Def Jux was actually the label that got me into hip-hop (though I started with Aesop Rock, because of course I did), so I feel compelled to say something here even if I don't have as much input as I'd maybe like.

So obviously as a late-to-the-party Jux fan I was very into The Cold Vein, but I was also pretty familiar with Vast and Vordul's respective solo careers, so I didn't really have a ton of expectations for this record.

Basically I ended up being kinda neutral on it. It's good for what it is (a late-career comeback attempt by an act that have really faded from what spotlight they had), but there's some holes in it too. Vast Aire's delivery is still as weirdly angular as it ever was, that works in his favor sometimes, but when he's saying stuff like "my kids are hard, they eat iron candy" it really doesn't. Vordul's a bit better only becuase his performance is more even-handed, lower highs but higher lows and all that.

Bill Cosmiq is kind of the enigma at the center of the record, cuz I'd never heard of this dude before. But basically he makes a slightly softer kind of the same music El-P does. El-P is a hard dude to imitate (really as far as "El-P influenced" producers go I can only name Cosmiq and Mike Finito off the top of my head) so he deserves some credit for mostly getting it right, but, still, a touch of originality would've been nice.

I'm coming down on it harder than I mean to though. I still think it's a good album, just not a great one, I think how much someone enjoys this is going to depend on the expectations they bring in with them, and I really wouldn't begrudge anyone for not liking it even though I did.

Might give it a 3/5, if I were to rate it numerically.