Look Mom... No Hands
Look Mom... No Hands is the first solo studio album by American hip hop musician Vast Aire, one half of the duo Cannibal Ox.[1] It was released on Chocolate Industries on April 27, 2004.[2] It features contributions from MF Doom, RJD2, Madlib, Aesop Rock, and Sadat X.[2] It peaked at number 47 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart.[3]
| Look Mom... No Hands | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 27, 2004 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 71:57 | |||
| Label | Chocolate Industries | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Vast Aire chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Look Mom... No Hands | ||||
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Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [4] |
| The A.V. Club | favorable[5] |
| CMJ New Music Monthly | favorable[6] |
| Exclaim! | mixed[7] |
| Pitchfork | 6.3/10[1] |
| PopMatters | favorable[2] |
| Stylus Magazine | D+[8] |
John Bush of AllMusic gave the album 3.5 stars out of 5, stating, "Vast's chillingly detached raps and delivery were a large part of Cannibal Ox's success, and there's much more in the same vein here."[4] Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club described it as a "riveting combination of old school B-boy attitude and post-apocalyptic menace".[5] Christopher R. Weingarten of CMJ New Music Monthly commented that "Vast's flow, while leisurely, still utilizes the most impossibly matter-of-fact delivery in the underground, which he uses for maximum effect."[6]
Meanwhile, David Drake of Stylus Magazine gave the album a grade of D+, saying, "this album lacks the plaintive street poetry of The Cold Vein, as well as that album's focus and consistent production aesthetic."[8] Rollie Pemberton of Pitchfork gave the album a 6.3 out of 10, calling it "an awkward, inconsistent amalgam of wasted talent and musical apathy."[1]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro: His Majesty's Laughter" | Jest One | 2:10 |
| 2. | "KRS-Lightly" (featuring S.A. Smash) | Camu Tao | 4:03 |
| 3. | "Pegasus" | T One | 3:19 |
| 4. | "Candid Cam / Live Wetlands 1996" | Nasa | 5:02 |
| 5. | "Viewtiful Flow" | Jake One | 4:59 |
| 6. | "Zenith" (featuring Blueprint) | Blueprint | 4:33 |
| 7. | "Why'sdaskyblue?" | Cryptic One | 4:33 |
| 8. | "Da Supafriendz" (featuring MF Doom) | MF Doom | 3:00 |
| 9. | "Poverty Lane 16128 / Karaoke" | T One | 4:44 |
| 10. | "Elixir" (featuring Sadat X and Sinclair) | Ayatollah | 4:03 |
| 11. | "Look Mom... No Hands / A.S.C.F.D." | Madlib | 6:22 |
| 12. | "9 Lashes (When Michael Smacks Lucifer)" | RJD2 | 3:53 |
| 13. | "Posse Slash" (featuring Karniege, Breez Evahflowin', Poison Pen, and Aesop Rock) | Da Beatminerz | 3:41 |
| 14. | "Could You Be?" | Madlib | 3:57 |
| 15. | "Outro: 12 Noon" | Blueprint | 4:22 |
| 16. | "Life's Ill Pt. II (The Empire Striketh)" (featuring Breezly Brewin and Vordul Mega) | Madlib | 5:08 |
| 17. | "My First Sony (Pegasus Remix)" | Vast Aire | 4:08 |
| Total length: | 71:57 | ||
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.
- Vast Aire – vocals, production (17), photography
- Jest One – production (1), recording (1)
- Bo Boddie – mixing (1–7, 9–12, 14–17)
- S.A. Smash – vocals (2)
- DJ Cip One – turntables (2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13, 17)
- Camu Tao – production (2)
- Nasa – recording (2), production (4)
- T One – production (3, 9)
- Nonezio – recording (3–5, 8–12, 14, 16, 17)
- Karniege – vocals (4, 13), graffiti art
- Nathaniel Roberts – vocals (5, 14), recording (11)
- Jake One – production (5)
- Blueprint – vocals (6), production (6, 15), recording (6, 15)
- Metro – vocals (7)
- Cryptic One – production (7), recording (7)
- MF Doom – vocals (8), production (8), mixing (8)
- Sadat X – vocals (10)
- Sinclair – vocals (10), keyboards (14)
- Ayatollah – production (10), turntables (10)
- Madlib – production (11, 14, 16)
- RJD2 – production (12)
- Breez Evahflowin' – vocals (13)
- Poison Pen – vocals (13)
- Aesop Rock – vocals (13)
- Da Beatminerz – production (13)
- Evil D – recording (13), mixing (13)
- Mr. Walt – recording (13), mixing (13)
- Butta L – engineering assistance (13)
- Simone Harrison – vocals (14)
- Breezly Brewin – vocals (16)
- Vordul Mega – vocals (16)
- Chris Gehringer – mastering
- Brent Rollins – art direction, design
- Jon Breiner – cover illustration
- Luke Barber Smith – photography
- Sumkid – photography
- Taku – photography
- Kenshin Ichikawa – Vast Aire logo
Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[3] | 47 |
References
- Pemberton, Rollie (May 4, 2004). "Vast Aire: Look Mom... No Hands". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- Stelloh, Tim (May 26, 2004). "Vast Aire: Look Mom... No Hands". PopMatters. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- "Independent Albums (The Week of May 15, 2004)". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 28, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
- Bush, John. "Look Mom... No Hands — Vast Aire". AllMusic. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- Rabin, Nathan (May 24, 2004). "Vast Aire: Look Mom No Hands". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- Weingarten, Christopher R. (2004). "Best New Music". CMJ New Music Monthly (122): 33.
- Quinlan, Thomas (May 1, 2004). "Vast Aire — Look Mom... No Hands". Exclaim!. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- Drake, David (May 6, 2004). "Vast Aire — Look Mom ... No Hands". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on May 10, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
External links
- Look Mom... No Hands at Discogs (list of releases)