Music for Earthworms

Last updated
Music for Earthworms
AesRockMusicforEarthworms.jpg
Studio album by
Released1998 [1]
Genre
Length55:55
Label Self-released
Producer Aesop Rock
Dub-L [2]
Aesop Rock chronology
Music for Earthworms
(1998)
Appleseed
(1999)

Music for Earthworms is the debut studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock. It is a compilation of tracks recorded during summers and other occasions on which he would return home to New York City from college at Boston University. The packaging states "This is not an album. It is merely a chance for heads to hear some of the music we've been making." The featured material was mostly recorded in a Manhattan studio where Dub-L and Plain Pat were working as interns. Although the studio was not typically used as a recording studio, it was equipped with impressive technology for the time, including Digital Audio Tape machines, ADAT machines and CD drives capable of burning discs. Aesop Rock's vocals were recorded on an SM58 microphone. [3]

Music for Earthworms was ultimately self-distributed. As an unsigned artist, Aesop Rock was responsible for cutting out the album covers and burning the album onto CD-Rs himself. [3] The tracks are organized under three subheadings: "Some recent tracks," "The Controls featuring Aesop Rock," and "Some dusty oldies from a few years back."

Aesop Rock references the project and its rarity[ clarification needed ] on his 2002 EP Daylight in the track "Alchemy." Blueprint asks:

"So why they blaming you for the cats that sleep while the earth turns?"

Aesop Rock responds:

"Yeah I had em' up all night praying I'd re-release Music For Earthworms."

Track listing

Some Recent Tracks
No.TitleCreditsLength
1."Abandon All Hope"produced by Dub-L 5:12
2."Wake Up Call" (featuring Percee-P)produced by Dub-L; scratches by JS-One3:19
3."The Substance"produced by Dub-L5:59
4."Merit"produced by Dub-L4:51
5."89.9FM Nighttrain Promo"produced by Dub-L2:09
6."Live on 89.9FM Nighttrain"produced by Dub-L5:58
The Controls featuring Aesop Rock
No.TitleCreditsLength
7."Coward of the Year" (also featuring Percee-P)produced by Dub-L; scratches by JS-One; vocals by Ann Colville4:12
8."Shere Kahn"produced by Dub-L; scratches by Mattimal; vocals by Ann Colville6:35
Some Dusty Oldies from a Few Years Back
No.TitleCreditsLength
9."Antisocial"produced by Dub-L4:10
10."Coordinates"produced by Aesop Rock3:22
11."Plastic Soldiers"produced by Block 5:18
12."Troubled Waters"produced by Dub-L; scratches by Plain Pat 4:50

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renaissance (band)</span> English progressive rock band

Renaissance are an English progressive rock band, best known for their 1978 UK top 10 hit "Northern Lights" and progressive rock classics like "Carpet of the Sun", "Mother Russia", and "Ashes Are Burning". They developed a unique sound, combining a female lead vocal with a fusion of classical, folk, rock, and jazz influences. Characteristic elements of the Renaissance sound are Annie Haslam's wide vocal range, prominent piano accompaniment, orchestral arrangements and vocal harmonies.

<i>Pilgrim</i> (Eric Clapton album) 1998 studio album by Eric Clapton

Pilgrim is the thirteenth solo studio album by the British rock musician Eric Clapton, released on 10 March 1998 for Reprise Records. The album features all-new studio-recorded material, the first to do so since Clapton's 1989 hit album Journeyman and was nominated for several music awards. Although most of the critics responded negatively to the 1998 studio effort, it was one of Clapton's most commercially successful albums, reaching the Top 10 in twenty-two countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Double album</span> Audio recordings spanning two units of a medium

A double album is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically either records or compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording is longer than the capacity of the medium. Recording artists often think of double albums as being a single piece artistically; however, there are exceptions, such as John Lennon's Some Time in New York City and OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below . Since the advent of the compact disc, albums are sometimes released with a bonus disc featuring additional material as a supplement to the main album, with live tracks, studio out-takes, cut songs, or older unreleased material. One innovation was the inclusion of a DVD of related material with a compact disc, such as video related to the album or DVD-Audio versions of the same recordings. Some such discs were also released on a two-sided format called DualDisc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Album</span> Collection of audio recordings

An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), vinyl (record), audio tape, or digital. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records collected in a bound book resembling a photo album; this format evolved after 1948 into single vinyl long-playing (LP) records played at 33+13 rpm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aesop Rock</span> American rapper (born 1976)

Ian Matthias Bavitz, better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American rapper and producer from Long Island, New York. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emerged during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was signed to El-P's Definitive Jux label until it went on hiatus in 2010. In a 2010 retrospective, betterPropaganda ranked him at number 19 at the Top 100 Artists of the Decade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leon Russell</span> American singer-songwriter (1942–2016)

Leon Russell was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and roll, country, gospel, bluegrass, rhythm and blues, southern rock, blues rock, folk, surf and the Tulsa sound. His recordings earned six gold records and he received two Grammy Awards from seven nominations. In 1973 Billboard Magazine named Russell the "Top Concert Attraction in the World". In 2011, he was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

<i>Float</i> (Aesop Rock album) 2000 studio album by Aesop Rock

Float is the second studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock. It was released on Mush Records on September 5, 2000. Produced by Aesop Rock himself, Blockhead, and Omega One, it features guest appearances from Slug, Vast Aire, and Doseone.

<i>Appleseed</i> (EP) 1999 EP by Aesop Rock

Appleseed is an EP by American hip hop musician Aesop Rock. It was originally self-released in 1999, and reissued via Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2021. Produced by Aesop Rock himself, Omega One, and Blockhead, it features a guest appearance from Doseone. It peaked at number 70 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart.

<i>Odds & Sods</i> 1974 compilation album by The Who

Odds & Sods is an album of studio outtakes by British rock band the Who. It was released by Track Records in the UK and Track/MCA in the US in October 1974. Ten of the recordings on the original eleven-song album were previously unreleased. The album reached No. 10 on the UK charts and No. 15 in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diplo</span> American DJ and music producer (born 1978)

Thomas Wesley Pentz, known professionally as Diplo, is an American DJ and music producer. He is a co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project Major Lazer; a member of the supergroup LSD, with Sia and Labrinth; a member of electronic duo Jack Ü, with producer and DJ Skrillex; and a member of Silk City, with Mark Ronson. He founded the record company Mad Decent in 2006, as well as the non-profit organization Heaps Decent the following year. His 2013 extended play (EP), Revolution, debuted at number 68 on the US Billboard 200. The EP's title track was later featured in a commercial for Hyundai and is featured on the WWE 2K16 soundtrack.

<i>Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives</i> 2005 EP by Aesop Rock

Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives is an EP by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock. Released via the Definitive Jux label on February 22, 2005, the record is produced by Blockhead and Aesop Rock himself, with the former producing three tracks and the latter producing four, with one track produced by Rob Sonic. Vocals are handled by Aesop Rock, with guest appearances from Camu Tao and Metro of S.A. Smash and Definitive Jux label head El-P. All scratches are performed by DJ Big Wiz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Carey</span> American-born musician

Anthony Lawrence Carey is an American-born, European-based musician, composer, producer, and singer/songwriter. In his early career he was a keyboardist for Rainbow. After his departure in 1977, he began a solo career, releasing albums under his own name as well under the pseudonym Planet P Project, and producing for and performing with other artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yameen</span> American rapper

Yameen is an American hip hop producer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. His most recent album, "Diamond is Unfadable" was released in 2017 on Rumble Pack Records.

<i>My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now Theyre Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows</i> 1968 studio album by Tyrannosaurus Rex

My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows is the debut album by psychedelic folk band Tyrannosaurus Rex. The release of the album was planned for early May but delayed until 5 July 1968 by record label Regal Zonophone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marc Ford</span> American guitarist

Marc Ford is an American blues-rock guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is a former guitarist of the rock and roll band The Black Crowes, the former lead guitarist of The Magpie Salute and the leader of his own bands: Burning Tree, Marc Ford & The Neptune Blues Club, Marc Ford & The Sinners, Fuzz Machine, and Jefferson Steelflex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aesop Rock discography</span>

Aesop Rock is an American hip hop rapper who is currently signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment. His discography consists of nine studio albums, three extended plays, ten singles, four collaborations, one compilation, nine music videos, and many appearances on other artists' tracks and on compilations.

The Muffins were an American Maryland-based progressive rock/avant-jazz group. They were formed in Washington, DC in the early 1970s and recorded four albums before disbanding in 1981. In 1998 the group reformed and recorded a further five albums and a DVD. The Muffins played at Symphony Space on Broadway in NYC with Marion Brown in 1979, and also performed at a number of festivals, starting with the ZU Manifestival in New York City in 1978, The Villa Celimontana festival in Rome, Italy in 2000, two appearances at Progday in 2001 and 2002, NEARfest in 2005, and the "Rock in Opposition" festival in France in 2009. In 2010, the Muffins headlined at Progday, making a third appearance at this long running festival.

<i>No Questions Asked</i> (album) 1980 studio album by the Flesh Eaters

No Questions Asked is the first studio album by Los Angeles punk rock band the Flesh Eaters, released in 1980 on Upsetter Records.

<i>Flesh Eaters</i> (EP) Album by The Flesh Eaters

Flesh Eaters, also known as Disintegration Nation after the title of its opening track, is the four-song debut EP by American rock band the Flesh Eaters.

<i>The Genesis of Slade</i> 1996 compilation album by Slade

The Genesis of Slade is a compilation album of pre-Slade era recordings by British rock band Slade. It was first released in 1996 by The Music Corporation and was later re-issued by Cherry Red in 2000.

References

  1. "The 15 Best Aesop Rock Songs". Complex.
  2. "Aesop Rock - Music For Earthworms (CDr) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
  3. 1 2 "My First Time: Aesop Rock Remembers 1996". Pigeons & Planes. May 27, 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2015.