TSOL (album)
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.
TSOL | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 25, 2010 (Canada) October 5, 2010 (U.S.) | |||
Genre | Canadian hip hop | |||
Label | Black Box, Decon | |||
Shad chronology | ||||
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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] and won the Juno Award for 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
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] Complex named TSOL the 14th best Canadian album of the 2010s.[15]
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[16] | 24 |
References
- "Exclusive: Shad Preps New Studio Album for May Release" Archived 2010-04-13 at the Wayback Machine. 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. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. 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.
- "The 15 Best Canadian Albums of the 2010s". Complex. Retrieved 2020-01-11.
- "Shad : Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2013-07-26.