The Colossus

by RJD2

Overview

The Colossus is Rjd2's first self-produced album for his own label, RJ's Electrical Connections, and it definitely benefits from being released by a boutique. Aside from the features, which come from friends rather than fortune-makers, The Colossus finds Rjd2 back to doing what he did when he first began recording: simply curating excellent productions instead of wooing a new audience by creating expressly written songs or telling a story with his full-lengths. A couple of the instrumentals here are entirely constructed from samples (starting with the opener "Let There Be Horns"), and they create a fractured sense of swing -- especially since they sit so well next to slightly more "played" productions. Rjd2's guests are singers more than rappers (with just a few exceptions), so the R&B vibe behind "Games You Can Win" (featuring Kenna) and the infectious, horn-led "Crumbs Off the Table" (featuring Aaron Livingston) is palpable. Whether Rjd2 needed a reset or not after leaving his previous label, The Colossus shows him relaxed and happy being his own boss. ~ John Bush

Product Details

Release Date:	01/19/2010
Label:	Rj's Electrical Connections
UPC:	0884385877552
Rank:	240063

Tracks

1. Let There Be Horns
2. Games You Can Win
3. Giant Squid
4. Salud 2
5. The Glow
6. A Spaceship for Now
7. The Shining Path
8. Crumbs Off the Table
9. A Son's Cycle
10. Tin Flower
11. Small Plans
12. Gypsy Caravan
13. The Stranger
14. Walk with Me

Album Credits

Performance Credits

RJD2   Primary Artist
Wendy Kaiser   Mandolin
Heather Fortune   Flute (Soprano),Flute (Alto),Featured Artist
Jake O'Donnell   Viola
The Catalyst   Vocals,Featured Artist
Aaron Livingston   Vocals,Featured Artist
Jane Sebring   Cello
Karen Lang   Violin
Illogic   Vocals,Featured Artist
Phonte Coleman   Vocals,Featured Artist
Dan Scofield   Clarinet,Sax (Bass),Sax (Tenor),Sax (Soprano)
Adam Hershberger   Trumpet
Vanessa Mulgrave   Cello

Technical Credits

Beau McNaboe   Composer
Reginald Dunlap   Composer
Steve Gallone   Mastering
RJD2   Arranger,Engineer,Producer
R. Krohn   Mixing,Composer,Instrumentation
Jim Bottari   Mixing
Jun Ishizeki   Vocal Engineer