Sharkey's Machine is the 2004 debut album of Washington, D.C. DJ and producer Sharkey (Shaun Sharkey[citation needed]). Ranging across a variety of styles, this hip hop work features vocalists including Cannibal Ox, Cherrywine ("Butterfly" from Digable Planets), Jean Grae, Grand Puba of Brand Nubian, and The Pharcyde.

Sharkey's Machine
Studio album by
Sharkey
ReleasedMay 25, 2004 (2004-05-25)
GenreHip hop
Length63:25
LabelBabygrande, CNR
ProducerSharkey, Mickey Petralia, Mario Caldato, Jr.

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllHipHop      [1]
Allmusic      [2]
Pitchfork2.7/10 [3]
PopMattersunfavorable[4]
The Washington Postfavorable[5][6]

Reviews were generally negative, with critics finding the album to be an unexciting take on influences such as RJD2, DJ Shadow, N.E.R.D., and Zero 7. An exception was for the universally-praised track with Jean Grae, "whose tightly delivered vision of a New York apocalypse on "Summer in the City (Lovin' It)" is the album's obvious highlight" (Rollie Pemberton, Pitchfork).[3][7][8]

Track listing edit

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Warming Up for a Scissor Fight"SharkeySharkey1:04
2."Fuzz" (featuring Cannibal Ox)S. Gardner, T. Arrington, SharkeyS. Cooper, Sharkey4:36
3."Phone Sex" (featuring Cherrywine)I. Butler, SharkeySharkey, P. Michel3:29
4."Little Cabin Song" (featuring Zooks from The Spark and Billy Moon)M. Griffin, C. HollingsworthSharkey, P. Flood3:51
5."If It Fits" (instrumental) Sharkey4:20
6."Summer in the City (Lovin' It)" (featuring Jean Grae)T. IbrahimSharkey3:59
7."Skateboarder's Blues" (featuring Zooks from The Spark)C. Hollingsworth, SharkeySharkey3:30
8."A Typical Day in Sunny Washington, DC" (featuring The GrayKid)S. Cooper, SharkeySharkey2:24
9."Slo-Mo in the Grotto"SharkeySharkey, P. Michel4:25
10."Here We Are" (featuring Billy Moon)M. GriffinP. Flood, Sharkey3:24
11."Icewater"SharkeySharkey2:09
12."Meltdown" (featuring Zooks from The Spark and The GrayKid)S. Cooper, C. HollingsworthSharkey, S. Cooper3:26
13."All for Nothing" (featuring Grand Puba)W. Dixon, M. GriffinSharkey3:19
14."Song 20" (featuring Billy Moon)M. GriffinSharkey3:01
15."Snobird" (featuring The Pharcyde)R. Robinson, I. Wilcox, M. Griffin, C. HollingsworthSharkey3:48
16."Zooks Vs Connery"C. HollingsworthSharkey2:03
17."Something's Got to Give" (featuring Billy Moon)M. Griffin, SharkeySharkey, Elias Anthan10:47
18."All Good Things in Good Time" (hidden track, featuring Billy Moon)M. GriffinSharkey, P. Flood3:33

Personnel edit

  • Sharkey – vocals, keyboards, programming, turntables
  • Anntoinette Silva – vocals on tracks 1, 7
  • Zooks – vocals on tracks 1, 16
  • The GrayKid – co-producer on tracks 2, 8, 17, 18
  • Mickey Petralia – co-producer on tracks 4, 15
  • Billy Moon – vocals on track 13

References edit

  1. ^ A.P. Ghetto King General (1 July 2004). "Sharkey's Machine". AllHipHop. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  2. ^ "Sharkey's Machine - Sharkey". Allmusic. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  3. ^ a b Pemberton, Rollie (9 June 2004). "Sharkey: Sharkey's Machine". Pitchfork. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  4. ^ Braidwood, Stefan (3 June 2004). "Sharkey: Sharkey's Machine". PopMatters. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  5. ^ Fields, Curt (23 July 2004). "SHARKEY "Sharkey's Machine" Babygrande". The Washington Post. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  6. ^ Fields, Curt (31 December 2004). "The Year in Music". The Washington Post. p. WE32. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  7. ^ Braidwood, Stefan (21 June 2004). "Sharkey – Sharkey's Machine". HipHopSite.Com. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  8. ^ Zachrich, Sarah (22 June 2004). "Sharkey: Sharkey's Machine". Splendid Magazine. Retrieved 31 December 2012.

External links edit