Lucy Ford

Description

Following the release of their debut album, Overcast!, in 1997, Atmosphere was already making waves in the underground hip-hop scene, gaining attention through their unique combination of content, styles, and sounds. Though the group was suddenly reduced in size due to the departure of member Spawn, the buzz continued to grow, as did the creative output of remaining members, Slug and Ant. Over the next three years, the duo recorded and released a flurry of unofficial Atmosphere CD's, tapes, songs and side projects, as well as pressing and distributing a series of vinyl EPs, titled Ford One, Ford Two, and The Lucy EP. These EPs were eventually collected onto one CD, for sale on tour and distribution to stores, to become what most consider Atmosphere's official sophomore album, Lucy Ford: The Atmosphere EP's, more commonly referred to as Lucy Ford. Lucy Ford is filled with the agile wordplay found on Atmosphere's debut, but it's paired with more introspective rhymes than on the previous effort. Tracks like "The Woman With the Tattooed Hands" and "Nothing But Sunshine" show Slug as equally adept at poignant storytelling as he is at delivering a deeper message for the good of humankind, while cuts like "Don't Ever Fucking Question That" and "Like Today" drop the facade of character, allowing listeners to get to know the rapper in a more intimate way. The album isn't entirely devoid of ego, however. Slug reminds listeners of his battle roots on "Guns & Cigarettes" over a heavily blues-inspired beat crafted by Ant, who handled the lion's share of the album's production. And while Ant knows how to bring out the emotional essence of a beat, from idyllic to enraged, there were a few notable contributions from outside producers, including the dub inspiration of "Free or Dead" by Jel, and the somber optimism of "Nothing But Sunshine" by Moodswing9, among others. Now, to celebrate its 20th Anniversary, the entirety of Lucy Ford is finally available on double vinyl, for the very first time! Fans and collectors worldwide can finally own this integral piece of Atmosphere's legacy on vinyl with the original artwork.