If there is any lazier, less enthralling example of the DJ/producer's " art" than the dreary phenomenon known as the "mash-up", I'd rather not hear it. It's a no-brainer strategy: all that's required is access to some rapper's vocal tracks and a classic album to impinge upon.
Following Dangermouse's aptly titled Grey Album mash-up of The Beatles' White Album and Jay-Z's Black Album, comes this from Lush Life, combining Kanye West raps with backing-tracks hewn from the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds made easier thanks to the latter having been disassembled into its constituent vocal and music tracks in its box-set version. It's not bad or ugly as such, but most tracks suffer from a stark incongruity between the two elements.
Huge chunks of subtle, sensitive songs such as "I'm Waiting for the Day" and "Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)", are forced to rub shoulders with more brutish hip-hop sentiments, like choirboys in a crack house, with pleasing moments deriving from the parts, not any combination. The ultimate offence comes when "Caroline No" is ruined for " Through the Wire", a piece unlikely to alter Brian Wilson's opinion that rap is "the lowest point in the history of music... it all adds up to one big minus".
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