Labor Days
Labor Days is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock.[1] It was released by Definitive Jux on September 18, 2001.[2] It is a concept album about work.[3] The album's production was handled by Aesop Rock, Blockhead, and Omega One.[4]
Labor Days | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 18, 2001 | |||
Genre | Alternative hip hop | |||
Length | 61:03 | |||
Label | Definitive Jux | |||
Producer |
| |||
Aesop Rock chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Labor Days | ||||
|
"Labor" was featured on the soundtrack of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4.
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 92/100[5] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [6] |
Entertainment Weekly | A[7] |
HipHopDX | 4.0/5[8] |
Muzik | 4/5[9] |
Pitchfork | 8.7/10[10] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [11] |
Stylus Magazine | A−[12] |
Uncut | [13] |
The Village Voice | A−[14] |
At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, Labor Days received an average score of 92 based on 5 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[5]
In 2010, Rhapsody included it on its "10 Best Albums by White Rappers" list.[15] In 2015, Fact placed it at number 17 on its "100 Best Indie Hip-Hop Records of All Time" list.[16]
Track listing
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Labor" | Aesop Rock | 2:32 |
2. | "Daylight" | Blockhead | 4:26 |
3. | "Save Yourself" | Blockhead | 4:59 |
4. | "Flashflood" | Blockhead | 3:54 |
5. | "No Regrets" | Blockhead | 4:31 |
6. | "One Brick" (with Illogic) | Aesop Rock | 4:32 |
7. | "The Tugboat Complex Pt. 3" | Blockhead | 3:46 |
8. | "Coma" | Omega One | 3:56 |
9. | "Battery" | Aesop Rock | 5:07 |
10. | "Boombox" | Aesop Rock | 5:05 |
11. | "Bent Life" (with C-Rayz Walz) | Blockhead | 4:49 |
12. | "The Yes and the Y'all" | Blockhead | 4:04 |
13. | "9-5ers Anthem" | Blockhead | 4:38 |
14. | "Shovel" | Blockhead | 4:45 |
Note: Track 5, "No Regrets", is sometimes stylized as "No rEgrets".
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.
- Aesop Rock – vocals, production (1, 6, 9, 10), recording
- Illogic – vocals (6)
- C-Rayz Walz – vocals (11)
- Blockhead – production (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- Omega One – production (8), turntables
- Cryptic One – mixing
- Emily Lazar – mastering
- Dan Ezra Lang – art direction, design
- Owen Brozman – illustration
- Ben Colen – photography
References
- Sanneh, Kelefa (January 26, 2002). "Pop Review; The Evolving Definition Of Underground Hip-Hop". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
- Baker, Ernest (April 26, 2013). "The 30 Greatest Months in Rap History: 9. September 2001". Complex. Archived from the original on June 11, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
- Mentzer, Robert (2005). "That's What He's Saying?". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
- Quinlan, Thomas (June 30, 2001). "Aesop Rock: Labor Days". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
- "Reviews for Labor Days by Aesop Rock". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 10, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
- LeRoy, Dan. "Labor Days – Aesop Rock". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 5, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
- "Aesop Rock: Labor Days". Entertainment Weekly: 74. September 28, 2001.
- J-23 (December 4, 2001). "Aesop Rock – Labor Days". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
- Ashon, Will (November 2001). "Aesop Rock: Labor Days (Def Jux)". Muzik (78): 99.
- Abebe, Nitsuh (January 23, 2002). "Aesop Rock: Labor Days". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 24, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
- Catucci, Nick (2004). "Aesop Rock". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 8–9. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- Martin, Tyler (September 1, 2003). "Aesop Rock – Labor Days – Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on May 15, 2006. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
- "Aesop Rock: Labor Days". Uncut (54): 103. November 2001.
- Christgau, Robert (November 20, 2001). "Consumer Guide: Salaam". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
- "The 10 Best Albums by White Rappers". Rhapsody. June 22, 2010. Archived from the original on June 26, 2010. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
- Piyevsky, Alex; Geng; Twells, John; Raw, Son; Rascobeamer, Jeff (February 25, 2015). "The 100 best indie hip-hop records of all time". Fact. p. 85. Archived from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
External links
- Labor Days at Discogs (list of releases)