the mouse and the mask

Danger Doom
The Mouse and The Mask
Epitaph Records

It took me a couple times to realize how much I loved this record, so I would recommend that you be in the mood to listen anything so you can appreciate it’s range and not go into the experience with any expectations. The beats are smooth and funky and create a lush landscape for Doom to wander over – as he does do… introducing images of an insane asylum, drinking a cup of urine, and Doom coast to coast while referencing everything from Spock to Jay and Silent Bob. You always wonder where the rhyme will take him next. Doom is the ultimate iconoclast for me. I never really saw myself loving a track called Vats of Urine or wanting to listen to Sofa King trick people over and over, but I do and this is easily one of my top ten albums of the year. It mixes well with funk, pop, and indie rock because of the broad sample base that Danger Mouse pulled from. The animated elements aren’t overbearing and seem slightly voyeuristic – like I’m listening to someone being an ass at home but I guess that’s what adult swim is about at times. The album is clean but the bleaps don’t quite cover the questionable bits up as completely as they could. If you have a sensitive time slot… be careful.

1. El Chupa Nibre: the beat is slow and eerie. Winds and space type sound efx. The song is driven more by Doom’s off kilter delivery and guttural pronunciation. The outro with Shake is cake and the lyrical toy company work-ins are the icing.
2. Sofa King: This beat drives me nuts… so dope. The strings are brilliant and more modern than you usually hear in hip hop. There is a crescendo build up during the hook combining synth flutes and more strings leading into a drum break rich enough to go solo. Doom is Doom. There are some classic lines here too…outro = brilliant.
3. The Mask featuring Ghostface: I love to hearing Ghostface on this album…shaken up the box a bit. It’s still a hammer of a beat and definitely street. It’s nice to hear the lyricists play off each other and explore the whole mask imagery and identity issues. You can also really hear that Danger Mouse played out these drums on an MPC. Very super hero of a hip hop track until the outro… why’d the beat stop?
4. Perfect Hair: Maybe the most lackluster of all the tracks but still more than decent. It’s smooth but the bar changes are a little adrupt and Doom doesn’t use his cadence to clean up the runny feeling like he might. Worth playing but it’s more a space holder in comparison to the other tracks.
5. Benzie Box featuring Cee Lo: I love Cee Lo stroking the hook out on this one. His crooning combined with Doom laying out the sparser style works really well. The beat is funky in a quirky way, embodying a fun weirdness. Definitely good for mixing across genres (funk and pop, etc.)
6. Old School featuring Talib Kweli: Of course Kweli gets the beat that bangs the hardest. It truly has that old skool sound with horns blazing and a phat Motown drum kit backing the feel. A track on a higher level – better than anything Kweli has been on in a while. I like the hook too. Bringin it back in a real forward way.
7. A.T.H.F.: The build up on this cracks me up! Very animated… I totally feel the adult swim style here more than on the other tracks. The beat goes slow and funky (like clint eastwood in slow mo’) with a gritty sense of humor coming through in the lyrics and lines.
8. Basket Case: This shows a bit of Dooms darker side… reflecting personal mental experiences… definitely in the shadows of life. A beautiful beat though, with ethereal percussion and 007 samples… twangy with sauce.
9. No Names: Another track on the bassy side; but the bass and dry snare blend just right. Very cool cat on the vibe putting me in mind of black berets and horn rimmed glasses. Doom spaces out a bit though and rambles in parts… it’s interesting but huh? As is normal – flat, funky & fresh.
10. Crosshairs: More of those excellent strings and a perfect dip in the toms. The kick off makes the track and it just keeps going. The guitar and winds lighten it and carry Doom along as he goes deep – croonin’ image into image.
11. Mince Meat: Okay… the Asian riff works it right. There is a heavy handed break with some nice space to it. It doesn’t loose the attack of the hits though and the melodic drum juxtaposition works. A sound like this was made for Doom. He doesn’t fall into it but keeps his cadence and slams a soft delivery.
12. Vats Of Urine: yeah… if you listen closely you might get nauseous. I love that the sweetest jazziest beat is under a song about drinking a cup full of urine – among other things.
13. Spaces Ho's: I love this swinger too. It’s worth it for “Space Ho’s coast to coast”… and “America’s cravin some doom here ya go”. The beat rocks too; it has 60’s elements reminiscent of Mancini meeting up with Nancy Sinatra. This beat was made for Doom to walk all over Space Ghost. Sarcastic ‘ish talking vs. sarcastic ‘ish talking.
14. Bada Bing: Another very 60’s / 70’s Manciniesque break with excellent winds (but the break downs are slightly glitchy). This track totally rolls itself out and Doom is all over the change ups. Lyrics are kinda like “notes from the underdog” if you get my drift.