DJ Shadow ‎– The Private Press

Drifting through the milestones of electronic music thresholds (and not only electronic), this sonorous architectural composition express a timeless monumentality. The virtuous DJ and composer, DJ Shadow presents us once again by his craftsmanship of combining the color scheme of variety of music from the past in a current light, originally conveyed to present.

When I imported this CD years ago less did I know I was getting the UK Edition, but I'm glad I did simply because it comes with the original version of Giving Up The Ghost as a Bonus track. As it happens this track along with Fixed Income, Giving Up the Ghost (Album Version), Mongrel and Meets His Maker are classic DJ Shadow style. The UK edition is the only single disc version that includes the original cut of Giving Up The Ghost unless you opt for the 2disc editions. Youtube videos don't distinguish between the album and original version so you have to go by time, the one posted at 6:20 is the original version, all others running at 6:30 are the album version.

At first I didn't like this album very much, but after putting it in my car and listening to it for a few days, it really grew on me. It's obvious to me that DJ Shadow is a musician with a wide breadth of styles, influences, and talents.

It's nice to hear an album that touches on so many different musical points instead of just reiterating the same ones over and over. I also wanna give the dude props for not just replicating what was done on the first album.

I have to say that I don't like some of the tracks that much, such as Walkie-Talkie (obnoxious bassline IMO) and Mongrel/Meets His Maker (really kind of dull) but almost everything else here is just really classy, varied, and enjoyable. Favs include Monosylabik, Six Days, Giving Up The Ghost, and, well, most everything besides the two tracks I didn't like.

Great CD to have on hand, has some definite staying power in my car's CD player.

This is a great album. Shadow chose to keep moving and developing. This is a a collection of songs as well as tracks, each with a different appeal. If there is a concept it must be constant change. The tracks bristle against each other, pushing in different directions, suggesting a variety of musical possibilities. All celebrate a cerebral and sensual appreciation of sound and rhythm. Here is no perfect package but set of musical blueprints. It’s the work of someone who’s sat back and asked himself what he really wants to listen to when the lights are out, could be his best work to date.

This album is far too electro inflected to appeal to fans of his previous work. Change and exploration are always a good thing, but it does not work out well for the purpose of this album. Perhaps the problem lies in track order; obvious highlight "Six Days" appears far too early in the album for it to be as climactic as what it needs to be. The other tracks on this album are all decidedly average, none coming even close to the incredible (if at times, a little warped) beauty of the tracks featured on "Endtroducing". If "Endtroducing" never surfaced, this album - and Shadow - would be long forgotten.

It's obvious Shadow wasnt going to do his so called regular triphop style with this album. Instead, this album is a full out hip hop album, featuring some of his best tracks, 'Mashin On The Motorway', and 'Walkie Talkie' for example. Both tracks are brilliant when scratched, cut up, or given a face lift. A much more energetic album then Endtroducing.

Personally, much of the album doesn't conform to my usual tastes in music. However, the haunting abstract style incorporated within tracks five and seven more than makes up for what I would call a relatively poor album.
I think also, that track twelve has a lot to say for itself - with drifting laidback piano keys and soft meaningful vocals. There are three tracks on this album that makes it all worth the money you paid.

What? Not a good producer? Have you not listened to this whole album? Have you never heard ANYTHING off of Endtroducing?! EVERY track is bomb on the private press. "6 days" is my particular favorite, with "Mashing On the Motorway" a little bit behind. If you enjoy ambient beats, trip-hop, or anything of the sorts, I highly, highly recomend this.

I like this album, its good to put on in the background while reading. But I have to admit that Shadow is a better DJ than he is a producer. My advice would be to not bother buying this CD but to buy the Mashin' On The Motorway single which has the best tracks from the album on it. Standouts are Six Days and Right Thing / GDMFSOB.

The Private Press is one of DJ Shadow's best moments, the tracks are moody but fresh. Tracks like You can't go home again and fixed income are gems. Well worth listening to, as like all Shadow's back catalogue.