Another dope request. Got into Illogic only recently with the release of his new EP, dude is real nice. High praise for this one all around the net so I really hope it’s as good as they claim.

One of the, um, endearing little quirks of CMG is that, on occasion, we get horrifically meta and first person. This is going to be one of those occasions, so hold on to your Vonneguts. Herein, I’m razing my old review for what I swear to be a neo-classic of hip-hop, last year’s and Illogic’s Celestial Clockwork. NY-based Raptivism now peddles Weightless wares, hopefully ensuring much better distribution of the small Columbus label’s quality releases; as a sort of dowry, Weightless presently offers a reissue of their (to date) watermark album, Illogic’s personal opus and third LP. This reissue features a shiny new remix and bonus track, so I can’t think of a better excuse to jump aboard my private/lonely hype wagon and lavish more praise on an album that I admire to a rather pathetic degree. In my jumping and admiring, I eradicate and redux my old review, a bulky and awkward beast that lumbers about with a track-by-track approach mired in choppy lyrical examples and overdone metaphors… oh, and long sentences, naturally. Looking at other reviews from my early CMG days (see Cryptic One and Cee-Lo Green), it’s surprising that Scott and Amir didn’t stage an intervention and send me into some sort of writing detox program. Judging by this paragraph, it may already be too late for me.

It’s almost diabolically fitting that the whole Celestial Clockwork reissue should come about with my self-conscious revisionism in tow, for one of the major themes of the album is the idea of time passing and the inevitable changes it brings, how the very process of change is the only medium in which life and growth can take place. If you don’t believe that that’s a big theme in an album belonging to a genre often possessed of short-sighted materialism, well, you can check the fantastic title track and the lyrics to the songs “The Only Constant” and “Stand,” both of which feature Illogic positing that “change is the only constant.” So, uh, booyah.

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Only when I’m high off my ass do I personally really enjoy Aesop Rock’s music. I mean he does have his exceptional track here and there that appeals to me under non-compromised circumstances, but whether or not I’m a huge fan there’s no denying Aesop’s solidified status as a indie hip-hop legend. This was a special post for my best friend who got me listening to half of the music I listen to today, and although he never completely turned me over to the side of the Aesop junkies, I can still appreciat his creativity and uniqueness in style as well as his knack for taking on obscure and lesser touched on topics in hip-hop. Def Jukies fans salute.

Aesop Rock LPs
Aesop_Rock-Music_For_Earthworms_(Remastered)-1998-C*S
Aesop_Rock-Float-2000-C*S
Aesop_Rock-Labor_Days-2001-F*D_INT
Aesop_Rock-Bazooka_Tooth-2003-C*S
Aesop_Rock-Bazooka_Tooth_(Bonus_Disc)-2003-W*R
Aesop_Rock-None_Shall_Pass-2007-C*

Aesop Rock EPs
Aesop_Rock-Appleseed-Remastered-1999-C*S_INT
Aesop_Rock-Daylight-Retail_EP-2002-Rec*cled_INT
Aesop_Rock-Fast_Cars_Danger_Fire_And_Knives-EP-2005-C*S

A Huntington, Long Island, New York-born MC, Aesop initially recorded and released two self-financed efforts, Music for Earthworms (1997), a full length featuring underground legend Percee P on two tracks, and the Appleseed EP (1999), while also working as a waiter. These two independent releases are widely sought after in the underground scene.

After moving to the Mush label, Aesop released his first major album, Float (2000), with guest appearances from Vast Aire, Slug, and Dose One. Production was split between Blockhead and Aesop himself, with one track by Omega One.

Shortly after releasing Float, Aesop Rock signed to Manhattan-based label Definitive Jux (commonly shortened to Def Jux), where he released Labor Days, an album dedicated to the discussion of labor in American society and the concept of “wage slaves”. This album was most well known for its single “Daylight.” Because of its popularity, Daylight was re-released in 2002 as a 7-track EP, including an “alternative” new version of the song, “Night Light,” whose paraphrased lyrics simultaneously refer back to, and stand in stark opposition to, the original’s.

Labor Days was followed by Bazooka Tooth in 2003. For the first time, production was mostly handled by Aesop himself, with three tracks from longtime collaborator Blockhead and one from close friend and Definitive Jux label CEO El-P. Guest appearances include Party Fun Action Committee, El-P, and Mr. Lif (all Definitive Jux labelmates) and Camp Lo. With this release Aesop hit a higher level of recognition, releasing “No Jumper Cables” as a single and music video, then another single, “Freeze”, shortly after.

In the summer of 2004, Aesop Rock appeared on the Evil Nine Single “Crooked” from the Album You Can Be Special Too, on Marine Parade records.

In February 2005, Aesop Rock released a new EP, Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives. The first pressing of the EP included an 88 page booklet with lyrics from every release from Float until this EP (the lyric booklet is titled The Living Human Curiosity Sideshow); later pressings of the album come without the booklet, but with an additional bonus track, “Facemelter”. In addition, a limited number of albums were available direct from Def Jux with Aesop Rock’s graffiti tag on them. In response to demands from his fans, Aesop did less production on the EP: three songs are produced by Blockhead, three produced by Aesop, and one by Rob Sonic.

Aesop Rock was commissioned to create a 45-minute instrumental track for the Nike+iPod running system, entitled All Day. It was released in February 2007. Distributed via the iTunes Music Store and featuring Allyson Baker on guitar and scratches from DJ Big Wiz, Aesop has described the release as “something that evolved enough that the sound was constantly fresh and attractive, as though the runner were moving through a set of differing cities or landscapes.” [1]

All Day was followed in August of the same year by Bavitz’s fifth full-length album, None Shall Pass (2007). The album also contained original artwork by Jeremy Fish.

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This is the junior album from the legendary underground Cali duo, Blackalicious. I was first introduced to Blackalicious in the 10th grade (about three years ago… give or take) by a friend named Kevin. Kevin was heavy into Aesop Rock, Sole, and Deep Puddle Dynamics at the time so I was certain Black would be something to abstract and left field for me to really enjoy, but after weeks (maybe months) of his nagging and bitching I finally listened to their 2nd LP, Blazing Arrows. To my dismay I greatly enjoyed the album and Kevin won. Anywho, as much as I enjoyed Black’s aforementioned sophomore album, I feel as if The Craft is an all around better album. Better production, better rhymes… shit just flows more nicely than Blackalicious’ other two joints. If you’re a fan of Lyrics Born (who’s a member of another of MC Gift of Gab’s crews), People Under the Stairs or Jurassic 5, make sure to check on this one.

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I was chillin at my boys house last night blazin and wandering through the universe that is YouTube, when he showed me the below video.

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=MnkxbAa6MA8]

I was definitely impressed. I wish I could say I hadn’t been sleeping on dude, but I’ll just keep quiet. As I’m typing this I’m making my way through these 2 albums, Scifentology 1 & 2. There are a couple more of his earlier albums floating around that I’ll try and get up if people seem to be interested.

If you don’t want to download the albums, at least check this track.

Yak Ballz - Glory Days Gone

Both albums’ tracklists and download links are after the jump.

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“Appleseed is an EP by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock, the second of two self-released efforsts preceding his Mush debut Float (2000). As Aesop’s first EP, it is available only on CD-R.”

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Okay, okay, so no it hasn’t really been confirmed, but seriously… wouldn’t it be dope? I mean I’ve been listening to the Prefuse 73 produced Blacklist a lot lately, and I can’t help but think it’d probably be the best match for Doom besides Ghostface. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking, anyway peep the track if you haven’t heard it before.

 Blacklist: Download