Though nerd cool is now something of an accepted concept, Stones Throw's James Pants isn't just out to flaunt his uncool guy cred. Luckily, he is also able to channel his wide-ranging musical obsessions into the eclectic 16 tracks that make up WELCOME. Though disco, soul, early rap, and instrumental hip-hop are all touched upon here, Pants's penchant for sloppy, heavy synthesizer throughout ties all these loose ends together. On the one hand, "Ka$H," displays his skill as hip-hop producer, while "Dragonslayer" and "Green Rivers" show that he can find an unironic, even moving way through the soul lexicon.
Professional Reviews
CMJ - "'Good Things,' with its funky bass, horn samples and old-school scratching, could be a lost DJ Shadow track..."
