Handsome Boy Modeling School / So How's Your Girl...

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Artist

Handsome Boy Modeling School

Album Title:

So How's Your Girl...

Album Cover:

Primary Genre

Hip Hop/Rap: General Hip Hop

Format

Released

10/19/1999

Label

Tommy Boy Music, Inc.

Catalog No

TBCD 1258

Bar Code No

0 16998 12582 3

Packaging

Jewelcase

Tracks

1.	Rock N' Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This) (4:21) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))
2.	Magnetizing / Handsome Boy Modeling School Feat. Del Tha Funkee Homosapien (6:10) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))
3.	Metaphysical / Handsome Boy Modeling School Feat. Miho Hatori & Mike D (3:25) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))
4.	Look At This Face (Oh My God They're Gorgeous) (1:59) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))
5.	Waterworld / Handsome Boy Modeling School Feat. Encore (5:22) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))
6.	Once Again (Here To Kick One For You) / Handsome Boy Modeling School Feat. Grand Puba & Sadat X (4:01) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))
7.	The Truth / Handsome Boy Modeling School Feat. Roisin & J-Live (5:37) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))
8.	Holy Calamity (Bear Witness II) / Handsome Boy Modeling School Feat. DJ Shadow & DJ Quest (4:01) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))
9.	Calling The Biz (0:49) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))
10.	The Projects (P Jays) / Handsome Boy Modeling School Feat. Dave & Del Tha Funkee Homosapien (4:29) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))
11.	Sunshine / Handsome Boy Modeling School Feat. Sean Lennon, Money Mark, Father Guido Sarducci, Josh Hayden & Pau (4:09) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))
12.	Modeling Sucks (1:02) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))
13.	Torch Song Trilogy / Handsome Boy Modeling School Feat. Sensational (3:54) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))
14.	The Runway Song / Handsome Boy Modeling School Feat. Kid Koala (4:48) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))
15.	Megaton B-Boy 2000 / Handsome Boy Modeling School Feat. Alec Empire & El-P (4:57) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))
16.	Father Speaks (1:27) (Chest Rockwell and Nathaniel Merriweather (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator))

Date Acquired

08/01/2012

Personal Rating

Acquired from

Barky Books (Amazon)

Purchase Price

6.38

Web Links

All Music Guide Entry:
Discogs Entry:

Notes

Handsome Boy Modeling School is Nathaniel Merriweather (Dan The Automator) and Chest Rockwell (Prince Paul)

Reviews

All Music Guide Review:

Review by Steve Huey

The concept behind Handsome Boy Modeling School -- if you separate it from its origins in a Chris Elliott sitcom -- can be taken as a subtle parody of hip-hop's player affectations: two geeky producers masquerading as jet-set male models. Given that framework, and the fact that those two producers are eccentric geniuses Prince Paul and Dan the Automator, you might expect So...How's Your Girl? to be a goof from top to bottom. And that isn't the case. The album ends up as more of a showcase for their eclecticism, tailoring productions to their collaborators and creating a colorful universe where classicist rap, turntablism, trip-hop, and electronica all get along comfortably. Parts of the album are surprisingly atmospheric, and rely more on the texture of the sound than the star power of the guest -- which makes sense for a producer's album. The finished product does lack some of the sheer craziness one might have anticipated, but the meatiness of the best music also keeps the Elliott-centered comedic interludes from turning the project into a mere novelty. The DJ cuts -- the duo's own "Rock n' Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This)" and the DJ Shadow/DJ Quest team-up "Holy Calamity (Bear Witness II)" -- are some of the most exciting tracks on the album, and of the rappers, Del tha Funkee Homosapien and Brand Nubian's Grand Puba and Sadat X turn in the most memorable performances. The electronic collaborations range the farthest afield, and provide some of the most intriguing highlights -- especially the bluesy trip-hop of "The Truth," featuring Moloko crooner Roisin Murphy. Meanwhile, Alec Empire and El-P -- each arguably the most abrasive experimentalist in his field -- live up to their billing on the massively distorted "Megaton B-Boy 2000." It's true that a few of the quirkier experiments never quite get off the ground, but by and large, So...How's Your Girl? is packed with imaginative, intriguing music.

Cover 1

Cover 2

Cover 3

Cover 4

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