It is incredibly difficult to release a second full-length album and have it make a strong, positive impression after one's debut release is considered a classic innovation. That is exactly what DJ Shadow is facing with the release of The Private Press. His debut release, Endtroducing..., created a genre. It was based in hip-hop, yet dark and philosophical. Endtroducing... scared people because it seemed like many of the records were specters trying to whisper something in your ear. Call it "cinematic hip-hop" or "ominous turntablism;" there was an incredible rawness to it. Edges weren't smoothed out. Sometimes this was intended, and other times it was a result of the artist jumping headstrong into his first major release. The Private Press will not break ground like Endtroducing... did, but it showcases an older, more versatile Shadow, and in many ways it is a better record.

DJ Shadow's style often unfolds like cinema, with many sweeping scenes that ultimately fit together. This causes several tracks to go well over the seven minute mark. These arresting, epic tracks stand out for their originality and amazing production quality. "Monosylabik" is a track that Shadow himself admitted will be hard for many of his fans to grasp, because it is so different from past work. There is a cold, mechanic quality to the different samples that fly at the listener in rapid, dizzying succession. "Monosylabik" is actually made up of several different sections with dissimilar colors; however, they are linked into a congruous whole by the rhythmic cadence that is present in the melody of each part. Even though the song is somewhat segmented, it works well together as a piece of music.

"Blood on the Motorway" has a mystical feel, and, like other songs in his catalog, it shows Shadow's interest in the afterlife as a theme. Envision the journey that might originate from the time a heart stops beating until a bright light of some sort is encountered, and that's where this epic travels. A three-second silence is boldly placed mid-track, separating the instrumental section from the entrance of the vocal. This increases tension to captivate the listener, while adding to the narrative aspect of the track.

Even though he has one of the largest and most varied record collections in the US, Shadow likes to use primarily newly purchased records to construct each of his releases. Since 99% of his music is sample-dependant, whatever genre predominates local record stores at the time tends to define the album's sound. On The Private Press, that sound is heavy in new wave and '80s rock. "Right Thing" and "You Can't go Home Again" are two tracks on which the "me decade" comes through full force. "You Can't Go Home Again" is the most impressive track on the disc, because it is the first lengthy song that does not bog itself down. Several dramatic changes are not necessary to hold interest in the song, and the upbeat, Devo-style bassline commits the track to memory. "You Can't Go Home Again" is evidence that Shadow has matured, as it makes a strong statement ("here's a story about being free") without having to rely on dark timbres or flailing drum lines to drive the point home.

So, does Shadow play hip-hop, or is it merely an influence of his? Many feel that DJ Shadow does not fit into the traditional hip-hop niche well enough to be classified as part of the genre. Some want to make Shadow a turntablist, while others claim he doesn't scratch or trick enough for this distinction and want to place him in a trip-hop category. As The Private Press continues to show, Shadow is trying to innovate and expand the hip-hop horizon. He recently described his record making process to Jockey Slut Magazine, "To me, it's about manifesting my original understanding of hip-hop, which was taking what's around you, subverting it and spitting it back out through a hip-hop paradigm." RZA continues to dip into the Portishead fountain for Wu-Tang samples, and Madlib uses any bizarre sound/audio filter combination that his spliffed out mind can come up with, and this question does not arise with either of them. The hip-hop community should not be asking "Does this fit in?" Instead, it should be embracing releases like The Private Press as an elevation and continuation of the paradigm that Shadow talks about.

There will never be another Endtroducing..., but Shadow has added new shades to his musical palette. He no longer relies on stock tactics such as dry, aggressive snare drums and dark strings to carry many of his songs. There is more sonic variety from track to track, and Shadow has proven he can make upbeat, even danceable, records. Every detail of the release is placed to further the narrative, and the tracks flow well together in the style of a classic rock LP. DJ Shadow can't create a brand new sound with every release. With The Private Press, however, he's shown he can continue to fuse his varied influences to explore the many uncharted territories of hip-hop.

Will Monroe

I picked up "Endtroducing" back in '96, when it first came out, and it quickly became one of my favorite albums. It's been a long wait for a new album ("Preemptive Strike" being mostly older material), and I wasn't sure if it would be able to live up to Shadow's debut album. Fortunately, "Private Press" didn't let me down. It manages to both avoid sounding too much like it's predecessor (like Moby's disappointing "18"), while not venturing too far from what made "Endtroducing" one of my personal favs. One change here is that a few tracks are more traditionally song-based, some with vocals running throughout. But unlike similar attempts on "Psyence Fiction" and some Solesides/Quannum projects, these manage to retain the feel of a DJ Shadow track, while adding something new (6 Days, Mashin' on the Motorway). There's still plenty of classic Shadow epics in here too (Giving Up The Ghost, Blood on the Motorway). All in all, a very satisfying return for DJ Shadow. Hopefully it won't be 6 more years until the next album, but if that's how long it takes to make an album of this quality, I don't mind waiting.

I was anticipating today (first day album was out) but honestly the only reason I got the album today was because I knew it would sell out fast and I didn't feel like waiting a week for a new shipment or whatever.

So I'm opening the CD, ready to place it in my car CD changer before running some errands.

"Pffft!....been 72 years since your last album, let's see what you got Mr. Shadow....."

Halfway through the disc I realize, whispering to myself "...oh..."

When I first heard Entroducing it was on the recommendation of some gangsta rap reviewer in the Solano Community College newspaper. I mainly listened to hardcore/metal/punk at the time and was seeking something new. So I decided to get the vinyl of "Midnight in a Perfect World". As all DJ Shadow fans know, the world changed a lot since Endtroducing came out (partially because of that album). I honestly sort of forgot about DJ Shadow, expecting an album to come out someday, but not chewing my nails waiting.

Now for the new album:

As I mentioned above I went to run some errands while giving the disc a listen...after a few songs I realized that I need not stop driving until the album was over (actually I drove around until I got through it about 2 times). DJ Shadow did it again. There lies a disc of soundtracks, waiting for stories. Track 12 (Blood on the Motorway I think) almost moves me to tears. It's such a great song as I thought it was going to end without a beat...but like a great piece of cinema it gives us the frosting, the catch, the Sixth Sense ending. What a great piece of art.

I've never been moved to write such a long review, but DJ Shadow is kinda like an old friend (although I don't know him) and listening to this album comforts. Not all musicians are artists...and in fact this man is the otherway around. I will remember this summer day driving around Monterey Bay experiencing what will no doubt be the soundtrack of my next couple of years, much like Endtroducing (and Preemptive Strike).

PS: there were a lot of people cruising around in the tight rides today, bumping phat beats, etc. I just wanted to grab them and punch them in the face (not literally of course). They don't have any idea what's going on, they don't know about Private Press. (Especially people that were playing Moby...)

Most "DJ" albums are pretty [bad], filled with repetitive, boring nonsense. Not this album! I must have listened to this CD about 20 times, every track on the CD is different. DJ Shadow is a true artist, this stuff is amazing. Buy this CD, support good music.

i have to admit that DJ Shadow is an artist that i have forgotten about -- not the forgotten where the CD is gathering dust deep in files of a CD collection, Endtroducing still gets much airplay in my personal listening world alongside Lovage & UNKLE -- but thinking that a new album would be forthcoming was something that i never thought about. it seemed like an impossibility and this, my friends, is what i meant by forgotten, i was sure that DJ Shadow had faded into a world of playstation vibes when this album came and entered my life.

right now it is playing on my computer as i play it. i must say that The Private Press is one of the most relaxing and at the same time one of the most challenging pieces of music i have heard in some time. where Endtroducing was simply a wild ride of beautiful vibes filled to the brim like a well laid back movie soundtrack, The Private Press is a different beast all together, and i have to say that i love it. some songs are almost downright abrasive when first listened -- challenging to the listener especially in a followup to an album that exuded extreme listenablity in any track. here some of the tracks are initially disorienting -- harder rap vibes, strange mixing -- here is a more layer challenging work than the previous. i don't know if it is a better album - i am going to have to give it a few years because Endtroducing is something that close to six years later still astounds me.

though i am not saying that all of The Private Press is abrasive collages (and even them are not really that abrasive after repeated listens - it is just jarring at first) -- DJ Shadow excels at the moody soundtrack instrumental moments, slowly weaving an unknown tale that is filled with more emotion and feeling than any of the house/trance/techno/whatever/music i have ever heard. i myself have always found house to be the most emotionally distant music besides avant garde noise work -- but DJ Shadow's music is always filled with a raw passion and emotion that is excellent.

this album is the same. it is a more challenging listen than his debut, much more layered, much deeper, it is sometimes initially abrasive - the vocal additions seem strange at first but after some time seems to be quite perfect. that is probably the best that i can say about the album -- initially unsure, almost confusingly abrasive only to revel itself to be quite perfect and quite wonderful.