NEWLY RELEASED – November 24, 2009

Thought Balloon Mushroom Cloud

MC Paul Barman – Thought Balloon Mushroom Cloud

New Album Set to Explode on Thanksgiving 2009

MC PAUL BARMAN, a man who referenced Krzysztof Kieslowski in one line and his pissed-off Jimbrowski in the next, introduced the word “vajayjay” into the American lexicon, and once rhymed in palindrome, returns with his first album since 2002. Featuring cameos from hip hop luminaries like Masta Ace, ?uestlove and Memory Man, Thought Balloon Mushroom Cloud picks up where Barman left off –with his signature crazy, complex wordplay. On one song (“Back on a White Horse”), finds Barman rhyming in double-crostics, on another (“Power”) he translates the teachings of The 48 Laws of Power into verse, on another (“Science”) dude even rhymes in Morse code. The verbal legerdemain is quintessential MCPB, but Thought Balloon also expresses a newfound depth of emotional range of a husband, father and teacher trying to make sense out of all kinds of grown-up shit.

Barman was thrust into the national spotlight when he collaborated with Prince Paul on his first album It’s Very Stimulating (WordSound) in 2000. Straight out of college, Barman’s ascendancy was sudden and he never truly got the chance to hone his craft. That’s why the last 8 years of touring, performing and experimenting with different styles, sounds and art forms has proven so meaningful to the 35-year old MC. Thought Balloon, may have its off-the-wall moments, but it’s also a coming-of-age. From the song “Go Sane”:

“MC Paul Barman presents a tempting fall bargain/More knowledge in one song than the next man’s whole album.”

Every element of Thought Balloon is a work of art: From its intricate album art, which merges illustrations and typeface into figurative letter forms; to the animated video for “It Can All Be Taken Away” created by director Michel Gondry, Thought Balloon Mushroom Cloud will create fallout for years to come.

For more information, contact press [at] mcpaulbarman [dot] com.

TRACKS
01 PROPS (prod. by ?uestlove and James Poyser. Scratches by Casual-T)

Props

02 GO SANE (prod. by DOOM)
03 HAIRY MOTH OWL (prod. by Memory Man)
04 THE MOON (feat. Masta Ace, Del The Funky Homosapien & C-Rayz Walz. Prod. by Memory Man)

The Moon

05 OWL PELLETS (prod. by Memory Man)
06 ALLAHU AKBAR (prod. by Casual-T)
07 LOSING A PUPPY (sung by Kimiko Ono-Bernard, music by Jean-Michel Bernard)
08 GET ALONG SONG (prod. by Prince Paul)

Get Along Song

09 LIDGEON (prod. by DOOM, Phofo and Michel Gondry)
10 BACK ON A WHITE HORSE (prod. by Memory Man)
11 SCIENCE (feat. Old Codger, prod. by Memory Man)
12 HOT GUACAMOLE (feat. DOOM, prod. by Prince Paul)
13 POWER (prod. by Memory Man)
14 SAMPLING LAW (prod. by Mofo Snot)
15 For Skins (advertisement)
16 CIRCUMCISION (feat. Warm DJ Orange Alert. Prod. by Memory Man)
17 AIDS (feat. Dr. Joyce Wallace, prod. by Memory Man and Max Anomalous)
18 HELP (prod. by MCPB/JBeez)
19 DRUG CASUAL-T (prod. by Memory Man)
20 ASK YOUR MAMA (prod. by Casual-T)
21 DIVORCE (directed by Michel Gondry)
22 It Can All Be Taken Away (Music by Michel Gondry)