The Soapbox Album Club 2018 Editon

Karl's turn now, isn't it?

Just to make it clear again, they're using flamenco progressions and voice inflections, under a indie/shoegaze mold. Each song suposedly follows a different flamenco pattern/movement (yeah, I don't find the difference either).

So I agree in the slog comments (mainly because I don't like flamenco myself), but it's hardly generic or trite. Or they failed at showing it but the flamenco flavour is quite noticeable.

I thought long and hard about my choice, I had half a dozen records I wanted to inflict. I was thinking of finally unleashing some early ALICE MOTHER FUCKING COOPER upon you all, but TBH I'm not so sure you guys could handle it. Had plenty of soul records I was thinking of, though we've already had some along those lines so wanted something a bit different. Another problem is JP Maddix, the cunt has rated every album ever on RYM & I couldn't bring myself to pick something that he's already heard. So instead, I've gone for the ridiculous. 



This is Willie D (goes by the name Dee on the debut), a member of the the infamous Geto boys. I came across this artwork years ago & thought WTF? Willie D all oiled up like a wrestler, a policeman, a half naked woman & a member of the KKK, the artwork spoke to me & I rushed to soulseek to pinch a copy. It's Hip Hop from 1989, so it is very primal sounding & production wise time hasn't been too kind to it. However it's Willie's character that really sold me this. He spends most the record rapping about how fucking huge his cock is, but when he isn't letting us know about his penis he's letting us know what he thinks of bald ass hoes, Welfare Bitches & his thoughts on the Klu Klax Klan. He raps with this sort of lisp too which adds a ton of character to his storytelling.
But Willie is a pioneer, an early example of a rapper who was badass enough to share his spotlight with a female rapper, "I Need Some Pussy" is the absolute highlight &  features  "Choice" who proudly boasts that she has a pussy "'about the size of Bolivia". 

I'm not expecting this to end up being anyone's favourite hip hop record, but I hope you guys get some entertainment out of "Controversy". Songs from the record can often be heard echoing around sidcup as copy's of this record are in half a dozen royal mail vans where Willie has become a cult hero. 

Here's an infamous Geto Boys album cover, Willies on the left, in the centre is member Bushwick Bill who had just been shot in the eye after an argument with his mrs. They pulled Bill out of the hospital room just to get this wonderful shot for their album cover.  

Fantastic backstory. Can I try some Añice Cooper instead?

I’m sorry but the soapbox just isn’t ready for Alice

la leyenda del espacio by los planetas

sorry for the late review barny. i was dreading listening to this after the reviews from others on here.

initially i was pleasantly surprised. the guitars sound a bit like the sort of bands i listened to lots back in the early 00s. if the lyrics had been in english and gone something along the lines of "further, further, further, further" i reckon i would have quite liked this back then.

this is 2018 though and it sounds dated, i have no idea what they're saying and the songs are boring. this years virgin marys for sure. i look forward to rinsing barny for picking this record for many years to come.

3.5/10

haha, looking forward to this. Willie Dee sounds like the real deal.

For Spotify peeps, the album is under 'Willie D'.

Follow-up question: no, really. Is this a joke?

At the risk of this thread descending into groupthink, I didn't enjoy this much. There are a couple of vaguely interesting ideas in the more upbeat songs but, as Kev says, most of the time they sound like a generic unsigned band's demo (especially the drums); I could imagine having to be polite about this if a friend played it to me and said it was theirs. I didn't get much of a sense of shoegaze or atmospherics in the slower numbers, just over-earnest guff like an early 2000s Feeder ballad or something by Snow Patrol.

I also didn't really hear the flamenco influence at any point...

2/10

bollocks i'm late again, not even listened to Barns album yet. Good shit yeh?

I've listened to it. Twice. It's much better than I expected, but I expected hell tbh. Still it is a genre I know fuck all about and can't really judge.

-/10

Nice pick from Karl. I'd never heard this before and was a little apprehensive when he mentioned the dated production, but it didn't sound too bad, it probably sounded more outdated when released in 1989 when you consider some of the steps Hip Hop production had made that year (3ft High & Rising, Pauls Boutique etc..), but given nearly 30 years have passed, those concerns fade away for the most part and we're left with a pretty fun, hip hop record, if nothing ground breaking. Some of the subject material is as relevant today as it was then, It's pretty obvious that Willie likes having sex with bitches and hates the KKK and the Police, but perhaps some of the language is rooted in it's time. The album does start to drag a bit as the songs become a little samey, which is definitely one of the downsides of the simplistic production, but it's only a minor issue.

It's not an album I think I'd listen to often at home, but there are definitely songs here that would sound massive in a dingy hip hop club or whatever and definitely something to stick into a Hip-Hop playlist, so I'm happy with the discovery.

7/10

willie d - controversy

enjoyed this. willie's personality is what makes it as the beats get a bit repetative after a while. would like to see willie team up with someone like dj premier and have some huge beats behind him. i thought this was going to be more of a novelty record than it actually was but it's genuinely pretty good and i can see myself coming back to it from time to time. the final three songs though, fucking hell 7.5/10 for now.

i've no idea when it's my turn now the dates are all out. i guess it's anytime now?

Any more reviews for Willie D!? Come on you slags.

6 of you cunts owe me and willie a review!

Willie D killed the club.

well despite the fact willie d has killed off the album club, i'd better post my pick as it must be long overdue now.


ladies and gents, i present to you....

harold alexander - sunshine man (1971)

From the cover alone I've decided that I already love it, nice one.