REVIEW: GIRL TALK – FEED THE ANIMALS (2008)
Gregg Gillis released Feed The Animals (Illegal Art, 2008) today à la the new model, throwing Girl Talk‘s latest online while promising those who pay more will receive an eventual disc. It’s an effective mode to get your work out there now, assuming people know who you are of course, and who doesn’t know everyone’s favorite one man band (sans band-insert computer).
Right off the bat, Feed the Animals builds the beat with Outkast singing over The Unicorns and Spencer Davis Group. This setup is the base of the entire album: alternative/rock instrumentals mixed with hip-hop/rap vocals. As opposed to Night Ripper, it’s far more noticeable on this new foray. The eclectic blend tosses samples from rock staples such as Tom Petty, with a few surprises that keep it interesting. Who would’ve thought he’d throw in a certain metal band? He does. And frankly it’s one of the most exciting parts of the album. Not to say it’s not exciting, but when Gregg really stretches and experiments, it livens up the collage. Phil Collins and The Police slip in, establishing the soothing and calming background juxtaposed with Busta Rhymes.
Notable highlights include throwing in Hot Chip‘s trendy indie mall-rock on Hands in the Air to Yael Naim‘s New Soul innocence interrupted by Eminem‘s Shake That. Another that highlights the general problem of it as well includes the slow night highway rolling Flashing Lights with BLACKstreet‘s No Diggity. It works so good you want it to last for minutes on end, just to lose yourself to the beat; but it ends all too shortly. There’s little build-up within these pieces, which is unfortunate. A sample hooks you, and just as you get into it, it shifts its attention like a caffeinated kid in a candy store. Contrast it with the likes of Justice‘s Stress [YouTube], which has a slow build, or even Phantom pt. I, and you get a feel of what I mean. To be less trendy, look into Emperor Machine or Joakim‘s remixes of Late of the Pier‘s The Bears are Coming [YouTube]. Both you can dance to, and get lost in the feeling.
Feed the Animals will definitely be the party album of the summer, but the too-short samples really challenge whether or not it’ll last longer than that. But, I’ve still got faith in his future auditory endeavors and this is better than Night Ripper (partly cause I prefer the rock side of things to hip-hop). If only he can better conjure the level of anticipation that waiting for this album evoked…
Rating: 8.2/10
Founder, Editor, Writer, Photographer. (Austin, Texas)
John
Founder, Editor, Writer, Photographer. (Austin, Texas)
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