Crate Digging: Chrome Children

presented by Peanut Butter Wolf

It's been a while since I listened to this 2006 Stones Throw Records compilation cd, although it still feels as fresh as it did when it came out, with a few exceptions.

The first half of the disk is mostly given over to the Jackson family (Madlib and his brother Oh No) and the then-recently departed J Dilla.  The whole thing starts off with Oh No's 'Oh Zone', before sliding into a couple of Dilla tracks.  'Clap Your Hands' is still my favourite Guilty Simpson piece, because of the awesome Dilla beat.  The third track is a Jaylib bit (although not credited as such), with Madlib going over Dilla's minimalist beat, which is a little like the one on 'Nothing Like This', from the Ruff Draft EP.

There's a nice Koushik track in the middle of all this Dilla stuff, which is followed up on by an annoying James Pants track (I don't know why they push this guy at this label).  From there, we go into a long string of Madlib-produced joints, featuring himself (as himself and as Lord Quas), MED, Dudley Perkins, and Percee P on the mic.  In the middle of that is the track that first introduced me to Georgia Anne Muldrow.

Towards the end of the disk, things get a little wilder, as Wolf showcases artists like Gary Wilson, Aloe Blacc, Pure Essence (via SoulCal), and, unfortunately, Baron Zen.  The disk closes with a Young Jazz Rebels (ie. Madlib) free jazz number.

This cd does a lot to show the mindset of Stones Throw in the mid-00's, and while there is a lot that still represents their catalogue, I feel like the label has become even more diverse and open-minded.  This is a good, strong compilation with a lot of great tracks (and some best left skipped).