Emotional Hooligan cover

Emotional Hooligan

Released

It’s hard to know how to categorize Gary Clail. Not a rapper, exactly — his hectoring, declamatory style doesn’t usually track with the rhythms of his instrumental tracks — but by no means a singer, he performs more in the manner of secular street preacher with a backing band. The fact that his band on The Emotional Hooligan consists largely of members of Tackhead, alongside other luminaries of the On-U Sound stable, means that his mini-essays on homelessness, vegetarianism, and romantic vexation get maximally funky and dubwise settings. The result is an unusually compelling album.

Rick Anderson

Recommended by

Suggestions
Psalms for I cover

Psalms for I

Prince Far I
Animal cover

Animal

Fakear
Dub Side of the Moon cover

Dub Side of the Moon

Easy Star All-Stars
Black Man Land cover

Black Man Land

Prince Far I
Double Sided cover

Double Sided

Katrina Blackstone, DJ Vadim
Strength cover

Strength

Samory I
Psychonavigation cover

Psychonavigation

Bill Laswell, Pete Namlook
In East London cover

In East London

Wrongtom, Deemas J