The Impossible Kid (album)

Last updated

The Impossible Kid
The Impossible Kid Album Cover.jpg
Studio album by
Aesop Rock
ReleasedApril 29, 2016 (2016-04-29)
Genre Hip hop
Length48:32
Label Rhymesayers
Producer Aesop Rock
Aesop Rock chronology
Skelethon
(2012)		The Impossible Kid
(2016)		 Malibu Ken
(2019)

The Impossible Kid is the seventh studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock. [1] It was released on April 29, 2016, through Rhymesayers Entertainment. [2] The production was handled by Aesop Rock himself. [3] The cover art was created by Alex Pardee. [4]

Contents

To accompany the release of the album, Rob Shaw directed an abridged shot-for-shot remake of The Shining using small figurines, which was set to the album in its entirety. [5] Additionally, music videos were created for "Rings", [6] "Blood Sandwich", [7] "Lazy Eye", [8] "Dorks", [9] "Kirby", [10] "Shrunk", [11] and "Get Out of the Car"; released eight years after the death of the song's subject and Aesop's good friend, Camu Tao. [12]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 85/100 [13]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [14]
The A.V. Club B+ [15]
Clash 8/10 [16]
Consequence of Sound B+ [17]
Exclaim! 8/10 [18]
Pitchfork 8.2/10 [19]
PopMatters 8/10 [20]
RapReviews10/10 [21]
Under the Radar 8/10 [22]
Vice (Expert Witness)A– [23]

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, The Impossible Kid received an average score of 85 based on 11 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [13]

Kyle Mullin of Exclaim! gave the album an 8 out of 10 and said: "For years, Aesop Rock has been beloved for his ambitious, loquacious lyricism, but on The Impossible Kid, he's reached new artistic heights by using that elaborate wordplay to offer us a simple yet powerful glimpse at his scarred psyche." [18]

Track listing

All songs written and produced by Aesop Rock, except where noted.

No.TitleLength
1."Mystery Fish"3:09
2."Rings"3:47
3."Lotta Years"1:59
4."Dorks"3:33
5."Rabies"3:06
6."Supercell"3:51
7."Blood Sandwich"4:25
8."Get Out of the Car"1:53
9."Shrunk"3:09
10."Kirby"2:47
11."TUFF"3:51
12."Lazy Eye"2:45
13."Defender"3:11
14."Water Tower"3:51
15."Molecules"3:23
The Impossible Kid bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
16."Syrup" (featuring Homeboy Sandman and Open Mike Eagle)
Aesop Rock3:00
17."Dorks" (Blockhead Remix)Bavitz Blockhead 3:42

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes. [24]

Musicians

Production

  • Aesop Rock – executive producer
  • Brent Sayers – executive producer
  • Slug – executive producer, project coordinator
  • Joe LaPorta – mastering
  • Joey Raia – mixing
  • Skye Rossi – project coordinator

Design

  • Jason Cook – project coordinator
  • Alex Pardee – artwork, layout

Charts

References

  1. ↑ Dick, Jonathan (April 25, 2016). "Aesop Rock Premieres 'The Impossible Kid' and Explains How It's a Re-Creation of 'The Shining'". Noisey . Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  2. ↑ Lee, Morgan (February 17, 2016). "Aesop Rock announces new album The Impossible Kid, shares surreal 'Rings' video". Fact . Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  3. ↑ Hernandez, Victoria (April 26, 2016). "Aesop Rock "The Impossible Kid" Album Stream, Tracklist & Video Featuring Recreation Of "The Shining"". HipHopDX . Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  4. ↑ Fagerberg, Jerard (February 18, 2016). "Aesop Rock announces new solo album on Rhymesayers". City Pages . Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  5. ↑ Nordine, Michael (April 25, 2016). "'The Shining' Remake: Aesop Rock Releases Miniature 48-Minute Adaptation for 'The Impossible Kid'". Indiewire . Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  6. ↑ Walsh, Peter (February 18, 2016). "Aesop Rock Announces 'The Impossible Kid' Album, Drops Video for "Rings"". XXL . Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  7. ↑ Robinson, Collin (March 31, 2016). "Aesop Rock – "Blood Sandwich" Video". Stereogum . Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  8. ↑ Geslani, Michelle (April 20, 2016). "Aesop Rock shares new song/video for "Lazy Eye"". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  9. ↑ Robinson, Collin (May 6, 2016). "Aesop Rock – "Dorks"". Stereogum. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  10. ↑ Warren, Jay (June 27, 2016). "Aesop Rock Becomes a Puppet, Plays With Cat in New "Kirby"". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  11. ↑ Leight, Elias (October 12, 2016). "Aesop Rock Announces Hey Kirby Tour, Battles Through Therapy in 'Shrunk' Video". Rolling Stone . Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  12. ↑ Blais-Billie, Braudie (May 25, 2017). "Watch Aesop Rock's New Video "Get Out of the Car"". Pitchfork . Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  13. 1 2 "The Impossible Kid by Aesop Rock". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  14. ↑ Jeffries, David (April 29, 2016). "The Impossible Kid - Aesop Rock". AllMusic . Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  15. ↑ Anselmi, J.J. (April 29, 2016). "Aesop Rock blends the personal and abstract on The Impossible Kid". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on April 30, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  16. ↑ Gray, Josh (May 3, 2016). "Aesop Rock - The Impossible Kid". Clash . Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  17. ↑ Nguyen, Dean Van (May 2, 2016). "Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  18. 1 2 Mullin, Kyle (April 27, 2016). "Aesop Rock - The Impossible Kid". Exclaim! . Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  19. ↑ Pearce, Sheldon (May 4, 2016). "Aesop Rock: The Impossible Kid". Pitchfork . Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  20. ↑ Fiander, Matthew (May 3, 2016). "Aesop Rock: The Impossible Kid". PopMatters . Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  21. ↑ Shackleford, Sy (May 10, 2016). "Aesop Rock :: The Impossible Kid". RapReviews. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
  22. ↑ Mullin, Kyle (August 22, 2016). "Aesop Rock - The Impossible Kid". Under the Radar . Retrieved August 17, 2025.
  23. ↑ Christgau, Robert (June 18, 2016). "Praise to the Most Blessed: Expert Witness with Robert Christgau". Robert Christgau . Retrieved August 17, 2025.
  24. ↑ The Impossible Kid (Media notes). Aesop Rock. Rhymesayers Entertainment. 2016.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  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.
  28. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
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