So a couple weeks ago I was flipping through some vinyl at the St. Paul Cheapo on Snelling (who recently remodeled) absent-mindedly listening to music playing over the store speakers (which is usually crap). At first I thought it was just some electronica stuff- what with a fast paced pulsating drum beat, but it had a really hot female vocal sample. As the cd continued to play not straying from it’s path of tightness I started listening more intently attempting to solve the mystery of who the artist was. It wasn’t until the third song that played when I decided the artist was indeed hip-hop orientated and my friend and I convened,

“What is this fire playing?”

“Yeah it’s hot business, I think I’ll ask…”

I approached the Cheapo dude (I hate the St. Paul Cheapo employees by the way, but that’s another post) asking what was playing. He told me with a smug grin “Paper Tiger” adding condescendingly he’s like, “local twin cities hip-hop… yeah.” Ohhh thanks

I heard Paper Tiger, the Doomtree killabee, had released a new album recently but didn’t think much of it- I’m not a big fan of Doomtree. They had a few copies of the cd, False Hopes, in the hip hop section: 8 tracks for like 7 bucks. I already knew it was hott so i copppped it.

Best buy of Diciembre. Hands down. Paper Tiger gets down hard with his producing game- it’s a gem. There are 7 tracks of sample based instrumentals and the last track includes his commrade Dessa singing. A notable aspect of the album is the procussion. Either sampled and filtered to perfection or possible that he recorded each drum noise live- whatever the methodology for lack of a better word, they bang.

The songs inspire alot of moods and inisight into your life. In fact, a found the insight/mood level very high, possibly a nine, while driving alone in the car with the car heater heating up your icy winter fingers. You can really just get lost in this shit.

Notable tracks: “Cannonade”. “MAke-MAke.”

The samples- an array of vocal and instrumental, are catchy and heavy- chopped in unique and memorable way. A lot of the songs actually remind me of old school RJD2 and Shadow.

Although its not the album to bang at the winter house party on the weekend. It’s definitely the one you’ll want to play on the way back from that party, alone, late at night. Or on your ipod while crying yourself to sleep in a vengeful dramatic way….

Overall, I highly reccommend this cd, for the hip hop head, the indie rocker, the guy making music for an epic movie or the old middle class man, looking to support the “local music scene.” I ALSO requested that a couple of the songs be played on The Current buuut- suprise suprise nothing happened.