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(Audio CD)
by Danger Doom | | | | | SKU:
MCW-916965 | | In Stock | | Availability:
Usually ships in 1 business days | | | | | | Two of this generation's most respected hip-hop artists, Danger Mouse and MF Doom have come together for this album, inspired by Adult Swim, Cartoon Network's popular late-night animation network. Doom, with his near obsession with masked identities and superhero personas, and Mouse, with his murky, ethereal soundscapes that cloud men's minds like Mandrake, are the perfect partners for the project, and each has inspired the other to the finest work of their careers. "The Mouse & The Mask" contains character voices and skits from Adult Swim's most popular original shows, including "Aqua Teen Hunger Force", "Sealab 2021", and "Harvey Birdman, Attorney At Law", along with guest appearances by Cee-Lo, Talib Kweli, and Ghostface Killah. | | | |
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| | Product Details | | Audio CD Release Date: | October 11, 2005 | | Studio: | Epitaph / Ada | | Number Of Discs: | 1 | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 106 reviews |
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| | Track Listing | | 1. | EL CHUPA NIBRE | | 2. | SOFA KING | | 3. | THE MASK FEAT. GHOSTFACE KILLAH | | 4. | PERFECT HAIR | | 5. | BENZIE BOX FEAT. CEE-LO | | 6. | OLD SCHOOL | | 7. | A.T.H.F. (AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE) | | 8. | BASKET CASE | | 9. | NO NAMES (BLACK DEBBIE) | | 10. | CROSSHAIRS | | 11. | MINCEMEAT | | 12. | VATS OF URINE | | 13. | SPACE HO'S | | 14. | BADA BING | |
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| | Customer Reviews | Average Customer Review: ( 106 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
49 of 51 found the following review helpful:
 A solid release, but then again, what did you expect? Oct 11, 2005
By Nicholas Adam Chupka
"Metalhead"
The fact that this album is titled The Mouse and the Mask highlights the growing popularity of two of hip-hop's most respected connoisseurs, Danger Mouse and the mighty MF Doom. Years ago, such a title would have drifted right past the awareness of most hip-hop fans, but with MF's credibility in both the underground and mainstream NYC scene, and Danger Mouse's much sought after production skills, these two have managed to put out an album with actual anticipation across the world of hip-hop.
And folks, the anticipation is completely warranted. With the consistent use of the Cartoon Network Adult Swim characters Brak, Grandmaster Shake, and Harvey Birdman, and guest appearances by the other Iron Man: Ghostface Killah, the conscious wizard Talib Kweli, and dirty south eclectic extraordinaire Cee-Lo, this MC and DJ dynamic duo unleashes a refreshing and downright fun hip-hop album.
Fans of MF Doom will be neither blown away, nor surprised by the delivery and lyrical output on this release. Possibly the most consistent MC in hip-hop, Doom sticks to his mouth-full, Rakim-relaxed flow which could easily have folks mistaking him for the long lost 10th core member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Never seeking to impress his fan base or new listeners with obnoxiously abstract content, or spell-binding flow/speed, MF forces you to hit the rewind button to hear the almost juvenile, yet mostly creative tongue-in-cheek disses which harkens to the battle days of old school hip-hop.
And for the most part, Danger Mouse matches the output of his partner. At times, the beats can only be described as the perfect offspring of Ghetto Pop Life/Grey Album era Danger Mouse, and that well-known MF Doom vibe. Tracks like "The Mask", "Old School", "No Names", and "Space-Ho's" (my favorite) justify this match made in heaven, and oftentimes find Doom sounding his best with backing from one of the finest producers in the game.
Unfortunately, a number of tracks are lackluster, and they will quickly earn the "I always fast forward through this track" badge. "ATHF", a nice ode to the already classic cartoon, never succeeds in providing memorable moments, and "Basket Case" could be used as a prime example of album filler, despite its use of the prototypical "villain" samples which have become a staple of Doom's style.
When this new superhero/villain (?!?!) tandem hits the mark though, they show exactly why, despite no mass-market airplay, this album has been so hyped up in the hip-hop community. While I think this release is largely Doom in its style, the brilliance we have come to expect from this man has finally matched itself with a production/beats style which, no offense to Doom, is more of what the modern, technologically advanced hip-hop fan has come to expect. With the abundance of Adult Swim samples, these two have created a sound which, without doubt, can be found nowhere else. But hey, do they really even need the samples to achieve such a sound? Of course not. While you should not expect a start to finish display of rap transcendence, you can expect the same beats and flows which have made the two separate entities of this musical mutant two of the hottest commodities in hip-hop today.
58 of 64 found the following review helpful:
 Doom's coming-out party Oct 18, 2005
By Patrick G. Varine
"Make beats, not war, haha..."
This is it. This is the album that will introduce MF Doom to a monstrous fan base.
While his other albums -- mostly four-star classics in my book -- are admittedly less accessible to the average hip-hopper (I'll be the first to admit that I was disappointed at my first listen to "Operation: Doomsday." Now I think it's fantastic), this is easy for anyone to get into.
Regardless, this album is an instant classic. My little SISTER even liked it. The beats are all bouncy and catchy (but still with a gritty edge to them), and the rhymes have just enough subtext to appeal to the discerning underground head as well as being nonsensical enough to be funny to anyone.
But the album as a whole is nothing to laugh at, however.
Right from the understated loop at the start of "El Chupa Nibre," it's clear that Doom is running the show. Danger Mouse's beats are basically all winners, from the chunky guitar on "A.T.H.F." to the Latin loop on "Crosshairs," the beats bubble under Metal Face's raspy flow.
The best moments come when guests are involved, and I'm not necessarily talking about guest MCs. Just about every Adult Swim character makes an appearance SOMEwhere, from Brak asking "Why did you buy this album? I don't know why you did, you're stupid," to Master Shake's series of messages asking why he hasn't been included on the album, "Because you KNOW my rappin' is the s***!" he says.
The album's cartoon-y theme carries over to its best song as well. "Old School" loops (what I THINK) is an old Hanna-Barbara music snippet. I recognize part of it from the opening frames of "Kill Bill," where Tarantino used it as music behind the "Feature Presentation" graphic.
Regardless of the source, Doom and Talib Kweli ride the beat like a brand-new Harley, waxing nostalgic about eatin' cereal and watchin' Saturday morning cartoons.
There's not much to dislike about this album. Even parents will enjoy the fact that they bleeped all the cuss words, although they did leave Doom's line about "fellas grab ya nutsacks, chicks squeeze your breastesses."
Good stuff. Get this NOW.
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury...we all lived through the 70's Oct 11, 2005
By Alexander Henderson
"I Like Music"
Haha...I love this album. Since I heard it first a few months ago, it's been one of my most played and most loved albums of 2005. It's been consistently moving up and down my ever-changing Top 5 of '05, right now it's sitting in the #4 spot but that's sucjected to change. It's fantastic, Daniel Dumile delivers brilliant flow and lyrics once again, but the different this time is the production. The first 10 seconds of "El Chupa Nibre" (barring brak's introduction) are a large departure from Madlib's recognizable style on Madvillainy. It's simpler this time around, the focus doesn't seem to be on the complexity or the layers as much, but that doesn't mean the beats are any less fantastic. I would say Madlib produces like Radiohead, where Dangermouse produeces like Weezer (horrible simplification) but it makes sense following the fact that The Mouse and The Mask is really a 3 man show: MF Doom, Dangermouse, and Adult Swim. I give it a perfect score because, it's not as striking or fresh as Madvillainy, but it hasn't left my playlist in months and that's as much of a recommendation as I can give. Also, it must be said I adore Master Shake so there are brownie points there. Don't let the skits cloud your judgement though
11 of 13 found the following review helpful:
BELIEVE The Hype Oct 12, 2005
By Alan Pounds
"Minnesota Hip-Hop Fiend"
Easily the most highly anticipated underground hip-hop album of the year -- "The Mouse And The Mask" is a flawless record that succeeds at every turn. After the sampling of Danger Doom we heard on the Gorillaz record "Demon Days" ("November Has Come"), fans have been eagerly waiting for the duo to drop a classic. Well, the day finally came, and I'm truly a believer. The always-on-point MF Doom returns to the scene with the enthralling production of DJ Dangermouse. As you've heard, it's a concept album that incorporates the cast of several cartoons from Cartoon Network's [adult swim] series (which includes characters from Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Brak & Zorak, Harvey Birdman, the cast of Sealab 2021, and Space Ghost). I originally thought that they would just take samples from these cartoon shows...not so. These are custom samples specifically recorded for this album, which really brings the concept full circle. Overall, the album is quite flawless.
The album starts off with a disappointment on "El Chupa Nibre". The song is excellent; but is rudely interrupted with bleeps from censoring. This song must've been recorded before they knew that they couldn't have a parental advisory album that's promoted by Cartoon Network. Thankfully, there isn't another *bleep* on the rest of the album. Which brings your attention the next track "Sofa King"; which leaves the listener puzzled as to how they got away with this lyric - "I am Sofa King Retard Ed" (say it fast). "The Mask" featuring Ghostface Killah from the Wu-Tang Clan, is definitely one of the best on the album. Dangermouse's production is equally enjoyable. The streak continues with the immaculate "Perfect Hair". "Benzie Box" featuring Cee-Lo and "Old School" featuring Talib Kweli possess something that most MF Doom songs don't - choruses. They work work very well to keep the album flowing. One of my favorites is "A.T.H.F" which boasts some hilarious samples from Meatwad and Karl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Doom spits some crazy wicked rhymes. My favorite track as of now is "No Names" which boasts one of my favorite lyrics - "As a few good men set sights to link with your chick / You have to find a new hen fight to drink your liq / Ten years later, see how Enzyt'll shrink your...wallet". As the album moves along, Doom just settles into the flow beautifully in the last half, bringing the best tracks to the table ("Crosshairs", "Mince Meat", "Bada Bing").
Overall, MF Doom and Dangermouse are in top form, creating something that will be a treasure in both artist's discography for years to come. At 40 minutes in length, the album is stripped of filler, and leaves the listener drooling for more (like most Doom albums). This is an album that is truly deserving of it's hype, and will please fans to great lengths. Definitely one of the best hip-hop album of 2005.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Lives Up To The Hype, And Doom's High Standards (4.5 Stars) Oct 18, 2005
By Ludacris88
'The Mouse & The Mask' is the newest album from rapper/producer MF Doom (a.k.a. Zevlove X, Viktor Vaughn, King Geedorah, etc.) and producer Danger Mouse (Gorillaz, the Jay-Z/Beatles blend project 'The Gray Album') presented by Catoon Network's late night block, [adult swim]. Based on buzz, and sales so far, it looks like this is going to be Doom's best selling album. After finally gaining some significant recognition with last year's 'Madvillainy', hopefully this album will introduce him to a whole new audience (with help from the [adult swim] ads, and much better promotion than any of his previous works).
"The fat is in the fire, a fryer made of chicken wire
Gettin sick and tired of a friggin liar
Pelican, with some very soft mangoes
A closet full of skeletons and terry cloth Kangols" Crosshairs
[adult swim] is actually one of my favorite things on TV. The offbeat, and a little more mature humor is probably the funniest thing to watch at 12:00 on a weeknight. The album features apperances from characters of the shows Aqua Teen Hunger Force (Master Shake, Meatwad, Carl, Inignknot & Err), Space Ghost: Coast To Coast (Brak, Zorkak & Space Ghost), The Brak Show (Brak, Zorak & Thundercleese), Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law (Birdman, Reducto & Mentok) & Sealab 2021. These little apperances may be brief, but they're a nice touch. Not only are there apperances from these characters, much of Doom's subject matter and song concepts are based off [adult swim] shows, which I think gives the album a cool theme. Overall, the [adult swim] addition is a positive, and helps the album for the better. They even have Meatwad remaking 'Beef Rapp' as the bonus track. But, an album can't live off a theme alone, which is where Danger Mouse & MF Doom come in.
"What's up with your boy? He's not a soft or hot drink
Whoever don't like it could suck his straw, it's hot pink" A.T.H.F.
First of all, the production here is top notch. I haven't heard much from Danger Mouse (only some tracks from the new Gorillaz album), but I was very impressed with the varying, but altogether dope beats he came up with for this album. When an albums production is handled by only one producer, it can get very repetitive, and take away from the overall quality of the album. Here, Danger Mouse provides different types of beats for every track. With original samples, all of which are flipped extremely well, to the great drum patterns, Danger Mouse keeps the same great feel the whole time, but without sounding repetitive. Now I'm starting to sound repetitive, but the point is, you won't be dissapointed with the production here.
"Everybody talkin 'bout pistols, gats is borin
He came with a new topic to flip you, vats of urine
All pro, check the stats, his style scorin
While you at it, double check that Cristal you're pourin" Vats Of Urine
As usual, Doom brings his unique flow, rhyme scheme and lyrics. This is top notch Doom, and one of his best performances on the mic. Don't get it twisted though, if you really dislike MF Doom, you will have a hard time liking this album. It's not like he's changed his flow or rap style, but this is some of the best material you will hear from him. If you're looking for the regular MF refrences to Fantastic Four cartoons and his numerous personalities, consider this as a break from the character of Doom (besides the references to his mask on a couple songs). Any fan of Doom knows he can carry an album (and usually ends up with a better product with less guest apperances), and like usual, its entertaining to listen to him for the full 40 minutes. The guests, Ghostface, Talib Kweli & Cee-Lo, are 3 of my favorite artists, don't have very big roles, but I really enjoyed the verses of Ghost & Talib, and Talib & Cee Lo provided some nice hooks, which are rare on Doom songs.
Unfortunately, all versions of the album are edited. This isn't a big problem, and isn't close to a reason not to pick up this album. There are very few words that need editing, and the only place you really notice it is the first track.
"Rappers suck, when they spit I doubt 'em
The crap they sing about you'll wanna slap the ____in' ____ out 'em" El Chupa Nibre
Top 5 Songs (In Order):
1. The Mask Featuring Ghostface - My personal favorite track, great job by Danger Mouse on this beat, and now I'm even more excited for the MF/GF collab album after hearing what they can do together.
2. Space Ho's - One of the dopest beats of the year. The whole song is a parody of the concept that people will hate on anyone that's at a high place or has something you want.
3. A.T.H.F. - Whole song about Aqua Teen Hunger force, which is one of my favorite shows. Executed very well.
4. El Chupa Nibre - Again, one of my favorite beats of the whole year. Great way to start off the album.
5. Vats Of Urine - Features Inignknot & Err, 2 characters that make apperances on Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and 2 of the funniest characters you can find on [adult swim]. While the track is under 2 minutes, it features an addicting horn loop over a nice bassline & drums.
Worst Track:
There really isn't any song here that I can call the worst, because every single song is enoyable.
Lyrics/Substance/Subject Matter - 9/10
Flow/Delivery - 9/10
Production - 9/10
Overall Feel - 9/10
Guest Apperances - 8/10 - Ghostface Killah, Talib Kweli, Cee-Lo - As I explained above, they definately are positive contributions, but aren't pivotal to the overall product.
Overall Rating - 9/10 - If you're a fan of MF Doom, Danger Mouse, or [adult swim], or just someone looking for something new, pick this up. You won't be dissapointed
See all 106 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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