You can probably still classify Aesop Rock as “underground” hip-hop. Although by this point he has an established fan base far removed from anything “underground,” Aesop is still left of center, nowhere near what’s going on in “mainstream” hip-hop these days. On None Shall Pass, a lot of things that wooed early listeners remain: his unconventional voice delivering sharp, tongue-twisting rhymes over dark, hard-hitting beats. For his fourth album (not counting this year’s Nike-commissioned, one-track All Day), Aesop reflects on days gone by, but not in the carefree-adolescent tone he perhaps intended. A lot of times it’s hard to follow what he’s saying — not because it’s muddy, but, as on “Bring Back Pluto,” it sounds like he’s telling a story about stolen goods or something being seized. Not exactly fun and carefree, right? “Coffee,” featuring Mountain Goats principal John Darnielle, pairs the two in a bleak backdrop of stutter-step beats, tempo shifts, scratching and Darnielle’s nasally voice. Overall, Aesop’s presentation, more sick beats and grooves, is great. Knowing what he’s dissecting, well, that’s still iffy.
This article appears in Nov 8-14, 2007.