Monday, June 01, 2009

Chesnutt conquers

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THE Headphone Masterpiece, The Roots collaborator Cody Chesnutt's only album, was recorded solo entirely on a four-track recorder in The Sonic Promiseland.
By the way, The Sonic Promiseland is in fact just the name the Jamaican-American singer songwriter gives his bedroom.
I wonder what he calls his toilet?
Anyway, the resulting double album of output, orginally released in 2002 and given a rerelease next Monday, is the lo-fi, sprawling, incoherent collection you would expect in such circumstances.
And within it's raw hybrid of rock, soul and hip hop there are some moments of pure genius.
There's some you may have heard such as The Seed, which was revamped for The Roots' sensational Phrenology, and I Look Good In Leather, recently used in a Lynx advert.
Then there's tracks such as Bitch I'm Broke, Juicin' The Dark, Serve This Royalty - so may deserve an honourable mention.
Scuzzy and soulful in equal measures, for all its flaws The Headphone Masterpiece may be just about right.

3 comments:

  1. Kudos goes to Mr Chesnutt for having possibly the lowest budget album cover ever too.

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  2. Loved this when it first came out - Bitch I'm Broke was my fave track!

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  3. I know, still brings a smile to my face. It's a damn shame this is only album.

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