Best Ever Albums

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

Anonymous — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 15:03:06 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 09/15/2013 19:03

It's reasonable to doubt Jay-Z's chances in this tourney.

20-11

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

Cymro2011 — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 17:04:16 GMT

Author: Cymro2011

Posted: 09/13/2013 21:04

an_outlaw wrote:

Suicide is the best option.

The decision isn't that hard.

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

Anonymous — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 14:16:06 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 09/13/2013 18:16

Suicide is the best option.

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

AlexZangari — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 13:14:59 GMT

Author: AlexZangari

Posted: 09/13/2013 17:14

Damn, it's not even close anymore. 🙁 No surprise though

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

Anonymous — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 08:24:12 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 09/13/2013 12:24

This result makes me sad, though I can't say it's unexpected. I guess I'll add an inconsequential defence of one of my favourite albums ever anyway.

Reasonable Doubt is one of the best hip-hop albums of all-time, Jay-Z's finest, and one of the most fully realised debut albums in any genre. It isn't going to win against Suicide, which is a shame given the relative paucity of hip-hop albums in this tournament even prior to the first round (or even great hip-hop debuts, but that's an argument for another time), but it deserves to be listened to by everyone.

(Suicide is a record I've never particularly enjoyed, for whatever reason. I find it a little grating. I've actually wanted to like it, given how it is loved by a large amount of people whose tastes I trust, but I can't. Maybe one day.)

Anyway, here's three reasons why Reasonable Doubt should go far in this tournament, even though it won't.

1. It contains Jay-Z's best rapping, technically.
The flows he adopts throughout this album are silky smooth, and he seemed to strike the perfect balance between the pacy, playful styles of guys like De La Soul and the highly accessible (and extremely economical) patter of Biggie. Then again, he proves he can come through raw and rugged - '22 Twos' displays as much energy and aggression as early Wu - or take a traditional, formalist route and still do so with the authority of Rakim - as on 'Coming of Age', his classic back-and-forth with protege Memphis Bleek, for which Jay effortlessly adopts a Kool G. Rap flow, which acts almost as an extension of the teacher-pupil theme of the song.

2. The beats are uniformly excellent.
The whole album has this really cool, classy casino soul vibe, which of course works perfectly with the theme of Jay-Z as higher echelon pusher and all-round suave cat. The most obvious examples of the theme stretching across the instrumentals are found on 'Politics As Usual', 'Brooklyn's Finest', 'Feelin' It', 'Can I Live', 'Coming of Age' and 'Regrets', but I think every song fits into the template whilst offering a bit of necessary variation. 'Ain't No Nigga' uses a squelchy keyboard line to transport the song from the billiards room to the beach; 'D'Evils' finds DJ Premier making the most of a couple of foreboding piano chords and some perfectly timed vocal snippets to craft a hearse of a beat, but one that sits comfortably alongside the rest of the album's Bentleys and Aston Martins; the modest funk guitar and gospel humming of 'Cashmere Thoughts' sound like somebody grabbed the needle from There's A Riot Goin' On's hand, cleaned it up a bit, gave it a line of the finest coke, put it in a well-fitting suit, told it not to embarrass itself and forcefully reminded it that it has a quota to meet.

3. I said all that and didn't even mention 'Dead Presidents II'.
Or 'Can't Knock The Hustle'.

It's the album that launched the career of one of music's biggest superstars and it remains his finest work, in spite of subsequent classics like The Blueprint or The Black Album. Put simply, it's one of the greatest albums of all-time.

Link

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 23:56:12 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 09/13/2013 03:56

Both incredible (Reasonable Doubt would be my fourth favourite Jay-Z), but Suicide is one of a kind.

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 21:17:37 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 09/13/2013 01:17

Not really a fan of either. Abstain.

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

Patman360 — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 16:26:51 GMT

Author: Patman360

Posted: 09/12/2013 20:26

Edged towards Suicide in the end narrowly, I enjoy both albums however.

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

Listmeister — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 15:55:41 GMT

Author: Listmeister

Posted: 09/12/2013 19:55

Jay-Z is not exactly my kettle of donuts. Listening to it, it quickly faded to the background while I was doing other things. The Suicide album held my attention. Frankie Teardrop may be the creepiest track I ever heard. Point goes to Suicide.

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

drakonium — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 14:17:30 GMT

Author: drakonium

Posted: 09/12/2013 18:17

Reasonable Doubt is excellent so far, I think I prefer it to The Blueprint, too (I've never really been a Blueprint fan anyway). That said, there is just no word to describe the Suicide record, and there will never be. It was on an evening after which I had been unneededly violent to my parents, I was very sad and cried. I can't remember wanting to die as much as this day in my entire life. I needed music obviously. So I thought I'd just listen to Suicide, as the name fitted my mood pretty well. The first tracks didn't do anything for me, they were annoying. And then Frankie Teardrop came. What a song. Music has yet to scare me that much. I was literally as afraid as in front of the best horror movie. And it never stopped. Each time I listen I listen to this song, I'm covered in sweat, my heartbeat is going faster and faster, and it threatens to stop each time the guy screams. Like, if the album was just this song, I'd vote for it over Jay-Z. The other tracks are great, too, but I feel like they all build to Frankie Teardrop. This song is something every human being should have the luck to listen to. It's the most powerful track I've ever heard. The record is not on my chart, but could be someday. The more I listen to it, the more I get used to the first tracks, the more Frankie Teardrop is scary, and the more I love the record. Actually I don't even know if what I feel towards this record is love, but whatever it is, it is stronger than what I feel towards Reasonable Doubt at the moment (although it's unfair, as I had much more time to get used to it than to the Jay-Z record which I just listened to for the first time, but hey, tourneys work like that).

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

19loveless91 — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 14:04:39 GMT

Author: 19loveless91

Posted: 09/12/2013 18:04

I think I prefer Suicide to Jay-Z...

Typing this felt odd...

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

Norman Bates — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 13:56:06 GMT

Author: Norman Bates

Posted: 09/12/2013 17:56

One listen and Reasonable Doubt is my favourite Jay-Z album, even above The Blueprint. So immediately catchy, with no real let down.

Still, I'm voting for my nomination, because...

1. As good as Reasonable Doubt sounds on first listen (and I can already figure out coming back to it will always be a pleasure), still I fel most of the samples are ripped-off others. I've heard some of them somewhere else, from albums which were released before. I don't mind a derivative album, but it tends to limit the scope of the album for me (say, bringing it to a glorious 90 to a solid 80).

2. I nominated Suicide. yeah, I'm that kind of egotist.

3. Suicide is a masterpiece IMO. What are we talking about? Straight rock'n'roll. No more no less. Correction: a little bit more. It's raw rock'n'roll with synths. A union of two totally different minds (check out Vega's and Rev's solo outputs for further elaboration) which happen to work to perfection. Re-capturing the urgency, the total madness, the feverish rock and the sexy roll of good ol' pioneer punkish r'n'r (like, say, Hasil Adkins's "She Said"); and using synths for guitars, in a way only KaS Product will be able to do later on (check out "So Young and So Cold").

What I'm talking about is this:

Link

One of the best songs ever, people. And it's got almost nothing. A dirty synth riff, and a voice.

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

drakonium — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 13:44:10 GMT

Author: drakonium

Posted: 09/12/2013 17:44

Listening to Reasonable Doubt for the first time right now. I'll vote when it's over.

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

ShaneSpear — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 13:02:41 GMT

Author: ShaneSpear

Posted: 09/12/2013 17:02

Reasonable Doubt.

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

Norman Bates — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 12:11:31 GMT

Author: Norman Bates

Posted: 09/12/2013 16:11

Cripes, I haven't heard Reasonable Doubt yet. I'll advertise Suicide when it's done.

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 11:34:34 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 09/12/2013 15:34

Can't vote against Suicide. Reasonable Doubt for me is one of Jay-Z's more enjoyable works but . . .

Link

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

benpaco — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 02:23:31 GMT

Author: benpaco

Posted: 09/12/2013 06:23

I'd never even heard of Suicide before, but dang they've got a really trippy sound. It's like electronic Bauhaus featuring David Bowie. It's weird and I love it. No contest to me.

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

AlexZangari — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 01:12:18 GMT

Author: AlexZangari

Posted: 09/12/2013 05:12

Alright, halfway through Reasonable Doubt and I realise there's really no contest after all; it definitely beats Suicide for me.

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

AlexZangari — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 00:56:33 GMT

Author: AlexZangari

Posted: 09/12/2013 04:56

Hard to decide on this one 🤔 will need to give both another listen first.

Re: BDAT Rd. 1 - Suicide vs. Reasonable Doubt (CLOSED)

Mercury — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 00:43:03 GMT

Author: Mercury

Posted: 09/12/2013 04:43

Heard much more times Reasonable Doubt , only heard Suicide once. Both are cool. I'm voting Reasonable Doubt for no particular reason... Because I don't follow any guidelines, cuz too many n****s rob mine, so I change styles every 2 rhymes.