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Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
The Mouse And The Mask
Universal acclaim
Based on 34 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 42 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Epitaph / Lex
Release Date: 11 October 2005
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Indie, Rap
Summary
This collaboration between MF Doom and Danger Mouse includes voices and skits from Cartoon Network's Adult Swim shows. Non-animated folks like Ghostface Killah, Cee-Lo & Talib Kweli also lend a hand.
Also On Metacritic
MUSIC: Danger Mouse: The Grey Album Gnarls Barkley: St. Elsewhere Madvillain: Madvillainy MF Doom: MM..Food Viktor Vaughn: Venomous Villain [VV:2]
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Filter
An entire record of scorching wordplay, groovy soundscapes, jaw-dropping cadence and Aqua Teen Hunger Force cameos. [#17, p.93]
Entertainment Weekly
A hip-hop tour de farce. [14 Oct 2005, p.152]
Village Voice (Consumer Guide)
Both guys are so irrepressibly playful that they get serious at their peril--they're better off as a nonstop musical goof.
Read Full Review >Splendid
Rather than detract from the funkified weirdness, the guest spots from the Adult Swim crew actually add to the craziness.
Read Full Review >Magnet
Finds both beatmaker and rapper at the peak of their powers. [#70, p.89]
Billboard
Lyrically, Doom hasn't sounded this vital since Viktor Vaughn's "Vaudeville Villain."
Read Full Review >Paste Magazine
Wonderfully askew. [Feb/Mar 2006, p.96]
Slant Magazine
The Mouse and the Mask, while it may not be answering life's questions, is an enjoyable and highly original achievement.
Read Full Review >Dusted Magazine
Like Paul's Boutique, The Mouse and the Mask is at times frustrating in its top-heaviness. Thank god it's got Doom.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
Even though the album maintains a barely serious attitude from start to finish, it's impossible to doubt the talent and style present.
Read Full Review >Junkmedia
It might not be the underground hip-hop record of the year, but it is easily on the short list.
Read Full Review >Prefix Magazine
The Mouse and the Mask’s levity is the antithesis of the dense Madvilliany, and it continues Doom’s steady march toward achieving legendary status.
Read Full Review >Delusions of Adequacy
The beats on The Mouse and the Mask are remarkably consistent, satisfactorily complex, and surprisingly subtle.
Read Full Review >Uncut
This is MF Doom's most accessible moment to date. [Nov 2005, p.108]
The Onion (A.V. Club)
The addition of Adult Swim characters into damn near every track isn't always seamless or clever, and the album could do without "Bada Bing" or Meatwad's intentionally painful bonus-track cover of Doom's "Beef Rapp," but otherwise, this stellar collaboration threatens to give underground synergy a good name.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
Proof once more, that you can be experimental, extreme and eccentric but be excellently hip hop all at the same time.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
It's not as revealing as Doom's other work, and Danger Mouse's big, Technicolor productions here are a little too trivial to be immortal. But for what it attempts-- which is basically a comedy record with no-joke skills-- it exceeds expectations.
Read Full Review >Spin
Doom's playing it safe. [Oct 2005, p.133]
Los Angeles Times
An ingeniously clever album. [13 Nov 2005]
Mojo
An entirely silly album. [Jan 2006, p.120]
Q Magazine
Doom's bizarre raps prove a good match for Danger Mouse's eclectic approach. [Nov 2005, p.123]
Rolling Stone
It's a fun ride. [6 Oct 2005, p.154]
Tiny Mix Tapes
The Mouse and the Mask's downfall, though, is its excruciatingly narrow scope.
Read Full Review >Playlouder
Though not really getting the joke can somewhat divorce the listener from proceedings, the slick, masterful production and real-life cameos from the likes of Ghostface and particularly Cee-Lo on the majestic 'Benzi Box' make up for the feeling of exclusion.
Read Full Review >cokemachineglow
It’s not a bad album, and Doom’s rapping is damn near unparalleled; but when you come right down to it, The Mouse & the Mask kinda feels like a throwaway.
Read Full Review >The Guardian
While this buoyant link-up is no disgrace, its main ingredients - copshow brass, cartoon flutes, professor voices - are fairly familiar rap tropes.
Read Full Review >Alternative Press
Both participants' artistic weaponry [is] set for "stun" instead of "kill." [Dec 2005, p.216]
Stylus Magazine
Abandoned in the spotlight, Doom appears to falter, though again I think it’s just because we’ve grown so accustomed to cherry-picking his lyrical gems from a well-blended stoned barrage.
Read Full Review >Blender
Surprisingly pedestrian. [Nov 2005, p.134]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.3 (out of 10) based on 42 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Dillon G gave it a7:
danger doom rocks the hip-hop scene with their intelligent use of comical rhymes, comic book and cartoon characters, and danger mouse is great at mixing beats and at producing. their best guest appearances were obviously Talib Kweli and Ghostface. (cee-lo was alright.) it was abstract and surreal, but it could've integrated more social commentary and been more straight-forward at times....other than that, very solid first album, and hopefully many more to come.
pelicaine gave it a9:
First and foremost, this CD shows a textbook example on how skits should be done. They are funny and don't interrupt the flow of the abun one bit. That being said, this is a great release. DOOM's rhymes are always fun to listen to lyrically and structurally, though at points I wish that DOOM would have stepped up his rhyming. DangerMouse's beats are on point all the way through. This album does a great job of introducing [adult swim] fans to a new flavor of hip-hop. What a refreshing release that deserves to be in the collection of a hip-hop head that loves creative rhyme schemes (DOOM rhymes whole bars with each other. Put that on your dictionary and suck it.) and some head-nodding beats, go cop it.
turbo d gave it a10:
entire album is pure genius, from start to finish.... lyrics, beats, skits... perfect. played this everyday for weeks now, always brings me up, everyone loves it. more cohesive than mf's other works. tho i highly reccomend madvillany....slightly on the darker side.
Dan T gave it a9:
Possibly the dopest hip-hop release of 2005
MC Dish gave it a7:
This album is solid, MF Doom got weird, innate ability to come up with lyrics, and Dj Danger Mouse produces the beats well. Rock solid. However, y'all got to worry if this is for real, or if it's gonna be just a trend.
Diablo P gave it a9:
1. Do you like Rap? 2. Do you like Adult Swim? If you said yes or even said maybe to either of those 2 questions go and by this album. It is awesome. DangerMouse and MF Doom are unstoppable.
Wilkes B. gave it an8:
Enjoyable CD, different than anything else I've heard lately. Good beats, funny lyrics. Don't sleep on it.
