... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A synthy soul funk project from the team of Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo – a set that's just trippy enough – and it's possibly the best full length from either party, ever! You don't need us to tell you that DM has had a finger in a handful of the best fringe pop/leftfield hip hop projects of the mid 00s, and Cee-Lo has been threatening to deliver a strange soul classic for years – and he brings it with Gnarls Barkley. The sound runs from stuttering synth funk, to bubbling hip hop soul, to funky modern pop in a way that equals any other genre blending cats out there – and probably betters them! Tracks include "Go Go Gadget Gospel", "Crazy", "St. Elsewhere", "Gone Daddy Gone" (Yup, THAT "Gone Daddy Gone"), "Smiley Faces", "The Boogie Monster", "Feng Shui", "Just A Thought", "Transformer", "Who Cares?", "Online", "Necromancer", "Storm Coming" and "The Last Time". This special edition of the most awe-inspiring sleeper hit of 2006 includes the original CD, a DVD featuring the videos for "Crazy", "Gone Daddy Gone", "Smiley Faces" and Go-Go Gadget Gospel" and unreleased alternate versions of "Crazy and "Gone Daddy Gone", a 92 page booklet feat expanded art work, and a hologram cover! CD

Just when you thought Prince Paul and Cat Power would never make a record together PRESTO – it's the new Handsome Boy album! HBMS takes a bit more of a chillout tack with this long overdue second opus – with lots of laidback beats and samples, and a surprising amount of live instrumentation! The gleeful, sarcastic comedy of the stellar first album remains intact, with some genuinely amusing skits (including one with Jay Z appearing under the pseudonym Hines Buchanan), and the deep range of guest vocalists isn't as surprising as how strong their work is in the best tunes. It would have been pretty easy for Prince Paul and Automator to find a bunch of interesting names to flesh out their big pop culture frappe, but something else altogether to make trippy hip hop tracks featuring Cat Power and the Hieroglyphics make sense on the same record. A pretty solid set from the most adventurous pseudo duo in the game! Guests include Del The Funky Homosapien, De La Soul, RZA, Lord Finesse, AG, Rahzel, Jazzy Jay, Qbert, Mike Patton, Casual, Hieroglyphics, Grand Wizard Theodore, El-P, John Oates, Pharrell, Kid Koala, and George W. Bush (just kidding). Tracks include "If It Wasn't For You" with De La, "Are You Down With It" with Mike Patton, "The World's Gone Mad" with Del and others, "It's Like That" with Casual, "I've Been Thinking" with Cat Power, "Rock And Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This) Pt 2" featuring Lord Finesse, Qbert and others, First. . .And Then" featuring Dres from Black Ship, "A Day In The Life" featuring RZA, AZ and others and more, plus intro/outro by Father Guido Sarducci. CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Missy and Timbaland (and the usual cast of guest stars) are back and hotter than ever before on Missy's fourth full length, much more of a hip hop record this time, with tons of old school party shouts and new school neo-electro production! Under Construction is kind of a concept album (don't worry, not in the Jethro Tull kind of way) with a theme that celebrates the hip hop golden age of the mid-to-late 80s but with a modern, probably timeless flavor. The status quo R&B that Missy can't seem to get out of her system is here only at a minimum – this is a hip hop record! Past guests like Method Man (turning in a great remake of "Bring The Pain"), Ludacris, and Jay Z show up as well as 50 Cent, Ms. Jade, Beyonce Knowles, and TLC – but as usual, no one steals the show from Mis and Tim. No one would claim Missy is the most scholarly of lyricists, but as a conduit for attitude and a spicy groove she can't be beat, plus her topical and scatological rhymes and choruses fit these hip hop party bumpers like a Kangol & a gold chain. Tons of shout outs to and samples of the old schoolers that are just way too true to be nostalgic, plus strong production from Timbaland that isn't afraid to risk his reputation as an innovator by referencing his influences. The duo may have produced more astoundingly great singles in the recent past, but this is Missy and Timbaland's magnum opus, as far as full lengths go. 13 tracks including "Work It", "Go To The Floor", "Bring The Pain" featuring Method Man, "Funky Fresh Dressed" featuring Ms Jade, "Slide", "Play That Beat", "Ain't That Funny", and more. CD

(Reggae, Hip Hop) 12-inch, Vinyl record

(Reggae, Hip Hop) LP, Vinyl record album

Twista bangs out another solid LP! It's probably as strong as the breakthrough Kamikaze as a whole – even if it doesn't catch lighting in a bottle as incredibly as the already classic single "Slow Jamz" from the Kamikaze and College Dropout albums. Twista soldiers on with a number of tracks that do approach the R&B sheen of that great number. Tracks include "The Day After" feat Syleena Johnson, "Check That H**", "Lavish" feat Pharrell, "Girl Tonite" feat Trey Songz, "When I Get You Home" feat Pharrell & Jamie Foxx, "So Lonely" feat Mariah Carey, "Had To Call" feat Snoop Dogg & Sleepy Eyed Joe, "I'm A Winner", "Hit The Floor" feat Pitbull and more. CD

Twista bangs out another solid LP! It's probably as strong as the breakthrough Kamikaze as a whole – even if it doesn't catch lighting in a bottle as incredibly as the already classic single "Slow Jamz" from the Kamikaze and College Dropout albums. Twista soldiers on with a number of tracks that do approach the R&B sheen of that great number. Tracks include "The Day After" feat Syleena Johnson, "Check That H**", "Lavish" feat Pharrell, "Girl Tonite" feat Trey Songz, "When I Get You Home" feat Pharrell & Jamie Foxx, "So Lonely" feat Mariah Carey, "Had To Call" feat Snoop Dogg & Sleepy Eyed Joe, "I'm A Winner", "Hit The Floor" feat Pitbull and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The manaical Chicagoan Mr. Tung Twista, who's contributed so much life to so many hits as the guest rhymer, cuts by Ludacris, P. Diddy and others is finally poised to have one of his own damn albums go platinum! Kamikaze features the hits "Slow Jamz" with Kanye West and "So Sexy" with R. Kelly plus "Pimp On" with Too $hort and 8 Ball, "Overnight Celebrity", "Higher" with Ludacris, "Hope" with Cee-Lo, "Sunshine" with Anthony Hamilton and more. In the past, it seemed like Twista tried a little too hard to transform his image into whatever particular mold was hot at the time, but on this album his tip-toeing from gangsta here, to big pimpin' there, to smooth and soulful here, to Pharoahe Monche style mania there actually works really well. It seems now like Twista's best talent all along may have been his versatility among all the different face plates of mainstream street hop. It works pretty well on this album, anyway! CD

Includes Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five's full 12-inch version of "Beat Street Breakdown", Afrika Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force's "Frantic Situation", Arthur Baker's "Breaker's Revenge", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A record for a movie that seemed like a bit of a joke at the time of release – but one that's gone on to have surprising staying power with new generations over the decades – as has the mix of music that makes up the soundtrack! The set's from the big 90s anthology soundtrack moment – and features cuts that include "All Of My Days" by R Kelly with Changing Faces & Jay Z, "That's The Way" by Spin Doctors with Biz Markie, "Fly Like An Eagle" by Seal, "The Winner" by Coolio, "Space Jam" by Quad City DJs, "I Believe I Can Fly" by R Kelly, "I Found My Smile Again" by D'Angelo, "Givin U All That I've Got" by Robin S, "Basketball Jones" by Barry White & Chris Rock, "I Turn To You" by All 4 One, "Buggin" by Bugs Bunny, "Upside Down" by Salt N Pepa, and "Hit Em High (The Monsta's Anthem)" by B Real, Busta Rhymes, Coolio, LL Cool J, and Method Man. (Soundtracks, Hip Hop) LP, Vinyl record album