Skelethon

Last updated
Skelethon
Aesop-Rock-Skelethon-cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 10, 2012 (2012-07-10)
Genre Hip hop
Length55:10
Label Rhymesayers Entertainment
Producer Aesop Rock
Aesop Rock chronology
None Shall Pass
(2007)
Skelethon
(2012)
The Impossible Kid
(2016)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 79/100 [1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
BBC favorable [3]
Consequence of Sound B [4]
Drowned in Sound 9/10 [5]
HipHopDX 3.5/5 [6]
NME 6/10 [7]
Pitchfork Media 8.2/10 [8]
PopMatters Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Spin 7/10 [10]
Tiny Mix Tapes Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]

Skelethon is the sixth studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock. It was released through Rhymesayers Entertainment on July 10, 2012. [12]

Contents

Music

The album is entirely produced by Aesop Rock himself. [13] Guest appearances include Allyson Baker, Hanni El Khatib, Rob Sonic, Kimya Dawson, Murs, and Blueprint. [14] The album's artwork was done by Aryz. [15]

Aesop has described death as a recurring motif on the album, stating:

It felt like everything around me was dying: people, relationships, all plant life in my apartment, you name it—it's dead. That's where the Skelethon title came from, and imagery associated with shit dying is prevalent. That said, I don't think there are many "sad" songs. It's more just like "ahhh I'm exploding"—I want it to sound urgent. [16]

Release

Music videos were created for "Zero Dark Thirty", [17] "ZZZ Top", [18] and "Cycles to Gehenna". [19] A music video for "ZZZ Top" features the martial arts master Patti Li. [20]

The album debuted at number 21 on the Billboard 200 with 14,000 copies sold in its first week. [21] It has sold over 52,000 copies as of April 2016. [22]

Critical reception

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, Skelethon received an average score of 79% based on 27 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [1]

It was listed by HipHopDX as one of the "Top 25 Albums of 2012". [23]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Leisureforce" (featuring Allyson Baker and Hanni El Khatib)4:43
2."ZZZ Top" (featuring Allyson Baker)4:15
3."Cycles to Gehenna"4:00
4."Zero Dark Thirty" (featuring Rob Sonic)3:21
5."Fryerstarter"3:28
6."Ruby '81"2:33
7."Crows 1" (featuring Kimya Dawson)4:19
8."Crows 2" (featuring Rob Sonic and Murs)2:30
9."Racing Stripes" (featuring Kimya Dawson)3:23
10."1,000 O'Clock"3:58
11."Homemade Mummy" (featuring Rob Sonic)2:46
12."Grace" (featuring Hanni El Khatib)3:38
13."Saturn Missiles"3:37
14."Tetra"4:41
15."Gopher Guts"3:58
16."Dokken Rules" (deluxe edition bonus track; featuring Rob Sonic [24] )3:59
17."BMX" (deluxe edition bonus track; featuring Blueprint and Rob Sonic [24] )3:34

Charts

Chart (2012)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [25] 21
US Independent Albums (Billboard) [26] 1
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [27] 5

Related Research Articles

<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.

<i>Bazooka Tooth</i> 2003 studio album by Aesop Rock

Bazooka Tooth is the fourth studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock. It was released on Definitive Jux in 2003.

<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>God Loves Ugly</i> 2002 studio album by Atmosphere

God Loves Ugly is the second studio album by American hip hop group Atmosphere. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment on June 11, 2002.

<i>Depart from Me</i> 2009 studio album by Cage

Depart from Me is the third solo studio album by American rapper Cage. It was released by Definitive Jux on July 7, 2009. It peaked at number 133 on the Billboard 200 chart.

<i>None Shall Pass</i> 2007 studio album by Aesop Rock

None Shall Pass is the fifth studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock. It was released on Definitive Jux on August 28, 2007.

<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.

<i>White Van Music</i> 2008 studio album by Jake One

White Van Music is the debut studio album by American hip hop producer Jake One. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment on October 7, 2008. It peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart, number 49 on the Independent Albums chart, and number 94 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

<i>Us</i> (Brother Ali album) 2009 studio album by Brother Ali

Us is the fourth studio album by American rapper Brother Ali. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment on September 22, 2009. The album is entirely produced by Ant.

<i>Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez</i> 2009 studio album by Felt

Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez is the third studio album by Felt, an American hip hop duo made up of Murs and Slug. It is a concept album meant as a tribute to actress Rosie Perez. Produced by Aesop Rock, it was released by Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2009. It peaked at number 131 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Homeboy Sandman</span> American rapper (born 1980)

Angel Del Villar II, better known by his stage name Homeboy Sandman, is an American rapper from Elmhurst, Queens, New York, United States.

<i>Cats & Dogs</i> (Evidence album) 2011 studio album by Evidence

Cats & Dogs is the second solo studio album by American rapper and record producer Evidence. It was released on September 27, 2011 through Rhymesayers Entertainment. Recording sessions took place at ALC Laboratories in Santa Monica, Soundproof West in Venice, The Drug Lab and Soundproof East in Los Angeles, Infamous Studios in Queens, Stophouse Studios in Minneapolis and All This Could Be Yours in San Francisco. Production was handled by the Alchemist, Sid Roams, DJ Premier, Rahki, Charli Brown, Twiz the Beat Pro, and Evidence himself. It features guest appearances from Aesop Rock, Aloe Blacc, Catero, Krondon, Lil' Fame, Prodigy, Raekwon, Rakaa Iriscience, Ras Kass, Roc Marciano, Slug, Step Brothers and Termanology, with cameos from Amber Strother, Danny Keyz, Noelle Scaggs and Wendy Guerra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. Cole discography</span>

American rapper J. Cole has released six studio albums, one live album, four compilation albums, three extended plays, four mixtapes, 58 singles, two promotional singles and twenty one music videos.

<i>The Family Sign</i> 2011 studio album by Atmosphere

The Family Sign is the sixth studio album by American hip hop group Atmosphere. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment on April 12, 2011. The album debuted at number 13 on the Billboard 200 selling 28,000 copies in its first week.

<i>Are You Gonna Eat That?</i> 2011 studio album by Hail Mary Mallon

Are You Gonna Eat That? is the debut full-length album by the American hip hop group Hail Mary Mallon, consisting of rapper/producers Aesop Rock and Rob Sonic, and disc jockey DJ Big Wiz.

<i>Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color</i> 2012 studio album by Brother Ali

Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color is the fifth studio album by American rapper Brother Ali. It was released via Rhymesayers Entertainment on September 18, 2012. Entirely produced by Jake One, it includes a guest appearance from Dr. Cornel West. It reached number 44 on the Billboard 200 chart. It sold 10,000 copies in its first week of release.

<i>Southsiders</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Atmosphere

Southsiders is the seventh studio album by American hip hop duo Atmosphere. The album was released via Rhymesayers Entertainment on May 6, 2014. The title Southsiders refers to the south side of Minneapolis.

<i>The Impossible Kid</i> (album) 2016 studio album by Aesop Rock

The Impossible Kid is the seventh studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock. It was released on April 29, 2016, through Rhymesayers Entertainment. The production was handled by Aesop Rock himself. The cover art was created by Alex Pardee.

<i>Malibu Ken</i> (album) 2019 studio album by Malibu Ken

Malibu Ken is the eponymous debut studio album of American hip hop duo Malibu Ken, composed of rapper Aesop Rock and producer Tobacco. It was released on January 18, 2019, through Rhymesayers Entertainment to generally positive reviews.

<i>Spirit World Field Guide</i> 2020 studio album by Aesop Rock

Spirit World Field Guide is the eighth studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock. It was released on November 13, 2020, through Rhymesayers Entertainment. It acts as a "guide" to the Spirit World. The album was preceded by two singles: "The Gates" released on September 9, and "Pizza Alley" released on October 16, 2020. Both were released with music videos directed by Rob Shaw and featuring animation from Justin "Coro" Kaufman, who also designed the album's cover art. A third single and music video, "Coveralls", was released on November 13 alongside the album.

References

  1. 1 2 "Skelethon by Aesop Rock". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  2. Jeffries, David. "Aesop Rock - Skelethon". AllMusic . Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  3. Kennedy, Adam (2012). "Aesop Rock - Skelethon - Review". BBC . Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  4. Freed, Nick (July 17, 2012). "Aesop Rock – Skelethon". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  5. Thomas, Sean (November 23, 2012). "Aesop Rock - Skelethon". Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  6. Cooper, Roman (July 18, 2012). "Aesop Rock - Skelethon". HipHopDX . Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  7. Cashmore, Pete (July 8, 2012). "Aesop Rock - 'Skelethon'". NME . Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  8. Weiss, Jeff (July 10, 2012). "Aesop Rock: Skelethon". Pitchfork Media . Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  9. Small, Colin (August 27, 2012). "Aesop Rock: Skelethon". PopMatters . Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  10. Reeves, Mosi (July 10, 2012). "Aesop Rock, 'Skelethon' (Rhymesayers)". Spin . Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  11. Rag, Ben. "Aesop Rock - Skelethon". Tiny Mix Tapes . Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  12. Horowitz, Steven (July 10, 2012). "Aesop Rock "Skelethon" Album Stream". HipHopDX . Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  13. "Q&A: Aesop Rock Worked Harder Than Ever for Sixth Album, 'Skelethon'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
  14. "Aesop Rock Announces Album Details | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
  15. "Juxtapoz Magazine - ARYZ for Aesop Rock "Skelethon" Album Cover" . Retrieved 2017-01-15.
  16. Cohen, Ian (May 16, 2012). "Aesop Rock - Interview". Pitchfork . Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  17. Norwood, Charlie (May 1, 2012). "Video Premiere: Aesop Rock, 'Zero Dark Thirty'". MTV . Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  18. Suarez, Jessica (June 29, 2012). "Aesop Rock Gets Revenge in "ZZZ Top" Video". MTV . Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  19. Weiss, Sam (August 22, 2012). "Video: Aesop Rock "Cycles To Gehenna"". Complex . Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  20. Eakin, Marah (June 29, 2012). "Today in music videos: Aesop Rock calls on kung fu master Patti Li for "ZZZ Top"". The A.V. Club . Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  21. Kaufman, Gil (July 18, 2012). "Frank Ocean's Channel Orange Album Sales Land Him At #2". MTV . Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  22. "Upcoming Releases". Hits Daily Double. HITS Digital Ventures. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016.
  23. "HipHopDX's Top 25 Albums Of 2012". HipHopDX . December 26, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  24. 1 2 "Skelethon (Deluxe Edition) by Aesop Rock". Bandcamp . Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  25. "Aesop Rock Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  26. "Aesop Rock Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  27. "Aesop Rock Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2016.