Words by Jesse H.
The most overlooked factor in crafting a good album (especially in the playlist era of music) is the sequencing. A staple of notable 4.5/5 Cig albums is having two great songs sequenced consecutively (the really notable ones often have strings of three). In this (hopefully) recurring feature, we’ll be examining old albums which have two songs perfectly sequenced back-to-back.
The Game does many, many stupid things. Picking beats and sequencing them well is not one of them. The Documentary was a standout album for so many reasons. The production was terrific, it symbolized the peak of G-Unit’s dominance, Dre’s production got people fiending for Detox again, and love him or hate him, it introduced us to a fresh West Coast force to be reckoned with (can you honestly say anything harsh about his discography?).
The album has its fair share of terrific songs, but the peak in intensity comes on tracks #8 and #9. Just Blaze delivers in predictably epic fashion, lacing “Church for Thugs” with gargantuan drums and percolating trumpet blasts. Game shows he’s no lyrical lightweight either (“If I die for one of my statements/ then crack up the streets of Compton, spill my blood on the pavement”), delivering some chest-thumping braggadocio on a stand-the-fuck-up West Coast street banger.
Then the familiar audio clip kicks in “Electroconvulsive Therapy Part 1.” This track is brilliantly placed. After hitting the listeners with the high-octane potency of “Church for Thugs,” rolling out the mid-tempo Timbaland club song is brilliant. The shift in tone from the sun-scorched concrete streets of Compton to a sparsely lit, hazy club is instant, logical and executed masterfully. It obviously doesn’t hurt that beat-wise, this is one of Timbaland’s best efforts.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Download — The Game – “Church for Thugs” (Prod. By Just Blaze)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Download — The Game – Put You On To Game” (Prod. By Timbaland)
![[avatar]](http://p.uproxxcdn.com/global/images/default-avatar.jpg){kind=avatar}
![[image]](http://cdn.tss.uproxx.com/TSS/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2012/01/eminem-main-150x71.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.tss.uproxx.com/TSS/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2012/02/lego-main-150x71.jpg)
Church for thugs is hands down my favorite just blaze beat. ooooooohweeeeee!
game got some heaters man it sucks hes such a wierdo…his antics sometimes over shadow his body of work…pause?
church for thugs and the other just blaze beat on the album no more fun and games were some of my favorite work by him
i have always told people that even The Game delivers solid albums he will never deliver another one as good as the documentary – this album has a HD feel to all the production was crisp the songs were sequenced right and had all the little details (snoop saying westside in “Higher” etc.) little things like that take albums to another level and dr. dre really delivered the west coast sound that was missing for a while
crazy album even probably great. great beatlist even sure classic !
dope gangsta mainstreamed ish fo shizzle. aftermath peak. now detox ?
2010 or never
Definitely two classic joints. Timbo killed that Put You On The Game. Just Blaze delivers every time. Game stay with solid lyrics. This cd was a classic for sure.
great songs. great album.
but do you honestly think The Game sequenced the tracks on his debut himself?
I believe someone else may have had a hand in that
Documentary was the only good album he has made and ever will make.
doctor’s advocate was good. Lax is really decent too
@ Ramdom Guy, u probably wanted to say Great album he has made
L.A.X. was fire.
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2009/09/07/obamas-long-awaited-back-to-school-speech/tab/comments/#comment-367748
Obama’s speech.
i always thought that turn it down part was pretty fresh….
I prefer Doctor’s Advocate to the Documentary. It strikes me as more original, kinda like The Blueprint vs Reasonable Doubt. Less derivative.
I used to bump these two songs religiously. If this guy learned how to control his emotions he would’ve had a much better career. It’s too bad he can’t [control his emotions].
dope idea for a feature.
both classic songs IMO. co-sign Pacman24` on the little things making an album. “Electroconvulsive Therapy Part 1.” gets me every time. I remember gettin the leak of this before it dropped, burning it and playin these two tracks first for my boys on the way to school the next day. head noddin music.
and for the record, The Documentary > Doctor’s Advocate > LAX.
Im same as some of yall. He needs to get his looin n the right direction… cuz he was a hot spitta bak then now he barely startin to step bak up since youknowhatitis 4. This album made me a believer that he could be outta g unit n survive. but who knew he’d still be doin this shit 6 yrs later…… smh.
o yeah the trax r fire 2….
Is LA Bitch a famous cornrow-er or wat?
I still have Church for Thugs on the iPod. It comes in handy when I gotta get my mind right for some niggerishness.