The vocal half is definitely the stronger of the two, and mainly because the best cuts are really really good and it opens super strong with that four track sequence (although how is Monch coming off looking like the weakest link here???). Only one or two tracks that I'd completely scrap ("Small Colleges" especially), one or two tracks like "Jojo's Words" that are really good but just feel out of place here, and a few tracks that aren't great but are cool enough to appreciate for what they are.

I actually think the instrumental half will grow on me but it's dragging the album down... mood-wise it's overly, melodramatically, on-the-nose heavy and Shadow's been watching too much Stranger Things. There's actually a lot of really good stuff (Slingblade, Beauty..., and then everything from Weightless through the end are super nice to me). But the sequencing just drags it down unnecessarily.

I actually think Shadow's post-Private Press output will be looked upon more favorably as years go by - he's never given up on the sort of relentless attention to detail that make him so good at what he does best, and that shows here. But beyond Endtroducing he's always struggled with sequencing (surprisingly) and that, unfortunately, buries some of his best moments in less-than-ideal places.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~