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Amethyst Rock Star | 
 enlarge | Artist: Saul Williams
Label: American Recordings
Category: Music
Buy New: $29.99
New (2) Used (9) from $19.99
Rating:  30 reviews
Sales Rank: 22246
Format: Explicit Lyrics
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 4.8 x 0.4
UPC: 731458650126
EAN: 0731458650126
ASIN: B00005QKBM
Release Date: October 23, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New. Shrink Wrapped. READY TO SHIP!
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| Tracks:
| • | La La La | | • | Penny for a Thought | | • | Robeson | | • | Tao of Now | | • | Fearless | | • | Untimely Meditations | | • | Om Nia Merican | | • | 1987 | | • | Coded Language | | • | Our Father - Saul Williams, Williams, Rev. Saul | | • | Wine |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Performed by a raucous sextet made up of beats, bass, guitar, cello, viola, and griot, Saul Williams hip-hop sounds like modern chamber music. It's music informed as much by Hendrix's star-strangled striations and Miles Davis's alchemical electric period as it is the krunk-krunk of contemporary hip-hop. On Amethyst Rock Star Williams exorcises urban music of its self-destructive excess, channeling its rowdy energy into a ritualized raising of consciousness. The single "Penny for a Thought" breaks into jacked-up breakbeats as Williams calls out those who sell their souls into artistic slavery for the same chump change paid to their chained ancestors. He makes like a soothsayer on "Robeson," reeling off a call for the heroic figures of the past to make their presence known in the future. Williams's singing voice is as robust as his words, soaring like a veteran rock croaker; on "Fearless" he attempts to dissolve the influence of an unnameable "she" on his psyche by spontaneously bursting into song. "Coded Language," a linguistic mantra first recorded for the DJ Krust album of the same name, makes a return appearance, sounding not a bit out of place with its warp-speed breaks and nitroglycerin orchestration. Saul breaks out on the epic closer, "Wine," a torch-burning call for collective empowerment that comes off like Purple Rain for the no-age generation. --Chris Campion
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| Customer Reviews:
 Looking for Something Different April 15, 2006
The Connoisseur (MI)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This man truly has a gift when it comes to word usage. Simply put, I love this CD. It comes off very different(I think thats why I like it so much). Something like a combination of Slam Poetry, Hip Hop, and Rock. If your growing tired of mainstream music and looking for something new, refreshing, and different... look no further.
 Not a poetry album March 27, 2006
tedzsee (Canada)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
This album, despite a lot of people talking about it as a poetry album, is most certainly not a poetry album. It's a hiphop album. Saul himself talks about "Rocking the party" in "1987", a track that leaps from chamber music beginning to electric guitar rock beats with big hihat and cymbal drumming throughout.
Of course, as Saul shows on "Coded Language", his style of "emceeing" is actually quite closer to the role of a traditional concert emcee than the modern hiphop "MC". In other words, he's often announcing, talking in an interesting manner, or yelling over the beats, as opposed to actually "rhyming" as an MC.
At the same time, it works. At other times it doesn't.
One frustration: you almost wish Williams would allow himself to be more of a musician at times and play WITH the band instead of treating it as his backing track and yelling over it all the time.
"Our Father", is a track of poetry (or a speech, really), set over top of music. The music itself seems to serve no purpose. Same goes for other tracks like "Penny for a Thought", more poetry over music with no relationship between the two.
In actuality, his best tracks are those that allow him to play *with* the band:
-"La, la, la", a short traditional-type rap track.
-"Om Nia Merican (I'm the American)" a rock song with ripping heavy guitar chords and slam poetry rockin' on top of it. Almost like something Rage Against the Machine would make, that one.
-When he sings, as on "Fearless", Williams something like a cooler freer version of Lenny Kravitz.
-Williams' poetry slamming down with respect for the drum track and his backing singer (the beautiful ethereal Canadian singer Esthero) on "Tao of Now"
These songs are much more visceral, there, present, pushing, natural-sounding... organic.
Overall, an album that struggles with definition and struggles often with defining itself.
Making Spoken Word Accessible August 8, 2005
B. Tramer
I'm not going to go into great detail although I am tempted to rebut the reviewer who tagged this album with 2 stars. That reviewer is obviously a pure hip-hop fan that is offended by Saul's challenging of the current state of rap and hip-hop music. This album has something for everyone...the rap fan, the rock fan, and the fan of poetry. I just can't believe it has been out this long and I never heard of it.
I happened to go see Saul at a multi-band concert this summer and was so impressd that I swore to buy an album. I thought it would be less impressive than his live performance, but it dramatically exceeded my expectations. Any album that can make pull out my Mars Volta CD has jolted itself to the heights of my playlist.
Probably closer to 4.75 stars February 4, 2005
Dino Bryant (Lubbock, TX)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Dude from Columbus should have his top 1000 reviewer status stripped. He has no idea what he is talking about. First of all, considering that this an artistic project, I see nothing wrong expressing one's views even if they are didactic or pedantic. What is wrong with saying that the state of affairs have gone bitterly awry? Be honest with you, I angry with him. Secondly, this album has more than few shining moments. I think the entire album is a step above stellar. I beseech the reader to buy this album. This album is an interesting blend of contemporary poetry and hip hop. Like the Last Poets and Gil Scott Heron before him, Saul Williams lyrics have meaning. His use of profanity was a bit strong for me, but once again it is his perogative.
Lyrically wonderful February 2, 2005
T. Sosanya
It's funny, because this album belongs to so many genres that i feel a more worldly person just even listening to it. Some songs have a rock feel, some have a more hip hop feel, but overall this CD is meant for those who would like to be enlightened... and go back and listen to it and realize that there is a whole array of verses that you completely missed. Saul's stuff is already being studied at high school and college levels, for a very good reason. It is one of the best albums I have heard in a very long time.
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