Blazing Arrow

Infobox Album
Name = Blazing Arrow
Type = Album
Artist = Blackalicious


Released = April 30, 2002
Recorded =
Genre = Hip hop
Length = 74:24
Label = MCA Records
Producer = Chief Xcel
?uestlove
DJ Shadow
Hi-Tek
Ben Harper
Cut Chemist
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:y0jv7i83g71r 2002]
*HipHopDX.com Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/reviews/id.162/title.blackalicious-blazing-arrow 2002]
*IGN (9.6/10) [http://music.ign.com/articles/634/634010p1.html 2005]
*Pitchfork Media (9.3/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/15521/Blackalicious_Blazing_Arrow 2002]
*PopMatters (favorable) [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/b/blackalicious-blazing.shtml 2002]
*RapReviews.com (9.5/10) [http://rapreviews.com/archive/2002_05_blazing.html 2002]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|4|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/blackalicious/albums/album/102406/review/5942784/blazing_arrow 2002]
*Stylus Magazine (A-) [http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/blackalicious/blazing-arrow.htm 2003]
Last album = "Nia" (2000)
This album = "Blazing Arrow" (2002)
Next album = "The Craft" (2005)

"Blazing Arrow" is the second full-length album by Blackalicious, the follow-up to 2000's "Nia". It was released on April 30, 2002 on MCA Records.

Track listing

#"Introduction: Bow and Fire" – 1:06
#*Vocals by Linda Parker, Susan Bonaparte and Syble Scovell
#"Blazing Arrow" – 2:40
#"Sky Is Falling" – 2:26
#"First In Flight" – 4:32
#*Featuring Gil Scott-Heron
#*Saxophone: Jose Espinosa
#*Trumpet: Seth Zwerling
#"Green Light: Now Begin" – 3:12
#"4000 Miles" – 4:35
#*Featuring Chali 2na of Jurassic 5 and Lateef the Truth Speaker
#"Nowhere Fast" – 6:41
#*Produced by Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson
#*Co-produced by Chief Xcel
#*Bass: Ben Kenney
#*Drums: Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson
#*Keyboards: James Poyser and Omar Edwards
#*Vocals by Tracey Moore
#*Contains interlude "Purify," featuring Tenashus, backing vocals by Miho Hatori
#"Paragraph President" – 5:09
#*Contains interlude "Halfway Home," produced by DJ Shadow
#"It's Going Down" – 3:44
#*Featuring Lateef the Truth Speaker and Keke Wyatt
#*Produced by Chief Xcel
#*Co-produced by Hi-Tek
#"Make You Feel That Way" – 3:26
#*Trumpet: Anthony Coleman
#"Brain Washers" – 6:22
#*Featuring Ben Harper
#*Produced by Chief Xcel, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals
#*Bass: Juan Nelson
#*Drums: Leon Lewis Mobley
#*Rhodes, Clavinet: Oliver Charles
#*Contains interlude "Cool Aid Chemistry," with cuts by Cut Chemist
#"Chemical Calisthenics" – 3:21
#*Featuring Cut Chemist
#*Produced by Cut Chemist
#*Cuts by Cut Chemist
#"Aural Pleasure" – 4:47
#*Featuring Jaguar Wright
#*Saxophone: Jose Espinosa
#*Trumpet: Seth Zwerling
#*Contains interlude "Faith's Fire," featuring Lifesavas, backing vocals by Miho Hatori
#"Passion" – 3:54
#*Featuring Rakaa and DJ Babu of Dilated Peoples
#"Purest Love" – 4:03
#*Bass, Guitar, Piano: Teke Underdue
#*Flute: Karl Denson
#*Horns: Deejan Underdue
#*Backing vocals: Bear and Damu Quarles
#"Release (Part 1, 2 & 3)" – 9:26
#*Featuring Zack de la Rocha (Part 1), Saul Williams (Part 2), Lyrics Born and Sela Kerr (Part 3)
#"Day One" – 4:52
#*Contains interlude "Bow and Fire Outro"

Critical reaction

The album was generally received well by critics, with Allmusic writer Steve Huey praising Gift of Gab's performance: [cite news
last = Huey
first = Steve
title = Blazing Arrow
publisher = Allmusic
date =
url = http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:y0jv7i83g71r
accessdate = ]
Pitchfork Media were also impressed with the album: [cite news
last = Dahlen
first = Chris
title = Blackalicious: Blazing Arrow: Pitchfork Record Review
publisher = Pitchfork Media
date = 2002-05-30
url = http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/15521/Blackalicious_Blazing_Arrow
accessdate = ]

Credits

*Executive Producer(s): Xavier Mosley, Timothy Parker
*Bass: Harley White (tracks: 1, 3-5, 8A, 9, 10, 13A, 14, 16A-17A)
*Drums: Paul Humphrey (tracks: 1, 11B, 16A)
*Keys: Money Mark (tracks: 1, 6, 16A)
*Producer: Chief Xcel (tracks: 1-6, 7B, 8A, 9-11B, 13A-17B)
*Scratches: Chief Xcel (tracks: 1, 2, 7A, 8A, 11A, 14)
*Strings: Vincent Segal (tracks: 1, 3-7A, 10, 14, 16A-17A)
*Vocals: Erinn Anova (tracks: 3, 5, 15, 17A), Joyo Velarde (tracks: 3, 15, 17A), Vursatyl (tracks: 3, 15, 17A)

amples

Blazing Arrow
*"Me & My Arrow" by Harry NilssonParagraph President
*"D.A.I.S.Y. Age" by De La SoulMake You Feel That Way
*"Picture of Innocence" by Cliff DuncanAural Pleasure
*"Grease It Up" by Andy Fairweather-LowPassion
*"It's My Thing" by EPMD

Album chart positions

References

External links

* [http://www.blackalicious.com Official website]
*myspace|blackalicious|Blackalicious
* [http://www.quannum.com Quannum Projects]