New Roots & Chad VanGaalen

Another two records I've been spinning next to non-stop -- and have recently posted to Stereogum -- are VanGaalen's Skelliconnection and The Roots crew's return to form on Game Theory.

I loved Infiniheart. I know Chad can be a tad dull on stage, but that shouldn't take from the effectiveness of his genre-jumping stylings. The guy has been pulled reluctantly into the spotlight by those silly Sub Poppers; he was happy to be a bedroom genius, recording hundreds of songs released surreptitiously on tiny Flemish Eye Records. But no, they had to make him famous. So cut him some slack and just collect his records. Skelliconnection has five or six indispensable cuts. Here are two, and go the 'gum post for another.

Chad VanGaalen - "Sing Me To Sleep"
Chad VanGaalen - "Mini TV's"

Meanwhile, The Roots are bringing the goods with Game Theory. The shit don't stop. I just posted the title track to Stereogum (go here to grab it and weigh in). Go to ?uest's MySpace for the lead single "It Don't Feel Right."

My first exposure to these guys was back in middle school, when they were deep in the Philly underground and my friends couldn't get enough of the line "That's why we get high, 'cause you never know when you gonna go." I hung out with the go-getters, obviously.

When Things Fall Apart dropped -- and these guys became hip hop saviors -- I welled up with pride. Phrenology, and particularly "The Seed (2.0)", was a fulfillment of the promise of hook oriented pop with real Thought, and the group had nowhere to go but down. And The Tipping Point was the point at which things tipped.

But Game Theory brings it. Expect praise.

Comments

[Axl Foley]

Damn, you have the new album. I hate seeing a band before the new album comes out. They should release it before the webster hall show in order to accommodate me.

Speaking of, I have an old school cassette tape for the "distortion to static" single, which contains a song called "the lesson part II." I can't find the song anywhere. I'm going mad. Am I missing something? Any leads?

And I'm really digging the song you posted. It's nice to hear hip hop done properly and firing on all cylinders...it reminds you how good it can sound.