Wildly Eclectic Mix album offering from Peanut Butter wolf..
fetish_2000 | U.K. | 06/21/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The third in the `Badmeaningood' series, Dj/Producer `Peanut Butter Wolf' steps up with his entry into this series of musical influences, favourite songs and inspirational tracks. It's probably best to mention that Peanut butter wolf's mix is undeniably an eclectic one....and isn't based purely around Hip-Hop like his earlier albums, and more similarly styled like his `Hip-Hop, Funk, Alternative Rap, Rare groove' collection of records on his sublime "Jukebox 45" album compilation. After a brief intro, the knowingly cool old school Hip-hop of "New Adventures of Grandmaster Flash" kicks off the proceedings, and it's as excellent as start as you could possibly have wish for, before moving the mix effortlessly into the more celebratory Party Rap of '45 king's - Funk Box (We Want to Hear the Beat Box)', which flashes it's wares with some excellent beatbox improvisation. But Peanut Butter doesn't rest in the realm of hip-hop for too long, as the Acid Rock of `Iron Butterfly's - Soul Experience' changes the mood into something a little more melodically obscure. `Roy Ayers' contributes a superb effort in the shape of "Can't you see me", the stylish soul shouter that is one of a great many highlights on this album, and also has the double effect of highlighting that Roy Ayers made some fantastic singles in his time....Joyously upbeat and features more than a nod to R&B/Jazz crossover, this marks the transition from funk tracks to more song-based Soul/Jazz collection of songs. Bizarrely, (although I'd say ingeniously ), Peanut butter wolf drops an unexpected gem in the shape of "The Human Leagues - Hard Times", that's forgoes jazz/funk/Soul/Rap, and gives a large helping of synth-Pop, New Wave......undeniably catchy, and more than a little unexpected, this catches the listener off-guard , as most listeners were (quite rightly) expecting from a producer such as Peanut butter, to heavily focus his mix around Hip-Hop & classic funk. Another unexpected deviation is into Reggae, with the finger pointing self-righteousness from the legendary gravely voiced deejay "Prince Far I", with a slow smoky mood hanging over his track that is as serious in its unrelenting declamatory chanting, as it is in its Druggy-infused Dub instrumentation. Whether peanut butter included this track, to lend this mix a level of seriousness, in amongst some of the more lighted tracks, or this just happens to be a particular favourite of his, isn't clear.....but it truly is a sublime inclusion, separating & distinguishing itself in amongst the rest of these musical gems, and its probably at this point, that the album truly distinguishes itself from being just another excellent mix album."The Jungle brothers" Hip-Hop/Jungle referencing "I'm gonna do you", is by and large more subdued in comparison to their most well-known material, almost afrocentric Hip-Hop in places, this slow's the tempo down somewhat, and harkens back to Hip-Hop's `Golden Age', the raw, basement-level production is pretty rudimentary, but its important not to forget that a sense of fun and positivity that hearkened back to the music's earliest Sugar Hill days, is in evidence here.But the final track closer isn't a Hip-hop floor filler or Dj scratched funk track, but the harmonious soul/Rhythm & blues, of "Keni Burke's - Risin' to the Top", Is a truly glorious track to end the album with. Some may bemoan the fact that Peanut butter wolf should have ended the track with something more upbeat, but such is the truly sensual nature of this track, and given the broadly eclectic nature of this album, that to end on an expected note would have defeated the point of the tracks that went before it. And not only ends the album on a positive high, but decisively proves that Peanut Butter Wolf more than amply knows how to construct a exceptional mix album. It must be reiterated that fans of his older material, right up till "My Vinyl weighs a ton", should be warned that this has far more in common with his (fairly) eclectic "Jukebox 45's" album, incorporating everything from `Funk / Soul /Jazz / New Wave / Dub & Old School Rap' collated & Mixed into a sublime effort. If you're looking for something more beat heavy or a Hip-hop related to add to your collection....then don't bother with this, as tempos change wildly, Reggae/Dub, sits next to Synth-pop, and there's a far greater range collection of influences here. But the transitions between genres are virtually seamless and there's not a duff track on here. Those that enjoyed the eclecticism of "Jukebox 45's" will find much to enjoy here, and this includes those people that enjoy exceptionally realised mix albums, that don't stick firmly to one genre.......highly recommended."
Party in a Digipak
Joshua P. Mueller | Brooklyn, NY | 06/02/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've gotten lazy in my old age and I've become more apt to drop a disc like this during a party. It's a stellar set from a hell of a DJ. PBW seamlessly melds Human League and Joe Jackson with some funky breakbeats and makes it sound as natural as..well, peanutbutter and jelly."
Track Listings (18) - Disc #1
