maroko, Jun 03, 2008
I have to be honest here and say Ive just now decided to jot down a few lines about Speedy Js much talked about album "A Shocking Hobby", and the main reason is that its true magnitude and greatness are only now crystal clear and palpable to me. Eight years after it came out, and I can claim with enough confidence that in my ears, this still sounds like George Paaps production masterstroke. Tracks like Drill, Actor Nine, Balk Acid and Amoco Cadiz are yet be surpassed in terms of production complexity, intensity and general sound quality. Not for the candy ravers, not for laid back home listening, the type of music which would make your girlfriend question your sanity, the album remains a landmark classic. A benchmark in Speedy Js extensive opus, with potential to de(con)struct, taer apart, knock down and build back up from scratch listeners perception of music. With a distinct and instinctive knack for provoking ample sets of moods, defying the odds and keeping a repellent attitude towards trends, "A Shocking Hobby" will continue giving rise to doubt, while its status of a unique work untainted by foreign factors remains in tact. One of the best albums I own. Heavy weight stuff this good doesnt come around very often, so missing out on this would be a capital mistake. 10/10.