Jurassic 5: Classic Or Dud

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Old skool saviours or "no, no, y'all"? Thanks to the S-C for inspiration.

― Tom, Tuesday, 6 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Dud. I went crazy for 'em when I first heard 'em back in the summer, but their last LP is really terrible, the first two songs aside. I still maintain that "Concrete Schoolyard" is good fun, though.

― Otis Wheeler, Tuesday, 6 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Time will tell if 2000 was the beginning of Hip Hop's Psychadellic Period (that's Kris Srinivasan's phrase, not mine) with the release of Stankonia, or if it was the beginning of Hip Hop's New Wave with Quality Control. Would-be Classic.

― JM, Tuesday, 6 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I've hardly heard any Jurassic 5, but purely on the basis of the "Pah - they're just hip hop made palatable for white college kids" guff that I have heard in connection with them, CLASSIC.

Half the time I fall for this moronic striving for detection of 'street authenticity' and half the time I think "Hang on - this isn't what enjoying (or even judging) music is supposed to be about".

― Nick, Tuesday, 6 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Eh. Paying attention to ideas of what judging music is "supposed to be about" rather than on the basis of street cred is what lead to people listening to math-rock or emo rather than Big Black, amongst other catastrophes.

― Otis Wheeler, Tuesday, 6 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yawnsome. Tres boring. The music that rocked America...gently to sleep. Etc.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 6 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Live: Classic; On record: Dud. They're a bit too formulaic in their song structure to maintain interest for long. At first the old-skool, Run DMC-style vocal interplay seemed fresh, but they went back to the well too often. Also, the subject matter of their raps is terribly limited. It's a great live show, though, no question. Doing "Those Were The Days" (theme from "All In The Family") and covering Robert Palmer and what not. Grea

― Mark Richardson, Tuesday, 6 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Not sure what you're saying, Otis. Which of emo, mathrock and Big Black does one reach by paying attention to street cred rather than just enjoying what seems good to you (which was my implicitly stated idea of what 'music should be about')? I assume you are saying Big Black is the good thing, emo is bad. Can't this decision be reached by using one's own ears? I think the analogy is a bit of a dodgy one anyone - if Big Black are 'authentic' it's not in the same way that rap is often judged so (mixed up with all sorts of broader socio-racial stuff). Sorry, I may have completely misunderstood you.

― Nick, Tuesday, 6 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

They're very doctrinaire. I really think Cut Chemist is very talented, and Chah-Li Tuna (or whatever his name is) is pretty funny but the problem with the J-5 is all the "four elements, true skool" baggage that goes along with them, I almost get the feeling they'd be offended if you told them that rapping was a more important part of rap than graffiti (say). Too much emceeing, not enough rapping. What are any of their songs about? It's a lack of charisma and purpose (and ultimately, any sort of currency), mostly...why not just listen to the Treacherous Three instead? Incidentally, I don't have any of the same problems with Blackalicious or Latyrx or the Coup or the Freestyle Fellowship or many of the other west coast "indie-rap" acts they get lumped in with. Dud, but they probably rock the party (though the one time I saw them live the sound was so bad I couldn't tell).

― Kris, Tuesday, 6 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I would never go so far as "dud" with J-5. I don't even mind reading adulatory reviews in magazines. I think what gets my goat is the way they're constantly compared (and comparing themselves) against the rest of hip hop with this prissy "we be the keepers of the true flame" bullshit, and consequently I can't help but sneer at the pitiful size of their flame when I do sit down and listen to them. They're undoubtedly talented at imitating a specific form; if they decided they wanted to imitate Mystikal instead of De La Soul I think I'd be as happy as a pig in mud.

― Tim, Wednesday, 7 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Of course, Nick, my analogy was completely dodgy. I think what I was trying to do was make a blanket statement positing the indie mentality against the street, but I was too lazy to even make a blanket statement. Somebody who likes Big Black likes them because they made lots of noise and cuz Albini's a kick-ass motherfucker. Whereas I imagine your average emonut thinks that the way he digs his favorite band is what "enjoying (or even judging) music is supposed to be about." That's where the analogy translates to radio/undie rap. Most people's ears are shitty, I don't trust them.

― Otis Wheeler, Wednesday, 7 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The EP is classic. The album is a monster dud. You can practically hear them asking each other, "what do we do now?" Never seen them live, though.

― Greg Ferguson, Wednesday, 7 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Otis - as far as I'm concerned, the indie mindset and the "street" thing are both about "authenticity" over pleasure, and therefore useless. And Steve Albini is an indie ayatollah if there ever was one.

― Patrick, Thursday, 8 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

eleven months pass...

Hmmm, an interesting debate. What we're striving for with J5 is not to have "classic" or "dud" status but just create something that expresses our own love of music and if other people enjoy it, that's just a good bonus. J5 is not about hating the mainstream. I listen to Jay-Z and Dr.Dre but I like sugary candy too, and you can't put sugary candy in your body all the time that's why there's groups like The Roots Black-Eyed Peas Dilated Peoples Beat Junkies etc, and I hope we can give an alternative to the "playa" rap too. I think this is an interesting site and I look forward to reading the rest of it sometimes!

Zaakir

― zaakir, Wednesday, 23 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

if other people enjoy it, that's just a good bonus

That phrase is a dud, if nothing else.

― electric sound of jim, Wednesday, 23 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Thank you Zaakir for the feedback (on our feedback - whoa I think I'm feeding back)!!

(p.s. jim: there's a whole article about that very phrase somewhere on Freaky Trigger I think)

― Tracer Hand, Wednesday, 23 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm off to have a look fer it now

― electric sound of jim, Wednesday, 23 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

three years pass...

arr - cant beat a bit of ego surfing ..

just picked up the J5 albums dead cheap and did the ILM diggin' thing to find they watch ILM !

did anyone email Zaakir folliwng his drop-in session ?
so,
oh. and when the sunshines then the J5 groove is mighty fine : 'the game' just is sooo good - despite the loop being hammered to death on mixtapes ever since.

― mark e (mark e), Friday, 27 May 2005 11:53 (twenty years ago)

was that really a member of j5? i liked 'lesson 6' plenty "back in the day" (1998).

― N_RQ, Friday, 27 May 2005 12:13 (twenty years ago)

It was ILM funnyman and health shop employee Ethan Padgett, wasn't it?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 27 May 2005 12:15 (twenty years ago)

ah ha .. i see.

unfortunately ILM research doesn't provide that kinda insight ..

hook.line.sinker.

that's me.

― mark e (mark e), Friday, 27 May 2005 12:18 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.