An unfairly ignored masterpiece - REMASTERED! (5 stars)
Alan Pounds | Minneapolis, MN | 07/28/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"One thing you'll find when discussing the greatest hip-hop producers of all time is that cats seem to forget Kurtis Mantronik's undeniable contributions to hip-hop, especially at the time when Marley Marl was ripping through classics with the Juice Crew. Kurtis would go on to make a slightly larger wave with the 1986 release of Just-Ice's "Back To The Old School", but personally, I find Mantronix "The Album" (labeled here as being slef-titled) to be some of the finest production work I've ever heard. Period. Rapper MC Tee, while not mind-blowing in the least, adds a nice flavor to the mix, and ultimately works well with Mantronik's mind-blowing production. Make no mistake though, Mantronix basically redefined what "electro-funk" was, and is probably too electronic for some of the more hardcore gangsta rap listeners that followed a few years later. Regardless, the beats are extremely clean, well-timed, and exemplifies excellent skill. I really can't think of a producer that does this style more justice than Kurtis.
Remastered reissues don't come any better than this. For longtime fanatics, this is a very warm welcome. The sound is more crisp and clear than ever before. The bonus cuts & unreleased material outweighs the length of the album by far, with 13 extras in all. And this material is also notably excellent. The alternate takes & 12" versions of the classic songs shine, as well as previously unreleased live cuts & a capella's/intrumentals for the DJs. My favorite tracks on the original album are "Bassline", "Needle To The Groove", "Hardcore Hip-Hop" (my favorite) & "Ladies", and really enjoyed the 12" versions of "Fresh Is The Word" & "Needle To The Groove" as well as the club version of "Bassline". The whole package including the artwork & liner notes is very worthwhile. Highly recommended for fans or first-time purchasers."
Track Listings (22) - Disc #1