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Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Built From Scratch
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 11 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 4 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Relativity
Release Date: 29 January 2002
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Rap, DJ
Summary
The sophomore effort for the New York turnablists (following 1997's 'X-Pressions') features 20 tracks of scratching and DJ wizardry, coupled with live drums and guitar and vocals from guests such as the Large Professor.
Also By This Artist: Revolutions
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...
Entertainment Weekly
While their lightning-fast deck skills evoke nostalgia, the X-men still sound like the freshest crew on the block.
Read Full Review >CDNow
On Scratch, they masterfully explore breakbeat fusion, flowing smoothly from scratch to hip-hop to rock and everything in between.
Read Full Review >E! Online
Each cameo adds style, pizzazz (and most importantly, cool vocals) to the four-man crew's turntable acrobatics.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
Although it is an immensely enjoyable experience featuring often breathtaking dexterity and turntable trickery, it rarely deviates from a strictly old school template.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
Purists might object to Built To Scratch's overt commercialism, but the four-man crew succeeds in making turntablism accessible to a mainstream audience without sacrificing the kinetic demolition at the heart of its music.
Read Full Review >Launch.com
But for all the high-level assistance the group receives, what keeps Built From Scratch consistently interesting remains the fantastic four’s work on the wheels of steel.
Read Full Review >Alternative Press
The collaborations produce some occasional gems, but midway through the disc one gets the impression the X-men are no longer "in their own session." [Feb 2002, p.82]
All Music Guide
Built From Scratch is a sharp ode to old school hip-hop that focuses on the roll of the turntable rather than the vocals of an MC.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
These collaborations reveal one fatal flaw in the album's formula: All the imported noise makes the X-Men's delicate routines of cutting and juggling seem hopelessly obscure.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle
With no new scratches, no innovations, and an abuse of mere battle scratches, the X-ecutioners overcompensate for their overall lack of creativity by cluttering tracks with constant restatements of reaffirmation, forcing even credible MCs to become pawns of the ornamental obsession to their own greatness.
Read Full Review >Neumu.net
Just like an album of guitar solos, an album of battling fancy-fingered trick-pony turntablism is an utterly artless endeavor.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 6.0 (out of 10) based on 4 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Danky M gave it a6:
Fuck that Linkin Park shit that track keeps it from being a "7". The best track on the album is "a Journey into Sound" its got a Rakim sample and Dan the Automator beatboxing what more do you want. the end of album though is just weak like they rush it not worth buying, but if you got some extra room or your hard drive definetly pirate it of the internet
nasir j gave it a10:
Yeahhhhhh !
Jack M. gave it a 8:
This album kicks assiola!!! my favorite song was the song "Its Going Down" with those Guys from Linkin Park. Its Going Down (:]
