RJD2 – The Colossus

DJ Shadow

"The Colossus"

05 February 2010, 12:00 | Written by Andrew Taylor

(Albums)

(DJ Shadow)

It was nostalgia that made me pick this record up for review, even though I probably should have known better. It's eight years since the excellent debut by RJD2 (aka. "Ramble John Krohn") came out on Def Jux - at that time, the label was on a krush groove that seemed like it would never flatten out, and they were producing some of the most exciting and innovative hip-hop records around. It's surprising to think that Labor Days, Fantastic Damage, The Cold Vein, Deadringer and I, Phantom were all released so close together, almost a decade ago. Stick any of those albums out now and they would still sound utterly fresh.However, eight years can be a long time ”“ and if I needed proof, I'd just need to look at how RJD2's star has fallen. It's been a long and winding road thatÂ a fairÂ amount ofÂ fansÂ won't have stuck with (perhaps because RJ has largely blocked the way with wreckage from his 2007 album The Third Hand). This was the record in which he re-invented himself as singer/songwriter and for many, it proved to be a difficult sell. It's not hard to see why; imagine DJ Shadow or Dr. Dre saying they had always wanted to sing like Elliot Smith. Then imagine putting that resulting record at the top of your Christmas list - you just wouldn't, would you? (Actually, I might if Dre said that, but for all the wrong reasons).Anyway, that was the problem. No matter how good a producer RJ is, the album's songwriting was just not compelling enough. It was suggested in interviews that people who voiced that kind of opinion just didn't get it but, if so, having listened to the new record, I'm pretty sure I've still got the wrong end of the stick.The Colossus is a far more mixed set than The Third Hand and is a bit better for it. It starts out well on 'Let There Be Home', a punchy instrumental track with stabbing horns and a growling string sample that RJ screws around with engagingly. It's a throwback, sure, but it's also a bit of a tease ”“ a suggestion that he may have found some focus. This same trick is repeated on the third, 'Giant Squid', which produces a similar effect almost entirely through live instruments, but without the same crackling energy as on the opener. There are other instrumentals too, some more memorable than others. 'The Stranger' is a welcome return to The Horror-era RJD2, however 'Tin Flower' sounds like the kind of thing that could feasibly be sold to television. Daytime television (Antiques Hunt?).Which brings us onto the songs and for me, where the album falls down. The genre-hopping is undeniably slick and there's usually something tinkly, funky or squelchy going on to grab your attention. 'The Shining Path' bounces along nicely, while there's a smooth You're Under Arrest vibe to 'Crumbs off the Table'. Apart from that, I couldn't help feeling the songs were often melodically flat and lyrically out-there in a banal, meaningless way. Unless I'm missing a punchline, 'The Glow' is purely about the nice things celebrities get (“The crowds all part as we pass through/the hangers on all come around to mooch”x2 ) and elsewhere, the album contains frequent inanitites such as “I'll walk it off/if this dream's just a fable/but if it ain't?” and “flea market... weekend... watching people/see how the haggling goes/might pay a princely sum if it's alright”. Dearie me.So, who is this album for then, other than RJD2 himself? It's hard to say, but on that point, I'd have to hold my hands up and say best of luck to him. Here is an extremely talented chap spreading his wings, doing exactly what he wants, making music and writing songs he really believes in. And that's fine by me. It's not that I don't like him any more, we've just grown apart.