Mr. Bell

February 13, 2003

KCSB Top Ten Week ending 2/13/03

By Mr. Bell

1) The Sea And Cake | One Bedroom | Thrill Jockey2) Hot Cross | A New Set of Lungs | Level Plane3) Boards of Canada | Twoism | Warp

February 6, 2003

Various Artists | Morvern Callar | Warp Records

By Mr. Bell

Warp Records may have taken a gamble by releasing a soundtrack to a movie most people won't see, but "Morvern Callar" will be known for this very soundtrack alone. The film is not at all about broken condoms and dirty ne...

February 6, 2003

KCSB Hip Hop Top Ten: week ending 2/6/03

By Mr. Bell

1) Mr. Lif | I Phantom | Def Jux2) Embedded Music | The Bedford Files | Embedded3) Daedelus | The Quiet Party | Plug Research

January 29, 2003

Boom Bip | Seed To Sun | Lex

By Mr. Bell

Boom Bip's somberly successful "Seed to Sun" projects a range of emotions, some unsure of themselves and others standing out as being among the best experimental hip hop beats of the year.

January 29, 2003

KCSB Top Ten: January 30, 2003

By Mr. Bell

1) Hot Cross | A New Set of Lungs | Level Plane2) Morven Callar | Soundtrack | Warp3) Bleeding Kansas | Giving Emo Something to Cry About | self-released

January 23, 2003

Common | Electric Circus | MCA

By Mr. Bell

Common's latest release narrowly spares him from the pitfall of wackness: His commercialized rapping sounds forced, as if he was brought into the studio against his will to record lyrics that are simply dumbed-down.

January 23, 2003

KCSB Top Ten: January 23, 2003

By Mr. Bell

1) Hydroponic Sound System | Synthesis | Bomb Hip Hop2) Hot Cross | A New Set of Lungs | Level Plane3) Bleeding Kansas | Giving Emo Something To Cry About | self-released

November 14, 2002

Mr. Lif | I Phantom | Def Jux

By Mr. Bell

Lif has boldly challenged the post 9/11 political climate, crafting such non-album classics as "Home of the Brave," with timely courage and wisdom unforeseen in today's hip hop.

September 26, 2002

Various Artists | Urban Renewal Program | Chocolate Industries

By Mr. Bell

The Chocolate Industries label is hip-hop's answer to itself. Possibly the freshest compilation in recent memory, Urban Renewal Program is almost daunting with dopeness.

May 29, 2002

Count Bass-D | Dwight Spitz | Day By Day Entertainment

By Mr. Bell

Any album that begins with the Windows 98 start-up theme has to be either dope or stuck in the past.

May 15, 2002

Primeridian | I’ll Meet You in Greenwich | Promihjay 8 Inc.

By Mr. Bell

I'm playin' this shit at my wedding. In fact, if the beats were human I would probably marry them. And let's say I did tie the knot - the rhymes would be my best man.

April 24, 2002

J-Live | All of the Above | Coup d’

By Mr. Bell

Whether it's the "jiggy," beats mixed with bearable lyrics or meaningless,annoying choruses mixed with bearable beats, All of the Above delivers no more than five good cuts.

April 18, 2002

Fat Jon the Ample Soul Physician | Wave Motion | Mush Records

By Mr. Bell

When I listen to music, I see things – I see visions of people, exotic settings and situations. If a picture tells a thousand words, and I only have 220 left to tell you about Wave Motion, I’m worried you won...

March 7, 2002

More Innovative Than 3M

By Mr. Bell

The masterminds behind the blossoming Weapon Shaped record label, Eriksolo exposes his vocal cords while Quarterbar makes love to his Akai sampler and old, obscure stacks of wax at the same time.

February 28, 2002

Meanest Man Contest | Contaminated Dance Step b/w Feelin’ Pretty Psyched (About Love) – 7″ vinyl single | Weapon-Shaped

By Mr. Bell

The Meanest Man Contest is at the top of the bottom. Yet this bottom isn't like sewers, or Hell, or someone's ass. This is the extreme underground, the artistic cream of the crop.

February 21, 2002

Various Artists | The Funky 16 Corners | Stones Throw

By Mr. Bell

Peanut Butter Wolf knows how important it is to keep the funk alive; it's his job as a skilled producer and as founder of Stones Throw Records.