Hell's Winter
Encyclopedia
Hell's Winter is the second full-length album by American
hip hop
artist Cage and his first for the Definitive Jux
label
. It was released on September 20, 2005 and received very favorable reviews, including a spot in Rhapsody's
list of "The 10 Best Albums By White Rappers".This is the first Cage album ever that contains no mention of the word "bitch". Nor is there any reference to the long lived feud with Eminem
.
The samples of the menacing voice saying "Beware, I live!" (among other things) in the song "Grand Ol' Party Crash" are from the 1982 arcade game Sinistar
.
version of the complete album. It also features a computer software program called UMIXIT by Cakewalk
. The program allows the user to remix two songs from Hell's Winter.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
artist Cage and his first for the Definitive Jux
Definitive Jux
Definitive Jux is an independent record label based in New York City, United States. It was co-founded in 1999 by Jaime Meline and Amaechi Uzoigwe. The label was initially known simply as Def Jux, but in 2001, popular hip hop label Def Jam Recordings sued Def Jux over the name similarity...
label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. It was released on September 20, 2005 and received very favorable reviews, including a spot in Rhapsody's
Rhapsody (online music service)
Rhapsody is an online music store subscription service, launched in December 2001, and available in the United States only. On April 6, 2010, Rhapsody officially declared its independence from RealNetworks. Downloaded files come with restrictions on their use, enforced by Helix, Rhapsody's version...
list of "The 10 Best Albums By White Rappers".This is the first Cage album ever that contains no mention of the word "bitch". Nor is there any reference to the long lived feud with Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
.
Track listing
- "Good Morning" (C. Palko/J. Meline) – 3:48
- Featuring El-P
- GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
: Matt SweeneyMatt SweeneyMatt Sweeney is a guitarist, vocalist, and producer who has worked with various musicians and groups.-Biography:Sweeney's high school band Skunk released two albums on Twin/Tone records... - BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
: James McNewJames McNewJames McNew has been the bass player for the rock band Yo La Tengo since their 1992 album May I Sing With Me.He was previously a member of Christmas on their third album Vortex.[]He also has a solo side project, Dump.... - Produced by El-P
- "Too Heavy For Cherubs" (C. Palko) – 3:36
- Produced by BlockheadBlockhead (music)Blockhead is an American Hip hop producer based in Manhattan, New York. Aside from his solo efforts released on the Ninja Tune label, he is most associated with producing for Aesop Rock, a rapper for the Definitive Jux independent hip hop label. He has also previously worked with rappers C-Rayz...
- Additional production by El-P
- Produced by Blockhead
- "Grand Ol' Party Crash" (C. Palko/J. BiafraJello BiafraJello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
) – 5:01- Featuring Jello BiafraJello BiafraJello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
as "the Dubya" - Produced by DJ ShadowDJ ShadowJoshua Paul Davis better known as DJ Shadow is an American music producer, DJ and songwriter. He is considered a prominent figure in the development of instrumental hip hop and first gained notice with the release of his highly acclaimed debut album Endtroducing....., which was constructed...
- Featuring Jello Biafra
- "The Death Of Chris Palko" (C. Palko/T. SmithCamu TaoCamu Tao was an American rapper and producer who was signed to the Definitive Jux label. He was a member of several groups: S.A...
) – 3:23- Featuring Camu TaoCamu TaoCamu Tao was an American rapper and producer who was signed to the Definitive Jux label. He was a member of several groups: S.A...
- Produced by Central Services (El-P & Camu Tao)
- Contains a sample from "Justice to the People" by Lee Perry
- Featuring Camu Tao
- "Stripes" (C. Palko) – 4:48
- Produced by Blockhead
- Co-produced by El-P
- Bass: James McNew
- Contains a sample of "Overture" by Mason WilliamsMason WilliamsMason Williams is an American guitarist and composer, best known for his guitar instrumental "Classical Gas". He is also a comedy writer, known for his writing on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, and Saturday Night Live...
- "Shoot Frank" (C. Palko/D. PalumboDaryl PalumboDaryl Palumbo is an Italian American musician, , grew up in Bellmore, New York. He is the frontman of the bands Glassjaw and Head Automatica. As a youth he was a member of the Long Island straight edge band XbustedX, however he has since rejected that philosophy...
) – 4:22- Featuring Daryl PalumboDaryl PalumboDaryl Palumbo is an Italian American musician, , grew up in Bellmore, New York. He is the frontman of the bands Glassjaw and Head Automatica. As a youth he was a member of the Long Island straight edge band XbustedX, however he has since rejected that philosophy...
- Produced by RJD2RJD2RJD2 is an American music producer, singer and musician. RJD2 was born in Eugene, Oregon, and raised in Columbus, Ohio. He currently resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was signed to the Definitive Jux label where he released two largely instrumental hip hop albums and has produced tracks...
- Featuring Daryl Palumbo
- "Scenester" (C. Palko) – 3:50
- Produced by Blockhead
- "Perfect World" (C. Palko) – 3:40
- Produced by Central Services (El-P & Camu Tao)
- "Subtle Art Of The Breakup Song" (C. Palko) – 3:07
- Produced by El-P
- "Peeranoia" (C. Palko) – 3:39
- Produced by PaWL
- "Left It To Us" (C. Palko/J. Meline/I. BavitzAesop RockIan Matthias Bavitz , better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American hip hop artist and producer. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emerged during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was signed to El-P's Definitive Jux label until it...
/R. Brown/Y. Zadeh) – 3:30- Featuring El-P, Aesop RockAesop RockIan Matthias Bavitz , better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American hip hop artist and producer. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emerged during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was signed to El-P's Definitive Jux label until it...
, Tame 1, Yak BallzYak BallzYak Ballz, born Yashar Zadeh is an American independent hip hop artist, who was brought up in Flushing, Queens, New York. He is one of the original members of The Weathermen. He is also a member of Cardboard City.-Early life:...
of The Weathermen - Produced by Camu Tao
- Contains a sample of "All You Need to Make Music" by Stark Reality
- Featuring El-P, Aesop Rock
- "Public Property" (C. Palko) – 3:52
- Produced by Camu Tao
- Contains a sample from "Carry(Reprise)" by Chris DeBurgh
- "Lord Have Mercy" (C. Palko) – 3:24
- Produced by El-P
- Contains a sample of "Crusader" by Chris DeBurgh
- "Hell's Winter" (C. Palko) – 5:09
- Produced by El-P
The samples of the menacing voice saying "Beware, I live!" (among other things) in the song "Grand Ol' Party Crash" are from the 1982 arcade game Sinistar
Sinistar
Sinistar is an arcade game released by Williams in 1982. It belongs to a class of video games from the 1980s called "twitch games". Other "twitch games" include Tempest, Defender, and Robotron: 2084. Sinistar was developed by Sam Dicker, Jack Haeger, Noah Falstein, RJ Mical and Richard Witt...
.
Limited Edition
Hell's Winter is also available as a "Limited Edition" 2-disc set. Disc 2 is an instrumentalInstrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
version of the complete album. It also features a computer software program called UMIXIT by Cakewalk
Cakewalk (company)
Cakewalk, Inc. is a company based in Boston, Massachusetts that develops and sells music production software. The company's best known product is their comprehensive music sequencer named SONAR, which is designed for professional use. SONAR incorporates multi-track recording and editing of both...
. The program allows the user to remix two songs from Hell's Winter.
Credits
- Executive Producer: El-P
- Recording: NASA
- Mixing: Joey Raia
- Mastering: Ken Heitmueller
- Business Affairs: Amaechi Uzoigwe
- Project Coordination: Ese
- Photography: Nairobi Morgan
- Design & Artwork: Kiku