So a few years has passed and Ish has released another classic album. The strange thing is, that this time all the critics seems to 'get it' too. That might have happened with Reachin' (a new refutation of time and space) but it definitely didn't with Blowout Comb (at the time anyway) or Bright Black. Of course, Eagles Soar, Oil Flows and The Seven New weren't promoted anyway. I'd gotten so used to the larger media's ability to somehow ignore the output of one of the most original voices in modern music that the tsunami of critical praise over Black Up left me a bit startled (as did listening to the LP itself). Life surprises. In this post I'm sharing some national (USA) print publications' reviews of Black Up:
ROLLING STONE gives it 4 out of 5 stars, and concludes that "we have no choice but to be compelled"
FILTER MAGAZINE gave it 88% and proclaiming that "Shabazz Palaces have truly arrived"
THE L.A. TIMES also gave it 4/5 stars, adding: "Like the Tribe of Shabazz from whom they take their name, Shabazz Palaces is the sound of survival, inured against extreme climate, adamantine as diamond clusters, and levitative as any insect."
THE NEW YORK TIMES breathes a sigh of relief: "Yes, hip-hop still has an audacious progressive fringe. "
I was startled that the FT (Financial Times) reviewed Black Up and gave it 4 out of 5 stars. I scanned it and posted it on my blog:)Itr's interesting as the general consensus is if you really want to know what state the world is in check the FT, they give a realistic view of the world. I will be checking their music reviews in the future that's for sure!
ReplyDeletenewspapers give perhaps the most unrealistic view of the world, especially Murdoch-owned newscorp rags (why do u think shabazz never messed with myspace?), but i get what you mean. the ft had some level of integrity. now at least the paper is still that salmon colour
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