The Grind Date (20th Anniversary Edition)＜Splatter Vinyl＞

『The Grind Date』20周年記念盤

1980年代後半に誕生した影響力のあるヒップホップ・グループ、De La Soul。ユニークなサウンドとヒップホップへの革新的なアプローチで知られ、折衷的なスタイル、サンプリングの使用、ポジティブなメッセージでこのジャンルのランドスケープを形作るのに貢献した。
本作は2004年にリリースされた6枚目のアルバム。2001年前作依頼の休止期間を経てリリースされ、グループにとって重要な作品となった。De La Soulの特徴である巧みなリリック、革新的なプロダクション、遊び心と内省的なテーマの融合を披露している。
LPには主要4トラックのインストゥルメンタル・ヴァージョンを収録。未発表曲は収録されておりません。
■Splatter Vinyl

De La Soul were interrupted just before they could deliver the third volume in their AOI series -- projected to be a DJ album -- to Tommy Boy. (The label perhaps bailed out from a 15-year relationship precisely because the group was going to release such a commercially bankrupt title, one that was planned instead to appear on an independent label run by Maseo.) De La Soul quickly realized they couldn't go ahead with the plan after signing their AOI label to Sanctuary, so they wrote a new record, The Grind Date. Although it may see them settling into a holding pattern, at least the pattern of 2001's AOI: Bionix is one that any hip-hop fan won't mind hearing repeated. Better yet, it boasts productions from an excellent cast of figures -- partner in crime Supa Dave West, author of the best tracks on their AOI series, J-Dilla, who's stretching out his patented (read: overdone) sound to embrace classic hip-hop, an only slightly commercialized Madlib, and young phenom 9th Wonder. Madlib gets what must be the first lead single of his career, a bright, antimaterialist tale called "Shopping Bags (She Got From You)" that thumps like a club tune, but lurches as only the Beat Conductor could do it. "Verbal Clap" finds J-Dilla allowing some grit into his productions, and Supa Dave only continues floating the most fluidly catchy productions of any rap producer in action. Meanwhile, De La Soul voices Posdnuos and Dave balance their time breezing easy on bumping message tracks with a few old-school shots that show them a bit defensive about the passing of time. (Check out "Come On Down," a Madlib-produced shot with Flava Flav, or "Days of Our Lives" featuring Common.) Without a concept to tout, The Grind Date doesn't gel like AOI: Bionix, but it does show De La Soul keeping everything together more than 15 years after their debut. After all, you certainly wouldn't see MF Doom guesting on a Tone-Loc record. ~ John Bush

長年在籍した名門トミー・ボーイを離れたこともあり、デ・ラ・ソウル3年ぶりの新作では当初全3部作と言われた〈AOI〉シリーズを封印。コモンやゴーストフェイス、フレイヴァー・フレイヴ、ショーン・ポールなどゲストは今回も華やかで、ジェイ・ディーをはじめとする制作陣もまさにスキなし。大胆かつ巧妙に紡がれたサンプリングの渦のなか、ソウルフルで心地良いサウンドが鳴り響く実に素晴らしい一枚だ。
bounce (C)卯之田 吉晴