namepeace said:

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! You're out of your ever lovin' mind, homeboy! Not only do I disagree with On The Jungle Floor being better than the eponymous debut, but OTJF is hardly the best album of the year.

namepeace said:

Rhondab said:

Really? Is it beause a man is actually flourishing, when we all know men aren't capable of doing so? It's art baby, in art men can do whatever they want

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

its about on the level of "I don't wanna be a murderah!

I am dust blow ova the edge...

chuckaducci said:

I'm with you, namepeace. Both albums are great, but OTJF is better. It's definitely album of the year for me thus far.

RhonDab (), you might like "What Can I Say (For Millicent)." I think that's my favorite song on the debut. "Hello, Goodbye" is another great one that hasn't been mentioned.

You can roll your eyes from here to eternity - it doesn't change the fact that OTJF falls flat in several places.


"Daredevil, Baby" when it isn't horribly meandering (the last section of the song, if I manage to stick it out, gets skipped), sounds like it was produced by Jimmy Page circa '74 - wrong approach for such a willowy soft song. "Ride, Ride, Ride" while riveting at times, is basically a throwaway track; it doesn't lead the album anywhere and I can't figure out it's purpose. And again, the production for this song drives me crazy - sometimes I think it's amateurish on purpose to better serve the vibe of the song, sometimes I think they should've let yours truly up in there! Yo, what's the difference between "Priest or Police" and "Suspicion (She Knows Me Too Well)"? Also, "Character"...well, that was heard on the first album, track numero dos. "Hole In My Heart" and "The Nigt Is Young" are ho-hum-end-of-album-filler. There's nothing extraordinary, interesting or charming about either tune. This album is messy and sort of self-indulgent; I think by the third album, Hunt will be hitting on all cylinders and will produce a masterpiece. I really hope he does. But On The Jungle Floor provides me only a glimpse of what he may be capable of.


As far as it being the best of the year...man, I can rattle off six or seven records I bought this year that were better. Besides, it's still a little early to be handing out superlatives.


EDIT: And the intro/interludes on OTJF are just plain silly. As usual, they serve no purpose whatsoever.
[Edited 8/30/06 18:38pm]

chuckaducci said:

You do know those aren't actually my eyes, right? In all seriousness, the fact is you're misusing the word "fact."


Heh. That's what I like about it. It makes it interesting. The end is definitely my favorite part.


You were so close. Its purpose is to be a riveting track.


I wouldn't call it "amateurish," but I do think the production fits the song's vibe.


Bread for the "Mean Sleep" sandwich?


Hmm... I see some similarities, but I think "Character" is the stronger song.


Neither is a favorite of mine, but I'd say they're pleasant enough.


What you call "messy," I call "eclectic." Nevertheless, I'll be ecstatic if the followup is even better!


Yet you didn't. I'll admit my curiosity is piqued. As far as being the year's best album goes, I did say "thus far."

BlaqueKnight said:

"At the End of a Slow Dance" is my favorite.

Get the fuck outta here! Those weren't really your eyes!?!?!?!? Please note the heavy use of sarcasm.






How does it "Ride, Ride, Ride" strengthen the album? Hunt included the song just to have a raucous number on the album. Great. As a producer and songwriter, I nitpick - this song, although it shows that Hunt can do these types of things, doesn't mesh well on the whole for me.





Great. The album of the year thus far has "pleasant" tracks on it. Koom-bye-ya, my lord, koom-bye-ya.





Yes. This album is a bit eclectic, maybe even so just for the sake of being eclectic a la Wyclef Jean, but that still doesn't mean that the vision or seam of the album doesn't get a tad messy.


I agree with you and BK - "At The End Of A Slow Dance" is my favorite track as well. I kind of wince during some of his lead vocals, but it's a dope track. It reminds me of Bowie. And "Hot Stage Lights" is fantastic. "Being A Girl" is probably Van Hunt encapsulated, however.

chuckaducci said:

Yeah, I think you are nitpicking. I'm not sure if Van was involved in the sequencing, but I think it's fantastic. The one-two punch of potential singles "If I Take You Home" and "Hot Stage Lights" starts things off right. Then he goes into two surprises (the aforementioned "Daredevil, Baby" and "Ride, Ride, Ride"). That leads into "Being a Girl," which, as you mentioned, is back to the Van Hunt people would expect. It works well for me.


What's wrong with pleasant tracks? Every album can't be Songs in the Key of Life. All I meant is that, while I like them, they aren't standouts. I didn't mean to imply I thought they were filler.

chuckaducci said:

to use your words, you're nitpicking, my man. Van hit a good lick with this one. As you said, one of the ballads could go. A couple of tracks remind you of a couple of tracks from the "eponymous" album. So? By your own admission, the nucleus of the album (comprising 4-5 songs, according to you) is solid, and you didn't even address others like "Thrill of this Love" and "No Sense of Crime."

OTJF can't get laughed out of the conversation at this point. No matter how many nits you pick.

Can't wait to see your list.
[Edited 8/30/06 20:37pm]

chuckaducci said:

Come on, son, the interludes were 10 seconds each. It's not like ol'boy went Raekwon on us.

Since I've been asked, drum roll please, thank you Mister Elvin Jones.....


ALBUMS I THOUGHT WERE BETTER THAN VAN HUNT'S ON THE JUNGLE FLOOR



Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
Jay Dee - Donuts
Donald Fagen - Morph The Cat
Belle & Sebastien - The Life Pursuit


TV On The Radio's Return To Cookie Mountain was altogether a thousand times more interesting than Van Hunt's tepid affair. And Camera Obscura's Let's Get Out Of This Country was far more charming and melodically satisfying. This is admittedly NOT a sexy list, but well written songs and immaculately crafted albums are rarely so. Hunt has the ability to make everlasting, classic albums, but OTJF ain't it, imo.






Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield, Prince and David Bowie, John Coltrane and Miles Davis all loved interludes. They loved them so much, they actually left them off of their albums.

Okay, okay...

I said that Hunt's new album was a "tepid affair" - my righteous indignation got the best of me. It's far from tepid - but it's also far from being the best this year. Give me a break!

namepeace said:

What do you mean, "so?" It's okay for an artist to repeat himself, even if he isn't updating or challenging the original blueprint? And only one song from OTJF reminded me of his debut (Character). But again, I am anal when it comes to critical listening.





Hunh? I never said that the songs I omitted from my criticism were solid. I didn't mention them because they weren't worth mentioning. I did mention three songs that were standouts, but nothing else is really revolutionary, daring, new, fresh or extraordinary to me. C'mon man..."Thrill Of This Love" and "No Sense Of Crime" are two of the best songs you've heard all year? But, let's say that those 4-5 tunes I didn't mention are solid. Does simply being "solid" warrant a best of moniker alongside an album? Methinks not.


I think y'all are hyping up Hunt cos he's a brother doing artistic black music. That ain't enough for me.






It's up! Jazz has been very disappointing thus far. Can someone put me onto something exhilirating?

chuckaducci said:

Your arrogance is amusing. Surely we couldn't be "hyping up" Van Hunt because we actually like the album! No, there must be some other reason.

Arrogant? No. Self-confident? As the day is long.







Surely going around claiming this record the best of the year may be a bit too much.

chuckaducci said:

You say "to-may-to," I say "to-mah-to." Whatever.



Surely going around claiming this record the best of the year may be a bit too much.[/quote]
No more so than your claims about those other records. If you like, you may have the last word while I'm at work.

BlaqueKnight said:

so I need to get the second cd and leave the first cd alone?

Rhondab said:

Honestly, I skipped over Dust UNTIL I heard him sing it live Now I like it well enough, but if it wasn't for that little "I'm already insane" part I'd still be skippin' that mutha

AlexdeParis said:

I don't know who I love more - you or Alonzo's FINE ASS in yo avatar YES, both of those songs are GREAT!! I really really LOVE "What Can I Say"... & "Hello, Goodbye" is one of those that creep up on yo ass - you find yourself singing it & skipping to it on the cd

Glad to hear many of you are diggin' Van too (Blaque, have I thanked you enough??? )

I can't believe someone on here called "Daredevil, Baby" "horribly meandering"

Garbage..the man cant play and has no stage pressence..NEXT !

I can't get into dude's music either. Maybe Calhpoun's right. I'll have to listen to the shit 50 times. But at first listen I'm just like when it comes to the songs and like when it comes to how he uses his voice.

CalhounSq said:

That someone ( ) was me. And the second part of that song is Hunt most certainly not knowing where he was going. It's oddly placed - as if Hunt stumbled at "stretching out."


Hmmm, I wonder if I can ram some more emoticons into my post?



As far as stage presence goes, he is as powerful and interesting as sitting dishwater - but I think that's because Hunt's true talents lie in being a studio rat. He's never struck me as a lead cat. But I truly believe this guy is going to knock us off of our feet on the next one!

Since chuckaducci says he has self-confidence "as the day is long" AND he's a producer and songwriter, I'd be interested to hear HIS music.

prettymansson said:

Lay off the stuff. Propel has fewer calories and will make you feel better.