HOP MUSIC.

If you are an underground rap fanatic, i.e. you like El P, Lif, JMT, Canibus, Aesop, Doom, Kool Keith, Living Legends, Freestyle Fellowship, Cannibal Ox, C-Rayz, Ghostface, Raekwon, GZA, Mef, Mobb Deep, "Illmatic", Gang Starr, BDP, PE, EPMD, Ultramagnetic, ATCQ, Blackstar, Dead Prez, Common, APathy, Non-Phixion, "Stones Throw" records, Co Flow, Perceptionists or any rap music with guys who rap and with good production and dopeass beats then you WILL NOT LIKE Sage Francis(all the guest producers on "Distrust" put forth subpar efforts here, even the new pop star producer who is actually talented - Dangermouse - put forth some weak production, maybe b/c they were trying to match the vocals) If you like hip hop because of Eminem you may like Francis.

Sage Francis is the male Alanis Morrisette. A whiney b***h. This is [...]-rap. Seals & Croft.

Seriously, this guy talks really fast and acts like he is about to cry all the time while completing terrible rhymes over weak production and boring beats. This guy makes Necro sound like Mos Def. There is no flow to his rhyming. Just on and on and on with the complaining and cry-babying like some high school punk.

And anyone calling this actual poetry knows nothing either. These song lyrics clearly are not even a distant cousin to poetry, if anyone had to read poetry during their education they would know what poetry is and that this IS NOT POETRY and has nothing to do with poetry. Anybody in the entire world can sit down and write all this garbage and then try to get it to rhyme.

Here's one thing Francis is good at: Hustling. He hustled his demo's and got the attention of those other -rap poseurs from Anticon to put this out (odd nosdam, however, is a great and hugely talented experimental producer; clouddead's debut was great b/c of odd nosdam). Now there are a lot of dedicated anticon listeners who bought Persoanl Journals because Anticon put it out. That made it popular. Now you have the EMO-Metal teenage angst crowd -- who hates hip hop -- listening to this boring guy complaining over the course of two albums about how his life stinks and how misserable a place the world is.

Look elsewhere if you are into the underground scene and pass on Francis, pretty much a disgrace of a 'rapper', with no flow and not a single interesting song and NO GOOD BEATS or overall production whatsoever.

This is boring and insipid whiny "rap" music. I would not even put it in the rap category at the record store as it has nothing in common with rap music. And, no, he is not forging any new ground here. Like I said, he is copying the whole emometal scene and Fred Durst and just putting whack beats behind it and leaving out the guitars. This stuff is nothing new and adds nothing to hip hop and is meant to be ingested by loser teens who are mad at the world like Sage Francis is. Rap music is much better than that - and don't you actually have to RAP to be considered a Rap Artist? I guess not anymore.

Go get a Def Jux album or some actual rap music.

surprise surprise... no sarcasm.......2006-05-06

Sage Francis did it again.. but diffrently... again. From the beginning to the end of this album i think i only skipped one track, "gunz yo" and that was just because that starting was kinda eh'. but listening to this new album you see a growth of delivery and more content and of course the always welcomed poeticness of the Sage. favorite song: escape artist. least liked song:Gunz... song that had me tripping the most tho had to be the sun vs. the moon... well done sage, well done

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