Search - Mc 900 Ft Jesus :: One Step Ahead of the Spider

I have seen the future

Keir H. Fogarty | fort collins, colorado United States | 04/07/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The song Bill's Dream on this album introduced me to Miles Davis (its a cover of "in a silent way")--and when I discovered the genius of Miles through MC 900, I thought "typical"--why? because Miles was one of the premier explorers of jazz (along with St. John Coltrane)--he invented an entirely new vocabulary in jazz--MC 900 Ft. Jesus, or Mark Griffin, needs to be recognized for what he has brought to the musical vocabulary of music--he combines such homages to the past as "Stare and Stare" and "Bill's Dream" with daring new excursions into the frontiers of jazz's vocabulary--people call this hiphop, but I really think that Mark Griffin is more of a jazz musician influenced by hiphop and techno/industrial--just as Miles Davis was influenced by rock and roll to create fusion--the one thing I would lament on this album, even though I like the track, is that I think "If I only had a brain" might have sprung from pressure by American records on MC 9-0-0 to come out with a hit single--notice that MC 9-0-0 hasn't come out with a record since this one? thats sometimes the story of an artist and a label having differences in opinion--the artist can't do what they want, they can't get out of their contract--and so they stop making music--we then become deprived of a unique and important voice in modern music--regardless of its record company woes, this album is still a daring excursion into the borderlands of the jazz format that largely succeeds--not to mention MC 9-0-0 has some of the most clever, intelligent lyrics of modern music"

The Greatest Storyteller

Alan Lee Carter | Auburn, Alabama | 03/07/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first experienced the grand sounds of MC 900 Foot Jesus in the early 90's. While up late one night I caught the video for "Killer Inside Me" from the album Welcome To My Dream. My brain savored every moment as the story unfolded its many layers. I was instantly sold on the idea that I had to look deeper into this artist's work. It took some effort to acquire his music but after waiting a few weeks I got my first listen to the entire ensemble of Welcome To My Dream. I was not entirely sucked in at first but after a few times of listening to the entirety MC 900 Foot Jesus became by far my favorite artist.
Shortly after I spent yet another few weeks attaining the rest of his work that was around at that time. I managed to get my hands on two of more his recordings "Hell With The Lid Off" and the single for "Too Bad". Again it took a few passes through the recordings for them to fully take hold. Once they sunk in I truly knew that greatness still existed. From that point on MC 900 Foot Jesus became a part of my every day life.
When I found that another recording was available I practically ran to get it. Finding the recording had finally made its way to the music stores shelves filled me with joy. I purchased the CD, drove home, popped on the headphones, and sank into the world of MC 900 Foot Jesus. It only took one pass through its entirety to befall enamored. The artistic styling of the album is truly beyond its time.
Mark Griffin is to me the Mark Twain of the 90's. His skill at storytelling is what seals up the deal, the music just being an extra perk. Chris McGuire plays the woodwinds and horns as if he had four arms and six lungs. DJ Zero scratches his mixes up there with the best of them. Followed by the rest of the ensemble. The music of MC 900 Foot Jesus is definitely worth looking into."

Not what I expected

S. T. Callahan | hells half acre, FL USA | 04/28/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Only thing I remembered was the song "If I Only Had A Brain" and I expected the album to sound mostly like that song...not even close. It's like soundtrack music at times, spoken word jazz hipster stuff at other times. Very cool, very mellow. Not very commercial music which is why only "IIOHABrain" was the only song I remembered from this release. Personally I like experimental/avantegarde and this CD goes that way, if you want hiphop beats and samples, etc...not the CD for you."