"The first time I heard The Further Adventures of Lord Quas, it struck me as a hip-hop equivalent of Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention's We're Only in It for the Money (1968). Zappa's crazy, chaotic record also happened to feature the first-ever knock-off cover of The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, a tradition in graphic arts that continues to this day. The 'Gold Chains' collage is my own spin on the tradition, also taking its inspiration from Madlib's track 'Rappcats Pt. 3.' This alternate cover for Further Adventures was designed Fall 2020. In just a year between then and now we lost three of the heroes in the collage: DOOM, Biz Markie, and Melvin Van Peebles." - Jeff Jank
It took me a long time to write this review. I tried to do it the way Madlib made the record: I smoked about 3 ounces of high grade and then got down to work. Unfortunately for Lab, that meant that I spent most of the time I should've been writing listening to this incredible LP again and again, giggling over the hundreds of tiny psychedelic fragments within. From the very first cut, "Bullyshit," where Quasimoto sounds like a "Just Don't Give a Fuck"-era Eminem, you know this is some bugged-out genius. There's not a single tune that runs the beat straight through without an incomparably odd break, sound effect or twisted change-up coming out of left field. Add in Madlib's increasingly adept rhymes (yeah I said it) that flip dizzyingly back and forth in pitch from Quas helium to white-guy squeak to standard drawl, plus subject matter that references magic mushrooms as well as la yerba buena (Greenery), and you have a thoroughly psychedelic experience. I mean, the guy used Frank Zappa graphics on the cover and even has a song named after the Beatles' heaviest ode to acid ("Tomorrow Never Knows"). Of course, the main ingredient in this stew is the man's vast record collection, and for the beat diggers out there it's scrunched-face bobblehead time from the get. The requisite vinyl tribute is suitably sizzling ("Raw Addict Pt.2"), but each cut smacks unimaginative beatmakers silly with twisted drums ("1994"), loops to spare ("Raw Deal") and awkward/awesome chops ("Players of the Game"). I said it before, and I'll say it again: Lib might not have the smoothest flow on the mic, but he comes with consistently clever lyrics and precise metaphors that suit his beats impeccably . And did you see the video for "Rappcats"? It matches the tongue-twisting hip hop retrospective frame for frame. Frequent guests Melvin Van Peebles and Doom are both in the house, with the metal-faced fellow reprising a Madvillan cut over a new beat on "Closer". The CD and vinyl versions have slightly different tracklists, taking advantage of the surplus of material 'Lib had in stock. "Quas is just me fucking around," Madlib once told me. Let's hope he doesn't get serious anytime soon.
- 'Gold Chains' 20th anniversary edition
- blue/white & red/yellow colored double vinyl pressing
- housed in deluxe gatefold sleeve w/ alternate cover art
- limited edition
- original release year: 2005
- music label: Stones Throw 2025
reviewed by monk 11/2005
