Run the Jewels, Jewels, Jewels

[FloorFiller]

Goddamit I just happened to wake up early and check my phone but now I've GOT to stay up and give this a listen

[FloorFiller]

only one listen in so subject to change of course but first impression is whilst being good/great i don't think it's quite the instant classic that RTJ2 was, or has the initial hype of the first album

that Zach de la Rocha feature right at the end though!

edit: don't know why i always post my initial one-listen thoughts on albums as i almost always end up backtracking and changing my mind 

Edited December 25, 2016 by FloorFiller

[Spindles]

Oh my!

[the wonderwhy]

Is it on Spotify yet? I wanna get the LP probably, so cba paying for the download really 

[t0paz]

6 minutes ago, MattDavies__ said:

Is it on Spotify yet? I wanna get the LP probably, so cba paying for the download really 

The MP3 download is free. Which probably says a lot about where bands expect to make money these days

[FloorFiller]

8 minutes ago, MattDavies__ said:

Is it on Spotify yet? I wanna get the LP probably, so cba paying for the download really 

http://runthejewelsstore.com/

free download here

 

all other download/streaming links etc here

[the wonderwhy]

Oh sweet, I thought that just a single. Great stuff. 

[Amy Lawn]

Carrie and Fred in the video on the website <3<3<3

[Guy Incognito]

this is great. Definitely an evolution of their sound but whilst also retaining what makes them great and unique, this albums sounds far more industrial to me which I actually really like.  The features are on point too. Like FloorFiller said, it doesnt quite stand up to RTJ2 on first couple listens but I think they set the bar unrealistically high with that one. I think the production on this one may be El-P's best work so far out of the 3 RTJ albums. I also feel like some of these tracks will be incredible live (especially Call Tickertron)

[dentalplan]

6 hours ago, rhg_99 said:

this is great. Definitely an evolution of their sound but whilst also retaining what makes them great and unique, this albums sounds far more industrial to me which I actually really like.  The features are on point too. Like FloorFiller said, it doesnt quite stand up to RTJ2 on first couple listens but I think they set the bar unrealistically high with that one. I think the production on this one may be El-P's best work so far out of the 3 RTJ albums. I also feel like some of these tracks will be incredible live (especially Call Tickertron)

Yeah this is pretty much exactly what I'm thinking. At first I was a bit down because it wasn't just RTJ2 again but they've approached this one differently. It's moodier - naturally, given the election finished for Mike when Hillary beat Bernie and he's been reflecting on the shit-show all year - and I feel as if they haven't aimed for all bangers this time (tho they're still there, eg. Ticketron) but applying more thought and stuff. Reminds me of Mike's last "solo" (still had El-P) album but, as you say, with El's best production to date.

The change of pace might throw a few critical reactions but I've got a lot of love for this. They've literally not done a bad track yet and deserve all the acclaim they get and legacy they've built.

Also that last track is excellent, the way it moves from part 1: taking shit and getting on with life to part 2: refusing to take any more shit and ZDLR dropping in. Magical.

Edited December 26, 2016 by dentalplan

[st dan]

I listened to it again from start to end on my journey to work this morning ... and it's fantastic. As mentioned, the layers are genius, as are some of the lyrics. Much better than I thought it was from my previous listens.

I just don't think it's the album to sit in my Christmas pants stuffing my face with Minature Heros listening to. 

[Badlands]

Yeah, I gave it a few days as I didnt fancy debuting it during the festivities.

Litmus test for me is listening to hip-hop when I'm exercising and it passed with flying colours. A couple of plays in the car have been pleasant as well.

The problem now is its came too late in the day to be included in my AOTY list as I'll not have digested it enough to know for sure if its a contender. And it's excluded itself from next years. Silly sausages!

[FloorFiller]

after repeated listens since it came out i'm still firmly in the 'great not mind blowing' category - for me there are a couple of songs towards the end that kind of go by without making much of an impact which wasn't the case on the previous two, and i wish they'd left Panther like a Panther off as i'm not fussed on that one

[Guy Incognito]

31 minutes ago, Badlands said:

The problem now is its came too late in the day to be included in my AOTY list as I'll not have digested it enough to know for sure if its a contender. And it's excluded itself from next years. Silly sausages!

In many ways this epitomises what I like so much about the two of them. Not only do they keep releasing their albums for free but the way in which they do it is great. Releasing it on Christmas Day definitely meant that the album release didn't get as much attention as it would have on another date. Also they clearly don't care about making the end of the year lists and simply wanted to give their fans a Christmas present and say thanks to us for supporting them.

Can't think of many acts that treat their fans as well as Mike and EL-P do.

[dentalplan]

8 minutes ago, rhg_99 said:

In many ways this epitomises what I like so much about the two of them. Not only do they keep releasing their albums for free but the way in which they do it is great. Releasing it on Christmas Day definitely meant that the album release didn't get as much attention as it would have on another date. Also they clearly don't care about making the end of the year lists and simply wanted to give their fans a Christmas present and say thanks to us for supporting them.

Can't think of many acts that treat their fans as well as Mike and EL-P do.

Yeah I agree. The releasing albums free and then putting out loads of merch and playing a ton of shows and festivals shows that they have a pretty progressive view of where the money is at in the music industry and it's most important just to get the music out there. And it is certainly refreshing to see them just put it out early for goodwill rather than some artists sitting on an album for months to release it at a predetermined approved date or some shit.

Fwiw I think they'll still be included in the AOTY lists next year given that D'Angelo was in a bunch of them (the ones that remembered) last year despite releasing mid-December 2014, and they have more of a claim to be included with the previously announced release date.

[Mash011]

41 minutes ago, FloorFiller said:

after repeated listens since it came out i'm still firmly in the 'great not mind blowing' category - for me there are a couple of songs towards the end that kind of go by without making much of an impact which wasn't the case on the previous two, and i wish they'd left Panther like a Panther off as i'm not fussed on that one

Nonsense, Panther Like a Panther is one of the best on it! I'd say the weakest track is probably Stay Gold - that repetitive G O L D refrain is one of the moments of the album, like the goofy synths on Oh Mama and the vocal samples on Call Tickerton (a great track otherwise!) that just gets a bit grating. It's a wonderful album overall but yeah, it's not really a challenger to the phenomenal RTJ2.

[Badlands]

Can’t argue with that to be fair. Follow them both on social media and their enthusiasm and appreciation of how grateful they are that they’ve taken off shows loads. ELP especially comes across as a very likeable bloke. It’s easy to take for granted free music these days.

 

Personally hoping for dates in my area and a Glastonbury appearance, would love to see them at their own gig.

[dentalplan]

11 minutes ago, Badlands said:

Personally hoping for dates in my area and a Glastonbury appearance, would love to see them at their own gig.

Yeah I proper want their own gigs - they could plot and sell out a good sized tour nowadays. A Glastonbury slot would be okay but we've had it very recently and it'd only be a graduation to an earlier slot on a bigger stage that wouldn't make for as good a show, so their own gigs are the priority for me.

[Mash011]

27 minutes ago, dentalplan said:

Yeah I proper want their own gigs - they could plot and sell out a good sized tour nowadays. A Glastonbury slot would be okay but we've had it very recently and it'd only be a graduation to an earlier slot on a bigger stage that wouldn't make for as good a show, so their own gigs are the priority for me.

I for one think RTJ are ready to put on a phenomenal set on the Pyramid. But yeah I'd love to see a headline gig too.

[Spindles]

Their tour schedule is full for the NA leg, hope that's a good sign for us.

[big__phil]

First day back online since RJTmas. Only managed to listen to it a couple of times, but I really like what I hear so far. Some of those EL-P beats are just fucking crazy, and Big Mike continues to be one of the best rappers around at the moment. Time will tell if it stands up to RTJ 2, but even if it doesn't it's still a helluva record.

Now, when are they going to announce the rest of the World Tour dates..?

[Spindles]

Some of the tracks are weaker than we are used to (stay gold being one that comes to mind) but the beats are solid through out for sure.

Not as good as the first 2 records maybe, but still better than almost any other recent album for me.

[ogriff]

https://soundcloud.com/djskarface/shadowthejewels#t=0:00

Shadow tunes with RTJ1 vocals.  Great fun 20mins...

[phillyfaddle]

I'm enjoying what I've heard so far from RTJ3. LOVED their set at WH in 2015, it was joyous. Hope they're back for 2017. Not the Pyramid stage though. With the wrong crowd, it would kill it.

[big__phil]

Interview from over the weekend:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/jan/07/run-the-jewels-rap-duo-el-p-and-killer-mike