RJD2 Third Hand CD

Having departed from the Def Jux label, the DJ/producer/turntablist behind the indie rap outfit Mhz and former golden boy of El-P's label, has also made a marked departure from his previous work on this 2007 release. The Columbus, Ohio, native's third solo album sees him personally handling all the instrumentation (vocals, too) in a 15-track moody pop effort that takes more cues from Blur and Beck than from Cut Chemist or DJ Shadow.

Give Rjd2 credit -- he certainly couldn't have moved from undie rap to indie pop without believing in the music he's making. It's no wonder he felt he had to move from Definitive Jux, the home of Aesop Rock and Murs, to XL, the home of Thom Yorke and Lemon Jelly, to have any hope of being taken seriously. And while there's no hint of hip-hop anywhere here, The Third Hand is a surprisingly natural mix of his beat-heavy productions and kaleidoscopic tastes with reflective songwriting and plaintive vocals. Sample spotters beware, everything on the record was written, produced, and most importantly, performed by Rjd2 in his home studio. So, after the gigantic mind shift required to reflect on a record that needs to be compared to Broadcast rather than Blueprint, it has to be admitted that Rjd2 is onto something here. His vocals are thin but tuneful, and he has a knack for good harmonies. His productions still overwhelm the songs, reflecting the requirements of hip-hop instead of pop, but they're far better than what's found on the majority of indie pop records. Two skills he has mastered in the past, mood and texture, make this record especially good; witness the transitions from the quiet short-form piece "Someday" into the wide-ranging instrumental "The Bad Penny" into the highlight of the record, "Beyond the Beyond." [An instrumental version of the album also appeared in 2007.] ~ John Bush

Audio Mixer: Jim Bottari.

Recording information: The Dustbowl, Philadelphia, PA.Q (p.122) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "'Reality' has echoes of both Elbow and Beck, while the excellent 'Have Mercy' chugs along like a Funkadelic version of the Eagles. An unexpected treat."
Alternative Press (p.192) - 4.5 stars out of 5 -- "Musically, RJ still feeds us with flourishes of hip-hop....The record is doused with warm synths, acoustic guitars and bits of piano."
CMJ (p.40) - "Underneath the squelching, glossy keyboards and laid-back, blue-eyed soul vocals, the emphasis is still on rhythm."