album is v. good.
― Tim F, Thursday, 4 November 2010 04:50 (thirteen years ago) link
Oh dang, I didn't realize it was done yet. Hooray!
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 4 November 2010 04:54 (thirteen years ago) link
just check the usual places
― The Reverend, Wednesday, November 3, 2010 10:58 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
cant find :( u have aim mofo
― holy lolson (deej), Thursday, 4 November 2010 05:10 (thirteen years ago) link
hey rev would you post one or two choice tracks?
― J0rdan S., Thursday, 4 November 2010 05:17 (thirteen years ago) link
i still need to check out the aloe blacc album
― J0rdan S., Thursday, 4 November 2010 05:18 (thirteen years ago) link
deej, i got it off slsk, i don't have a link to a rar/zip
j0, this is my immediate fave:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0apYId-zQQE
― The Reverend, Thursday, 4 November 2010 05:42 (thirteen years ago) link
Basically, anyone who likes either New Amerykah and isn't fucking with this is stuck on stupid.
― The Reverend, Thursday, 4 November 2010 02:52 (4 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
was thinking of starting a thread about the last Mos Def album with p much the same line. Will download this, never knew Bilal was still kicking around.
― gazza bale flame (a hoy hoy), Thursday, 4 November 2010 07:25 (thirteen years ago) link
yeah straight up i thought this dude was dead and shit
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Thursday, 4 November 2010 07:42 (thirteen years ago) link
His unreleased album Love for Sale was good too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geIyb1pfk0s
― The Reverend, Thursday, 4 November 2010 07:45 (thirteen years ago) link
i like this album a lot.
― lex lex lex lex lex on the track BOW (lex pretend), Thursday, 4 November 2010 10:14 (thirteen years ago) link
how does this compare to Love 4 Sale (which is a classic imo), from what I've read it's a lot "rockier"
― i am not a display name (The Brainwasher), Thursday, 4 November 2010 12:20 (thirteen years ago) link
Great album. Along with the Quadron album, Plug Research is A+ this year.
― Michael F Gill, Friday, 5 November 2010 18:31 (thirteen years ago) link
COOL ON THE OUTSIDE AND HOT IN THE MIDDLE
― kkkvagz (The Reverend), Tuesday, 9 November 2010 02:55 (thirteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzKgNNpVtYk
― kkkvagz (The Reverend), Tuesday, 9 November 2010 02:56 (thirteen years ago) link
It's good, but when I put this on it kind of just drifts over my head. I guess it's a bit like listening to an r'n'b Tame Impala - like, there's music there and it's ostensibly interesting,but it doesn't hold me by the lapels and shake me like New Amerykah does. Sorry, I will keep listening.
― village idiot (dog latin), Tuesday, 9 November 2010 13:50 (thirteen years ago) link
this is so great on headphones
― dark side of the goon (The Reverend), Thursday, 18 November 2010 04:27 (thirteen years ago) link
like this a lot, though i think the songwriting could be a bit stronger at times. its mostly bilals voice/phrasing/tone etc that carry it for me. the last song is quite like cody chestnutt. overall though i think i like this album cos it has a kind of resigned tone that hangs over the whole thing.
― titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Thursday, 18 November 2010 10:08 (thirteen years ago) link
I finally listened to this and... don't get it. It seems so aimless and confused. There are no hooks, none of the breaks were memorable - I just don't get it. It's like Voodoo if you take all that makes the D'Angelo great. The songwriting seems like he needs someone to tell him to sharpen it up. The New Amerykah comparison doesn't even really make sense considering how TIGHT that record is, even parts like Master Teacher are so focussed.
I'll give it another go but really this guy exists for me to occasionally pull out Fastlane.
― hoy orbison (a hoy hoy), Tuesday, 23 November 2010 11:28 (thirteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jkbDtFapyY
― smanging pumpkins (The Reverend), Friday, 28 January 2011 10:17 (thirteen years ago) link
"Flying" works because Bilal sounds like the broken-down woman he's singing about.
― banjee trillness (The Reverend), Saturday, 26 February 2011 23:40 (thirteen years ago) link
rev did u make a best albums list last year? i remember finding some really cool shit i had missed off your 09 one (shafiq husayn, meshell ndegeocello)
― flopson, Saturday, 26 February 2011 23:45 (thirteen years ago) link
ILM 2010 Albums Poll Ballot+Stats Fiesta
― banjee trillness (The Reverend), Saturday, 26 February 2011 23:48 (thirteen years ago) link
It's a lot closer to the ILX hivemind's than the previous year's list, where I was kind of carving my own little corner of the world for myself. I also listened to a lot more rap, less r&b and dance than the few years previous.
― banjee trillness (The Reverend), Saturday, 26 February 2011 23:52 (thirteen years ago) link
ya, i feel i hewed p close to it too, or at least to stuff the same stuff you were onto. will check out esperanza spalding & ramadanman tho -- bilal is dope
― flopson, Saturday, 26 February 2011 23:55 (thirteen years ago) link
I love the reggae coda of "Who Are You"
― banjee trillness (The Reverend), Sunday, 27 February 2011 00:04 (thirteen years ago) link
Really like this lp, but it's mastered so horribly I can't usually make it all the way through. It's way too harsh.
Still have much love for Levels, Restart and All Matter. Three of 2010's best songs right there.
― Spottie_Ottie_Dope, Sunday, 27 February 2011 00:29 (thirteen years ago) link
Really? I haven't noticed any problem with that.
― banjee trillness (The Reverend), Sunday, 27 February 2011 00:32 (thirteen years ago) link
Yah man, crank it and you'll have to turn down the highs in your e
― Spottie_Ottie_Dope, Sunday, 27 February 2011 00:33 (thirteen years ago) link
*eq
Check the opening drums on Restart.
― Spottie_Ottie_Dope, Sunday, 27 February 2011 00:35 (thirteen years ago) link
Compare it to the Aloe Blacc lp which was one of the best sounding albums from last year, any genre. That whole album is so warm and inviting, although not as adventurous on a song to song basis.
― Spottie_Ottie_Dope, Sunday, 27 February 2011 00:44 (thirteen years ago) link
I don't really ever listen to music loud tbh.
― banjee trillness (The Reverend), Sunday, 27 February 2011 00:52 (thirteen years ago) link
It was one of the first things I noticed and I'm not a major geekaudiophile. My preferences with sound could differ greatly from yours so if you don't notice then cool. Still one of my favorite soul releases from '10 regardless.
― Spottie_Ottie_Dope, Sunday, 27 February 2011 01:11 (thirteen years ago) link
This album still jams
― The Reverend, Wednesday, 26 October 2011 22:18 (thirteen years ago) link
Maybe somebody can help me out with this: Bilal teased Airtight's Revenge with a single-worthy track that ultimately didn't make the album, and I don't remember what it was called or know where I can hear it again. I vaguely remember the song being in the vein of "Cake & Eat It Too," kind of heaving and beat-heavy, but that memory could be way off. I was really bummed when it wasn't on the album, then the album grew on me so much I didn't care anymore, but I'd love to hear that track again if anybody remembers it.
― Evan R, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 15:45 (twelve years ago) link
no idea, dude
― hologram ned raggett (The Reverend), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 16:24 (twelve years ago) link
Spent way too much time searching, but I found it. It's "Free." Definitely too beaty to have fit on the album, but not a bad song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZHIENQ698w
― Evan R, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 17:44 (twelve years ago) link
Nottz production is always very buoyant.
― Spottie_Ottie_Dope, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 17:51 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, I could go for a whole Nottz-produced soul album. Maybe not a Bilal-Nottz album, because there are probably better uses for Bilal's unique talents, but I always dig Nottz.
― Evan R, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 17:58 (twelve years ago) link
They had another joint on Nottz solo album
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aahQwBLM2Ns
― Spottie_Ottie_Dope, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 18:00 (twelve years ago) link
New album is streaming at NPR and sounds nothing like how I expected it to sound
http://www.npr.org/2013/02/17/172110416/first-listen-bilal-a-love-surreal?sc=tw&cc=share
― Evan R, Monday, 18 February 2013 20:47 (eleven years ago) link
this is fantastic
― On Being Blue (Da Ba Dee): A Philosophical Inquiry (wins), Monday, 18 February 2013 21:16 (eleven years ago) link
Only listened to it once, but my jaw has dropped so many times already. It's no easy feat making an album this soft so daring
― Evan R, Monday, 18 February 2013 21:27 (eleven years ago) link
yeah I'm just listening now and there are so many odd little earworms but still this record already feels like an old friend. Highlight so far is "slipping away", which is just wow.
― wins rules at negative self-demolition (wins), Monday, 18 February 2013 21:42 (eleven years ago) link
http://www.thenqm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/bilal-a-love-surreal-album-coverjpg.jpg
― wins rules at negative self-demolition (wins), Monday, 18 February 2013 21:45 (eleven years ago) link
loving this so far
― skeet-skeet-gate (Spottie_Ottie_Dope), Monday, 18 February 2013 21:54 (eleven years ago) link
this is awesome
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Monday, 18 February 2013 22:32 (eleven years ago) link
*throwing the gauntlet down*
― The Reverend, Wednesday, November 3, 2010 10:01 PM (2 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― 'glown' with the king (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 18 February 2013 22:34 (eleven years ago) link
the drums on "back to love" are killing me rn
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Monday, 18 February 2013 22:35 (eleven years ago) link
okay so i'm only into the third song but so far this record is amazing at creating a sense of extreme space even when like a million things are happening at once
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Monday, 18 February 2013 22:38 (eleven years ago) link
which is great bc correct me if i have a wrong impression of airtight's revenge but a lot of what kept me from really getting into that record was how busy it seemed
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Monday, 18 February 2013 22:40 (eleven years ago) link
:)
― some dude, Sunday, 5 July 2015 23:09 (nine years ago) link
Finally cracked into this yesterday. Exciting record. First half sounded great to me; second half was a little harsh but I was listening on bad speakers. I run hot and cold on Adrian Younge (sometimes his retro-ness scans as schticky to me) but his work here sound good
― Evan R, Sunday, 5 July 2015 23:55 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, this is the first Adrian Younge production I've really had any use for because he's finally working with an artist who pushes against his staid-ness.
― The Reverend, Monday, 6 July 2015 00:53 (nine years ago) link
who's Adrian Younge
the live drumming on this record is pretty appallingly bad, like the worst drumming i've heard on a 'name' record that wasn't shambolic indie rock shit
― some dude, Monday, 6 July 2015 03:19 (nine years ago) link
did you not like the Ghostface album xp?
― Hikikomori Povich (tsrobodo), Monday, 6 July 2015 08:48 (nine years ago) link
lol yeah this is such a weird choice
― insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Monday, 6 July 2015 12:04 (nine years ago) link
I thought the Ghostface record was a blast, but campiness flatters Ghostface. Haven't gotten around to the sequel yet though
― Evan R, Monday, 6 July 2015 13:39 (nine years ago) link
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Younge
And yeah, some of his fake-vintage stuff comes across as plastic to me, esp the drums
― Evan R, Monday, 6 July 2015 13:41 (nine years ago) link
track examples? i still haven't gotten a chance to listen to the first half, but there were parts in the first half that just seemed like intentionally janky loops.
― lil urbane (Jordan), Monday, 6 July 2015 15:20 (nine years ago) link
if this album is as good as sirens (Which was amazing, if a bit short and bitty), i think it might be bilals best album in a while. i think airtights might be his best, followed by the first one, and then love for sale.
― StillAdvance, Monday, 6 July 2015 23:01 (nine years ago) link
many songs on the record are as good as "sirens" which yeah is incredddible
― insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Tuesday, 7 July 2015 03:04 (nine years ago) link
Been listening to a lot of Adrian Younge's productions lately and was looking forward to In Another Life. Those drums sure are hard to get past tho. :(
― Jeff W, Tuesday, 7 July 2015 13:54 (nine years ago) link
i would call the drums a little basic sounding maybe, but i don't think i would have noticed so much if not for the convo in this thread. after one listen today i think it's pretty great, "it's definitely a bilal record" otm
― i'm not a dogg (sleepingbag), Wednesday, 8 July 2015 18:57 (nine years ago) link
production feels less than stellar but the songwriting is lovely
― like a giraffe of nah (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 9 July 2015 19:52 (nine years ago) link
only heard this once, on the train, so not ideal conditions, but the album seems underwritten. i wish he would get someone to write for/with him. nice to hear him screaming a bit though, i miss that side of him.
― StillAdvance, Thursday, 16 July 2015 11:08 (nine years ago) link
and the drums - though a bit shoehorned in - are better than some of the drums on his other productions. at least these have some thwack to them, most of the time they sound flattened, or like theyre stuck on a certain preset.
― StillAdvance, Thursday, 16 July 2015 11:09 (nine years ago) link
First half is pretty good but I think it gets a little aimless near the end. The song I keep coming back to is "Star Now"
― Roland Pemberton, Monday, 20 July 2015 20:27 (nine years ago) link
album gets better the more i hear it, though it does still seem a bit underdeveloped in places, like they could have done more with the songs. the repetitiousness of the drum sound is dissappointing after a while but the last song kind of slays me. and sirens is still amazing. i love bilal to death, but while i like that he just keeps making albums, unlike dangelo, i still think he has yet to make an album deserving of his talent. having one producer is one good idea, but a strong writer would help loads i think.
― StillAdvance, Tuesday, 21 July 2015 10:33 (nine years ago) link
saw him live this evening in london. the relentlessness of younges non-grooves becomes more apparent live, where you just want the drummer to STFU with the breakbeats after a while. i didnt realise how sparse the new album actually is, and not always for the better. his current band are good, though it got samey quite fast to hear virtually every song end in a big rock blow out, like a rock shortcut. i wish bilal took rock's propulsion, speed, and catchiness, rather than just grand 70s heaviosity. airtights revenge worked rock/pop influences in much more subtly. hes still a brilliant performer, and singer, though oddly, he doesnt really give himself much time to relax or stretch out vocally these days, which is a shame.
― StillAdvance, Tuesday, 21 July 2015 22:53 (nine years ago) link
Lemme tell ya that starting the year hearing Bilal do an extended live jam on "Sometimes" is as good a way to get going as you're likely to get.
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Sunday, 6 January 2019 17:38 (five years ago) link
what a record
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 4 October 2019 12:29 (five years ago) link
so fucked up on prescription pillsshe'll never trust a man again
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 4 October 2019 12:38 (five years ago) link
my ears weren't ready for this album when it came out
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 4 October 2019 12:53 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epfE8rjLeTs
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 21 February 2020 15:40 (four years ago) link
^^^ really wonderful song
seeing him with Kassa Overall on Sunday; bilal is always great in concert
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Friday, 21 February 2020 16:00 (four years ago) link
i love this. low key
― Thybulle on the Dash (Spottie), Friday, 21 February 2020 18:21 (four years ago) link
Did anyone spring for this Bandcamp-only, all-star, no preview tracks release?
https://bilalxhighbreedmusic.bandcamp.com/
― change display name (Jordan), Thursday, 11 February 2021 17:12 (three years ago) link
Btw ulysses idk if that was the last concert you saw, but I hope it was a good one.
― change display name (Jordan), Thursday, 11 February 2021 17:13 (three years ago) link
it was a good one (he did sometimes!) but not QUITE the last show I saw. god i miss live music.
― That's not really my scene (I'm 41) (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 11 February 2021 17:37 (three years ago) link
not heard that EP but i love the new song on spotify, in the rain.
― candyman, Thursday, 11 February 2021 18:31 (three years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QCwWtSZsMM
this is interesting
― ufo, Monday, 19 August 2024 21:01 (two months ago) link
new album is brilliant
― ivy., Wednesday, 2 October 2024 19:48 (four weeks ago) link
best since airtight’s revenge, just as formally daring
― ivy., Wednesday, 2 October 2024 19:54 (four weeks ago) link
!!!
― Jordan s/t (Jordan), Wednesday, 2 October 2024 20:17 (four weeks ago) link
Yeah this is sick, thanks for the heads up
― Jordan s/t (Jordan), Wednesday, 2 October 2024 20:30 (four weeks ago) link
i didn't realise this was out yet but it rules
― ufo, Thursday, 3 October 2024 19:59 (four weeks ago) link
There’s a new album?!
*flees to Apple Music*
― Marten Broadcloak, mild-mannered GOP congressman (Raymond Cummings), Thursday, 3 October 2024 20:01 (four weeks ago) link