Before we start, here's a quick look at the rating system that we use here at The Dirtywhirl:
100 - Classic Album; One Of The Best Of All Time
99-90 - Exceptional Work; Rush Out And Get This
89-80 - Very, Very Good; You Should Still Go Out And Get This
79-70 - Not Bad At All; Might Actually Be Worth Your Time
69-60 - Has Its Moments But On The Whole... Meh
59-50 - Won't Make Your Ears Bleed; Won't Make You Dance, Either
49-0 - Don't Waste Your Time; You're Smarter Than This (Probably)
Now... onto the review:
100 - Classic Album; One Of The Best Of All Time
99-90 - Exceptional Work; Rush Out And Get This
89-80 - Very, Very Good; You Should Still Go Out And Get This
79-70 - Not Bad At All; Might Actually Be Worth Your Time
69-60 - Has Its Moments But On The Whole... Meh
59-50 - Won't Make Your Ears Bleed; Won't Make You Dance, Either
49-0 - Don't Waste Your Time; You're Smarter Than This (Probably)
Now... onto the review:
Fate can be a cruel bitch. Everything can line up perfectly for something exceptional to happen, only for things to fall apart in the end. That's the first thought that comes to mind when listening to RJD2's latest record, The Colossus. As the Philadelphia-based DJ/producer's first album to be released since his "A Beautiful Mine" was selected as the theme song to the critically acclaimed television series Mad Men, RJD2 had a chance to tap into a broader audience as there were surely a large number of Mad Men fans who discovered him on the basis of hearing "A Beautiful Mine" every week as they settled in to watch the awesomeness that is Don Draper. However, instead of making a strong impression RJD2 has offered up an extremely tepid record. Instead of tapping into the talent that made him an underground darling during the first half of the '00's, RJD2 has instead resorted to biting styles left and right, which is either a sign of apathy or laziness or both. Clearly, someone's been listening to Mark Ronson records as "Walk With Me" and "The Shining Path" attempt to capture the sunny retro style of Ronson's best work but end up coming off as anemically inferior copies. "Crumbs Off The Table" sounds like it should be backing a bad '70's cop show while tracks like "Giant Squid" and "Tin Flower" are immediately crippled by their ludicrous titles. This isn't to say that the spark shown in his previous releases has been completely extinguished as "A Spaceship For Now" has a vaguely interesting Giorgio Moroder vibe and "Gypsy Caravan's" white boy hip-hop feeling works on some level. It's very telling, however, that the record's best track, "Games You Can Win," with its extremely catchy chorus actually creates more excitement for guest vocalist Kenna's next record than anything it does for The Colossus. The truth is that The Colossus likely wouldn't have even made a good EP and, as it stands, clocks in at a very tedious 55 minutes. In the midst of the tedium, RJD2 fades into the background of his own work as there's nothing about his production that compels the listener to take notice of him at all. Chalk this up to wasted opportunity as not only has RJD2 not capitalized on a potential breakthrough but he makes it possible to wonder if he'll even be able to hold onto his existing fanbase after the utter impotence of The Colossus.
RIYL (Recommended If You Like): Kenna; El-P; Mark Ronson for dummies; The '70's; Wasted opportunities
Standout Track: "Games You Can Win (Feat. Kenna)"
Dirty Rating: 31/100
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