Agreed GLP

@Janszoon, you think Ruby 81 was a good story, ZZZ Top is a pretty cool story as well. I guess it's hard to tell where it goes, but you're supposed to infer endings. ZZZ: Zoso, Zulu, Zeros. Classic rock kid, hip-hop kid, and punk kid. How they're similar how they're different. Pretty slick. Still only know 80% of it. I'm least familiar with the last verse.

Listened to the album a couple times. I'm liking it. I'm glad it wasn't Hail-Maryish. Gonna give it some more ear before rating.

As the first Aesop Rock album I've listened to, it has really grown on me. After numerous listens, I find myself enjoying every single track on the album (I think "1000 o' clock" is a little boring, but that may change).
The production is great, but I think he could have varied it a little more. Near the end of the album, the slightly distorted drums and heavy basslines get a little repetitive.
My favourite tracks are Cycles to Gehenna, Ruby 81 and Tetra.
The lyrics are also great, though I still have to dig into them a little more.
Skelethon lies somewhere between a 7 and an 8.

aka "glad Rob Sonic isn't on every track"

Nice writeup. If you can find enjoyment in this album, you just may enjoy his old works. Aesop is a lot easier to get into when you've already got an understanding of how he writes/raps.

Thanks!
Which of his old works is the best? Which should I listen to first?

I'm going to say Appleseed. Labor Days. Music For Earthworms.

Then, y'know, the rest of them...

Aye.
"Daylight" sounds like a Zelda theme. It's nice. I like the warm sound.

I'm just starting to dig into Skelethon. Loving it really! Labor Days was what got me into Aesop.

The first four tracks on Skelethon is probably the best on any album I have ever heard.

Hard to argue with that, but the first four tracks on Low End Theory must be close, no?

I love that album but man, those four tracks are all near perfect for what they are there to do. Brilliant opener - setting the tone for the album. Kicks into "ZZZ Top" to liven things up. Deep bass of "Cycles" and then the best track of the year.

You're a big fan of Zero Dark Thirty too eh?

My favourite track he has done.

Oh wow I just recked and it turns out I gave this album 9/10. It's more of an 8/10 for me now, but alas. I guess I wasn't very picky back when I rated this.

Still, a great album. Favourite track on it is Leisureforce, although all of the first four tracks could be my favourite.

Wow really? Better than ANYTHING on Labor Days?

For me yeah. Both near perfect albums.

True. Gotta say, on a lyrical and emotional level, I think "Gopher Guts" is the highlight of Skelethon. Aes puts it all out there on that track.

The hook on "ZZZ Top" just doesn't work for me. The beat and the post-chrous female vocals are fantastic, as well as his rapping, but the hook ruins it a little. As said before, it's still a great album, though.

I had a dream that I listened to this album and quite enjoyed it.
That has inspired me to give it another listen later today, it also reinforces just how mundane my life has become that even my dreams are me doing everyday things.
I dreamed the other day about frying some eggs then eating them.

Eggs are so boring. Especially fried eggs.

So, I went back to this album and like a lot of you have said it starts off really well. The first four tracks sound great even though I still find Aesop rather droney, the production more than makes up for it and keeps the tracks lively.
He seems to be getting better at writing hooks as well, I was nodding along to most on the earlier portion of the album.
However, it runs out of steam after the Crows 1 & 2 in my opinion with the song writing getting a little tepid and losing the momentum the earlier songs had kicked up. Still on the whole though, not too bad at all. I'll give it a 7 verging on an 8.