The Outsider
by DJ Shadow
User Score
4.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 46 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 46
  3. Negative: 23 out of 46

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  1. MadMax
    Sep 30, 2006
    6
    It's quite surprising how much of a bad rap this album has received ever since its release. Sure, it's no Endtroducing or Private Press. I'm all happier because of this since it do show that no matter how successful his forumlas have been, Shadow is lucid enough to not deliver the same album twice. The Outsider is, once again, a very different beast, and I think it's It's quite surprising how much of a bad rap this album has received ever since its release. Sure, it's no Endtroducing or Private Press. I'm all happier because of this since it do show that no matter how successful his forumlas have been, Shadow is lucid enough to not deliver the same album twice. The Outsider is, once again, a very different beast, and I think it's for the best, even if the album is not as strong as past Shadow albums. The hyphy, hip-hop numbers are by far the best tracks in there... once you finally accept the fact that there are vocalists (!) on a DJ Shadow record, these tracks are easily on par with what Shadow achieved in the end. However, the instrumental cuts seem like a poor attempt to carry over the Private Press vibe in an attempt to show how diverse he is as a producer: most of these are rather bland and inoffensive. If anything, this album showed more premise with the hip-hop tracks than the rest of the material there. It's enjoyable, but the track sequence is a mess, the songs are really hit-and-miss and whenever the record attempt to recall past Shadow endeavours, it sounds out of place and clumsy. This is by no means a disaster, unlike what so many trigger-happy fans were eager to tell everyone. It's a good album, but it could also have been a lot better if Shadow decided where he would branch out to instead of trying to please everyone and making a mess out of the whole deal.… Expand
  2. HabibW
    Jan 31, 2007
    6
    Hate/love is my reaction...by far the best intro of any album to date...followed by a great but ill placed song 'try it my way'...should have been the conclusion of the disk...followed by better than your average hyphy coupled with awful rappers(E-40, Keek Da Sneak, Turf Talk) and then a better than usual David Banner and then some uninteresting instrumentals...but then the Hate/love is my reaction...by far the best intro of any album to date...followed by a great but ill placed song 'try it my way'...should have been the conclusion of the disk...followed by better than your average hyphy coupled with awful rappers(E-40, Keek Da Sneak, Turf Talk) and then a better than usual David Banner and then some uninteresting instrumentals...but then the highlight of the album 'Backstage Girl' ...this track w/ the intro make your money's worth...'Tiger' is masterful but awful singing as well with most of the rest of the album...as a producer I was influenced a lot by Shadow so I can understand where he is going...perhaps he should re-release this album without vocals then he would be praised...… Expand
  3. frankrog29
    Aug 8, 2014
    4
    This is DJ Shadow's first bad album. He was going for a San Francisco-based "hyphy" sound with the hip-hop tracks. However, he should have chosen better guest emcees (E-40, Q-Tip, and Lateef the Truth Speaker are good though). I know that Shadow wanted to make this album hip-hop-centric, but I also know he could have made way better beats than these. Even the non-hip-hop tracks are notThis is DJ Shadow's first bad album. He was going for a San Francisco-based "hyphy" sound with the hip-hop tracks. However, he should have chosen better guest emcees (E-40, Q-Tip, and Lateef the Truth Speaker are good though). I know that Shadow wanted to make this album hip-hop-centric, but I also know he could have made way better beats than these. Even the non-hip-hop tracks are not very good and, in come cases, laughably corny. This album is occasionally enjoyable, but I strongly suggest listening to earlier Shadow material over this!… Expand
  4. clem666
    Jan 3, 2021
    4
    Among thirty-four reviews only three are mixed. I chose to add the fourth one. And wow what an unexpected album! Ten years after his striking 'Endtroducing....' album DJ Shadow comes back again with 'The Outsider'.

    This project oozes the desire to produce more varied pieces of music. We are tossed around in every direction during 'The Outsider'. There is spoken rap, rock, hip-hop,    Among thirty-four reviews only three are mixed. I chose to add the fourth one. And wow what an unexpected album! Ten years after his striking 'Endtroducing....' album DJ Shadow comes back again with 'The Outsider'.

    This project oozes the desire to produce more varied pieces of music. We are tossed around in every direction during 'The Outsider'. There is spoken rap, rock, hip-hop, electro, almost acoustic songs and instrumental ones. The artist has surrounded himself with a few collaborators to offer us his most eclectic work. With such an artistic direction there will obviously be as many admirers as detractors. But in facts it appears that DJ Sahdow disappointed more than he surprised us.

    For me rap tracks were the worst like '3 Freaks' (and he even remixed it). 'Turf Dancing', 'Dats My Part' and 'Purple Grapes' were the most atrocious pain in the ears of the album. The rest is actually oscilliating between 'decent' and 'really interesting'. This project just highlighted for me the fact that DJ Shadow is simply the best at what he usually does. However I can't stop him to try what he wants.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

90
#90 Most Discussed Album of 2006

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
62

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 31
  3. Negative: 1 out of 31
  1. Rolling Stone
    70
    As a full-length Shadow album, The Outsider buckles from its forced diversity. [24 Aug 2006, p.94]
  2. Q Magazine
    70
    As ever, The Outsider's production is immaculate. But by frontloading the album with forbidding hip hop, [Shadow] knows he's driving away the floating voter. [Sep 2006, p.106]
  3. Tiny Mix Tapes
    80
    The Outsider screams to be downloaded in sections by fans of specific genres.
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