Hello Cruel World is the third studio album by Sole and the Skyrider Band. It was released on Fake Four Inc. on July 19, 2011.[1][2] Music videos were created for "Napoleon",[3] "D.I.Y.",[4] "Hello Cruel World",[5] "Bad Captain Swag",[6] and "Immortality".[7]
| Hello Cruel World | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 19, 2011 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 52:58 | |||
| Label | Fake Four Inc. | |||
| Producer |
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| Sole and the Skyrider Band chronology | ||||
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Critical reception edit
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 66/100[8] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [9] |
| Exclaim! | favorable[10] |
| Pitchfork | 6.1/10[11] |
| Potholes in My Blog | [12] |
| The Skinny | [13] |
| Westword | favorable[14] |
At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 66, based on 6 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[8]
Tom Briehan of Pitchfork gave the album a 6.1 out of 10, stating that "Sole has largely curbed his frantic, out-of-control, sometimes-arrhythmic rap style, going for a measured and controlled thing instead."[11] David Jeffries of AllMusic gave the album 3.5 stars out of 5, writing, "the album's title references Sole's desire to bring the underground angst to the masses, injecting a little ugliness and art into your everyday programming."[9] Thomas Quinlan of Exclaim! said, "While it's unlikely Hello Cruel World will reach far beyond Sole's current fan base, it should continue to impress those who are already fans, offering a slightly different perspective on the unorthodox MC."[10]
Westword included it on the "Denver's Best Music Releases of 2011" list.[15]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Napoleon" (featuring Xiu Xiu) | 4:16 |
| 2. | "D.I.Y." | 3:47 |
| 3. | "Hello Cruel World" | 4:28 |
| 4. | "Fire" | 2:51 |
| 5. | "Bad Captain Swag" (featuring Lil B and Pictureplane) | 5:01 |
| 6. | "We Will Not Be Moved" (featuring Ceschi and Noah23) | 4:58 |
| 7. | "Possimism" | 3:14 |
| 8. | "Home Ain't Shit" (written by Pedestrian) | 4:18 |
| 9. | "Formal Designation 134340" | 3:45 |
| 10. | "Immortality" | 4:25 |
| 11. | "Progress Trap" (featuring Sage Francis) | 3:54 |
| 12. | "Vaya Con el Diablo" (featuring Ceschi, Isaiah Toothtaker, and Mestizo) | 4:15 |
| 13. | "Villon" | 3:44 |
| Total length: | 52:58 | |
Personnel edit
Credits adapted from liner notes.
- Tim Holland – vocals, lyrics
- Bud Berning – programming, production, arrangement
- William Ryan Fritch – instrumentation, vocals, arrangement
- John Wagner – drum programming, production
Additional musicians
- Xiu Xiu – vocals (1), lyrics (1)
- Lil B – vocals (5), lyrics (5)
- Pictureplane – vocals (5), lyrics (5)
- Ceschi – vocals (6, 12), lyrics (6, 12)
- Noah23 – vocals (6), lyrics (6)
- Pedestrian – lyrics (8)
- Sage Francis – vocals (11), lyrics (11)
- Isaiah Toothtaker – vocals (12), lyrics (12)
- Mestizo – vocals (12), lyrics (12)
Technical personnel
- Jesse O'Brien – mixing
- Tom Capek – mastering
- Lando – cover art
- Michael Crigler – art direction, design
- The Raincoat Man – vinyl layout
References edit
- ^ Fallon, Patric (April 15, 2011). "Sole to Release New Album Featuring Xiu Xiu, Pictureplane, Lil B, and More". XLR8R. Archived from the original on June 23, 2018. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (July 15, 2011). "News in Brief: Prurient, Sole and the Skyrider Band, Serengeti, Soft Metals". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ Ferner, Matt (November 2, 2011). "Sole, Denver-Based Hip-Hop Artist And Member Of #OccupyDenver, Talks Music And Life As An Occupier (Video)". HuffPost. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ Ferner, Matt (March 23, 2012). "Sole And The Skyrider Band Release Dystopian 'DIY' Music Video: World Premiere (Video)". HuffPost. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ Gilkeson, Kyle (May 25, 2011). "Video Premiere: Sole & The Skyrider Band's "Hello Cruel World"". Alarm. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ Rodgers, Patrick (February 7, 2012). "A first look at Sole and the Skyrider Band's "Bad Captain Swag"". Westword. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ Healey, John (August 8, 2011). "Sole and The Skyrider Band – "Immortality" (Video)". Potholes in My Blog. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ a b "Hello Cruel World by Sole and the Skyrider Band". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ a b Jeffries, David. "Hello Cruel World - Sole and the Skyrider Band". AllMusic. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ a b Quinlan, Thomas (July 19, 2011). "Sole and the Skyrider Band - Hello Cruel World". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ a b Breihan, Tom (July 18, 2011). "Sole and the Skyrider Band: Hello Cruel World". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ Bosman, Chris (July 24, 2011). "Sole And The Skyrider Band – Hello Cruel World". Potholes in My Blog. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ Maloney, Ali (July 27, 2011). "Sole and The Skyrider Band – Hello Cruel World". The Skinny. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ Murphy, Tom (July 13, 2011). "Sole & the Skyrider Band - Hello Cruel World - Fake Four Inc". Westword. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ^ "Denver's best music releases of 2011". Westword. December 20, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
External links edit
- Hello Cruel World at Discogs (list of releases)