Now Playing: ‘and the Anonymous Nobody…’ by De Le Soul (Album Review)

I added one of the tracks from this album (Snoopies ft. David Byrne) to one of my playlists recently, and have found myself listening to it a lot. So I decided to give the whole album a try…

Comprising 17 tracks and falling just shy of the seventy minute mark, De La Soul’s ninth studio album isn’t exactly a ‘quick fix’, and certainly not something to be tackled with a casual ear.

In fact, and the Anonymous Nobody… is a sprawling, diverse set of songs, that even within the first few minutes demands its audience be seated and pay attention: “Elders, ancestors, sons and daughters/Lion hearted kings and everything in between/Take a seat, be witness”.

Some of the tracks are well worth this commitment. ‘Pain’ for example is a funky, gospel-infused chunk of ‘D.A.I.S.Y. Age’ hip hop (a term originally coined by the trio themselves) helped along by the presence of Snoop Dog, whilst ‘Here in After’ (featuring Damon Albarn, a regular De La Soul collaborator) showcases a more melancholy, melodic side to the album. ‘CBGBS’ and ‘Snoopies’ (featuring David Byrne) meanwhile are both great examples of what the trio do best, the former a minute-or-so masterclass in sampling, and the latter a rousing plea of self-awareness that makes perfect use of its guest’s recognisable vocal style.

However, the way in which the songs came about- reportedly as the result of ‘multiple improvised jam sessions’- explains a lot. The lack of recognisable structure within the majority of the tracks for one thing, which can be effective once or twice but here only seems to result in a finished product that winds and wanders its way to nothing in particular.

Everything feels a little too long, a little too overdone, pushed a little too far.

It’s an eclectic collection certainly, and if nothing else proves that De La Soul are still able to coax great performances out of a miscellany of artists from all sorts of musical backgrounds.

But a little immediacy- even urgency- here and there wouldn’t go amiss, and would have perhaps left us wanting more as opposed to wishing we could identify this ‘Anonymous Nobody’ and give some of it back.

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Picture credit to Pitchfork.com