Labor Days

Labor Days
Studio album by
Aesop Rock
ReleasedSeptember 18, 2001 (2001-09-18)
GenreAlternative hip hop
Length61:03
LabelDefinitive Jux
Producer
Aesop Rock chronology
Float
(2000) 		Labor Days
(2001) 		Daylight
(2002)
Singles from Labor Days
  1. "Coma"
    Released: 2001 (2001)
  2. "Boombox"
    Released: 2001 (2001)

Labor Days is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock.[1] It was released by Definitive Jux on September 18, 2001.[2] It is a concept album about work.[3] The album's production was handled by Aesop Rock, Blockhead, and Omega One.[4]

"Labor" was featured on the soundtrack of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic92/100[5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Entertainment WeeklyA[7]
HipHopDX4.0/5[8]
Muzik4/5[9]
Pitchfork8.7/10[10]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[11]
Stylus MagazineA−[12]
Uncut[13]
The Village VoiceA−[14]

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, Labor Days received an average score of 92 based on 5 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[5]

In 2010, Rhapsody included it on its "10 Best Albums by White Rappers" list.[15] In 2015, Fact placed it at number 17 on its "100 Best Indie Hip-Hop Records of All Time" list.[16]

Track listing

No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Labor"Aesop Rock2:32
2."Daylight"Blockhead4:26
3."Save Yourself"Blockhead4:59
4."Flashflood"Blockhead3:54
5."No Regrets"Blockhead4:31
6."One Brick" (with Illogic)Aesop Rock4:32
7."The Tugboat Complex Pt. 3"Blockhead3:46
8."Coma"Omega One3:56
9."Battery"Aesop Rock5:07
10."Boombox"Aesop Rock5:05
11."Bent Life" (with C-Rayz Walz)Blockhead4:49
12."The Yes and the Y'all"Blockhead4:04
13."9-5ers Anthem"Blockhead4:38
14."Shovel"Blockhead4:45

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

  • Aesop Rock – vocals, production (1, 6, 9, 10), recording
  • Illogic – vocals (6)
  • C-Rayz Walz – vocals (11)
  • Blockhead – production (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14)
  • Omega One – production (8), turntables
  • Cryptic One – mixing
  • Emily Lazar – mastering
  • Dan Ezra Lang – art direction, design
  • Owen Brozman – illustration
  • Ben Colen – photography

References

  1. ^ Sanneh, Kelefa (January 26, 2002). "Pop Review; The Evolving Definition Of Underground Hip-Hop". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  2. ^ Baker, Ernest (April 26, 2013). "The 30 Greatest Months in Rap History: 9. September 2001". Complex. Archived from the original on June 11, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  3. ^ Mentzer, Robert (2005). "That's What He's Saying?". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  4. ^ Quinlan, Thomas (June 30, 2001). "Aesop Rock: Labor Days". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Reviews for Labor Days by Aesop Rock". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 10, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  6. ^ LeRoy, Dan. "Labor Days – Aesop Rock". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 5, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  7. ^ "Aesop Rock: Labor Days". Entertainment Weekly: 74. September 28, 2001.
  8. ^ J-23 (December 4, 2001). "Aesop Rock – Labor Days". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Ashon, Will (November 2001). "Aesop Rock: Labor Days (Def Jux)". Muzik (78): 99.
  10. ^ Abebe, Nitsuh (January 23, 2002). "Aesop Rock: Labor Days". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 24, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  11. ^ Catucci, Nick (2004). "Aesop Rock". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 8–9. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  12. ^ Martin, Tyler (September 1, 2003). "Aesop Rock – Labor Days – Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on May 15, 2006. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  13. ^ "Aesop Rock: Labor Days". Uncut (54): 103. November 2001.
  14. ^ Christgau, Robert (November 20, 2001). "Consumer Guide: Salaam". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  15. ^ "The 10 Best Albums by White Rappers". Rhapsody. June 22, 2010. Archived from the original on June 26, 2010. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
  16. ^ Piyevsky, Alex; Geng; Twells, John; Raw, Son; Rascobeamer, Jeff (February 25, 2015). "The 100 best indie hip-hop records of all time". Fact. p. 85. Archived from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.