The Record Crate

I could’ve written this 10 minutes after hearing “All Day” in its first full rotation. Hell, I could’ve written this after hearing only half of the album. The problem is, this album plays tricks on all who lays ears on it. Even the most seasoned.

If there’s one thing I know about, it’s fair-weather fans. I’ve been a die hard Boston sports fan since the day I was born. I’ve been surrounded by fair-weather fans since before I could breathe. Today, my friends, I come to you as I’ve encountered another form of the fair-weather friend: Girl Talk fans.

Let me ask you this (assuming you fall under the title of a “Girl Talk Fan”) - what exactly were you expecting? After the release of “Feed the Animals” - and arguably before this with the release of “Night Ripper” - the world was awash in mashup mayhem. Everybody wanted Girl Talk on their iPods. Everyone wanted to be at a Girl Talk show. In one form or another, everyone wanted to be Girl Talk. HIs approach to music was (and still is) a breath of fresh air to the auto-tuned monotony of top-40 radio. The way he juxtaposed rap songs with classic rock instrumentals, or vice versa, changed the way people listen to music. In fact, as I did in my college senior thesis, I would argue that Greg Gyllis single-handedly revitalized the record sales for artists featured on his albums. People rediscovered music when they heard a Girl Talk song, or experienced a live show. 

Fast-forward two years. “All Day” is released in the early hours on a Monday morning in November. All of a sudden, Girl Talk isn’t what he used to be…or so it seems. Tell me, America, what the fuck were you expecting?

Ever since Gyllis’ (in case you lost track, Greg Gyllis is the man behind Girl Talk) surge in popularity, mashups have dominated the live  music scene. Groups like Super Mash Bros., White Panda and one-man shows like E-603 and DJ Earworm have monopolized both college scenes and the general population’s iTunes libraries. Girl Talk is the mashup game. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’m not sure where all this “so-so” attitude surrounding “All Day” is coming from.

I’ll be the first to tell you - I’ve heard this album before. Gyllis will be the first to tell you that his live shows are nothing like his albums. Ever since he’s been on tour in support of “Feed the Animals,” he’s been adding in new samples to spice up his live show. As it stands, it seems that no two live shows are alike. With this being said, it is safe to assume that anyone with a pulse that’s been to a Girl Talk show in the last two years, whether they can remember it or not, has heard at least a portion of this album.

The main reaction I’ve heard in regard to this album is that “it’s nothing revolutionary.” Well no shit. Gyllis revolutionized the ADD aspect of mashup albums. I guess I’m a little puzzled as to what everyone means by “nothing revolutionary.” Just because every mashup DJ that has released anything in the wake of “Feed the Animals” (including this reviewer) has tried in some way to emulate the style of Girl Talk, does not mean that what he has offered up on “All Day” is not revolutionary. Give me one mashup artist that has his transition game down as solid as Girl Talk does. Give me one mashup artist that diversifies his amples as much as Girl Talk does. If you’re having trouble doing so, I’ll wait all day. Artists have extended their samples to get away from the ADD-glitch aspect of the genre, gone from 8 artists in a song to 2, etc. etc. The genre has basically reached its climax. Did anyone really want another DJ Earworm? They might, but why should Girl Talk expand on what another artist does? Why can’t he continue to perfect his style? Who put the general public in charge of what an artist does?

As far as I’m concerned, Gyllis delivered exactly what I expected him to deliver. Maybe that’s what people are flawing him for, but who cares? What he’s done on “All Day” has far surpassed what anyone’s delivered in the last two years. As I said in the past, a lot of the samples heard on the album has been done live, but isn’t that what you were expecting to hear? The last 8 times I saw Girl Talk, he included most of the samples heard on “All Day” and each time I left his shows, I prayed for a real album where I could hear these samples played out without having to listen to a sub-par bootleg recording of one of his shows. As far as I’m concerned, Girl Talk delivered 100% of what everyone was hoping. As far as I’m concerned, everyone who has mixed reviews of this album are high.

Sure. I was losing sleep wondering whether or not “All Day” would breach the barriers of mashups. Sure. I was a little disappointed when “All Day” was nothing more than a continuation of “Feed the Animals.” However, I’m not disappointed. You shouldn’t be either. Gyllis gave the public what they wanted. I’m sorry it wasn’t another State of Pop 2009, but you all are on some other shit if you thought Girl Talk was going to deliver anything less than what he’s just delivered to you. Thanksgiving was yesterday. Be thankful it wasn’t another White Panda abomination.