Count Bass D - Dwight Spitz

Count Bass D is one of a handful of artists that at one time or another were "signed" to Murfreesboro, TN based label Spongebath Records (best known for rock band Self). Strangely enough, Count was the only hip-hop artist included on the roster. The typical indie rock crowd probably never gave him a chance. But if they had, they would have discovered that Count Bass D is incapable of being classified into any sort of predefined musical genre. His previous releases ranged from laid back jazz-esque songs all performed on real instruments (Art For Sale), to well picked beats mixed with fierce yet intelligent rhymes (the Violatin' and On The Reels 12 inches). Keeping that in mind, it's no surprise that his latest release Dwight Spitz is a whole new bag of tricks for Count. The album is laden with samples ranging from Goodfellas to obscure old propaganda commercials for pure grain sugar. The self produced beats are simple but not ignorant of the skill. "Subwoofer (Dumile)" sounds like a vintage Pac-Man game, "Sanctuary" pulls it's main beat from the vocal part of The Doors song of the same name. "Real Music vs. Bu11$#!+" is a tangy mix of light piano and ethereal vocals (Count's own in fact), The list goes on and on. In fact, every one of these 24 tracks has something interesting musically about it (more notable mentions are "Antemeridian", "Postmerdian", and "August 25th, 2001") What makes the album even more enjoyable is that Count's rhymes aren't concerned with gang violence, or making sure he's got the hottest ladies, he concentrates on happier subjects like praise for his wife ("Seven Years"), fun with his children ("Hello Test Test"), but mostly it's just stories, viewpoints, and some short anecdotes of his life. It's not all fun and games, it definetly has it's serious side, such as "My First Piece" and the title track "Dwight Spitz." And on top of all that, the guest vocalists featured on many tracks aren't featured because they will bring the album some additional press, they bring a diversity to the sound and keep things interesting. The praise for this album could easily continue for pages - intricate descriptions of what tickles my fancy on each track, but the basic point here is that Count has created an album that is unlike any hip-hop I've ever encountered. It's musical yet beat driven. It's positive, but not entirely goofy or sappy. Fans of his previous work will appreciate the slightly new direction he's taken, and the ease of which he pulls it off. And for those of you who are completely unfamiliar with any of his work, now's your oppurtunity to treat yourself to an album that is a quality listen every single time. [www.countbassd.com]