[WORLD GROOVE] Currently listening to THE HELLO WORKS - PAYDAY

April 7, 2008 by KNDY · Leave a Comment

GROUP: THE HELLO WORKS

ALBUM: PAYDAY

LABEL: tearbridge records

CATALOG #: NFCD-27063/B

DURATION: 57:13

RELEASED ON December 5, 2007

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

J-O-B
SAIMIN’
HIGH & FAST
SHINE!
Project “HELLO”
6 DIMENSIONS
Discoteca Pacifica
Konya wa Boogie Back (Re-play) feat. Hanaregumi
Work Flow
EVERY SINGLE DAY

DVD: Region 2, 4:3, Duration: 16 miutes

HIGH & FAST (VIDEO CLIP)
EVERY SINGLE DAY (LIVE AT SunSetLive2007)
Discoteca Pacifica (LIVE at SunSetLive2007)

At first glance, the CD cover for THE HELLO WORKS may bring images of the Village People or city workers with an album.

But what THE HELLO WORKS is all about is an interesting collaboration by SCHADARAPARR (one of the first major Japanese hip hop groups and a legendary hip hop group in Japan), world renown instrumental band SLY MONGOOSE and hip hop artist ROBO-CHU.

The ten members got the name “THE HELLO WORKS” as a joke to play off the fact that the guys are middle-age men.

The album features a variety of hip hop tracks and instrumental tracks showcasing the strengths of each group

Tracks such as “HIGH & FAST”, “6 DIMENSIONS”, “Work Flow” and “EVERY SINGLE DAY” showcasing the lyrical flow of SCHADARAPARR and ROBO-CHU and tracks like “Project ‘HELLO’” featuring SLY MONGOOSE showcasing their musical style and for this track showcasing the brass horns and tracks like “Discoteca Pacifica” showcasing an instrumental disco track.

If anything, the tracks feature a good musical balance between the hip hop of SCHADARAPARR/ROBO-CHU and the music of SLY MONGOOSE.

For songs such as “HIGH & FAST” and “EVERY SINGLE DAY”, you get a funky, rock sounding track with the bass guitar as the groove, the tweaking of the guitar and the brass horns. But tracks like “Work Flow”, you get a rock feel. “SHINE!” has a rock/ska feel to it. The song starts out with a deep bass line but then transitions to a happy brass horn diddly.

So, in essence, you do get something different musically with each track.

Surprisingly, included on “PAYDAY” is a 2007 cover of SCHADARAPARR & Ozawa Kenji’s mid-90’s hit “Konya wa Boogie Back” but this time featuring Japanese alternative folk/country artist Hanaregumi. The newer version features a surreal SLY MONGOOSE musical live house style

As for the DVD, the DVD features a music video for “HIGH & FAST” and two live clips from “SunSetLive2007″ featuring the ten performing “EVERY SINGLE DAY” and “Discoteca Pacifica”.

The CD insert features the lyrics and production credits.

All in all, this special unit bringing together SCHADARAPARR, THE SLY MONGOOSE and ROBO-CHU is definitely a special collaboration.

Typically you will see hip hop artists collaborating with a musical group or other hip hop artists for a single track but in this case, the three combining as one group ala THE HELLO WORKS.

It’s something you don’t see often and in this case, the three just gel. Everything comes together and works.

If you are a fan of any of the three, definitely check this album out!