Aesop Rock “Daylight” (Best of the Decade)
I can recall but a few truly positive memories from last summer; one that floats to the top of the muck is seeing Aesop Rock at Soundset 2008. Strictly as a performance, it might not top his set at First Avenue that I’d seen the previous year, but it had a feeling that was a bit unexplainable. With clouds looming and tornado sirens going off in the distance (throughout the entire afternoon), Aes’ set was the line I had set where the day would end, if only to avoid the rain its cousins. Going through a set heavy with songs from None Shall Pass, it eventually came time to deliver a set-standard that seemed oh-so-fitting at the time: “Daylight.”
With or without the memory of the Soundset performance, the song itself is one of my all-time favorites. “Daylight” has not only one of my absolute favorite verses, “Life’s not a bitch, life is a beautiful woman, you only call her a bitch ’cause she won’t let you get that pussy. Maybe she didn’t feel y’all shares any similar interests, or maybe you’re just an asshole who couldn’t sweet-talk a princess,” but one of my favorite choruses as well, “All I ever wanted was to pick apart the day, put the pieces back together my way.” There are few songs that I’ve heard—when I truly zone in and find myself in the moment—that take me on such an emotional roller coaster ride as this; and when given the environment—such as that of one with potentially devastating weather lurking—the song has a way of creating its only space in time for a person. That’s was the time, and my brain remains the space.
I loved the Daylight EP but never really liked anything else I’ve heard of Aesop Rock. This song was the one I liked most of that EP.
Really? None Shall Pass remains one of my favorites from the past few years… hell, the Nike mix he did with his wife a few years back was awesome too.
Great song – “No Regrets” is my fave off of this album but I love this one too
It’s been a few years since I have checked anything out though, I will have to give that one a try sometime.
Yeah, the beat is beautiful, and the hook is one of the best he’s written.
i agree with jon about “no regrets,” though. it’s his most straight-forward song, and partly because of that it’s his most powerful. at least to me.
I saw that same Aes Rock set at Soundset. One of the most passionate shows I’ve seen in some time, especially with Aesop overcoming the death of Camu. Daylight’s hook is pretty much unforgettable. Great summary Chris.