Press Play: A Review Of AmpLive's Radiohead Mashup "Rainydayz"

News Type: Other — Mon Mar 17, 2008 8:40 AM EDT

entertainment, music, hip-hop, rap, radiohead, glitch, in-rainbows, thom-yorke, listen-in-reviews, too-short, jurassic-5, zion-i, del-the-funky-homosapien, amplive, charli2na, codany-holiday, mc-zumbi, rainydayz

Evan Mix

Rainydayz by AmpLive

Listen In

We at Listen In just don't seem to be able to get away from In Rainbows, do we? Radiohead's headline-grabbing 2007 release has been reviewed, awarded, and generally discussed a number of times in the scant few months we've been doing this. Indeed, the Listen In archives reveal no less than six articles touching on the British rock icons.

So, what's one more or less?

A Lesson Learned

Released in early 2008 by hip-hop producer AmpLive (AKA Amplive, Amp_Live, Amp Live, etc.) of Zion I, Rainydayz is a mashup EP of In Rainbows. He made one mistake, though – he forgot to ask for permission. As a result, Warner/Chappell threatened to block the album. Things looked grim.

But the story has a happy ending: the parties reached a compromise. Better yet, the compromise required that Amp make the album available free. Here it is.

Rainydayz

I'll cut right to the chase and say that I really like this album. It's not perfect, but it is a unique example of synergy between hip-hop, rock, and all points between. Also, it's addictive: 10 seconds into the first real track, I was hooked.

I haven't kicked it yet. Maybe tomorrow.

Rainydayz is one part glitch and one part rap. Several well-regarded hip-hoppers get in on the action: the recently-reviewed Del the Funky Homosapien, Charli2Na of Jurassic 5, Too $hort, MC Zumbi of Zion I, and soul singer Codany Holiday all make appearances. All acquit themselves reasonably well, though none is spectacular.

For me, the highlight of the album is "Weird Fishez" – a track without any vocals except a chopped-up Thom Yorke lyric. Yorke's spare, hypnotic voice lends itself well to this weirdly asymmetrical style. A simple vocal layered over a driving drum pattern, interrupted by glitchy hiccups that still manage to groove, makes this track the clear standout.

Nitpicking

I said above that Rainydayz isn't perfect. The most significant problem, in my mind, is this: at times, I found myself wishing that the rappers would just shut up. As a serious hip-hop fan I've done my best to talk myself out of this, but there it is.

Aside from that, I have trouble finding anything seriously wrong with this record beyond its length (if you're reading this, Amp, I want a full LP). It's a very creative project, and I'm glad AmpLive was able to release it.

Cross-posted from the new ListenInMusic.com.

Read more Listen In album reviews on Newsvine.

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3.8

{"commentId":1587591,"authorDomain":"emix"}

Evan Mix

Is there anything better than a free, legal album?

{"commentId":1587591,"threadId":"235733","contentId":"1371110","authorDomain":"emix"}

#1 - Mon Mar 17, 2008 8:49 AM EDT

{"commentId":1588096,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}

Scott (Scoop) Butki

Is there anything better than a free, legal album?

My first thought on reading the headline was "I want to hear that but i'm broke."

So my answer to your question is hell no.

Thanks

{"commentId":1588096,"threadId":"235733","contentId":"1371110","authorDomain":"sbutki"}

2 votes

#1.1 - Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:28 AM EDT

{"commentId":1587659,"authorDomain":"deatienza"}

Eric Atienza

I'm really digging Del's track, "Video Tapez."

For me, the highlight of the album is "Weird Fishez"

Do these track lists make anyone else think, "I can haz cheeseburger?"

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2 votes

#2 - Mon Mar 17, 2008 9:16 AM EDT

{"commentId":1591196,"authorDomain":"wonnacottyledon"}

wonnacottyledon

Also, it's addictive: 10 seconds into the first real track, I was hooked.

I haven't kicked it yet. Maybe tomorrow.

I knew you'd like it. There is an infectious quality to it for sure. I cooled on the album a bit, though it took a whole weekend of listening to it on repeat before I wanted to hear something else.

And since we're nitpicking:

The most significant problem, in my mind, is this: at times, I found myself wishing that the rappers would just shut up. As a serious hip-hop fan I've done my best to talk myself out of this, but there it is.

I wonder if you're just getting tired of rappers (it happens)? I personally find the first two tracks to be my favorites, and I was wowed to the extreme by the Too $hort/MC Zumbi(Zion) collaboration. It's as if the two brought out the best of each other: Zion influencing the socially conscious in Too $hort, and he bringing the quite-rapping hustle out of Zion. Though still, track for track, I think the best one is Del's. I've got a soft spot for piano loops, and even though you can see it coming a mile away, every time the beat drops and Yorke's vocals get chopped in, I gotta hold my head to make sure my neck doesn't snap. I love it, but then, I wasn't that hot on In Rainbows, so this remix is the only way I'll be listening to Radiohead for a while.

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2 votes

#3 - Tue Mar 18, 2008 2:56 AM EDT

{"commentId":1609073,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}

Scott (Scoop) Butki

I said above that Rainydayz isn't perfect. The most significant problem, in my mind, is this: at times, I found myself wishing that the rappers would just shut up. As a serious hip-hop fan I've done my best to talk myself out of this, but there it is.

Ha. That was pretty much my reaction too. I wanted to hear remixing but I didn't want to
Hear rapping. Guess I can't win completely. I did like what they did with Videotapes…except
When the rapper was talking.

I have trouble finding anything seriously wrong with this record beyond its length (if you're reading this, Amp, I want a full LP).

I have trouble finding anything seriously wrong with thie review beyond its length (if you're reading this, Evan, I want a full review)

What? I copied? Nope, that's a remix – I made it my own.:)
Seriously, good review. Clipped to my column.

{"commentId":1609073,"threadId":"235733","contentId":"1371110","authorDomain":"sbutki"}

2 votes

#4 - Sat Mar 22, 2008 4:34 PM EDT

{"commentId":1614035,"authorDomain":"emix"}

Evan Mix

Given that you're not a big hip-hop guy, Scott, I'm not totally shocked that you didn't dig the rappers. I was a little surprised, though, that I didn't. Still, there it is.

As for the length of the review - yeah, I was in a bit of a hurry. I may revisit this at some point. We'll see.

At the rate we're going, we may need to have a full retrospective article recapping all In Rainbows-related articles.

{"commentId":1614035,"threadId":"235733","contentId":"1371110","authorDomain":"emix"}

1 vote

#4.1 - Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:26 PM EDT

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EVAN MIX

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Press Play: A Review Of AmpLive's Radiohead Mashup "Rainydayz"

A Lesson Learned

Rainydayz

Nitpicking

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