''Airtight's Revenge'' is the third
studio album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
by American singer-songwriter
Bilal __NOTOC__
Bilal may refer to:
People
* Bilal (name) (a list of people with the name)
* Bilal ibn Rabah, a companion of Muhammad
* Bilal (American singer)
* Bilal (Lebanese singer)
Places
*Bilal Colony, a neighbourhood of Korangi Town in Karachi, ...
. It was released on September 6, 2010, by the independent record label
Plug Research
Plug Research is an independent record label, based in Los Angeles, California, US.
Created by Allen Avanessian in 1994, the label specialized in IDM, folktronica and experimental music.
The label began with young artists that have made its rep ...
, his first album for the label.
Bilal began composing music for the album using the recording software
GarageBand
GarageBand is a line of digital audio workstations developed by Apple Inc. for macOS, iPadOS, and iOS devices that allows users to create music or podcasts. GarageBand is developed by Apple for macOS, and was once part of the iLife software s ...
, while touring in the aftermath of his unreleased but widely leaked album ''
Love for Sale''. He wrote and recorded ''Airtight's Revenge'' during a period of approximately three years, working alongside the musician-producers Steve McKie,
Nottz
Dominick J. Lamb, (born February 21, 1977) better known by his stage name Nottz (or Nottz Raw), is an American hip hop record producer and rapper from Norfolk, Virginia. Nottz has produced for some of the biggest names in hip hop, including Bu ...
,
Shafiq Husayn
Sa-Ra is an American musical group based in Los Angeles, California, also known by its full name, The Sa-Ra Creative Partners. The group is composed of Om'Mas Keith, Taz Arnold, and Shafiq Husayn. The name translates roughly to "the children of ...
, Conley "Tone" Whitfield, and
88-Keys
Charles Misodi Njapa (born March 5, 1976), better known by his stage name 88-Keys, is an American record producer and rapper from New York City.
Biography
Born in New York City to West African parents from Cameroon, he was raised in the Eastches ...
. The album's
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
and
rock music
Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...
is more
electronic
Electronic may refer to:
*Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor
* ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal
*Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device
*Electronic co ...
- and guitar-oriented than Bilal's previous albums, featuring influences from
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
,
blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
, and
futurism
Futurism ( it, Futurismo, link=no) was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy, and to a lesser extent in other countries, in the early 20th century. It emphasized dynamism, speed, technology, youth, violence, and objects such ...
. Experiences from his personal life and professional conflicts with his former label,
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
, formed the inspiration for the album's dark songwriting, which explores themes of love, spirituality, capitalism, and politics, with lyrics informed by
free thought
Freethought (sometimes spelled free thought) is an epistemological viewpoint which holds that beliefs should not be formed on the basis of authority, tradition, revelation, or dogma, and that beliefs should instead be reached by other metho ...
.
The album debuted at number 106 on the US
''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 4,600 copies in its first week. Although it charted modestly, ''Airtight's Revenge'' was well received by music critics upon its release.
PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
ranked the album number 61 in its year-end list of best albums for 2010, calling it a "wildly inventive, wildly enjoyable album".
Writing and recording
![Bilal 2008](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Bilal_2008.jpg)
Bilal worked on the album intermittently for approximately three years,
with the singer saying he began creating its music "around 2008".
While touring in response to the popularity of ''
Love for Sale'', his controversially shelved but leaked album, Bilal began composing new music on his computer using the digital audio workstation
GarageBand
GarageBand is a line of digital audio workstations developed by Apple Inc. for macOS, iPadOS, and iOS devices that allows users to create music or podcasts. GarageBand is developed by Apple for macOS, and was once part of the iLife software s ...
. Recalling the process, he says, "It sort of starts on the piano and then I go to the Garage Band and make, like, a little sketch of something I can sing to and then go from there. It allows me play around with the shape of the song more."
The songs were variously written in New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Amsterdam.
When writing the lyrics, Bilal says he wanted to approach expressing
free thought
Freethought (sometimes spelled free thought) is an epistemological viewpoint which holds that beliefs should not be formed on the basis of authority, tradition, revelation, or dogma, and that beliefs should instead be reached by other metho ...
in different ways
and tried to "write short stories and dark tales of life in general".
[ He drew inspiration from his personal experiences, as well as "a lot of things from fiction" in an effort to "make certain statements, from a love standpoint", he explains.][ Bilal adds that his experience with ''Love for Sale'' and the ensuing conflict with his then-record label ]Interscope
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Musi ...
led him to the "dark underworld" storytelling of ''Airtight's Revenge''.[Bilal – the EYE WEEKLY interview](_blank)
/ref>
After hearing some of Bilal's GarageBand compositions, his touring drummer persuaded him to record one of the songs at the former's studio. By doing so, Bilal felt inspired to record further. In the studio, the singer held improvisatory sessions with his accompanying musicians, comparing it to jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
or "a Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
show". In contrast to his previous albums, Bilal pursued a more guitar-led direction based in rock and soul, with influences from jazz, blues, and electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...
. He utilized ideas from the music of Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by wikt:nonconformity, nonconformity, Free improvisation, free-form improvisation, sound experimen ...
, who he says "was dope at that; mixing a lot different artists in a band to create one distinct sound". Recording with a smaller budget than previously for Interscope, he found that "you don't need to be in a gigantic studio, you just need to be in a good room with acoustics and be creative with how you mic things or use things."
Bilal collaborated with producers Shafiq Husayn
Sa-Ra is an American musical group based in Los Angeles, California, also known by its full name, The Sa-Ra Creative Partners. The group is composed of Om'Mas Keith, Taz Arnold, and Shafiq Husayn. The name translates roughly to "the children of ...
, Nottz
Dominick J. Lamb, (born February 21, 1977) better known by his stage name Nottz (or Nottz Raw), is an American hip hop record producer and rapper from Norfolk, Virginia. Nottz has produced for some of the biggest names in hip hop, including Bu ...
, 88-Keys
Charles Misodi Njapa (born March 5, 1976), better known by his stage name 88-Keys, is an American record producer and rapper from New York City.
Biography
Born in New York City to West African parents from Cameroon, he was raised in the Eastches ...
, and, most prominently, Steve McKie. A drummer-producer who had recorded with the singer on ''Love for Sale'', McKie was eager to work on ''Airtight's Revenge'' after listening to Bilal's preliminary compositions on GarageBand. McKie began recording with Bilal in late 2008, starting with 13 compositions and eventually co-producing seven of the album's songs. As McKie explains, "We just went through a bunch of sounds, locked ourselves in the studio and experimented with different snare drums and kicks. It took a bunch of time because we had that freedom to just experiment and be creative." In an interview soon after the album's release in late 2010, Bilal said that he and McKie "put the finishing touches and tightened everything up over the last year".
Music and lyrics
''Airtight's Revenge'' has been described as a mix of soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
, rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
, jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
, blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
, and electronic
Electronic may refer to:
*Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor
* ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal
*Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device
*Electronic co ...
styles. Referencing Bilal's intention to create music that would challenge a computer, ''Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' writer Marcus J. Moore says it explains the music's "iconoclast
Iconoclasm (from Greek: grc, εἰκών, lit=figure, icon, translit=eikṓn, label=none + grc, κλάω, lit=to break, translit=kláō, label=none)From grc, εἰκών + κλάω, lit=image-breaking. ''Iconoclasm'' may also be conside ...
ic nature" and how it "largely eschewed Bilal's earlier throwback aesthetic for a denser electronic sound". According to NPR
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
's Frannie Kelley, "the sound here is more electronic than the neo-soul of the Soulquarians
The Soulquarians were a rotating collective of experimental Black music artists active during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Members of the collective included singer and multi-instrumentalist D'Angelo, drummer and producer Ahmir "Questlove" Th ...
' heyday ... The production is heavily layered, with several Bilals often singing at once." ''Prefixmag.com''s Andrew Martin says it "owes more to contemporary album-oriented indie rock than pop, R&B or hip-hop", while Michael Hewlett from the ''Winston-Salem Journal
The ''Winston-Salem Journal'' is an American, English language daily newspaper primarily serving Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, North Carolina. It also covers Northwestern North Carolina.
The paper is owned by ...
'' calls it "sped-up rock and jazz". In the opinion of ''HipHopDX
''HipHopDX'' is an online magazine of hip hop music criticism and news. The website's current president and publisher is Sharath Cherian and the Head Of Content is Jerry L. Barrow. ''HipHopDX'' is the flagship publication of Cheri Media Group.
...
'' journalist Luke Gibson, "the production is to 'sic''.html"_;"title="sic.html"_;"title="'sic">'sic''">sic.html"_;"title="'sic">'sic''experimental_to_be_called_Neo_Soul,_to_[''sic''.html" ;"title="sic">'sic''.html" ;"title="sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''">sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''experimental to be called Neo Soul, to [''sic''">sic">'sic''.html" ;"title="sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''">sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''experimental to be called Neo Soul, to [''sic''funky to be called Acid Jazz, and to [''sic''] musical form, free-form to be Funk".
Lyrically, the album explores a wider range of subjects than Bilal's previous albums, including love, spirituality, politics, economics, and religion. Evan Rytlewski of ''The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' later named it among "a line of revelatory, late-period neo-soul albums", including Maxwell's ''BLACKsummers'night
''BLACKsummers'night'' is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Maxwell, released July 7, 2009 on Columbia Records. It is the follow-up to his third album ''Now'' (2001). Recording sessions for the album took place during 2003 to ...
'' (2009), Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971), known professionally as Erykah Badu (), is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Influenced by rhythm and blues, R&B, Soul music, soul, and hip hop, Badu rose to prominence in the ...
's ''New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)
''New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)'' is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Erykah Badu, first released on March 30, 2010, through Universal Motown. Collaborating with several hip hop producers over the Internet, Badu co ...
'' (2010), and Frank Ocean
Christopher Francis "Frank" Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987), is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. His works are noted by music critics for featuring avant-garde styles and introspective, elliptical lyrics. Ocean ...
's ''Channel Orange
''Channel Orange'' (stylized as ''channel ORANGE'') is the debut studio album by American R&B singer-songwriter Frank Ocean. It was released on July 10, 2012, by Def Jam Recordings. After releasing his mixtape '' Nostalgia, Ultra'' the previous ...
'' (2012). According to David Dacks of ''Exclaim!
''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly Exclaim! print magazine publishes 7 ...
'', "every second screams personal statement, from the weighty, heartfelt lyrics to Bilal's anguished, soulful vocals. There are no throwaway skits
Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and is ...
or breezy in-da-club jams; it's 100 percent pure soul. "
"Restart", written about resuming a relationship, features varying bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
sections and a soul/rock groove
Groove or Grooves may refer to:
Music
* Groove (music)
* Groove (drumming)
* The Groove (band), an Australian rock/pop band of the 1960s
* The Groove (Sirius XM), a US radio station
* Groove 101.7FM, a former Perth, Australia, radio station
* ...
. The track "Little One" is based on Bilal's relationship with his then-nine-year-old son, who is autistic
The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...
. "The Dollar" features oddly-timed
timed (time daemon) is an operating system program that maintains the system time in synchronization with time servers using the Time Synchronization Protocol (TSP) developed by Riccardo Gusella and Stefano Zatti. Gusella and Zatti had done ea ...
percussion, subdued guitar and keys, strings, bluesy horns, and lyrical themes concerning poverty and the pitfalls of capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for Profit (economics), profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, pric ...
.[Jones, Steve (September 18, 2010)]
Review: ''Airtight's Revenge''
''USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-09-27.
Title and packaging
In an interview for ''The Root
"The Root" is a song by American recording artist D'Angelo. It is the eighth track on his second studio album, ''Voodoo'', which was released on January 25, 2000, by Virgin Records. "The Root" was recorded and produced by D'Angelo at New York's ...
'', Bilal elaborated on the album title's meaning, stating:
The album's cover art is a reference to the iconic photo of Malcolm X
Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an American Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figure during the civil rights movement. A spokesman for the Nation of Is ...
peering through his window while holding a M1 carbine
The M1 carbine (formally the United States Carbine, Caliber .30, M1) is a lightweight semi-automatic carbine that was a standard firearm for the U.S. military during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The M1 carbine was produced ...
rifle. Instead of a rifle, Bilal is holding a microphone, and instead of peering through his bedroom curtain, Bilal is peering through a heavy red stage curtain. In an interview with ''Parlour Magazine'', Bilal elaborated on the message behind the album's cover art, stating:
Marketing and sales
The album was released by Plug Research
Plug Research is an independent record label, based in Los Angeles, California, US.
Created by Allen Avanessian in 1994, the label specialized in IDM, folktronica and experimental music.
The label began with young artists that have made its rep ...
, an independent label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...
based in Los Angeles. Its earliest release was in the UK on September 6, 2010.[Pattison, Louis (August 27, 2010)]
Review: ''Airtight's Revenge''
BBC Online
BBC Online, formerly known as BBCi, is the BBC's online service. It is a large network of websites including such high-profile sites as BBC News and BBC Sport, Sport, the on-demand video and radio services branded BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, t ...
. Retrieved on 2010-09-27. In the US, it debuted at number 101 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, with first-week sales of 4,600 copies.[Jacobs, Allen (September 22, 2010)]
Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 9/19/2010
. HipHopDX. Retrieved on 2010-09-27. It peaked at number 21 on ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...
and at number 23 on its Independent Albums
The Independent Albums chart (previously titled Top Independent Albums) ranks the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays (EPs) in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by '' Billboard'' maga ...
chart.[ Bilal Album & Song Chart History - R&B/Hip-Hop Albums '']Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-09-27.[ Bilal Album & Song Chart History - Independent Albums ''Billboard''. Retrieved on 2010-09-27.] ''Airtight's Revenge'' has sold 4,800 copies in the United States.
Critical reception
''Airtight's Revenge'' was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average
In ordinary language, an average is a single number taken as representative of a list of numbers, usually the sum of the numbers divided by how many numbers are in the list (the arithmetic mean). For example, the average of the numbers 2, 3, 4, 7, ...
score of 87, based on nine reviews.[''Airtight's Revenge'' (2010): Reviews](_blank)
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
. Retrieved on 2010-10-14.
Reviewing for AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
, Andy Kellman called ''Airtight's Revenge'' "one heavy, messy, dynamite album — one that could take a decade to be fully processed".[Kellman, Andy (September 10, 2010)]
Review: ''Airtight's Revenge'' - Bilal
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
. Retrieved on 2019-11-18. Tyler Lewis of PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
cited the album as "a generation-defining masterwork of unflinching vision" and wrote that it is "all about texture and musicality. Songs more than shout or intimate their ideas, they envelop you fully, so you feel the full weight of what it is Bilal is talking about".[Lewis, Tyler (September 28, 2010)]
Review: ''Airtight's Revenge''
PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
. Retrieved on 2010-09-28. ''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' journalist Jeff Weiss noted its "formless floating funk" and praised Bilal as "ludicrously soulful and endearingly experimental", calling the album "a soothing anodyne to the often over-processed come-ons that pass for contemporary R&B".[Weiss, Jeff (October 28, 2010)]
Bilal Breaks the Dollar, Headlines Echoplex Thursday Night
''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-11-01. ''The Philadelphia Inquirer
''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...
''s A.D. Amorosi stated, "Bilal - the vocalist - opens the valves and bleats, glides, coos, and cajoles like Coltrane at his freest".[Amorosi, A.D. (September 26, 2010)]
Review: ''Airtight's Revenge''
''The Philadelphia Inquirer
''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-10-15. ''The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
''s Nathan Rabin
Nathan Rabin (; born April 24, 1976) is an American film and music critic. Rabin was the first head writer for ''The A.V. Club'', a position he held until he left the ''Onion'' organization in 2013. perceived a "brooding, airless intensity" and praised its "claustrophobic introspection and soul-searching".[Rabin, Nathan (October 12, 2010)]
Review: ''Airtight's Revenge''
''The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-10-14. Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic is an American music community website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites. The format of the website is unusual in that it includes both professional and amateur c ...
's Nick Butler said that, "musically, there are dozens of neo-soul records in the past three or four years that reach far beyond the limits of most of ''Airtight's Revenge'' ..but nobody is writing or delivering lyrics like this. Emotionally, tis so revealing that it gets difficult to listen to".[Butler, Nick (September 20, 2010)]
Review: ''Airtight's Revenge''
Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic is an American music community website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites. The format of the website is unusual in that it includes both professional and amateur c ...
. Retrieved on 2010-09-27. In a year-end article on overlooked albums in 2010, Edna Gundersen
Edna Gundersen is an American journalist who was a longtime music writer and critic for ''USA Today''.
Gundersen grew up in El Paso, Texas. She attained a degree in journalism from the University of Texas at El Paso and then wrote features and en ...
of ''USA Today'' described ''Airtight's Revenge'' a "buried jewel that really deserved a wider audience", commenting that "It's personal, idiosyncratic, complex, dense, sophisticated and messy, a thoroughly contemporary soul record with a defiant indie-rock sensibility, which is why it never found a home on radio".[Powers, Ann (December 30, 2010)]
The ones that got away: Music critics reveal what they left off their year-end lists
''Los Angeles Times''. Retrieved on 2010-12-31.
Some reviewers were less enthusiastic. Mikael Wood of ''Time Out
Time-out, Time Out, or timeout may refer to:
Time
* Time-out (sport), in various sports, a break in play, called by a team
* Television timeout, a break in sporting action so that a commercial break may be taken
* Timeout (computing), an enginee ...
'' found the album overlong, particularly the second half, which he said "bogs down with an abundance of noodly slow jams. But the strong stuff here is very strong".[Wood, Mikael (September 16, 2010)]
Review: ''Airtight's Revenge''
''Time Out
Time-out, Time Out, or timeout may refer to:
Time
* Time-out (sport), in various sports, a break in play, called by a team
* Television timeout, a break in sporting action so that a commercial break may be taken
* Timeout (computing), an enginee ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-09-27. '' URB''s Anupamistry wrote that it lacks "the cut-loose, flailing vocal work" of Bilal's previous work, but ultimately complimented its "more progressive, less structured, arranging".[Anupamistry (September 30, 2010)]
Review: ''Airtight's Revenge''
. '' URB''. Retrieved on 2010-09-30. Apart from a few overdone "rock guitar histrionics", Dacks wrote in his review for ''Exclaim!'' that the album "has something for everyone who appreciates the entire spectrum of soul".
Track listing
Personnel
Musicians
* Bilal Oliver – vocals, keyboards (tracks: 1, 4, 5, 10), synthesizer (2, 3), piano (2, 5), organ (3, 9, 10), human beat box (3), synthesizer bass (7), horn/string arrangements (9, 11)
* Masayuki Hirano – Moog electric piano (1), keyboards (2, 8), Moog and synthesizer (4, 5)
* Junius Bervine – synthesizer and Fender Rhodes electric piano (1)
* Robert Glasper
Robert Andre Glasper (born April 6, 1978) is an American pianist, record producer, songwriter, and musical arranger with a career that bridges several different musical and artistic genres, mostly centered on jazz. To date, Glasper has won fou ...
– piano (7), Fender Rhodes (9)
* Mike Severson – guitar, electric guitar (1, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11)
* Chuck Treece
Chuck Treece (born May 30, 1964) is a session musician and professional skateboarder from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1984, he became famous for being the first African-American skateboarder to be featured on the cover of ''Thrasher'' magazin ...
– electric guitar (2, 3, 8, 9), effects (3, 8)
* Ben "Bananas" O'Neil – lead guitar (2), acoustic guitar (10)
* Tom Spiker – electric guitar (3)
* Freddie Mac
The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), commonly known as Freddie Mac, is a publicly traded, government-sponsored enterprise (GSE), headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia.[Derrick Hodge
Derrick Hodge (born July 5, 1979) is a composer, musical director, bandleader, producer bassist and advocate. To date he has been awarded two Grammys, named a Sundance Composer Fellow, received a Motif Award; one of world's highest honors for C ...]
– electric bass (1)
* Conley "Tone" Whitfield – electric bass (2, 3, 6, 8, 10), guitar (6, 10), piano and drums (6)
* Stephen Bruner – electric bass (5, 11)
* Steve McKie – drums (1–3, 5, 7–10), drum programming (3, 7–9)
* Nottz
Dominick J. Lamb, (born February 21, 1977) better known by his stage name Nottz (or Nottz Raw), is an American hip hop record producer and rapper from Norfolk, Virginia. Nottz has produced for some of the biggest names in hip hop, including Bu ...
– drum programming (4)
* KenBts. – modular synthesizer and drum programming (5)
* Shafiq Husayn
Sa-Ra is an American musical group based in Los Angeles, California, also known by its full name, The Sa-Ra Creative Partners. The group is composed of Om'Mas Keith, Taz Arnold, and Shafiq Husayn. The name translates roughly to "the children of ...
– drum programming (5)
* Miguel Atwood-Ferguson
Miguel Atwood-Ferguson is a Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist, session musician, arranger, composer, music director, producer, DJ, orchestral conductor and educator. He has contributed to over 500 recordings and scored for television and fi ...
– synthesizer strings and string arrangements (5, 11)
* Horns on tracks 9 and 10
:* Lamont Caldwell – saxophone
:* Leon Jordan, Jr. – trumpet
:* Jermaine Bryson – trombone
:* Damon Bryson – tuba
Production
* Bilal Oliver – producer (1–5, 7–10)
* Steve McKie – producer (1–3, 7–10), engineer (1–3, 5–11)
* Nottz – engineer and producer (4)
* Frederick G. McIntosh – co-producer (4)
* Darryl Sloan – engineer (4)
* Shafiq Husayn
Sa-Ra is an American musical group based in Los Angeles, California, also known by its full name, The Sa-Ra Creative Partners. The group is composed of Om'Mas Keith, Taz Arnold, and Shafiq Husayn. The name translates roughly to "the children of ...
– producer (5)
* KenBts. – engineer and co-producer (5)
* Conley "Tone" Whitfield – engineer and producer (6)
* Dan Raaf – engineer (8)
* 88-Keys
Charles Misodi Njapa (born March 5, 1976), better known by his stage name 88-Keys, is an American record producer and rapper from New York City.
Biography
Born in New York City to West African parents from Cameroon, he was raised in the Eastches ...
– producer (11)
* Jason Goldstein – mixing
* Arnold Mischkulnig – mastering
* Andrew Lojero – executive producer, A&R
* Allen Avanessian – executive producer
* Hawk Burns – executive producer
* Brent Rollins The Design Explosion! – artwork
* Eric Coleman – photography
Charts
See also
* ''New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)
''New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)'' is the fourth studio album by American R&B singer-songwriter Erykah Badu. It was released on February 26, 2008, by Universal Motown following Badu's hiatus from recording music due to writer's block. I ...
'', a 2008 album by singer-songwriter and fellow Soulquarian member Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971), known professionally as Erykah Badu (), is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Influenced by rhythm and blues, R&B, Soul music, soul, and hip hop, Badu rose to prominence in the ...
, featuring Bilal and also conceived using GarageBand
GarageBand is a line of digital audio workstations developed by Apple Inc. for macOS, iPadOS, and iOS devices that allows users to create music or podcasts. GarageBand is developed by Apple for macOS, and was once part of the iLife software s ...
References
External links
*
*
Airtight's Revenge
' at Discogs
Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...
{{Authority control
2010 albums
Albums produced by Nottz
Bilal (American singer) albums
Plug Research albums