Search - Wax Tailor :: Hope & Sorrow

No sophomore slump here

J. Olsen | 05/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I hardly ever review albums but saw this one didn't have one yet, and it definitely deserves one. About six months ago or so I picked up Tailor's debut, Tales of the Forgotten Melodies. It quickly became one of my favorite instrumental hip hop albums, right up there with my Rjd2 collection. But his new effort, Hope & Sorrow, definitely one-ups it.



There's no weaknesses here at all, each track has its own vibe, and all the guest vocals are strong. In fact that's one thing that sets this apart from Tailor's debut; his choice of vocals, with more than a few tracks featuring female singers, perfectly compliment the music. Think Alias's partner in crime, Tarsier. And after only a couple listens, you'll find some of these songs still looping through your head well after you've put the headphones down. The whole album has that secret ingredient that makes it grow on you more and more with every listen. I've spun it several times in the week or so I've had it and still haven't gotten tired of a single track. The whole album also still has what seems to be Tailor's signature elements of plenty of strings and horns, but it has a great balance, and he really knows how to weave them into a great composition. And the samples on this album are also stellar, just like they were in Forgotten Melodies.



If you're a fan of instrumental hip hop in the vein of Rjd2, DJ Shadow, DJ Krush, etc., this is a must have. But Wax Tailor has a sound all his own that you can only get a feel for by listening, not comparing, so check it for yourself."

If you really like 'Tales of the Forgotten Melodies' chances

M. DEIBERT | Bethlehem , PA United States | 05/14/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Listen to sound samples before buying! Compared to 'Tales of the Forgotten Melodies' this CD was a big let down. Gone are the collages of movie audio samples placed over dark soundscapes (although a few short 'filler' tracks reflect this style). 'Hope & Sorrow' focuses more on guest vocalist and rappers and most of the tracks fail to impress. This seems to be an attempt at more of a commercial 'dance' release than the well crafted Turntablism record that I was expecting. I 'hoped' this disc would be an excellent follow up to 'Tales of the Forgotten Melodies' but all I felt was 'sorrow' upon my first listen. A disappointment."