Because it missed Pitchfork altogether, this was bumped up to today:

Average Metacritic score 84 (18 reviews, #20 overall):

www.allmusic.com



Edan
Beauty and the Beat (Lewis)
US release date: 29 March 2005
Rating: 4 1/2 stars (90?)

Boston's Edan has scored the hip-hop triple crown, rapping, programming and sampling at a masters level on his second full-length. As an MC, he bows down while hyping himself up on the wink-nudge titled "Fumbling Over Words That Rhyme," giving extended shout-outs to the history of hip-hop, from Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash through to Ultramagnetic MC's and Prince Po, all over a break as dusty and faded as an episode of Carnivale. "Polite Meeting" offers a beat and sample collage on par with the current work of DJ Shadow and RJD2, and one is left to really ponder at the possibility of Edan trying to perform the beats and vocals live. Def Jux bright star Mr. Lif makes a guest appearance on the heavily psychedelic "Making Planets," which leads into a full-on Hendrix-inspired freaky-blues interlude. Percee P and Insight also drop by to flow over some of Edan's time and space warping musical beds (to call these "beats" would be an immense oversimplification) but Dagha guests on the grittiest rocker, "Rock'N'Roll" which manages a full-on Marshall stack set to ten, and a guitar assault that somehow avoids all of the failings of rap-rock. If hip-hop had existed in the days of the Filmore, Woodstock and the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, Edan would have been right on the bus.

--by Joshua Glazer

Probably the best Hip Hop album of the year, top 10 for sure (Dalek and maybe Common will make my list too). It has its ties to some old golden age stuff, but looks to the future as well.

Another one I'm sure I would love if I listened to it more often. I like what I hear every time.

The Edan I'd heard before this was kinda jokey, good but not exactly serious music so I wasn't really expecting to be blown away - which I was.

A couple of weaker tracks prevent it from being an all time classic but it will definately be getting a few Shmoo points from me. I think it's 6 on my list.

#3 on my list. I'm shocked it's not making much noise at all in the year end lists I've seen (I'm looking at you, Pitchfork).

Great album. Best hip hop release of the year.

Could someone accidentally PM me a YSI of this?

I havent listened to this all the way through yet. I have it on my IPOD, and always enjoy when a track comes up on random...I got to give it a straight listen.

domebody mail it to Haq damnit so I don't have to download ephpod onto my work computer.

I want this. too.

Have been meaning to check it out pretty much all year and somehow just never got around to it.

This and One Be Lo's SONOGRAM are the hip-hop releases of the year.

Edan made #4 on my list.

i can do it, just give me a couple hours, ive got a few things going right now. if someone can do it quicker, by all means go ahead.

certainly the best underground hip-hop album of the year, but not the best hip-hop album. heres how my rap list goes this year.

1. kanye west
2. common
3. edan
4. roots manuva

shit i still need to hear that Roots Manuva album.

mine:

1. kanye
2. the game
3. atmosphere
4. edan

do you though?

ok, im uploading the edan album right now, but after that ill upload roots manuva. anyone else who wants it should let me know.

my #3 overall, probably the album I've listened to most this year. Hints of psychadelica and rock. Precee P, Mr. Lif guest apprearances are sweet as well. Me likey.

It'll probably be in my top 5.

oh sweet. thanks!

Yeah, Roots is pretty great.

can someone PM me Edan, as well, please!

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

i havent forgotten about you guys who requested roots manuva, ive just had a little trouble doing it. i just started uploading it and its a big file so itll probably an hour or two.

ok, i finally got the roots upload done. did everyone get it who wants it?