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''Blowout Comb'' is the second and final studio album by American hip hop group Digable Planets, released October 18, 1994, on Pendulum/EMI Records. The album was written and recorded in Brooklyn, New York, where the group moved, with recording sessions beginning in 1993 and finishing in 1994. On ''Blowout Comb'', Digable Planets abandoned the radio friendly style of their debut album and worked with a more stripped-down sound. The album features a diverse range of samples and live instruments, and contains lyrical themes of the inner city and Black nationalism.〔Boehm, Mike. (Digable Planets and Spearhead Gravitate Toward Artistic Growth, Not Complacency ). ''Los Angeles Times''. Retrieved on 2009-08-15.〕 It also features guest appearances from Guru of Gang Starr, Jeru the Damaja, and DJ Jazzy Joyce. Upon its release, ''Blowout Comb'' received minimal label support, and virtually no pre-release publicity.〔 It peaked at number 32 on the ''Billboard'' 200, and number 13 on the Top R&B Albums, making it a commercial failure. It featured the singles "9th wonder" and "Dial 7", which also did not chart well, and failed to match the success of the group's previous singles. Several music writers have attributed this lack of chart and sales success to the album's afrocentric content, and un-polished tone. Shortly after the release of ''Blowout Comb'', Digable Planets broke up due to creative differences and displeasure with the music industry. Although the album did not achieve commercial success, and received very little attention at the time of its release, ''Blowout Comb'' received generally greater acclaim amongst music critics and writers than the group's debut ''Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space)''. It has been noted for its seamless production and has been described as a "textured soundscape of a mythical world of rhymes, jazz and urban ambiance."〔 ''Blowout Comb'' is often regarded as Digable Planets' best album, and has gained an underground following in later years.〔 In 2013, it was reissued on vinyl LP by Light in the Attic Records. == Background == On Digable Planets’ 1993 debut album ''Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space)'', the group used many references to insects. These concepts were inspired due to "insects nature to stick together and work for mutually beneficial causes", which the group saw as a useful principle for African-Americans in low-income communities.〔Mizell Jr., Larry. ''Blowout Comb'' Re-Issue Liner Notes. Light in the Attic Records. Retrieved on 2013-13-07.〕 However, they abandoned these concepts on ''Blowout Comb'', with group-leader Ishmael Butler articulating "All the insect concepts and imagery was outta there by the time we did ''Blowout''. I felt that it had got misconstrued, kinda like De La Soul and the daisies. ''Blowout'' was a natural expansion of what Digable Planets were reaching for in the first place, but shallow ears got lost".〔 Ishmael Butler then changed his group-name from Butterfly to "Ish", Mary Ann Vieira changed her group-name from Ladybug to "Mecca", and Craig Irving changed his group-name from Doodlebug to "C-Know".〔 Black Moon's ''Enta Da Stage'' (1993) and Wu-Tang Clan's ''Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)'' (1993) have both been credited for changing Digable Planets' post ''Reachin' ...'' direction.〔R.H.S. (How Digable Planets Straight New Yorked You (Page 1) ). ohword.com. September 10, 2005.〕 In late 1993, Digable Planets moved from Philadelphia, to Fort Greene, Brooklyn, where they all lived in the same neighborhood.〔 Ishmael explained "New York was literally a Mecca for rappers so we went there and did it. Just the visceral energy; you walk outside and even if there’s 20 inches of snow, somehow the city is rockin' and rollin'. I just approached it bright-eyed, like 'when I'm of age I'm going to New York. Rakim, he sounded like New York so I'm going there'. At an early age I had a sense that if you were gonna rap you had to go to New York if you were really gonna do it".〔 While in Brooklyn, the group was heavily involved in the community, which they aimed to capture on ''Blowout Comb'', making it a "Brooklyn album" and a "Brooklyn soundtrack".〔 "Borough Check", featuring Guru from Gang Starr, was one of the first songs recorded for the album and is an ode to Brooklyn.〔 It was stated that while in Brooklyn, the Digable Planets "observed, absorbed, and rocked the many styles of speak, gear, smoke, and sound that New York had to offer and incorporated the various shades into a stance that was strangely celebratory, wary, indulgent, and subversive".〔R.H.S. (How Digable Planets Straight New Yorked You (Page 2) ). ohword.com. September 10, 2005.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Blowout Comb」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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