Midnight Marauders

Anyone who knows Tribe knows that this is a 5 star album and a classic. That's why I'm giving this review 3 stars. Because If I were reviewing just the vinyl quality by itself, it would get 1 star. The sleeve is as generic as they come. Just printed envelope more or less. The record itself is not great, either. Poorly constructed and the sound quality is very disappointing. Very flat and some of the subtle yet crucial sounds in the instrumental are nearly completely missing. Like my favorite song on the album, The Chase Pt. 2. You can barely hear the ambient organ sounds in the background that make the track so distinct and enjoyable. If you are just a collector and are looking to round off your Tribe collection, go ahead and get it because the price is at least somewhat fair. But if you're like me and primarily buy vinyl for audiophile sound quality, you're better off sticking with your MP3s or CDs. They really should just re-release this album as a double LP on 180g vinyl. I'd fork over an extra $10 for that in a heartbeat!

Time to do this review section some good and give a thoughtful, detailed review.Where could we even start, having had our ears marauded for 51 heavenly minutes? This album begins with our gentle, reassuring Tour Guide, Laurel Damn (a Jive Records secretary, whose voice the group loved). She is continuously giving wisdom and reassurance to the listener throughout the album, and acts kind of like a motherly figure. Chills down my spine, 25 years later.We are then barraged by 13 of the most philosophically deep, ascended songs to ever grace human ears. The fact they all converged onto one album is the mark of true genius. Some brief track reviews:"Steve Biko (Stir It Up)" - Starts out with vibes from an old Windows game called "Crystal Maze". 2004. This vibe shows up periodically throughout the song. The rest of the song composes a hella bouncin beat with lyrics that, without another way to explain, "Jump in such a sharp way." Perfect way to start out the album.Rating: 9.5/10."Award Tour" - Oh my God... What a perfecttttt track. Begins with a perfect push transition from the previous track. The keyboard/bongo intro is soooo freaking hoppable. You just flow with it. Proceeds with a sax main beat that reminds me of an Emerald stage from Sonic Adventure 2. Ya know, the one with Knuckles. Completely perfect song. I find myself bumping this one a few times in a row all throughout the day.Rating: 10/10."8 Million Stories" - Starts off with a heavy New York, 1993 vibe. You can just feel the cold breath of that November back in 93. Such a cold beat, gently shoved into our ears by a serenading statistics explanation with Secretary Dunn in between the two tracks. The vibes suddenly give way to the downward spiral of Q-Tip throwing in "PROBLEMS. PROBLEMS. PROBLEMS." It instantly takes the song to a very dark place, so masterfully. Song ends with a disorienting cycle of Q-Tip saying "Help Me" in rapid succession. After a few breaths and continued repeating of the phrase, he morphs the ending viciously from "Help Me" to a sharp, final "MUHAMMAD". Legendary song to be listened to in times of great hardship. Keeps you going.Rating: 9.5/10"Sucka N-" - What can I say? My lips is like an ooo-wop as I start to spray it! Nah, seriously - I dig it. If I had to place it on the chart, it's one of my less-preferred songs on this album. Ends beautifully tho, with a peaceful reassurance from Ms. Dunn.Rating: 8/10"Midnight" - They were COMPLETELY BRILLIANT to include this song in the album. 4D chess. Incredible foresight. Here's why: Our always-attracting Ms. Dunn makes it somewhat murkily clear to us that this album is best-primed for nighttime play. However, the main message of this track is evident in it's simple heavily repeated lyrics:"The night is on my mind/though the sun is still shinin' "This is a master's craft, as it makes this album listenable to in the day, although a bit more painfully, as we long for the sweet release of the night. What a dark, ominous beat. Ends with a powerful, shocking, haunting, soul-destroying statistic from Ms. Dunn about AIDS in minority communities. Being set to overly-basic gentle elevator music, with such a dark message on a serious topic, and that little distortion on the decrescendo outro... HOLY GOD. Masterful.Rating: 10+/10"We Can Get Down" - What a great track for gaming. I love this with Battlefield 3 (yes, I play it still, 8 years later. Multiplayer is hanging on!) The beat fills you with nostalgia. A deep longing to go back in time. I envision my childhood home from the 90s in West Phoenix. Solid beat for reminiscing.Rating: A, E, I, O, U.... AND SOMETIMES, Y...Joking. Actual Rating: 9.5/10"Electric Relaxation" - Probably the most iconic track from the album. Extremely bounceable. Fitting, considering the ending is Ms. Dunn encouraging us to "Keep Bou-Keep Bouncing." The beat is accompanied by sliiick lyrics from Phife (RIP) and a chill smooth jazz vibe. Great bass throughout the track. Q-Tip provides absolute gems on the mic as well. Great to bump to on a weekend at home. Keep Bouncing.Rating: 10/10"Clap Your Hands Now" - Goodness. Phife was SOOOO FREAKING SLICK. What sorely-missed talent. Deep underground vibe to this track, while also providing a nostalgically nightmarish "Memento Mori" of time itself. Makes you existentially scared of how quickly time passes. It's only going faster everyday. There is one more track in the end of the album that shares this vibe, so strap in and prepare for another blissful existential journey. To be enjoyed over your favorite "herbal medication." Wink wink.Rating: 9/10"Oh My God" - Starts with a very trumpet-fueled 70s-themed vibe, and gets replaced (and enhanced) by a deep bouncing bass sound. Tip and Phife give perfect balance to this track. We hear a looping "Oh my gawwwd!" By who sounds like Jim Ross from WWF. Ends with an explanation of what "M.C." means, from our favorite sexy-voiced tour guide.Rating: 8/10"Keep It Rollin'" - Great balance! Very 90s electric guitar, a smooth flute that again gives off SA2 vibes, and a barely-noticeable, yet chill keyboard. Another great track that gets beautifully balanced by T+P.Rating: 8/10"The Chase, Pt. II" - Awwwww maaaaan, this sample was engineered sooooo amazingly perfectly. Myyyy GOODNESS. The amount of genius put into this track is not of this world... Perfectly-timed lyrics to boot! Ms. Dunn informs us at the end of the track that "this concludes the Midnight Marauders program." Fear not, however. There still remain two more tracks. But to sum this track up... WARNING - "The Chase, Pt. II" is Extremely nostalgic. Listen at your own risk - you WILL travel back in time (mentally) wherever you are, if this track is anywhere within listening distance. Wherever you are. Absolute MASTERPIECE. My second favorite track.Rating: 10++/10"Lyrics to Go" - Wacky groovy intro! Whatever that sample was, it was a great segue into the more seasonal, fall-based mellow main beat. Sharp, yet smooth lyrics by Tip. Meant exactly for the month it was released and it's surrounding fall months.Rating: 9.5/10"God Lives Through" - The PICTURE-PERFECT way to end this absolutely Godlike creation. We humans were not meant to be blessed with such perfect human beings as the men and women who contributed to the creation of this album. This song made me cry harrrrd, yo... Very deep song that picks an element/theme/vibe from every other song on the album and combines them to create quite possibly the greatest song in history. It's certainly my favorite song. The nostalgia bomb hits harder than the Tsar. Completely speechless. Has turned off all of my fears in order to maximize my fear of the ever-quickening, endlessly permanent and irreversible and irreturnable passage of time. Wow. Speechless.Rating: 10+++/10TL;DR - The greatest album you will ever listen to, if you're a 90s kid. Put on your best set of cans (headphones), spark up a blunt, and enjoy the work of the Four Horsemen of Hip-Hop. You'll feel reborn. I certainly have.Overall Rating: 10/10. A+. Masterpiece.

Shipping and all was great as usual, gotta love A Tribe Called Quest, especially this album and Low End Theory. However, when I opened the package, the spine, top, and bottom of the cover were busted slightly. Not sure if it was from the shipping or what, but I've gotten other records with this problem from amazon. The record itself is sort of low quality, I am aware it's not going to have 180g quality, but its just very quiet (dont blame it on my speakers/receiver either, other records are fine) and has lots of superficial scratches throughout both sides, it's not unlistenable but it's not enjoyable, it's a shame because I really love this album.

As other reviewers have stated, the tunes on this album are classic, but this pressing is pretty ****ed up. I am not an audiophile, by any means, I just expect a brand new record to be free of static and clicks. I have 50+ year-old bargain bin finds that play cleaner than this vinyl. I'm left scratching my head... what possibly could have happened during the mastering of this album that it sounds so wonk? Does not do the artists and their work justice. Pass IMO

1st record I ever bought. I was 13 years old and it was the first thing I got after working all week with my father. This was all I ever wanted and it blew my mind. The smoothness and the delivery of every song were on the money...wasn't that crazy about "Midnight" and "We can Get Down", but the "Electric Relaxation" comes on and I was like...Who's that on the bass?! What is that guitar doing?! What's that chorus saying?! Excitement and wonder. I cannot explain how enjoyable the second half of this album is.So enjoyable was this record to me, that I fixed my jumpshot to "God Lives Through". Made me slow down and get my form right and the BPM was perfect for timing my release (Weird tools used by a weird kid, I guess).

What needs to be said about this, if you love you're old school hiphop you're going to know or listened to this...Tribes vibes are perfect anytime, anywhere and it sounds even better on Vinyl.If you have the means to play this, and the money to buy it, I highly recommend you do so... so choice...

Great CD, good condition at a a great price.

had the cd for years and the vinyl beats it sonically.

Perfect

love it