ten

clouddead

mush records, 2004

Mood—Eerie.

Sample: "Son of a Gun"

Thoughts— I purchased this album by means of a happy accident.

At a listening station in the Virgin Megastore this album was sitting there, looking interesting, in the "Disk 1" slot. I picked up the headphones and gave the first track a listen. It was really interesting and cool, which was rare for the Hip Hop listening stations, so checked out a few more tracks, picked it up and took it home.

As the first track came on, I thought, "Hmm... this isn't what I was listening to..." Soon it became clear that Virgin had pulled a bait and switch on me, most likely due to their really crappy equipment and lethargic staff. As I continued through Ten, I felt a bit angry at having spent 14 bucks on something I didn't get.

At first listen the album is way out there. It's abstract, the MCs have very odd voices, and it just seemed a bit ramshackle. It was very different than what I'd been listening to at the store, which added to my unease.

Eventually, though, "Son of a Gun" came on, and when the beat kicked in at 3:25, I was converted. This was actually better than what I thought I was buying. It took a few more listens, but I definitely got into it. This is the kind of stuff that just won't ever happen if record stores go away... these sorts of mishaps are the most amazing way to find new music.

Once I realized that Dose One, an artist I'd casually admired for a while, was part of cLOUDDEAD, I was even happier that I'd bought the album. I don't even know what I was actually listening to back then, and I don't care.

Ten is filled with obscurity, complex prose, and a lot of fun. "Rifle Eyes" throws everything in your face all at once, changing time signatures a few times as well, which is so rare for rap, right?

Eventually this feels less like a hip hop album and more a conceptual album that deconstructs and rebuilds rap. It's an experiment that is wholly successful.

Recommended? Hmm... tough call. I can't give this a blanket recommendation, but it is,in fact, awesome.

Link—mushrecords.com/artist/cLOUDDEAD.php

Tracklist
1. Pop Song
2. The Keen Teen Skip
3. Rhymer's Only Room
4. The Velvet Ant
5. Son of a Gun
6. Rifle Eyes
7. Dead Dogs Two
8. 3 Twenty
9. Physics of a Unicycle
10. Our Name