Labor Days

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
With Labor Days, his first release on New York independent hip-hop label Def Jux, run by Company Flow's El-P, Aesop Rock exceeds the promise of his early limited edition albums (Music For Earthworms, Appleseed and Float), confirming himself as a modern day Gil Scott Heron. A hyper realist and as cynical as they come, but engaging with it, Aesop's gritty tales of street-life are a million blocks away from the cash-guns-girls glamour of his major label counter-parts. His rhymes dissect the mundane everyday slog, depicting a society long past caring, and too caught up in the daily grind to notice. Pouring his deepest thoughts over mournful backing tracks of down-tempo ghetto funk, cinematic grooves, sleazy jazz laments or eastern influenced orchestrals--and in the case of "Battery" all at once--Labor Days is a powerful concoction. Granted it's gloomy, but his dexterous flows and the social commentary delivered in his caustic couplets--see Coma's scathing attack on society's lethargy "If the revolution ain't gonna be televised, f*ck I'll probably miss it"--are imbued with a level of intellect that's refreshing to say the least. --Dan Gennoe

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Description
Every once in a while an MC comes along who has the abilityto reaffirm listeners' faith in hip-hop as a medium for intelligent, poetic, personal expression. Aesop Rock is one such MC, and LABOR DAYS is his defining statement. A flagship artist of the underground label Def Jux, Aesop Rock brings a style that is blisteringly fast, impossibly dense, and overflowing with metaphors, images, puns, references, and narratives. Rock's voice and attack--a rapid-fire, somewhat nasal monotone--borrows from Kool Keith and Eminem, yet his highly literate rhymes are uniquely his own.
Aesop Rock's music is the antithesis of flashy, R&B-based commercial hip-hop, and his politically conscious, culturally aware lyrics are galaxies removed from the thug/gangster themes of hardcore rap. Intriguing samples, featuring instruments like flute and sitar, flesh out the beats, but this is lyric-centred hip-hop, and Rock gives us plenty to absorb. Absorbing character-based narratives ("No Regrets") and slicing, alliterative tunes ("Daylight", with its infectious, memorable chorus) are testaments to the rapper's sophisticated lyrical superiority.

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Customer reviews

review by: def_jukie101 date: 2006-04-11 rating:
Aesop Rocks Masterpeice
A definitive jux classic, this is by far aesop rocks best album, although this sounds very different from his other (good) but inferior releases it should definately be in every hiphop collection (especially if your into your def jux). Every song is class, with the second song 'daylight' standing out the most, outstanding production from one of my favourite producers blockhead almost takes centre stage on some of the songs. If you've never heard aesop rock before i'd recommend this as your first buy, and if you like busdriver you'll probably enjoy aesops rhyme style.

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review by: date: 2004-07-19 rating:
How time should be spent!
Aesop rock is a master of his art, the embodyment of originality. you won't ever be able to grasp how good this album actually is, its like a never-ending drip of lyrical, musical and mental asthetic pleasure. Not only has he almost created his own language in his method of delivery but the content too leaves even the most detailed critical decipherers lost! when you buy this album, and you will if you have sense, it will grow inside you. even if on first listen you feel he's trying to be too original or pretentious you will prove yourself wrong, it speaks for you. of all his albums labour days and float are inspirational in a subliminal and sublime way. buy them, then get the rest! obviously the whole album is good, it just depends what your looking for. I admit, like everyone, beats and flow are what rock a tune, so listen to "no regrets" over and over and over again!!!!!

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review by: date: 2004-02-23 rating:
Outstanding album...never heard anything like it
This is one of the best albums I have ever listened to. It is packed with incredible lyrics over excellent beats. Aesop rock is definately one of the best lyricists around which he proves on this album. All of these songs have good meaning just it is hard at first to understand what is being told. This is because most of aesops lyricism is very metaphorical and complex. Which makes it great to listen to. Aesop shows he is very wise and you learn alot from listening to him. I have never heard a rapper like him which is a shame because i would love to hear more rap like this. For everyone out there this is a must have even if this album was on sale for £50 you still will not regret buying it.

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review by: date: 2003-03-31 rating:
fantastic
I first heard of aesop when my friend stumbled across a copy of the Appleseed EP, since then aseop had me hooked. For his first album on Def Jux, and most probably the first full length many people will have heard from him, aesop's rhymes have sharpened and the production evolved. I've always compared Aesop's sound to like watching a Naked Gun movie, you need to watch it repeatedly to fully appreciate the detail put into the final product. Simply putting it down after on listen is just ignorance, and a waste of time and money. A closer listen shows him to be one of the greatest lyricists ever. The backdrops perfectly complement his sound and make him what others merely strive to be. Individual. Closer listens to Daylight, Save Yourself, Battery, BentLife & 9-5ers Anthem prove his writing prowess. And even if after a thousand listens you still dont get it, listen to No Regrets and be astounded by one of the best storytelling songs in the history of music.


review by: date: 2002-09-30 rating:
Somewhat a let down
I was expecting much from this release, maybe too much after recently having listened to RJD2's stunning "deadringer" and el-p's equally competant debut; the man can do little wrong it seems.

The production is generally tight, producing some dope beats, only to be let down by aesop's rapping, which i find hard to tolerate. I would have given the album more were it not for his annoying tone and deliverance - maybe it is just me, but aesop just ain't up to def jux standard.

Have a listen beforehand if you can, his rhyming will either excite you or annoy you...if you like it, then you're sure to love it!

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