Double Barrel is an album made in collaboration between American rapper Torae and Canadian hip hop producer Marco Polo. The album was released on June 2, 2009 by Duck Down Music Inc.[1] It was preceded by Marco Polo's critically well-received debut album Port Authority (2007), and Torae's inaugural release Daily Conversation (2008) on which Polo has produced three tracks.
| Double Barrel | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 2, 2009 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 48:42 | |||
| Label | Duck Down Music Inc. | |||
| Producer | Executive producers
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| Marco Polo chronology | ||||
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| Torae chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Double Barrel | ||||
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The album was executive produced by both artists, along with DJ Linx, Shylow of First Division, and Theo Bark.[2] Associate producers include Duck Down founders Drew "Dru-Ha" Friedman and Kenyatta "Buckshot" Blake.[2] The album features guest appearances from DJ Premier, Lil Fame of M.O.P., Rock of Heltah Skeltah, Guilty Simpson, Masta Ace, Sean Price, S-Roc of BrassMunk, and Saukrates. Scratches are provided by DJ Revolution, DJ Linx, and Shylow.[2] The album was recorded by Marco Polo at The Krib, and was mixed and mastered by Ricardo Gutierrez at Stadium Red in New York City.[2][3]
The album was preceded by the 12-inch single "Double Barrel" featuring DJ Revolution, with B-side "Hold Up" featuring Masta Ace and Sean Price, and "Combat Drills".[4] The track "Danger" is featured on the soundtrack of the 2013 superhero action comedy film Kick-Ass 2[5] as well as a backdrop music for the 1st Mission of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2.
Critical response edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| HipHopDX |   [6] |
| KevinNottingham | 72/100[7] |
| The Phoenix | [8] |
| RapReviews | 8/10[9] |
| The Smoking Section | [10] |
| Sputnikmusic |  [11] |
| XXL | (XL)[12] |
Upon its release, the album was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics. Amanda Bassa of HipHopDX wrote, "Low points will be hard to find on Double Barrel, and the project offers up something for those craving the boom bap as well as something that feels relevant in the present."[6] Addi "Mindbender" Stewart of KevinNottingham.com felt that "conceptually and ultimately, not much new ground is broken here. But alternately, and equally importantly, [Marco Polo & Torae] carry on certain hip hop traditions faithfully, yet in their own signature way".[7] The reviewer claimed that the album would "essentially be thought of at as one of the more satisfying offerings of east coast rap music in 2009."[7] Pedro "DJ Complejo" Hernandez, writing for RapReviews.com, remarked that Double Barrel is a "banging album full of unadulterated hip-hop."[9] He believed that "Marco Polo should surely become a hot commodity with his brand of head banging boom bap beats." He also complimented Torae as "a solid emcee" because of his ability to tell stories, his "brash" braggadocio, and his passion which "matches that of the best emcees". Additionally, he mentioned that the Brooklyn rapper can really showcase his talent when he has "the right production behind him".[9] Similarly, Sobhi Youssef of Sputnikmusic wrote, "The production team excels largely in providing an acceptable sonic backdrop for Torae to rhyme over".[11] However, he opined that "without this (or even DJ Revolution's tasteful cuts on a few joints), he is nearly indistinguishable from other hardcore bent tri-state rappers." He then asserted that "this happens with startling (but welcome) frequency as Rocc [sic], Guilty Simpson, Masta Ace, and Sean Price steal the spotlight for their respective featured verses, adding a lot to the track."[11]
In his mixed review for The Smoking Section, TS obversed the record's drawback is "the basic business model of things", explaining, "Torae spends the majority of the LP denouncing industry politics while Marco Polo's production tends to blend together with seemingly the same bassline and song tempos by the album's midway point."[10] XXL reviewer Jonathan Bonanno noted that in spite of "lackluster records" such as "Word Play" and "Party Crashers", Double Barrel is in overall "a solid offering" and claimed that "Marco Polo & Torae's potential as a formidable producer/ MC team is without question—even if they never get the mass appeal."[12]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" (featuring DJ Premier) |
| 1:17 |
| 2. | "Double Barrel" (scratches by DJ Revolution) |
| 3:24 |
| 3. | "Party Crashers" |
| 3:45 |
| 4. | "Smoke" (featuring Lil Fame and Rock) |
| 3:54 |
| 5. | "Lifetime" (scratches by DJ Revolution) |
| 4:15 |
| 6. | "But Wait" |
| 2:43 |
| 7. | "Rah Rah Sh*t" (scratches by Shylow) |
| 4:07 |
| 8. | "Danger" |
| 3:00 |
| 9. | "Stomp" (featuring Guilty Simpson) |
| 4:02 |
| 10. | "Coney Island" |
| 3:32 |
| 11. | "Word Play" |
| 3:30 |
| 12. | "Hold Up" (featuring Masta Ace and Sean Price; scratches by DJ Linx) |
| 3:07 |
| 13. | "Get It" |
| 3:40 |
| Total length: | 48:42 | ||
Credits and personnel edit
Credits for Double Barrel adapted from the album's liner notes.[2]
- Theo Bark – co-executive producer
- Kenyatta "Buckshot" Blake – associate producer
- Marco "Marco Polo" Bruno – composer, engineer, executive producer, primary artist, producer
- Jamal "Rock" Bush – composer, featured artist
- Torae Carr – composer, executive producer, primary artist, rap vocals
- Duval "Masta Ace" Clear – composer, featured artist
- DJ Linx – executive producer, scratching
- DJ Revolution – featured artist, scratching
- Drew "Dru-Ha" Friedman – associate producer
- FWMJ – artwork
- Jamal "Lil Fame" Grinnage – composer, featured artist
- Ricardo Gutierrez – mixing, mastering
- Dwayne S.M. "S-Roc" King – composer, featured artist
- Chris "DJ Premier" Martin – composer, featured artist
- Robert Adam Mayer – photography
- Sean Price – composer, featured artist
- Shylow – co-executive producer, scratching
- Byron "Guilty Simpson" Simpson – composer, featured artist
- Skrilla – artwork [additional]
- Karl Amani "Saukrates" Wailoo – composer, featured artist
Chart position edit
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[13] | 23 |
References edit
- ^ a b "iTunes - Music - Double Barrel by Marco Polo & Torae". iTunes.apple.com. 2 Jun 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Double Barrel (Media notes). Marco Polo & Torae. Duck Down Music Inc. 2009.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "NEW MUSIC: Torae – "For The Record" Mastered at Stadium Red". Stadiumred.com. 2 Nov 2011. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
- ^ "Torae & Marco Polo: Double Barrel/ Hold Up/ Combat Drills - album stream, producers, reviews". UGHH.com. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
- ^ "Marco Polo & Torae 'Danger' (Kick-Ass 2 Soundtrack)". duckdown.com. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
- ^ a b Bassa, Amanda (3 May 2014). "Torae & Marco Polo - Double Barrel | Read Hip Hop Reviews, Rap Reviews & Hip Hop Album Reviews". HipHopDX.com. Archived from the original on 7 August 2010. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
- ^ a b c Addi "Mindbender" Stewart (15 Jun 2009). "Torae & Marco Polo: Double Barrel | The Underground Hip Hop Authority | Hip Hop Music, Videos & Reviews". KevinNottingham.com. Retrieved 3 May 2009.
- ^ Faraone, Chris (27 May 2009). "Marco Polo and Torae | Double Barrel - CD Reviews". ThePhoenix.com. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
- ^ a b c Pedro "DJ Complejo" Hernandez (9 Jun 2009). "Marco Polo & Torae :: Double Barrel :: Duck Down Records". RapReviews.com. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
- ^ a b TC (3 Jun 2009). ""Party Crashers" – Review Of Marco Polo & Torae's Double Barrel". TheSmokingSection.uproxx.com. Retrieved 3 May 2009.
- ^ a b c Youssef, Sobhi (17 Jun 2009). "Torae and Marco Polo - Double Barrel (album review)". Sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
- ^ a b Bonanno, Jonathan (5 Jun 2009). "Marco Polo & Torae: Double Barrel". XXL.com. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
- ^ "Marco Polo Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2014.