RJD2 sings, reveals track list for new album

December 20, 2006 9:30 a.m. by Chris Sahl

RJD2, the hip-hop-inspired instrumentalist, has told Billboard that he'll be expanding his scope on his upcoming album, The Third Hand, due March 6 on XL Records. From the interview, it sounds like RJ's maturing in manners both positive and potentially cringe-inducing.
On the plus side?

"This record is all live, except the drums," he explains. "I wrote, played and engineered the whole thing, and it was a ton of work. I had to learn how to engineer things and mic things" as well as "finding what to buy, and how to fix things when they broke."

He'll also be touring with a live band in the spring. Great. But be warned: This time, Mr. D2 will also be crooning along with his beats, the first time he's featured vocals on an album.

"What was personally challenging was the whole vocal element to me. The entire difficulty of the record comes down to that.

Color me a skeptic or resistant to change, but when someone makes his name as an instrumentalist, deciding he wants to sing, too, rarely works out for the best.
The track list for The Third Hand (including a link to Stereogum for a download):
"Intro"
"You Never Had It So Good"
"Have Mercy"
"Reality"
"Work It Out"
"Laws of the Gods"
"Get It"
"Someday"
"The Bad Penny"
"Beyond The Beyond"
"Sweet Piece"
"Rules for Normal Living"
"Paper Bubble"
"Just When"
"The Evening Gospel"

6 Responses

December 20, 2006 at 9:45 a.m.

joydivided

i might be wrong...but I'm pretty sure he sang on the last record.

December 20, 2006 at 9:56 a.m.

Matthew Gasteier

he most definitely did.

December 20, 2006 at 10:15 a.m.

Chris Sahl

I read that factoid in the linked Billboard article: "While "The Third Hand" retains some of the instrumental hip-hop style that has characterized RJD2's earlier work, the artist (real name: Ramble Jon Krohn) opted to sing on one of his own records for the first time here."How are his pipes?

December 20, 2006 at 10:26 a.m.

Eric Solomon

He also sang a little on Aceyalone's last album. I guess a better question would be why? I can't think of another artist whose debut album thrilled me so much as Dead Ringer, and subsequent artistic steps made me horrified, except perhaps for Goldfrapp's exquisite Felt Mountain giving way to bland electroclash. Yeah, I said it.The guy can still produce though. Even if I did hate Since We Last Spoke. As for his singing, I dunno, seems fairly generic and thin, but I may have just stirred too much hatorade into my coffee this morning.

February 16, 2007 at 1:08 p.m.

johnq

The new cd is awful. I'm a huge RJ fan, and a huge fan of hip hop in general. Be prepared for a let down of proportions I can't describe...

February 22, 2008 at 4:57 p.m.

Droopsta915

Man I was happy when I was paying my $14 on the new RJD2 the third hand. I get in my car turn the bass to mid level and next thing you know, I'm hearing some gay ass lyrics trying to sound like someone is singing! I can't get my money back cause best by doesn't return policy. I'm so pist I through that s@#t out the window! You shouldn't do that to your fans RJ! That's F@$ked up man.

RJD2 sings, reveals track list for new album

More features, reviews, photos, mp3s, and video

6 Responses

Add a comment