DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist - "Product Placement" (LP Review)

"Product Placement" is the 2001 mix LP from DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist and follows their similar 1999 LP "Brainfreeze".  The premise of the LPs is rather simple: create a DJ mix LP using nothing but 7" 45 rpm records.  The trick is in their expert choice, mix, and execution.  Yeah, you could do all this digitally, but that's not the point: it's just two of the premier turntablists shredding.  And limiting themselves to only material that appears on 7" steers things to an older, funk-oriented mix as well as being an homage to an obsolete format.

Another observation is that the presence of Cut Chemist adds a level of humor that DJ Shadow's mixes (not to mention his original material) simply don't have.  For example, listening to DJ Shadow's "Funky Skunk" is an entirely different experience, not to mention his early KMEL mixes or "Diminishing Returns". They also have this fascination with 7-11 and related cultural artifacts (continued from "Brainfreeze") that would make Kevin Smith proud.

As always, it's difficult to review a mix LP since there are only two tracks, each nearly 30 minutes long.  My two favorite parts appear in track 1:

• the transition from Timmy Thomas - "Sexy Woman" --> Kool & the Gang - "N.T." --> Freddie Scott - "(You) Got What I Need" --> James & Bobby Purify - "I'm Your Puppet" (starts at ~ 6:50)
• the deliciously awful "Rappin' With Gas" (starts at ~ 11:26)

The full track list is available, but it is easier to just listen to the whole thing and find your own favorite parts.  In 2003 they released a DVD of them performing this mix live; you can find the entire thing on Google Video.  You owe it to yourself to check that out; obviously a big part of the appeal is watching them working together and manipulating the vinyl.

Standout songs: n/a

Skip 'em songs: n/a

Final score: 9/10  Part of that score is based on the novelty, but this really is a fun mix LP.

Cut Chemist - "Bunky's Pick" (LP Review)

"Bunky's Pick" is not really an LP, but a 2001 three song single (at 21+ minutes, perhaps it should be considered an EP) released on Stones Throw Records. It was very puzzling when I first got it many years ago: "Bunky's Pick" is by Cut Chemist, "6 Variations of In the Rain" is by Madlib, and "In the Rain" is by Billy Wooten. The reconstructions from Cut Chemist and Madlib were great (as you would expect) and the song by Billy Wooten was beautiful. But why did this single/EP exist? Why does Cut Chemist have primary billing? Who is Billy Wooten? I didn't understand how these three songs came to be on the same release.

I eventually learned this can be best thought of as a companion to the compilation LP "The Funky 16 Corners", also released on Stones Throw Records. In fact, "Bunky's Pick" is a bonus track on some versions of the LP. Cut Chemist remixed the highlights from the LP into a single 7:48 track. As Madlib's song title suggests, he focuses just on different interpretations of "In the Rain". Although I haven't seen a physical copy, apparently some versions of this single featured Madlib with primary billing. IIRC, this single was also my first introduction to Madlib.

To contrast with the Madlib version, the original version of "In the Rain" is also provided ("In the Rain" is also on "The Funky 16 Corners", although it originally appears on "The Wooden Glass Recorded Live"). Billy Wooten (the featured artist in the group "Wooden Glass") is a jazz vibraphonist and this song was my first introduction to him. Prior to hearing this, I would have been skeptical about "jazz vibraphone", but you can't deny the beauty of this song. I guess I'm a believer now.

Standout Tracks: Bunky's Pick, 6 Variations of In the Rain, In the Rain.

Skip 'em Tracks: none.

Final Score: 10/10