Bust Out That Gold Spray Paint! (4 Stars)
I've been an Atmosphere fan since 2003, and seeing them flourish over the years has been an exciting process. The strategic approach counting down to the release of their 6th full-length album "When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Sh** Gold", is among the best marketing scheme's you'll ever see spawned by an independent record label. So good in fact, that is has seemingly stripped them of underground status as the album debuted at an astonishing #5 on the Billboard Top 200 alongside other fluffy pop artists such as Mariah Carey & Ashlee Simpson.

Leading up to it's release, Atmosphere released a string of 4 excellent 5-song EPs, and the undeniably dope full-length "Strictly Leakage" for FREE through the official Rhymesayers web site. In addition to creating a plethora of solid material, Slug & Ant tirelessly promoted their new album through a series 10-minute You Tube episodes entitled "Paint It Gold", where they answered endless questions from fans throughout the world, and also provided them an outlet for that extra promotion they needed for the album.

In all actuality, the formula for "Lemons" is not sonically different from most Atmosphere records. Ant's beats creep into a bit more synth-heavy territory on some tracks, and on the whole, comes through with some of his cleanest, and most memorable set of beats to date. Slug is also maturing very nicely. His songwriting skills and his close-knit connection with his fans have reached an all-time high. I have a hard time thinking of a rapper that would be more in touch with the game of hip-hop today than Slug is. He seems to stay truly inspired, and it comes through in his writing and delivery. The album does slightly favor conscious, introspective material over straight bangers. In other words, it's nothing like "Strictly Leakage".

"Like The Rest Of Us" & "Puppets" kick the album off. They are notably slow for openers, and really sets up the mood for the album. "The Skinny" is one of the more unique gems here. The production is filled with grimey synth, and works quite well. Slug boasts clever lyrics about cigarettes through the metaphor of a pimp. "Dreamer" includes nice hooks, choruses & some beautiful production; definitely a favorite of mine. "Shoulda Know" is the first video/single off the record, and stands strong as well. "You" is definitely my favorite in the bunch. Ant's production is addictive here, and that chorus will get stuck in your head for days. And as Ant stated in one of their episodes of "Paint It Gold", this song makes you smile every time you hear it. The piano-filled "Yesterday" is equally dope in my opinion. "Guarantees" may be the most different song you'll hear here. Just Slug & a nice quiet guitar with a nice singer-songwriter piece. It would be served better with a better guitarist and a straight up acoustic, but it's still very nice. "Painting" & "Me" are also a couple of excellent tunes that border on melancholy. "Wild Wild Horses" works excellent here. Nice samples and beat all around. Closing out the album, we get some beautiful tunes. My favorites being "The Waitress" & the banger "Can't Break". The deluxe edition includes a 40-page gold embossed hard cover book with an illustrated book written by Slug, and a bonus DVD of an entire live performance straight from First Avenue in Minneapolis!

Overall, this is one of Atmosphere's most gorgeously crafted albums in their entire catalog; and of 2008. And I can't think of a much better album that could break into the Billboard charts with such presence than "Lemons". And it definitely holds a much different vibe than your typical mainstream rap affair, which will hopefully shine some light on more of the "real" hip-hop released in the days where mainstream rap is in a world of hurt. Excellent job Slug & Ant. You are making Minnesota proud!

Atmosphere's New Spin
I'll say this first: this album will be a tough one for Atmosphere's die-hard fans to embrace. It's definitely different, but after awhile the album reveals its true brilliance--the beautiful, poetic lyrics combined with different, innovative beats create an irresistible album. Because Slug and Ant have been around for nearly ten years, it was probably time for them to reinvent rap--again, and their esteemed position in indie rap becomes even further deserved with this cd. At first, it seems as if the duo have lost their edge, there aren't any killer tracks like "F@#* You Lucy" or "Pour Me Another." The entire album is less abrasive, and more subtle than their past cds; but this does not make the music boring. Rather, the band has matured, and Slug's ability to tell the stories of people he loves, or has just encountered, is incredible. He can see beyond his own traumas, unlike in past cds, and extend his talents to tell other stories. Songs such as "The Waitress," "Dreamer," and "Your Glasshouse" reflect other's struggles beautifully and realistically. Slug hasn't completely forgotten about himself; however, tracks such as "Me" and "Yesterday" mirror his own life and struggles. "Yesterday" is an especially memorable track about Slug's father's death, and is surprisingly upbeat and optimistic; it just might be the album's highlight. Ant's nostalgic yet innovative beats add many layers to the songs and elevate the album beyond a typical rap attempt. Overall, stand out tracks include "You," which is catchy and infectious, "Your Glasshouse," which evokes a dark, damp, alcohol-ridden basement party, and "Puppets," a soulful, vibrant song. In all honesty, each and every one of these songs deserves to stand amongst the others--there aren't any throwaway tracks here. This album truly seems to be a labor of love for the duo, and sets a new standard for other rappers to emulate. Unlike past Atmosphere albums, the songs take some time to grow on you and to fully understand, but are well worth the effort.

Sad Clown Good Review
This album explains alot of the 5 track EP's and free albums Slug and Ant released leading up to this release. From track 1 til track 15, this album is a story. Hell, even the track names read as a full sentence if you look. This isn't a party album, but a masterful piece of evidence that true hip-hop is NOT dead.

Kicking off with the piano keys on "Like the Rest of Us" and ending with the anthem for any father that listens to hiphop, "In Her Music Box". The best part of this album, however, isn't the album itself, but the Limited Edition DVD of Sad Clown Bad Dub 13... It's about an hour of live performance's from the last 2 shows in Minneapolis from their previous tour. Alot of the songs from Lemons are run through, but also peppered in with some classics and rare songs like "Say Shhh".

This isn't "mass-consumption" hip-hop. If you still enjoy having rappers tell you about their money, jewels, and how dope they are... go buy a 50 Cent CD and wash your mouth with buckshot. This is the art of storytelling right here... This is Slug and Ant showing us what they do best... incredible music.

Incredible
The beats and lyrics are atmosphere's best. I have all of their old music including all of the sad clowns and headshots, and this is by far my favorite.

F*** the HATERS
make a mix of atmosphere if you dont like osme songs. he didtn make it just for you. seriously though there is not ONE full album since like lucy ford and overcast that have had a staedy flow. when artists branch they branch. dont forget that slug likes indie artists like spoon and stuff like that

"i travel with spoon to mix this cake batter"

ahem