TSOL (album)
| TSOL | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Shad | ||||
| Released |
May 25, 2010 (Canada) October 5, 2010 (U.S.) | |||
| Genre | Canadian hip hop | |||
| Label | Black Box, Decon | |||
| Shad chronology | ||||
| ||||
TSOL is the third album by Canadian rapper Shad, released in Canada on May 25, 2010[1] and in the United States on October 5, 2010.[2] It is his second album released on Black Box Recordings, and his first album of new material since 2007's Polaris Music Prize-nominated The Old Prince.
The first single, "Yaa I Get It", was released in April 2010. A music video was released on April 20.[3][4]
The album was a shortlisted nominee for the 2010 Polaris Music Prize.[5] The album won Rap Recording of the Year at the 2011 Juno Awards.
Tour
The album was supported with a cross-Canada tour, featuring opening acts Grand Analog in Western Canada and D-Sisive in Ontario.[6]
Reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AbsolutePunk | (95%) [7] |
| HipHopDX |   [8] |
| Pitchfork Media | (7.2/10.0) [9] |
| Robert Christgau | (A-) [10] |
| RapReviews | (8.5/10) [11] |
TSOL received critical acclaim, according to Metacritic.[12] David Amidon of PopMatters said that album was "extremely rhythmically pleasing."[13]
The album was ranked number two in Exclaim!'s 2010 hip-hop rankings, with the magazine writing that Shad is "the rare MC who conveys wisdom without being preachy. More than anything, he's versatile, able to seamlessly switch from fierce, hilarious battle raps on "Yaa I Get It" to heartfelt reflection over the contemplative piano and guitars of "At the Same Time" without seeming contradictory."[14]
Track listing
| # | Title | Producer(s) | Featured guest(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | DJ T Lo and I.K. Koiter | |
| 2. | "Rose Garden" | DJ T Lo | Lisa Lobsinger |
| 3. | "Keep Shining" | Ric Notes | Lady Londa |
| 4. | "Lucky 1's" | me&john | Ian Kamau, Brendan Canning, Lisa Lobsinger |
| 5. | "A Good Name" | Classified | |
| 6. | "We Are the Ones (Reservoir Poetry)" | Rel McCoy | Rel McCoy |
| 7. | "Telephone" | DJ T Lo | Lisa Lobsinger |
| 8. | "Call Waiting (Interlude)" | Ric Notes | |
| 9. | "Yaa I Get It" | EOM (re-worked by Me&John) | |
| 10. | "Listen" | Rich Kidd | Brett Fliesser |
| 11. | "At the Same Time" | Heights | Justin Nozuka |
| 12. | "We, Myself and I" | Me&John | |
| 13. | "Outro" | ||
| 14. | "It's About Time (Bonus Track)" | Rich Kidd | Promise |
Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Albums Chart[15] | 24 |
References
- ↑ "Exclusive: Shad Preps New Studio Album for May Release". Exclaim!, April 6, 2010.
- ↑ Rap Release Dates: Atmosphere, Trae Tha Truth, AZ, Vado, Nas, Redman. HipHopDX, September 21, 2010.
- ↑ Shad - New Album: "TSOL" x Tracklist x Tour Dates x "Yaa I Get It" Teaser. Beats and Bombs, April 8, 2010.
- ↑ Shad - "Yaa I Get It" (video) Exclaim!, May 19, 2010.
- ↑ Thompson, Ciaran (September 20, 2010). "Karkwa win 2010 Polaris Music Prize". Aux. Retrieved September 21, 2010.
- ↑ "Shad Announces Canadian Tour with Grand Analog and D-Sisive". Exclaim!, April 7, 2010.
- ↑ AbsolutePunk.net review
- ↑ HipHopDX review
- ↑ Pitchfork Media review
- ↑ Robert Christgau review
- ↑ RapReviews review
- ↑ TSOL by Shad, retrieved 2016-08-22
- ↑ "Shad: TSOL". PopMatters. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
- ↑ "Hip-Hop: Year in Review 2010- Page 1 of 10". Exclaim. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
- ↑ "Shad : Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2013-07-26.