The Album Review Club - Week #193 (page 1300) - East Side Story - Squeeze

[BimboBob]

I do appreciate that this is a bit of a lengthy one , so I would say go for the 24. I wouldnt wish to subject you to "too much", if it isnt quite your thing

Oh no...you don't get off that easily.

 

[RobMCFC]

3 Feet High & Rising – De La Soul

I thought that I might find some musical bits and pieces to enjoy here, and I did, but on a very, very limited scale. “The Magic Number” and “Me Myself and I” had catchy parts, but that’s it. Instead, let me list the way this album annoyed me:-

1. It’s too long.
2. It’s got shouty bits.
3. It’s got deliberately badly spelled words in song titles. “Jenifa?” FFS. Maybe that is somebody’s name, but it still annoyed me.
4. Somebody shouts “Yo” at some point.
5. It’s got little interludes between tracks which are, for the most part, terrible.
6. There are no proper musicians here. Well, there may be, but they’ve all been sampled stolen.
7. Somebody thought that it would be a good idea to have lots of people talking in the background at some points ala Steve Wright in the Afternoon. It’s not a good idea. It never is.
8. It features guests with silly names – on “Buddy” some joker named Q-Tip turns up.
9. They should have just got Fur-Q from The Day Today.
10. It’s full of silly noises, including, but not limited to, record scratches.
11. It’s not remotely musical, aside from the two songs mentioned above.
12. I don’t like to vocal delivery, but it’s rap innit, so it’s meant to be like that, sucker!
13. Somebody plays chopsticks in “Jenifa” – why? No, really, why?

You can see where I’m going with this. I accept that it’s not gangsta rap, it isn’t meant to offend, and it was done for a laugh, so they’ve got that in their favour. But I did not like this. It might have been a funny joke 36 years ago in a house full of students, but are we seriously listening to this for entertainment in 2025?

In his write-up, @LGWIO asked if playing an instrument and singing to create something is a wonderful thing, but is it any different from taking "samples" from so many and creating something new.

Yes it is. It’s very different indeed. With samples, you are relying on something somebody has created before and you are simply stealing it. Not even playing it, just copying and pasting it from another record! Admittedly, a greater technical challenge 36 years ago, but it’s hardly a feat to be lauded.

I’m not doubting that the people who put this album together are technically gifted, but for me, music must have a performance element – something in-the-moment that takes skill to pull off, even if it is a simple chord pattern. Labouring away in a studio to paste a load of samples over a drumbeat is a labour of love, but it doesn’t qualify as a musical performance in my book.

The joke would have been funnier if they’d called themselves Dell Arsehole and done a bunch of country covers.

Anyway, a couple of catchy singles, a few bit and pieces here and there, some technical skill in the studio and an acceptance that they were only having a laugh, 3/10.

 

[Coatigan]

Is this a serious nomination? Asking for a friend.

Wonder whether it will beat your Idles score!

 

[LGWIO]

3 Feet High & Rising – De La Soul

I thought that I might find some musical bits and pieces to enjoy here, and I did, but on a very, very limited scale. “The Magic Number” and “Me Myself and I” had catchy parts, but that’s it. Instead, let me list the way this album annoyed me:-

1. It’s too long.
2. It’s got shouty bits.
3. It’s got deliberately badly spelled words in song titles. “Jenifa?” FFS. Maybe that is somebody’s name, but it still annoyed me.
4. Somebody shouts “Yo” at some point.
5. It’s got little interludes between tracks which are, for the most part, terrible.
6. There are no proper musicians here. Well, there may be, but they’ve all been sampled stolen.
7. Somebody thought that it would be a good idea to have lots of people talking in the background at some points ala Steve Wright in the Afternoon. It’s not a good idea. It never is.
8. It features guests with silly names – on “Buddy” some joker named Q-Tip turns up.
9. They should have just got Fur-Q from The Day Today.
10. It’s full of silly noises, including, but not limited to, record scratches.
11. It’s not remotely musical, aside from the two songs mentioned above.
12. I don’t like to vocal delivery, but it’s rap innit, so it’s meant to be like that, sucker!
13. Somebody plays chopsticks in “Jenifa” – why? No, really, why?

You can see where I’m going with this. I accept that it’s not gangsta rap, it isn’t meant to offend, and it was done for a laugh, so they’ve got that in their favour. But I did not like this. It might have been a funny joke 36 years ago in a house full of students, but are we seriously listening to this for entertainment in 2025?

In his write-up, @LGWIO asked if playing an instrument and singing to create something is a wonderful thing, but is it any different from taking "samples" from so many and creating something new.

Yes it is. It’s very different indeed. With samples, you are relying on something somebody has created before and you are simply stealing it. Not even playing it, just copying and pasting it from another record! Admittedly, a greater technical challenge 36 years ago, but it’s hardly a feat to be lauded.

I’m not doubting that the people who put this album together are technically gifted, but for me, music must have a performance element – something in-the-moment that takes skill to pull off, even if it is a simple chord pattern. Labouring away in a studio to paste a load of samples over a drumbeat is a labour of love, but it doesn’t qualify as a musical performance in my book.

The joke would have been funnier if they’d called themselves Dell Arsehole and done a bunch of country covers.

Anyway, a couple of catchy singles, a few bit and pieces here and there, some technical skill in the studio and an acceptance that they were only having a laugh, 3/10.

So only another 2 listens to go then?

 

[threespires]

It features guests with silly names – on “Buddy” some joker named Q-Tip turns up.

OK, strike what I said about you being more of a ATCQ man.

But I did not like this.

Tbh I think this specific clarification was possibly superfluous.

At least they're not potty mouthed like Mike!

 

[RobMCFC]

Wonder whether it will beat your Idles score!

A different kind of hell, same ballpark.

So only another 2 listens to go then?

Nope. Sorry, once was enough.

OK, strike what I said about you being more of a ATCQ man.



Tbh I think this specific clarification was possibly superfluous.

At least they're not potty mouthed like Mike!

There was a bit of that, but it was such a minor quibble in comparison that it didn’t even make the list of annoyances.

 

[mrbelfry]

3 Feet High & Rising – De La Soul

I thought that I might find some musical bits and pieces to enjoy here, and I did, but on a very, very limited scale. “The Magic Number” and “Me Myself and I” had catchy parts, but that’s it. Instead, let me list the way this album annoyed me:-

1. It’s too long.
2. It’s got shouty bits.
3. It’s got deliberately badly spelled words in song titles. “Jenifa?” FFS. Maybe that is somebody’s name, but it still annoyed me.
4. Somebody shouts “Yo” at some point.
5. It’s got little interludes between tracks which are, for the most part, terrible.
6. There are no proper musicians here. Well, there may be, but they’ve all been sampled stolen.
7. Somebody thought that it would be a good idea to have lots of people talking in the background at some points ala Steve Wright in the Afternoon. It’s not a good idea. It never is.
8. It features guests with silly names – on “Buddy” some joker named Q-Tip turns up.
9. They should have just got Fur-Q from The Day Today.
10. It’s full of silly noises, including, but not limited to, record scratches.
11. It’s not remotely musical, aside from the two songs mentioned above.
12. I don’t like to vocal delivery, but it’s rap innit, so it’s meant to be like that, sucker!
13. Somebody plays chopsticks in “Jenifa” – why? No, really, why?

You can see where I’m going with this. I accept that it’s not gangsta rap, it isn’t meant to offend, and it was done for a laugh, so they’ve got that in their favour. But I did not like this. It might have been a funny joke 36 years ago in a house full of students, but are we seriously listening to this for entertainment in 2025?

In his write-up, @LGWIO asked if playing an instrument and singing to create something is a wonderful thing, but is it any different from taking "samples" from so many and creating something new.

Yes it is. It’s very different indeed. With samples, you are relying on something somebody has created before and you are simply stealing it. Not even playing it, just copying and pasting it from another record! Admittedly, a greater technical challenge 36 years ago, but it’s hardly a feat to be lauded.

I’m not doubting that the people who put this album together are technically gifted, but for me, music must have a performance element – something in-the-moment that takes skill to pull off, even if it is a simple chord pattern. Labouring away in a studio to paste a load of samples over a drumbeat is a labour of love, but it doesn’t qualify as a musical performance in my book.

The joke would have been funnier if they’d called themselves Dell Arsehole and done a bunch of country covers.

Anyway, a couple of catchy singles, a few bit and pieces here and there, some technical skill in the studio and an acceptance that they were only having a laugh, 3/10.

Ok Boomer ;)

Do you not consider the rapping a performance element? Or the writing - it's prepared before hand so not "in the moment" but it's rare to have something recorded without some prep before hand

 

[chesterbells]

Listening back now it’s not quite the album a few of us went to town on back then. Quite uneven like a lot of supposedly classic albums are.

With kudos to Hall & Oates, Say No Go was a gem, and a couple of the other tunes still sound good, but compared to a lot of the other rap classics from the era (It Takes a nation of millions, Straight Outta Compton, Stone Cold Rhymin, Bad Sister, and the Eric B & Rakim albums) it doesn’t hold up well for me.

 

[RobMCFC]

Ok Boomer ;)

Do you not consider the rapping a performance element? Or the writing - it's prepared before hand so not "in the moment" but it's rare to have something recorded without some prep before hand

Yes, the rapping is a performance element ...... that I don't like. Rapping, whilst requiring dexterity of the vocal chords is just a bad form of singing. At least I don't like it anyway. Occasional raps inserted into otherwise proper songs (e.g. Aerosmith vs Run DMC), I can take. But rapping over a drum machine, no thanks.

On the subject of "Prepared beforehand", I've already addressed the fact that these guys must be good in the studio to be able to put all of this together, but slaving away in a studio to piece something together is not the same as the performance of a song live.

It's pretty simple really: I just don't like "music" that seeks to take away the performance of songs with real people playing real instruments. If you like drum machines, beat boxes and rapping, then knock yourself out, but there's not much in it for me, I'm afraid. When I can take this kind of music is when it's used in a comedy way (see the aforementioned Fur-Q om The Day Today), and having accepted that De La Soul were not taking it too seriously, that's why they got 3 points instead of lower.

When this was first nominated, I got mixed up for a second and thought it was Soul II Soul. Whilst that is not my kind of music either, it does have abetter performance in terms of the singing and creates a danceable rhythm that worked back in the clubs in the late 80s/early 90s. I think even those who like their music danceable would struggle with De La Soul.

 

[Boo or Boo-urns]

The Roots are an amazing six to eight piece "live instruments" American Hip-hop band.

 

[threespires]

Listening back now it’s not quite the album a few of us went to town on back then. Quite uneven like a lot of supposedly classic albums are.

With kudos to Hall & Oates, Say No Go was a gem, and a couple of the other tunes still sound good, but compared to a lot of the other rap classics from the era (It Takes a nation of millions, Straight Outta Compton, Stone Cold Rhymin, Bad Sister, and the Eric B & Rakim albums) it doesn’t hold up well for me.

I think the thing about this album is it really was quite different and a bit experimental and like a lot of experimental stuff some of it works and some of it doesn't. At the time it's novelty / innovation was enough to carry it through and excite people and it also helped broaden the range of people listening to hip hop. I agree that listening with distance it doesn't hold up as well across the board at least not in comparison to some of those you mention but it was instrumental in adding a string to hip hop's bow; and you could dance to it, still can!

 

[denislawsbackheel]

Rob said it all for me.
This stuff is execrable in my opinion.
It is the antithesis of music.
It has nothing in its favour.
0/10

 

[GornikDaze]

I’ll back Rob’s call on this weeks offering and save my ears from further suffering. My only real exposure to Hip Hop or whatever this is, was the Blakroc collab that the Black Keys put together in 2009. For reference Rob, It did feature a certain Mr Q Tip! As a big BK fan I really enjoyed how they put the project together, with some variation in vocals and Auerbach’s guitar glue holding it all together.

Subtract the BK glue and replace it with sampled stuff and this really is a hard listen. I get it was ‘groundbreaking’ at the time of its release, but I didn’t hear it then and it really hasn’t stood the test of time.

Sadly @LGWIO it’s a poor showing on the pitch and a poor showing on the thread with no VAR ‘controversy’. 3/10

 

[RobMCFC]

Rob said it all for me.
This stuff is execrable in my opinion.
It is the antithesis of music.
It has nothing in its favour.
0/10

Rounded up to 1, as per rules.

 

[Coatigan]

The scenes, when I end up giving this a 9 or an 8!

I don't get it. The vitriol that is, the scores I can get. Sure, don't expect it to wow or move people, particularly if you have a set narrow defined prism fragment through which you view music. But I struggle to get something this light hearted and kinda fun angers you.

I have enjoyed the mood it has put me in, the bravery of the choice also deserves kudos, so there's 2 bonus points straight off the bat!

 

[LGWIO]

Listening back now it’s not quite the album a few of us went to town on back then. Quite uneven like a lot of supposedly classic albums are.

"Classic" for the music? Or "Classic" for the innovation? Even though I nominated it, in part for the memories/timing of it for me, I do have to accept it could and should have been trimmed back and focussed more to make it less uneven.

Occasional raps inserted into otherwise proper songs (e.g. Aerosmith vs Run DMC

John Barnes likes this post

On the subject of "Prepared beforehand", I've already addressed the fact that these guys must be good in the studio to be able to put all of this together, but slaving away in a studio to piece something together is not the same as the performance of a song live.

It's pretty simple really: I just don't like "music" that seeks to take away the performance of songs with real people playing real instruments. I

Aren't most of the albums that we have reviewed "prepared beforehand" and have been created and refined in a studio? Save for those that we usually mark down for being live performances?

Sadly @LGWIO it’s a poor showing on the pitch and a poor showing on the thread with no VAR ‘controversy’

Or if I was being really devious perhaps presenting this and having a group of City fans listen to it 3 times through was my way of punishing a few of you?

 

[threespires]

The scenes, when I end up giving this a 9 or an 8!

I don't get it. The vitriol that is, the scores I can get. Sure, don't expect it to wow or move people, particularly if you have a set narrow defined prism fragment through which you view music. But I struggle to get something this light hearted and kinda fun angers you.

I have enjoyed the mood it has put me in, the bravery of the choice also deserves kudos, so there's 2 bonus points straight off the bat!

I was withholding a long screed on definitions/nature of music until we hit 1996 on the Rock Evolution thread when I was going to declare the opening bars of Unpretty by TLC as good as anything that had come before on the thread :-) (a hill I will be prepared to die on when the time comes!) but I think I'll go early on this because whilst I absolutely accept that people's preferences are what they are and I also enjoy a slightly tongue in cheek rant , I do think there's some interesting discussion to be had here.

 

[RobMCFC]

The scenes, when I end up giving this a 9 or an 8!

I don't get it. The vitriol that is, the scores I can get. Sure, don't expect it to wow or move people, particularly if you have a set narrow defined prism fragment through which you view music. But I struggle to get something this light hearted and kinda fun angers you.

I have enjoyed the mood it has put me in, the bravery of the choice also deserves kudos, so there's 2 bonus points straight off the bat!

If you can't get mock-angry on a music review thread and let a nomination have it with both barrels, in a generally safe environment, when can you?

I could laugh along, give it a 6 for bravery, lie and say I liked it, but that's not in the spirit of the thread, is it?
A nominator comes on and presents us with something that means something to them and explains why. We then have a duty to listen to it and give our thoughts and say how it makes us feel. I'm all for looking for redeeming features in something that I don't otherwise like (I did point out the singles here were OK, but that's a relative term) but t's a bit poor if we have to start lying and being nice (to the album) for the sake of it.

I'm with @denislawsbackheel on this one - he summarised it nicely: It is the antithesis of music.

Aren't most of the albums that we have reviewed "prepared beforehand" and have been created and refined in a studio? Save for those that we usually mark down for being live performances?

Yes, of course, but when somebody plays a guitar or piano part in the studio and we hear it as part of a recorded/produced song, they have performed that part and not just lifted it from somebody else's work. I don't equate rapping to playing a piano/guitar/harp/theremin, and that is the problem I have with this "music". If people are comfortable in accepting rapping and cut & pasting versus playing an instrument or singing, then they may very well like this style of music, but again I'm not so I don't.

 

[Saddleworth2]

I can't listen to it three times - I'm sorry.
Liverpools revenge.

1-10

 

[BlueHammer85]