Current Events > I'm getting shitfaced and reacting to Run the Jewels' discography

(+) Yeah! (+)

I hate the term "reacting", but it serves a purpose. I'm sitting here on my ass with a box full of liquor, and I'm going to listen to Run the Jewels for the first time and give my thoughts as I get blasted.

Here's the booze:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/5/2/7/AAbh80AADgfn.jpg

I have three longnecks of premixed whiskey, one six pack of low sugar alcoholic ginger beer and three cans of IPA. All up, it's around 18 standard drinks. I've also been boozing it up since lunch so I'm pretty hammered.

I'm listening to Run the Jewels now because I heard DJ Shadow's "Nobody Speak" in a movie called Booksmart and it's been in my regular rotation ever since. Booksmart has a dogshit trailer, but the actual movie is a better version of Superbad and I would recommend it.

Here's Nobody Speak:

https://youtu.be/NUC2EQvdzmY

I'm also going to be playing a drinking game with a couple of very simple rules. When a song ends, I'll take a big drink. When an album ends, I'll finish whatever I'm drinking.

I'm four tracks into their first album, and the rapping/dynamic isn't really gripping me, but the production is fuck-off amazing.

This is a natural step for anyone who loves Gorillaz.

RTJ rules

seen em live like 8 times? Plus another time pre-RTJ that was a Killer Mike & El-P co-headlining tour

gotta say tho I am ready for solo albums from them each again

EDIT: actually it was 9 times plus I skipped their set at another festival because I had already seen them so many times, that would have been 10

So far, Killer Mike's verse on No Come Down is the standout of the record.

I saw them live opening for Rage Against the Machine about 5 hours ago. Amazing.

All up, I didn't like Run the Jewels 1 so much. I love Killer Mike, I really like El-P's vocal rasp and the production is truly fan-fucking-tastic. It's no wonder why they released the instrumentals separately. But in concert, I feel like those three things are like oil and water. I'm eating this production up, but the vocals take away from it - like how I love the beat on Eminem's Godzilla, but feel like Eminem is the worst part of the track.

And the unfortunate reality is that I'm gonna be comparing Run the Jewels' music to Nobody Speak, because that song might be close to perfect. I don't understand how that song is so close to perfection, but the same building blocks in RTJ1 fail to create something as compelling.

I'm a bit of a nerd, but I'm not super well versed in like music terms and shit - so take it with a grain of salt when I say that the issue I'm having may be with the mixing on this record.

In total, I like the potential of Run the Jewels, but in practice I'm very much on the fence.

The best "drunk as shit" band will always be Motorhead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n9J5dMl0hM

I'm gonna abort here. The first track of RTJ2 is okay, but I'm just not vibing. I feel like I'm just gonna get more and more sour the more I listen, so it's for the best that I stop here.

Love Killer Mike, love how El-P sounds, and love the production. But Run the Jewels isn't for me, not even when I'm four cans in.

GZAgenius posted...

I saw them live opening for Rage Against the Machine about 5 hours ago. Amazing.

Rage is back together again?

indica posted...

Rage is back together again?

Yeah shit was so awesome

I'm not their biggest fan, tbh.

Bad_Mojo posted...

I'm not their biggest fan, tbh.

Turns out that neither am I. Definitely no hate, but they're not my cup of tea.

GZAgenius posted...

Yeah shit was so awesome

Fuck! I hope they're coming out with a new album...did they play anything new?

Nope just all the classics. Half of The Battle of Los Angeles and most of the self titled,
Bulls on Parade, Vietnow and People of the Sun from Evil Empire.

Seeing them live was some mythical rare shit, and Ive seen well over a hundred concerts in my life.

Been waiting to see them since THPS/Dave Mirra soundtracks showed me them 20+ years ago.

GZAgenius posted...

Nope just all the classics. Half of The Battle of Los Angeles and most of the self titled,
Bulls on Parade, Vietnow and People of the Sun from Evil Empire.

Seeing them live was some mythical rare shit, and Ive seen well over a hundred concerts in my life.

Been waiting to see them since THPS/Dave Mirra soundtracks showed me them 20+ years ago.

Yeah, Rage was one of my first concerts as a kid. It would be cool to see them again. It sounds like it's just a reunion tour with nothing new coming from it, still cool AF though

woah I came in too late, dont skip out yet you havent even hit the best tracks.

Go with Legend has it Blockbuster Part 1 Ohh la La and close your eyes and count to fuck and panther like a pather for good songs similar to nobody speak.

then listen to Dont get captured and few words from the firing squad for some hard hitters.

at the very least. Theres other greats I didnt mention but if none of those get you then at least you tried a variety of the top tier.

pretty much what Im saying is you stopped before one of the best songs.

Rage Against the Machine and Run the Jewels live was an experience, just great the entire time

Zeeak4444 posted...

woah I came in too late, dont skip out yet you havent even hit the best tracks.

Go with Legend has it Blockbuster Part 1 Ohh la La and close your eyes and count to fuck and panther like a pather for good songs similar to nobody speak.

then listen to Dont get captured and few words from the firing squad for some hard hitters.

at the very least. Theres other greats I didnt mention but if none of those get you then at least you tried a variety of the top tier.

pretty much what Im saying is you stopped before one of the best songs.

What albums are these on?

I get drunk as shit, and just revert to Pink Floyd.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUHb3cBvWMY

indica posted...

What albums are these on?

2, 3 and 4 if Im not mistaken.

Thinking about TC liking nobody speak though I should have suggested oh my darling though.

Zeeak4444 posted...

woah I came in too late, dont skip out yet you havent even hit the best tracks.

Go with Legend has it Blockbuster Part 1 Ohh la La and close your eyes and count to fuck and panther like a pather for good songs similar to nobody speak.

then listen to Dont get captured and few words from the firing squad for some hard hitters.

at the very least. Theres other greats I didnt mention but if none of those get you then at least you tried a variety of the top tier.

pretty much what Im saying is you stopped before one of the best songs.

Thank you. I'm not gonna do the whole album structure thing any more, but I am down for these singles. Thank you for the pep talk.

Zeeak4444 posted...

2, 3 and 4 if Im not mistaken.

Thinking about TC liking nobody speak though I should have suggested oh my darling though.

Added that to the list my man

I LOVE Killer Mike. Even if I'm not hot on any of this shit, I love Killer Mike.

MrMallard posted...

I LOVE Killer Mike. Even if I'm not hot on any of this shit, I love Killer Mike.

You might try his last solo album, produced by El-P, before RTJ was a thing

also this certified banger

https://youtu.be/WZ15Yvje6_c