Ghostface Killah – Apollo Kids (Island Def Jam)
After making what was essentially an R&B album in 2009’s Ghostdini, Ghostface Killah returns to form with his latest, Apollo Kids. Wu-Tang Clan is well represented here – Capadonna, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, and U-God all make appearances. Production by RZA is noticeably absent, but the production work still gives that Wu-Tang flavor, even if it’s more focused on the 70s soul part than the Eastern vibe part.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: just because it’s been months since we’ve done a Forkcast update, it doesn’t mean we haven’t been paying attention.
• Tobacco ft. Aesop Rock – “Dirt” from Fucked Up Friends, due later in 2008
• Wolf Parade – “Call It a Ritual” from an upcoming full-length, title TBD, due 06/17/08 from Sub Pop
• Architecture in Helsinki – “Like It Or Not (El Guincho Remix)” From the Like It or Not EP, forthcoming from Polyvinyl
• Radar Bros. – “Slack Motherfucker”
• Os Mutantes – “Mutantes Depois” from a forthcoming album, expected in late June 2008
• Free Kitten – “Seasick” from Inherit, due 05/20/08 from Ecstatic Peace
• Stereolab – “Three Women” from Chemical Chords, due 08/18/08 worldwide (except for the U.S.) and 08/19/08 in the U.S. from Duophonic UHF Disks/4AD
• The Chap – “Carlos Walter Wendy Stanley” from Mega Breakfast, due 07/01/08 on Ghostly International
Lots more after the jump…
Just because it’s been several months since we’ve done a Forkast update, it doesn’t mean we haven’t been paying attention.
• The Long Blondes – “Here Comes The Serious Bit” from Couples, out now in the UK and due May 6 in the U.S. from Rough Trade
• Panda Bear – “Comfy in Nautica” (XXXChange Remix) – Original version from Person Pitch, out now on Paw Tracks
• Radiohead – “Nude (Holy Fuck Remix)” – Original track from In Rainbows, out now on ATO
• Islands – “Creeper” from Arm’s Way; due April 20 on Anti-
• The Dodos – “Ashley” from Visiter, out now on Frenchkiss
A bunch more after the jump…
Billboard’s Charley Rogulewski has seen a ghost!
According to the original version of his Pitchfork piece (Sonic Youth, GZA, Slint Kick Off Pitchfork Fest), posted July 14, 2007, 7:10 PM ET, GZA “was flanked by fellow Wu member Ghostface Killah for abbreviated versions of most of the album tracks.” Rogulewski even got a quote: “It was a very free spirited performance,” Ghostface said afterward. “We were feelin’ the crowd.”
Google cache still has the original version. View a screen grab.
The article since been half-corrected. Now, GZA “was flanked by Wu associate Cappadonna for abbreviated versions of most of the album tracks,” but the quote is still attributed to Ghostface, who as far as we can tell, was not actually in Chicago this weekend. Wasn’t he in Amsterdam with the rest of the Wu-Tang Clan (youtube)?
Some recent good stuff from Forkcast:
• Gruff Rhys – “Candylion” from Candylion, out now on Rough Trade. It’s the dude from Super Furry Animals. (fr0k)
• The Ponys – “Poser Psychotic” from Turn the Lights Out, out now on Matador. (fr0k)
• The Rakes – “The World Was a Mess But His Hair Was Perfect” from Ten New Messages out now in the U.K. (fr0k)
• Ghostface Killah – “Chunky” from J-Love Street Savior Pt. 5, out now. (fr0k)
• Dinosaur Jr – “We’re Not Alone” from Beyond, due May 1 on Fat Possum. (fr0k)
• The Mooney Suzuki – “99%” from Have Mercy due due out June 19 on Elixia. (fr0k)
Ghostface Killah – Fishscale (Def Jam)
I’ll say it: Tony Starks is the best thing to come of the Wu-Tang Clan. Ever.
Probably the least celebrated of the legendary hip-hop collective (at least above ground), Ghostface Killah has quietly put together an impressive discography of his anarchic delivery. When we last visited the Staten Island native, he was spitting venom over uber-large soul samples on the The Pretty Toney Album. With a Shortlist nom and some incredibly fawning attention from the press, it seemed all but inevitable that Starks had reached his artistic pinnacle. Toney firmly entrenched Starks as an icon in the eyes of intellectual hip-hop fans, a spot he embraced by joining forces on tracks with a few other heavyweight notables—whether Kweli or Doom, et al, over the last two years Ghostface Killah upstaged everyone he worked with.
Fishscale adopts the narrative style of pal and collaborator MF Doom (who produces a few tracks on the album) by loosely stringing a tale of the drug trade by song and interlude alike. The tracks themselves find Ghostface backed by a who’s who of emcees and producers—his most name-heavy release to date. Despite the absence of the GZA, who had previously been a producer on each of Ghostface’s albums, Starks seems unfazed. Why not? Doom, Pete Rock, and Jay Dilla (R.I.P.) are nothing to sneeze at, either.
These tracks retain the raw production of Ghostface’s previous work, which admirably accomplishes the task of making each song sound live—turn up the volume and you can practically feel Starks spitting on you. His delivery is my favorite Ghost mannerism—whether it is over Dilla’s slow, doe-eyed “Whip You With A Strap,” or the glam-rock Just Blaze production on “The Champ,” Starks never changes delivery. He’s constantly breathless and frantic, sharing a similar audible insanity with compatriot ODB. Lyrically, Ghost has always been great at melding violence, hope, and humor (when he croons a quick line in the first verse of “Jellyfish,” it’s almost laughable and loveable at the same time) in a single couplet—with all of these emotions fusing with his delivery and constantly-evolving production, the result is a schizophrenic bomb of explosive energy.
It’s easy to delve headfirst into Starks’ work from an analytical sense and still find tons to be impressed over, but one only need listen to the first line of “9 Milli Bros.,” the Wu-Tang reunion track, to fall in love with Ghostface. “Ya’ll be nice to the crackheads!!!” he screams completely out of cadence, and it’s incredibly addictive. Fans of punk would appreciate Ghost’s dismissal of consonance, and anyone with a pulse should feel the energy oozing from each crevice of Fishscale.
