Search - Cannibal Ox :: Cold Vein

Excellent, subtle work

S. Flask | the Pequod | 02/05/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't listen to hip-hop to be honest with you. I'm essentially a metalhead that strays from the pack now and again. Until today, I thought that hip-hop was in the toilet, and there was no redeeming value.



I'm sure people listening to this cd feel the same way about metal. Unfortunately, when you're not immersed in the underground of a style, whether it be hip-hop or metal, you only see the crap that's thrown at you on television. And I think that both hip-hop and metal have a terrible image in the general public.



But I bought Cannibal Ox, and found out that hip-hop, like metal, has an underground that craves quality first and foremost. And this album is proof. I bought it on a whim, reading good things about it in Terrorizer, an underground metal magazine. Look, I don't know much about hip-hop, but i know a few things about this record: First, it's not the same meaningless crap that is thrown at you on tv. Second, the electronic beats and atmospheres that line the floor of this cd are wonderful, creating excellent texture. Third, the lyrics are top notch - I don't think I heard one track about a rolex or pimping - and well thought out.



So I found a record that shows another side of hip-hop. The side that tv doesn't want to show you. The side where the true artists hang out. I'm impressed with the work here, and happy to see that music like this exists. And I'm happy to own this excellent album."

Amazing

punkrawker1738 | Las Vegas, Nevada United States | 06/14/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I first heard of Cannibal Ox on a sampler for All Tomorrow's Parties, a festival of mainly abstract rock bands. I'll admit it, I'm not too big on hip hop. I'm a white boy that's into rock music. I own a few hip hop records like "Quality Control" by J5 and "Things Fall Apart" by the Roots, and that's about it. I put off buying anything by Cannibal Ox, that is, until I went to Santa Barbara when I bought the F-Word single. Every song on it was amazing, so I recently bought "The Cold Vein." Cannibal Ox are like the Radiohead of hip hop, with beautiful soundscapes and little bits and pieces of abstract sounds here and there. The beats, are amazing. The lyrics are great, sometimes dark. The production is top notch. Some of my favorite tracks are "Iron Galaxy," "A B-Boys Alpha", and "The F-Word." However, I would suggest listening to the album as a whole. With "The Cold Vein," Cannibal Ox have created a cd that everyone can get into, whether you're an art student, hip hop fan, etc."

I hated it at first too.

somedude | Rancho Cucamonga, CA United States | 09/13/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been into hip-hop for about 15 years and picked up "The Cold Vein" after having it recommended by a friend whose judgment could usually be trusted (on hip-hop matters that is). Upon the initial listening, his credibility went down the toilet like so many flushed turds. Production-wise I thought it ranked amongst the worst albums I had ever heard--aural tripe. Each track sounded not unlike the destruction of a space-station (albeit with rhythm). As far as the MC's were concerned, Vast Aire was clever enough, but his flow wasn't super impressive and his rhyme-structuring definitely left something to be desired. Vordul, although possessing an exquisite flow, was not nearly as clever or poetic as Vast Aire. However, for some reason, after a couple of days, I came back to it and started to warm up to the Cold Vein. Eventually, after a few more subsequent listens, the CD began to grow on me until it eventually garnered the coveted "Slot 1" in my CD changer, becoming the envy of disks 2-6. "The Cold Vein" quickly became my favorite album of 2001 and currently ranks somewhere in my top 10 of all time.



I, to this day, can't really put my finger on precisely what it is that makes this album so fantastic. Both MC's are dope; but neither of them unbelievable. Each track is lyrically strong, but I'm not sure I would describe any particular verse as groundbreaking. And El-P's beats have a sound to them that ranges somewhere between malfunctioning machinery and robots in agonizing pain. But for some reason it works. It works exponentially, so that the sum is clearly greater than the individual parts--and it seems that the removal of any particular part would result in the in the destruction of this complex hip-hop mechanism that exists in a state of brilliance only by maintaining the most delicate of balances. I remember having read a review somewhere which described the album as having an "intangible dopeness". This is precisely right. I'm not completely sure what it is about this album that makes it so great; and that's precisely what makes it so great. As soon as the greatness of something becomes tangible, understandable, it seems to vanish into thin air. It's like discovering how a magic trick works. As soon as the secret is revealed, the mystery and sense of awe, instantly disappear. Thankfully, the greatness of the album is definitely there, but wrapped in a thick layer of secrecy which has thus far, for me, been impenetrable.



My advice to anyone who's heard the snippets and feels it's not for them is to come back a couple of days later and try again. And then, after another day or so, come back yet another time. Continue to do so several times; each time trying to approach the music with a more open mind than before, dissolving any prejudices that may have arisen during previous listens. If, after a few times, you still don't like it, I guess it's not for you. But, if it steadily becomes more and more appealing, realize that you are well on your way to falling in love with one of the greatest and most unique hip-hop albums of all time.

"