CD Review: The Ecstatic by Mos Def

In recent years, Mos Def has become more well-known for his acting than his music. His latest album suggests that it should be the other way around. With a unique sound all its own, The Ecstatic is one of the more intriguing hip-hop albums released so far this year. While its quirks take some getting used to, this album is certainly worth your time.

The feel of this album is quite different from a lot of hip-hop efforts. Most of the tracks on the album (nine out of sixteen) are less than three minutes long. Three of those tracks are less than two minutes long.

However, don't let the length of the tracks fool you. None of them are pointless interludes or skits. Every track actually feels like a song. “Priority,” with its deceptively simple beat courtesy of producer Preservation, is both a highlight of the album and its shortest track.

Working with a variety of producers, Mos Def has created some interesting sounds for The Ecstatic. One thing that stands out is the use of Eastern music samples. “Supermagic,” gets the album off to a rousing start with passionate sampled vocals and some funky guitar. The stellar “Auditorium” glides over some beautiful strings with a Bollywood feel. The Madlib-produced track is aided by the appearance of hip-hop legend Slick Rick.

“The Embassy” starts off as a skit taking place on an airplane and becomes something else entirely. A smooth beat is interchanged with a jangling, Eastern music sample. Other tracks on the album sound closer to what many would expect of Mos Def. He reunites with Black Star colleague Talib Kweli on “History,”and teams with Georgia Anne Muldrow on the R & B-tinged “Roses.” The album's closer, “Casa Bey,” has him riding a jazzy track.

The Ecstatic is a solid album from start to finish. The production is top-notch and its sound makes it stand out from a lot of other hip-hop albums. Mos Def thankfully spends more time rapping than singing as well. The only thing about this album is that it can take some time to get into. Traditional song structures are thrown to the wind on some of the tracks here and that can be jarring.

However, this is an album that gets better with each listen as you begin to appreciate what Mos Def is doing. If you are a Mos Def fan or someone looking for hip-hop that's a bit more artistic, you should check out this album.

Most Underrated Black Sitcoms

The Cosby Show was the best and worst thing to happen to black sitcoms. It was the best because it helped to bring about a resurgence of black sitcoms, many of which had positive images. However, it was also the worst because it created unrealistic expectations for other black shows to follow. No black sitcom since The Cosby Show has had nearly the same sort of impact on television audiences. Even though there have been some hits post-Cosby (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, for example), many more black sitcoms have flown under the radar. Some of these shows lasted only one or two seasons while others managed to last long enough to go into syndication. What all of these shows have in common is that they never received the ratings and/or the praise they should have when they were on the air. While not all of them were “classics,” they did deserve to be seen and enjoyed by more people.

Here are my picks for the most underrated black sitcoms post-The Cosby Show in no particular order:

Sparks (UPN): This show revolved around the family-run law firm of Sparks, Sparks, and Sparks. Alonzo Sparks (James Avery) is the head of the firm and patriarch of the family practices law with his two sons. Maxey (Miguel A. Nunez, Jr.) is flashy, sneaky, and a little crude. Maxey's brother Greg (Terrence Howard) is his complete opposite, a hard-working, honest man. Their world is shaken up by the arrival of lawyer Wilma Cuthbert (Robin Givens). The brothers' sibling rivalry, competing affections for Wilma, and the love/hate relationship with their father complicate the running of their law firm. With a great cast that worked well together, solid writing, and a theme song by the late, great Billy Preston, it's a shame that it only lasted two seasons on UPN. It was the one of the first major roles for Terrence Howard, who would later find his mainstream breakout role in the movie Hustle & Flow.

Roc (FOX): The closest any show came to capturing the spirit of black theater on television was Roc. With a cast of stage veterans, Roc dealt with the everyday life of working class African-Americans with a class that is rarely seen. Roc Emerson (Charles S. Dutton) is a city garbage collector who lives with his wife Eleanor (Ella Joyce) and his father Andrew (Carl Gordon). His somewhat irresponsible younger brother Joey (Rocky Carroll) also added to the festivities. While the plot may sound somewhat bland, the execution most certainly wasn't. Critically praised when it was on the air, it never got good ratings. In an attempt to increase its ratings, every episode of its final season was done live. As far as I know, no sitcom since has ever attempted something like that. It showed off the cast's theater training and highlighted the show's playlike feel. It only lasted three seasons on FOX but it left a mark as one of the most truly unique black sitcoms to ever air on television. Reruns of this show can be seen on the cable channel TV One.

Good News (UPN): Even though it takes place in the black church, was produced by the same people behind Amen, and even shared a cast member with that show, Good News couldn't be more different from that Sherman Helmsley vehicle. The show starred David Ramsey as Pastor Randolph, the new, young pastor at a Baptist church. His arrival doesn't sit too well with the old guard of the church including Mrs. Dixon (Amen's Roz Ryan), the church's unofficial big dog. The two of them clash as Pastor Randolph struggles to modernize the church and increase its congregation and Mrs. Dixon tries to keep things the way they are. The two learn to compromise as the pastor tries to do what is right. While this show wasn't as good as Amen, it had a good message and certainly presented the black church in a positive light. This show lasted just one season on UPN. Good News (along with Sparks) aired in reruns for a while on BET.


The Bernie Mac Show (FOX): FOX is notorious for greenlighting many interesting and creative shows that, through the action or inaction of the network, end up biting the dust. The list of great but canceled FOX shows is longer than most networks list of great shows in general. While The Bernie Mac Show stayed on long enough to make into syndication, it's an example of a show that could have (and should have) been more popular than it was. The show had Bernie Mac playing himself, a comedian and actor originally from Chicago. When his sister gets into trouble with the law (and drugs), Bernie and his wife Wanda (Kellita Smith) agree to take in his sister's three kids. Vanessa (Camille Winbush), the oldest of three, frequently clashed with her Uncle Bernie. Jordan (Jeremy Suarez), the middle child, is a nerd with a mischievous streak. Bryana (Dee Dee Davis), aka “Baby Girl,” is clearly Bernie's favorite and she gets away with more than any of the other kids. The show, shot single-camera style with no studio audience, had Bernie directly talking to the audience as he and Wanda learn to deal with suddenly becoming parents. It was the talk of TV when it first started but the talk faded after a couple of seasons. Audiences had trouble finding the show due to frequent moves around the schedule and it was canceled earlier this year with a whimper. During its time on the air, it stayed consistently good...even after the forced departure of creator Larry Wilmore. It's unfortunate that a show that should've been one of FOX's comedy flagships instead became one that less and less people were able to find. This show is worth catching in syndication wherever you can find it.

Half & Half (UPN): In the final season of UPN, this show reigned as the network's best comedy behind a certain Chris Rock show. Rachel True and Essence Atkins starred as half-sisters Mona and Dee Dee Thorne. These two sisters have completely opposite personalities. Mona, who works at a record company with her childhood friend Spencer (Chico Benymon), is free-spirited and laidback. Dee Dee, a law student who later becomes a sports agent, is reserved and a little more uptight. The girls share a father in Charles Thorne (Obba Babatunde) who is married to former actress “Big” Dee Dee (Valarie Pettiford), Dee Dee's mother. Charles's ex-wife is Phyllis (Telma Hopkins), a therapist who is the mother of Mona. Big Dee Dee and Phyllis can't stand each other and battle all the time. Mona and Dee Dee each deal with life and love as they try to better their sisterly relationship. The show's biggest strength is in its ensemble cast. As each of the actors became more comfortable with their characters, the chemistry between them got better. In its final days, it was still on the way up with an expanded role for supporting character Adam (Alec Mapa), one of the few gay Asian characters to appear on TV.

Living Single (FOX): Living Single starred Queen Latifah as Khadijah, the founder and publisher of an entertainment magazine. She lives with her goofy cousin Synclaire (Kim Coles) and their somewhat shallow childhood friend Regine (Kim Fields). Khadijah's college friend, lawyer Max (Erika Alexander), is always around as are neighbors Kyle (T.C. Carson) and Overton (John Henton). This show presented a portrait of four professional women dealing with life and love before Sex and The City and Girlfriends and even predates Friends in its portrayal of a mixed gender group of friends. It helped Queen Latifah hone her acting skills before she became the Academy Award nominee she is today. It was smart, funny, and never talked down to its audience during its five seasons on the air. You can catch reruns of this show daily on the cable channel Oxygen and in syndication.

A Different World (NBC): Many black sitcoms are spinoffs of white shows. Benson was a spinoff of Soap. The Jeffersons was a spinoff of All In The Family. Good Times was a spinoff of Maude. A Different World, on the other hand, was a spinoff of The Cosby Show, one of the most successful black sitcoms of all time. Featuring a memorable theme song sung by Aretha Franklin for much of its run, the show was initially a vehicle for The Cosby Show's Lisa Bonet. However, Bonet left after the first season and it became more of an ensemble show. It took place at the historically black (and fictional) Hillman College and revolved around a group of students trying to make it through the college experience. They included Jaleesa (Dawnn Lewis), Whitley (Jasmine Guy), Kim (Charnele Brown), Freddie (Cree Summer), Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) and his friend Ron (Darryl M. Bell). It was the first (and may end up being the only) show to take place at a historically black college and portray a part of black life that is rarely seen in entertainment. Although it lasted for six seasons, I don't think it gets the love that it should. It's arguably the best show Bill Cosby produced that he didn't star in.

TV Movie Review: Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior

Of all the things Disney is known for, it's always fascinated me that this company has the innate ability to find and cultivate generation after generation of young stars. It has been especially good in the last 20 years or so. The 90's incarnation of the Mickey Mouse Club brought us Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Keri Russell, and Christina Aguilera. Lindsay Lohan got her big break in a remake of The Parent Trap and Disney kept her working in TV movies and a big-screen remake of Freaky Friday before Mean Girls really put her on the map. Hilary Duff got her break on the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire while Shia LeBeouf started off on the Disney Channel series Even Stevens. Disney even helped The Cosby Show's Raven Symone go from kid star to teen star with her series That's So Raven and the popular TV movie The Cheetah Girls.

Many of the new generation of Disney stars work their way through other Disney stuff before getting a chance to shine on their own. One such actress is Brenda Song. After supporting roles in three Disney Channel original movies as well as supporting roles on two Disney Channel series, she finally has gotten her break in the Disney Channel original movie Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior. This is a surprisingly good movie that combines humor and action in a family-friendly package.

Brenda plays Wendy Wu, a normal teenage girl who is obsessed with becoming homecoming queen. She has an incredibly shallow boyfriend, a lifelong rival who also wants to be homecoming queen, and lives with her parents, older brother, and grandmother. One day, she is visited by Shen (Shin Koyamada), a Buddhist monk who tells her that she is descended from a long line of warriors and that she is in danger. Every 90 years, an evil spirit by the name of Yan-Lo appears and tries to take over the world. Wendy must train in order to fulfill her and Shen's destiny of defeating the evil spirit once again. Of course, Wendy doesn't take the news very well at first. Much of the humor in the early parts of the film comes from Wendy's repeated attempts to avoid Shen. Over time, she not only learns to accept her destiny, she also learns that destiny is what you make of it.

In real life, Brenda Song is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and it's put to use in this movie. She kicks, punches, and flies her way through this film and looks pretty convincing. The film was directed by John Laing, a veteran of some of the more recent Power Rangers shows. The action scenes (and their wire work) are pretty well-done. My personal favorite sequence is a "quiet" fight scene that has shades of Jackie Chan films in its choreography. However, parents should take note that because of the action sequences, this movie got a TV-PG rating (the warning at the beginning of the film is hilarious, by the way).

While the action scenes are certainly the high points of the movie, the underlying themes keep things interesting. One such thing is the importance of knowing your culture. In the film, Wendy and her family are Chinese-American. However, most of them don't really care about their culture. In the beginning, only the grandmother (played by veteran actress Tsai Chin) really cares about her Chinese heritage. These themes are ones that are prevalent in the households of first and second-generation Americans and it's interesting to see them dealt with in a family film. It's also interesting to note that this movie just might be the first Disney Channel original movie with a predominantly Asian cast.

Like other Disney Channel original movies, Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior is fun to watch and better than you'd expect. Although I'm outside of the target audience for these movies, I have always enjoyed watching them. Not only are they consistently entertaining, they also give you a peek at the stars of tomorrow. If history repeats itself, Brenda Song's star is rising as we speak.

The Killah Returns

Ghostface Killah's 2004 release The Pretty Toney Album was missing something. I don't mean that the album itself was missing anything. Actually, it wasn't that bad. However, the cover was certainly missing something…the killah.

For some reason, Ghostface Killah dropped the "Killah" from his name with that album, going just by "Ghostface." Unfortunately, the album didn't sell that well. Ghostface returned the "Killah" to his name for his new release Fishscale and it's his best album since Supreme Clientele.

Fishscale has everything you've come to expect from a Ghostface Killah album. It's got old-school sample-driven beats and stories about his childhood, street life, and women (both good and bad). It has the intricate (and sometimes impenetrable) wordplay that makes you rewind songs to make sure you heard what you thought you did. However, what makes Fishscale stand out from the likes of Bulletproof Wallets and The Pretty Toney Album is the fact that everything is done so well and with little filler.

If you don't count the skits, there are 18 songs to be found on Fishscale. Most of them are pretty good. A catchy, singsongy hook drives the ode to drugs "Kilo" and Ghostface sounds ready for battle on the Rocky-inspired, Just Blaze-produced "The Champ." MF Doom (of Danger Doom and Madvillain fame) provides the appropriately gritty beat for the Wu-Tang reunion cut "9 Milli Bros." Even the late Ol' Dirty Bastard appears on what could be the very last song to feature the entire Wu-Tang Clan. Fellow Wu member and frequent collaborator Raekwon appears on a few tracks including "R.A.G.U.," a Pete Rock-produced song that almost sounds like a lost track from Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.

Ghostface's storytelling abilities are on display throughout this album. He attempts to woo a girl waiting at the bus stop in "Beauty Jackson," one of two songs produced by the late J Dilla. The other, "Whip You With A Strap," has him reminiscing about the whippings he used to receive as a kid. Then, there's "Underwater," a song that starts with Ghostface going through an underwater "pink door with a crystal handle" and weaves images as disparate as Noah's Ark and Spongebob driving a Bentley.

Two of the album's best songs deal with women in radically different ways. The current hit single "Back Like That" has Ghostface breaking up with his woman because she slept with his enemy as revenge for his own infidelity. At the beginning of the song, he tells the woman to give back the things he gave her. The bitterness comes through loud and clear when he tries to get back the ring and it won't come off. "Give me the whole finger, then," he tells his ex. However, Ghostface shows a completely different side on "Momma." The central theme of the song is that men are the reason things are hard for women. In the first verse, he blames his father for his mother's alcoholism because of the way he abused her. In the second verse, he tells a woman how he will be good to her. In the final verse, he says that girls are in trouble without "a strong man in the home."

Overall, Fishscale is a very strong album. Even with 24 total tracks, it never feels slow or padded. Although most of the skits are throwaways, they are so short that it's not worth the effort to skip them. One of them, "Heart Street Directions," is actually kind of funny. While you may skip over a song or two, there isn't a truly bad song in the bunch. The production is incredibly consistent whether it's done by well-known producers like Pete Rock, not-so-well-known producers, or in the case of "Big Girl," the artist himself. Ghostface doesn't exactly break new ground with this album, but the quality more than makes up for that. This is one of the best hip-hop albums released in 2006 so far. Highly recommended.

Prediction Mania: Grammys 2006

It looks like the Black History Month posts I'm working on are going to require quite a bit of insight and reflection. While we wait for those, I've decided to post the first of three awards predictions posts under the terrible moniker "Prediction Mania." The three posts will attempt to predict the winners of the Oscars, the Razzies (yes, you read that right), and, in this first installment, the Grammys.


Record Of The Year
"We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey
"Feel Good Inc." by Gorillaz feat. De La Soul
"Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" by Green Day
"Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani
"Gold Digger" by Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx

My Thoughts: Damn, this is a tough category. You couldn't avoid any of those songs in 2005 even if you tried. "Hollaback Girl" was the rare "pop" song to cross over to R&B/Hip-Hop radio. "We Belong Together" was the perfect crossover single and even the "Best R&B and Old School" station in Chicago played "Gold Digger." In the end, though, it's really a two-person race between Kanye and Mariah.
Will Win: "We Belong Together"
It'd Be Cool If This Won Instead: "Feel Good Inc."
I Wish This Was Nominated: "Let Me Love You" by Mario

Album Of The Year
The Emancipation Of Mimi by Mariah Carey
Chaos And Creation In The Backyard by Paul McCartney
Love.Angel.Music.Baby by Gwen Stefani
How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb by U2
Late Registration by Kanye West

My Thoughts: Kanye wants this award bad. However, he might not get it. There are so many variables here. There's Mariah Carey's comeback album, U2's supposed "best album in years" (which was also said of Paul McCartney's album), and Gwen Stefani's "something for everyone" album. Will the Grammy voters give Kanye his wish? I think they will...but Mariah and U2 are going to be nipping at his heels.
Will Win: Late Registration
It'd Be Cool If This Won Instead: How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
I Wish These Were Nominated: Get Lifted by John Legend, Demon Days by Gorillaz, Get Behind Me Satan by The White Stripes

Song Of The Year
"Bless The Broken Road" written by Bobby Boyd, Jeff Harris, & Marcus Hummon (performed by Rascal Flatts)
"Devils And Dust" written by Bruce Springsteen (performed by Bruce Springsteen)
"Ordinary People" written by W. Adams and J. Stephens (performed by John Legend)
"Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" written by U2 (performed by U2)
"We Belong Together" written by J. Austin, M. Carey, J. Dupri, and M. Seal (performed by Mariah Carey)

My Thoughts: "Ordinary People," like John Legend himself, was a breath of fresh air. Mariah will get Record Of The Year so I don't think they'll give this to her too. U2 could be a spoiler but otherwise, I think John Legend is getting this award.
Will Win: "Ordinary People"
It'd Be Cool If This Won Instead: "We Belong Together" (but barely)
I Wish This Was Nominated: I don't really know what to put here so I'll say one of the better songs from Common's Be.

Best New Artist
Ciara
Fall Out Boy
Keane
John Legend
Sugarland

My Thoughts: Lest we forget...the odds on favorite may not necessarily win this category. Kanye found this out last year. I think John Legend should win this but I expect Chicago's own Fall Out Boy to be surprised (and happy as hell) to pick up this prize.
Will Win: Fall Out Boy
It'd Be Cool If He/She Won This Instead: John Legend
I Wish He/She Was Nominated: Gwen Stefani

Producer Of The Year (Non-Classical)
Danger Mouse
Nigel Godrich
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Steve Lillywhite
The Neptunes

My Thoughts: I am familiar with every producer except Steve Lillywhite and I don't think he will win. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis may have a great catalog of work but they produced Jessica Simpson's remake of "These Boots Are Made For Walking" and that alone should disqualify them this year. The Neptunes consistently pump out interesting, club-friendly work and they helped Gwen Stefani cross over to urban audiences. I loved Danger Mouse's production on Demon Days but I don't think the Grammy voters did. Nigel Godrich is a damn good producer who helped Paul McCartney get great reviews. I'm almost at a loss to pick this one.
Will Win: The Neptunes
It'd Be Cool If He/She Won Instead: Danger Mouse
I Wish He/She Was Nominated: Kanye West, Rick Rubin

Best Rap Album
Be by Common
The Cookbook by Missy Elliott
Encore by Eminem
The Massacre by 50 Cent
Late Registration by Kanye West

My Thoughts: The Cookbook was good, but it was not as good as Missy's earlier efforts. Encore has some good songs and some godawful ones too. The Massacre has sales and although I don't think it deserved to get nominated, 50 Cent could steal this one from Kanye. Common's Be is very good but not as high-profile as Late Registration.
Will Win: Late Registration
It'd Be Cool If This Won Instead: Be
I Wish This Was Nominated: The Documentary by The Game

Best Contemporary R&B Album
Touch by Amerie
The Emancipation Of Mimi by Mariah Carey
Destiny Fulfilled by Destiny's Child
Turning Point by Mario
O by Omarion

My Thoughts: Both Touch and Turning Point fizzled out perceptionwise after great first singles. O is only nominated to round out the category. This really boils down to whether the Grammy voters want to honor the "farewell" of Destiny's Child or the comeback of Mariah Carey. I think they will honor Carey.
Will Win: The Emancipation Of Mimi
It'd Be Cool If This Won Instead: Turning Point
I Wish This Was Nominated: The Way It Is by Keyshia Cole

Best Alternative Music Album
Funeral by The Arcade Fire
Guero by Beck
Plans by Death Cab For Cutie
You Could Have It So Much Better by Franz Ferdinand
Get Behind Me Satan by The White Stripes

My Thoughts: I have to admit that I don't know this category as well as I would like. I enjoyed both Beck and The White Stripes' albums and I saw Death Cab For Cutie's album on a lot of "best of" lists. I like Franz Ferdinand but I think the peak of their buzz has passed.
Will Win: Plans
It'd Be Cool If This Won Instead: Guero or Get Behind Me Satan
I Wish This Was Nominated: Demon Days by Gorillaz (this is probably the best category for it...right?)

Best Rock Album
X&Y by Coldplay
In Your Honor by Foo Fighters
A Bigger Bang by The Rolling Stones
How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb by U2
Prairie Wind by Neil Young

My Thoughts: This is U2's to lose. Even though Coldplay sold a lot too, the hype surrounding their album (and the disappointment that some fans and critics felt) will keep them from winning. I don't see Foo Fighters or The Rolling Stones even threatening to beat U2. However, maybe we'll see a Neil Young upset.
Will Win: How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
It'd Be Cool If This Won Instead: X&Y
I Wish This Was Nominated: ?

Best Pop Vocal Album
Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple
Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson
Wildflower by Sheryl Crow
Chaos And Creation In The Backyard by Paul McCartney
Love.Angel.Music.Baby by Gwen Stefani

My Thoughts: This is an interesting array of nominees. The popularity (and longevity) of Breakaway has really surprised me. Kelly Clarkson has a very good chance at winning this category. Gwen Stefani probably won't win Album Of The Year and she probably won't win this category either. The competition is too tough (except for Sheryl Crow). The success of Extraordinary Machine in this category will depend on how many Grammy voters downloaded the bootleg version (although you know they'd never admit it that they did). Sir Paul will be performing on the Grammys for the first time as a solo artist. He's probably going to get at least one award as a result. And because he is the only male in this category and his album is a critical success, this will probably be it.
Will Win: Chaos And Creation In The Backyard
It's Be Cool If This Won Instead: Extraordinary Machine or Breakaway
I Wish This Was Nominated: Something To Be by Rob Thomas

Best Electronic/Dance Album
Push The Button by The Chemical Brothers
Human After All By Daft Punk
Palookaville by Fatboy Slim
Minimum-Maximum by Kraftwerk
LCD Soundsystem by LCD Soundsystem

My Thoughts: Does this nominee list look like an Old Boys Club or what? Every nominee except LCD Soundsystem has been making music for quite some time. Push The Button was a strong Chemical Brothers effort but it certainly didn't break any new ground. Human After All was incredibly shallow and fluffy...even for Daft Punk. Palookaville was a pretty weak album salvaged by a few good songs. I think that, barring an upset from newcomers LCD Soundsystem, Kraftwerk will take the prize.
Will Win: Minimum-Maximum
It'd Be Cool If This Won Instead: Push The Button
I Wish This Was Nominated: The Understanding by Röyksopp

Boards Of Canada Take A Look Back With Campfire Headphase

Boards Of Canada, the mysterious duo made up of Mike Sandison and Marcus Eoin, first burst upon the scene in 1998 with their excellent debut Music Has The Right To Children. That album introduced the world to their unique sound made up of airy ambient melodies, hip-hop influenced drums, vocal samples from educational films and other strange places, and the ability to generate hard-to-define emotions.

This sound was so unique and full of potential that it was not messed with very much on their darker 2002 follow-up Geogaddi. Although Geogaddi featured some wonderful songs (including the ultra-creepy "The Devil Is In The Details" which features the voice of a woman who sounds like she's drowning), it contained too many pointless interludes and was pretentious enough to end with a song, "Magic Window," that was nothing but silence. Now, Boards Of Canada returns with their third album The Campfire Headphase. It adds tweaks to the BOC style and although there are shades of brilliance, this is an album that has the duo looking back at their own work for inspiration.

From the moment you see the cover artwork for The Campfire Headphase, you know that this album will have more in common with the duo's debut album than with their previous album. Like the cover for Music Has The Right To Children, turquoise is the prominent color here and a photo (this time of one person) is blurred beyond recognition. However, Boards Of Canada resist making a carbon copy of their debut in several ways.

The biggest difference between this album and their debut (as well as Geogaddi) is the addition of live instruments into the mix. "Chromakey Dreamcoat," the first real song on the album, is powered by a slightly out-of-key acoustic guitar sample. The acoustic guitar also figures heavily in the mellow "Satellite Anthem Icarus." The use of live instruments also leads to another way The Campfire Headphase is different from its predecessors: tighter production. This album feels more polished (and, dare I say, conventional) than BOC's other efforts. The songs are more melodic and easier to get into. The superb "Dayvan Cowboy" is a good example of this. This song builds itself for over a minute before it reveals itself. The powerful, varied percussion present on the song shows that the duo has not abandoned everything from Geogaddi. Interludes are kept to a minimum, with many of them tacked on at the end of songs. Also, The Campfire Headphase is the shortest of BOC's three albums and has less tracks than the others as well.

The final way this album differs from its predecessors is the overall feel. Each BOC album has its own feelings that it generates. Music Has The Right To Children had an eerie yet positive feeling to it while Geogaddi had a feeling that was harder-edged and at times just a little unsettling. The Campfire Headphase has an overall feeling that seems to lie somewhere between the two. Since it's clearly inspired by the childhood experience of going to camp, that makes sense. Going to camp is a love/hate experience where kids never want to go and yet never want to leave. The track progression on the album also reflects this. The stronger percussion-driven songs like "Dayvan Cowboy" and "Peacock Tail" are frontloaded on the album. As the album progresses, there are songs that are more ambient than percussive like "Ataronchronon" and "Slow This Bird Down." It leads to the album's closer "Farewell Fire," a song that very gradually devolves to silence in the same way a fire slowly goes out.

Overall, I think The Campfire Headphase is another excellent Boards Of Canada album. With tighter construction than their previous albums, the addition of live instruments, and vocal samples relegated to the background, it's probably their most accessible album to date. At the same time, I don't think it surpasses their previous work either. Although there are some very good songs to be found here, I wish that BOC took a little more risks with this album. The use of instruments is welcome, but no track on this album really stands out from the fray the way the best tracks on Geogaddi and Music Has The Right To Children did. This duo is capable of creating truly innovative music and in a way, it's disappointing that they chose to look back instead of truly moving ahead. Despite this, The Campfire Headphase is an enjoyable, nearly filler-free album that should reward fans in repeated listens until the next BOC release.