Track Listing

1. Letter From Home
2. Fixed Income
3. Un Autre Introduction
4. Walkie Talkie
5. Giving Up The Ghost
6. Six Days
7. Mongrel...
8. ...Meets His Maker
9. Right Thing / GDMFSOB (Clean Instrumental Version)
10. Monosylabik
11. Mashin' On The Motorway
12. Blood On The Motorway
13. You Can't Go Home Again (Album Version)
14. Letter From Home (#2)
15. Giving Up The Ghost (Original Version)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6066 in Music
• Released on: 2003-08-25
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 63 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
California's Josh Davis--aka DJ Shadow would have no easy ride in making The Private Press after his debut Endtroducing wreaked havoc in the dance and hip-hop communities. Constructed entirely around samples, yet defiantly and thrillingly original, it took searching for dusty breaks in old thrift stores to new levels. With its serious b-boy underpinnings and potently stark soundtrack feel, it heralded in a whole new era of instrumental hip-hop. A zillion copycats have landed on the bandwagon since, but Shadow has kept on top of his game, keeping his hand in with various collaborations (Blackalicious, Unkle, Cut Chemist and superlative 12s like "High Noon" and "Pre-emptive Strike". Now, a full six years later, he's back with a follow up that is every bit as impressive as his debut but in a different way.

Once again, the producer has pushed his sampler to the limits, but this time he's brought with it a deeper, hungrier, more bad-ass spirit that's rarely found in modern dance music. There's a fabulous 80s vibe throughout (seen principally on tracks like "Monosylabik" and "You Can't Go Home Again") and the expected forays into b-boy culture (check the funky-ass collaboration with Lateef "Mashin On The Motorway"). While it's identifiably Shadow, it ain't "Endtroducing…Part 2". It is a worthy and imaginative follow up with humour, wisdom and musical understanding aplenty. It'll definitely enhance any record collection. --Paul Sullivan

CD Description
Second album from the American trip hop producer, DJ Shadowfollows on from the highly acclaimed 1996 album 'Entroducing'. Using samples from various sources, including 1950's private press records, DJ Shadow creates laidback hip hop instrumentals incorporating cinematic sounds and psychedelic influences.

Customer Reviews

AND NOW....ETERNITY....
Genius is arguably the single most abused word in the English language, its common, offhand usage numbing it of much of its pure potency. But its hard not to place DJ Shadow under that label, as he's done the impossible. He's produced an album that is as good as its predecessor, "Entroducing" (an album that has been hailed as a classic).

Its much broader in style and feel than "Endtroducing" and has much more of an innovative type production than his regular cut and paste ethic. Take the track "Monosyllabik" for example: a basic two-bar sample that is shredded and ripped up into tech-funk which sounds like Roy Ayers being produced by Aphex Twin. Another track that is unlike anything heard before by Josh Davis is "Mashin' On The Motorway", it features MC Lateef clumsily crashing into other drivers over a K-Hole funky baseline. Its this sparkling originality that helps me compare this album to other favourites like David Holmes "Lets Get Killed".

But Mr. Davis does tread into older territory with "Walkie Talkie": a scratch-happy thumping beat that has a baseline that feels like a chainsaw buzzing through your head. Here you can refer to his previous classics like "The Number Song" and "High Noon".

Also "Blood On The Motorway" is a beautiful piece of epic soul that reminds us of how deep "Entroducing" was. But this album is not as emotionally weighted as "Endtroducing". It has a brash sense of fun throughout the album. With the twisted skits bouncing around and "You can't go home again" sounding like an instrumental 80's New York pop song that never departs from Shadow's incredible production values.

To sum up, DJ Shadow has created a maginificient soundscape (again), as well as being one of the most enjoyable albums I have purchased in recent times. And I am being honest by telling you that there is not ONE track in this LP that I do not wanna hear again.

Really, its that special.

COMING OUT OF THE SHADOWS
It's been six years since Shadow released the ground breaking 'Endtroducting', and six years is a long time to wait for a fully fledged follow up. But was it worth the wait?

When I first listend to it fully, I was a little disappointed. But the more I listend the more it grew. There really is only two points where the record falls down. First being 'Monosylabik', a track created round a 2 bar loop. There is no denying the talent and how pain staking it must have been. But the track is too long and the texture of it bland. The second falling down point is 'Mashin' On The Motorway' A full rap vocal track about a road rage driver creating havoc on the road. The track is delievered with humour and is far too throw away.

The rest of the record shows a man who has not lost his spark. Do not expect to hear 'Endtroducing part 2'. Shadows went out of his way too make sure that the listener can only make limited comparisons. There are elements of electronica,80's synth and 80's hip-hop and all sit comfortably together.

The First major player is 'fixed Income' a big live sounding beat track with lovely guitar and piano sections layered over the top. 'Walkie Talkie' is a simple breakbeat track which transends into an industrial sounding horn. But the first epic is just around the corner.

'Giving Up The Ghost' has all the qualities that I love about Shadows instrumental music. Etheral sounding with a lovely beat and drving bass. It's a slow burner which gradually exposes it's full potential. A real jem on the record. '6 Day War' sees Shadow using a mostly full vocal sample from a 70's psychedelic rock track based around the Israel attack on Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Iraq in 1967, called, yep, 'The 6 Day War'. I wasn't too sure of it at first but proved to be a real grower with a clever use of a marching band type beat to coinside with the lyrical content.

'Monogrel..../Meets His Maker' is effectively two parts of the same track. It has a beautiful ambience to it. With some lovely layers of guitar and pianos and typically Shadow driven beat.

The real stand outs are left to the end. 'Blood On The Motorway' for me is the track of the record. Dealing with the transition from life to death in the second phase. A slow build up with no beat. Just chimes and pianos with a spoken word sample. By the next phase of the track the beat comes in and a Stevie Winwood sound alike comes in with the vocal. All well constructed, brillantly paced a true classic Shadow epic.

Which leads into my second favourite track. The single 'You Can't Go Home Again'. A stright beat driven track with the live sounding beat and precussion. One that'll have your head bobbing without even you noticing. Nice scratchy guitars and driving bass which lead up to an intoxicating driven finish.

This album is not 'Endtroducing' and it doesn't try to be. The flow isn't as well constructed as 'Endtroducing' but when the music on this is good, it's exceptional. A worthy sucessor, kicks all wanna be's to the kerb and show's how it should be done.

Highlight tracks :

Fixed Income.
Giving Up The Ghost.
6 Day War.
Mongrel....Meets His Maker.
Blood On The Motorway
You Can't Go Home Again.

ASB.

Follow up follows suit
A few years ago Josh Davis brought his eclectic record collection out of his bedroom and turned the music world on its head with 'Entroducing', fusing dance with hip-hop and funked up samples. In doing saw DJ Shadow spawned countless other lesser 'concept artists'. With the critical acclaim the debut release received, it was always going to take an absolute barn storming follow up to top that record.
Davis' much publicised collaboration with MO WAX's James Lavelle on UNKLE added extra scope to his already growing reputation. It's taken 6 years to arrive but it has been worth the wait. 'The Private Press' certainly matches its predecessor but, put simply, 'Entroducing' will always be his own benchmark.
Less spontaneous than his debut and featuring popular samples (David Holmes also uses 'the story' narrative as an intro), this recording is clearly a more rounded affair. It is, at times, darker too with haunting hooks and vocal loops ('Fixed Income' and 'Six Days'). Clever, impressive and very very DJ Shadow, whilst nothing on here is as standout as 'Stem/Longstem' it maintains a spirit not found amongst many uber produced acts. As a result DJ Shadow aka Josh Davis leaves all pretenders standing in his...........aw forget it!