The Less You Know, the Better

Not to be confused withThe Less I Know the Better.

The Less You Know, the Better
Studio albumby DJ Shadow
Released	September 30, 2011(2011-09-30)
Recorded	2009–11
Genre	Hip hop instrumental hip hop trip hop electronica
Length	59:22
Label	Island
Producer	DJ Shadow
DJ Shadowchronology
The Outsider (2006) The Less You Know, the Better (2011) The Mountain Will Fall (2016)
SinglesfromThe Less You Know, the Better
"I've Been Trying" Released: September 2010 "I Gotta Rokk" Released: May 17, 2011 "Warning Call" Released: September 7, 2011 "Scale It Back" Released: November 4, 2011

The Less You Know, the Betteris the fourth studio album by Americanhip hopproducerDJ Shadow,released on September 30, 2011 byIsland Records.As with his previous efforts, it relies extensively onsamples,which span different genres and time periods. The album sees Shadow exploring many genres and production styles, from fast-paced tracks prominently featuringguitarsandscratchingto slow tracks featuringpianos.Contributions came from a wide range of artists, includingTalib Kweli,Afrikan Boy,Posdnuos,andTom Vek.

The album received mixed to positive reviews, with critics being divided over its mix of styles. General consensus among critics was that despite its shortcomings, it was an overall solid effort and an improvement over Shadow's previous albumThe Outsider(2006). The album's release was preceded by the singles "Def Surrounds Us" / "I've Been Trying" and "I Gotta Rokk", as well as the EPsScale It BackandI'm Excited.

Background and development

After the release of his 2006 albumThe Outsider,Shadow brought his focus less on the production of new material. However, on March 7, 2009, he announced that he was working on music for a new album. Though no release date was given, he assured that "it [would] sound different from the last one". Speaking about recording sessions for the album, Shadow stated that "the hardcore work started just after Thanksgiving of 2009." He stated that he worked "at least eight-plus hours a day at least five or six days a week" and that the making of the album took about a year.

In the time leading up to the release of the album, Shadow would gradually release preview material from the album. The first of the new music to be revealed was a preview of the track "Def Surrounds Us", announced to be from his then-untitled fourth album. More material was revealed in an August 2010 gig inAntwerp,Belgium,where Shadow played some tracks he claimed to be from his upcoming album, though stating that the album was not yet ready and that he would continue working toward having it ready for his 2011 tour. The full version of "Def Surrounds Us", along with another track, "I've Been Trying", were also revealed by Shadow onZane Lowe'sBBC Radio 1show, followed by a limited single release featuring the two tracks.

Finally, on May 10, 2011, DJ Shadow confirmed via hisFacebookpage and official website that his new album, revealed to be entitledThe Less You Know, the Better,was finished and that it would be released the following September.

Problems faced during the album's development included copyright and sample clearance problems, which led to the withdrawal of an EP released in support of the album,I'm Excited,and delays on the album's release.After these problems were resolved, a final release date in September was announced.

Asked to review the album, Shadow described the album as "beautiful", and stated that he hoped the album would be "timeless" and not restricted to any time period. He also explained that he wanted the album to be able to "appeal to the minds of people, and have them accept what I've done."

"I don't put out a record every year so I can see what others are doing and learn from that and see things that are happening. So I feel that a good record from me never defines 2011 -- it should be totally timeless and be able to live in any era. I think I've done that with this one. It's different at times [...] but I don't think it's a huge departure from anything I've ever done. And I think my fans who have been there sinceEndtroducingwill really like this one. "

Themes

Shadow has connected many themes to various aspects of the album. Speaking about the album's title,The Less You Know, the Better,Shadow explained:

"Any good album title has multiple meanings, and I like choosing titles where I find myself repeating it, almost like a mantra. But this one's partly about being stuck overnight at some airport terminal in Dallas and havingCNNandFoxblasting my brain out for no apparent reason. I always just sit there and say, 'Who asked for this?' "

In the last ten years technology has been so aggressively marketed to us, but there's no conscience on the internet saying, "Hey, what if we're moving too quickly here?"

DJ Shadow, 2011.

A theme that Shadow frequently connects to the album's title and artwork is the influence of technology inmodern times.When asked what the album's title referred to, Shadow explained about what he felt was the aggressive marketing of technology in modern times.TheInternethas also been frequently mentioned by Shadow when describing the album's title; he stated that he believes that the Internet "has been sold to us as our savior" and that as a person working in an industry "decimated by the Internet", he has experienced "a weird duality: the internet was supposed to democratize communication, but the opposite seems to have happened."The album's cover, designed by American artist Tony Papesh, depicts asmartphonepainting over the album's title; the album's cover has been connected with Shadow's stand on technology, as well as single covers and other promotional art for the album.

Shadow explained that the album's title also referred to the experiences of recording artists in the year 2011: he described some of these experiences as "a bit silly." He also described the difficulty for an artist to gain attention, explaining: "It's really hard to get people to pay attention if all you're doing is putting out an album. It only matters to people if you're wearing ameat dressor slagging off your peers or generally behaving like an ass. So it's satire and I'm the butt of the joke. "

Release

On May 10, 2011, DJ Shadow confirmed via hisFacebookpage that the album would be released in September.The same day, he also released an EP calledI Gotta Rokk,which contained remixes of material from the album. This was followed by the release of another EP,I'm Excited,on July 29, 2011. However, copyright problems caused the withdrawal of the EP and delays on the release ofThe Less You Know, the Better.

Shadow then stated that the album would be released on September 5.However, delays pushed the album's release to its final release date of October 3, 2011.

Singles

The album's first single, thedouble A-siderelease "Def Surrounds Us" / "I've Been Trying", was shipped to selected record stores in the United States and the United Kingdom and placed in other random European stores in September 2010 to coincide with Shadow's tour in the continent.Terming the practice as "shop-placing", Shadow released the single in vinyl format beforehand because of his belief that "downloadsare so impersonal and soulless. "Each 12-inch vinyl copy of the single features its own distinct sleeve design, most of which originated from drawings by Shadow's children; some copies bear stickers reading "Please add to the artwork before you pass it along."The tracks were later made available to download on his official website on September 13, while a release to theiTunes Storefollowed a week later.

The second single fromThe Less You Know, the Better,"I Gotta Rokk",was released on May 17, 2011 as a digitalEPfeaturing the title track and remixes of tracks from the album.Nate Patrin ofPitchforkwrote that the EP's tracks "suggest a new direction more along the lines of what people expected from [Shadow] 10 years ago" and graded the release 7.0/10.It was later featured on theSuper Bowl XLIXTV spot for the 2015 filmTerminator Genisys."I'm Excited", featuringAfrikan Boy,was premiered on DJZane Lowe'sBBC Radio 1program on July 7, 2011 and was intended to be the follow-up single in promotion of the album.However, the release of an accompanying EP was shelved due to issues involving an uncleared sample on its title track,which was ultimately excluded from the final track listing ofThe Less You Know, the Better.The music video for "I'm Excited", directed by Ian Pons Jewell, was released on August 24, 2011.

"Warning Call", featuringTom Vek,was made available for free download on DJ Shadow's official website on September 7, 2011 to those who liked the artist'sFacebookpage.Upon official release as a single, it peaked at number 39 on theBillboardMexico Ingles Airplay chart.On December 4, 2011, "Scale It Back", featuringLittle Dragon,was released as the album's fourth overall single.It peaked at number 28 on the Mexico Ingles Airplay chartand at number 43 on the BelgianUltratipsingles chart for the region of Flanders.The music video for "Scale It Back", released on November 10, 2010, was directed by Ewan Jones Morris and Casey Raymond and consists of a singlelong takehighlighting various subjects, including a pterodactyl, a Viking, and a puppet monkey."Come on Riding (Through the Cosmos)" was issued as a limited edition 7-inch single forRecord Store Dayon April 18, 2012, with all proceeds going to theTeenage Cancer Trust.To coincide with the release, the organizers of the Secret 7 "project held a contest inviting artists to send in their designs for the single's record sleeve.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	6.0/10
Metacritic	62/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The A.V. Club	B−
The Daily Telegraph
The Guardian
The Independent
NME	5/10
Pitchfork	4.5/10
Q
Rolling Stone
Spin	6/10

AtMetacritic,which assigns anormalisedrating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics,The Less You Know, the Betterreceived anaveragescore of 62, indicating "generally favorable reviews", based on 25 reviews.Andrew Perry ofThe Daily Telegraphwrote positively of the album, stating that it upholds the "pioneering spirit" of Shadow's debut releaseEndtroducing.....by "regularly straying from the constrictions of classic hip hop."John Bush ofAllMusiccitedThe Less You Know, the Betteras "one of the most entertaining albums of the year, with countless moments of brilliance" and wrote that it "sounds closer to his classicEndtroducing.....than any of his others, as though Shadow's finally willing to embrace his career landmark instead of constantly play against type. "Writing forRolling Stone,Will Hermeswrote that while the album "may lack his debut's soul-jazz seamlessness, it compensates with bipolar freakiness."

The Guardian's Dave Simpson described the album as "a hit-and-miss affair",whileSpin's Rob Harvilla similarly characterized it as "equal parts frustrating and admirable", though also "nowhere near as antagonistic as 2006's hyphy-saturatedThe Outsider".David Amidon ofPopMatterswrote that "anyone who picks upThe Less You Knowhas a right to be disappointed, especially considering the name of the artist on the spine. "However, he nonetheless described the album as a "perfectly enjoyable listen" in spite of its shortcomings and a "return to form for Shadow, his best work sincePrivate Press,and, most importantly, fun to listen to. "Greg Kotof theChicago Tribunegave most praise to the album's "dark, shape-shifting mood pieces".

While criticizingThe Less You Know, the Betterfor what he felt was a lack of a coherent mood, describing it as "a highly schizophrenic collection", J.R. Moores ofDrowned in Soundultimately praised it as an improvement overThe Outsiderand "a step in the right direction."BBC Musicwriter Ian Wade acknowledged that while the album "will only ever stand in the vast shadow that its creator has cast since releasing the unprecedentedEndtroducing,The Less You Know, the Betterisn't a bad album at all, and will likely grow into something far more impressive, something that isn't quite evident on first play. LikeThe Private Press,it could be one the listener returns to down the line and wonders how it didn't initially click. "Sam Richards ofNME,however, felt that the album sounded "like the work of a man struggling to recall his motivations for making music in the first place."

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Back to Front (Circular Logic)"	Josh Davis	2:04
2.	"Border Crossing"	Davis	3:36
3.	"Stay the Course" (featuringTalib KweliandPosdnuos)	Davis,Talib Greene,Kelvin Mercer	3:36
4.	"I've Been Trying"	Davis	3:12
5.	"Sad and Lonely"	Davis,Gérald Boulet,Pierre Harel	3:09
6.	"Warning Call" (featuringTom Vek)	Davis,Thomas Vernon	3:35
7.	"Tedium"	Davis	2:26
8.	"Enemy Lines"	Davis,Peter Agnew,Manny Charlton,Dennis McCafferty,Darrell Sweet	5:23
9.	"Going Nowhere"	Davis	0:28
10.	"Redeemed"	Davis, Stefan Fredin, Christer Åkerberg,Myrna Summers	4:26
11.	"Run for Your Life"	Davis	3:24
12.	"Give Me Back the Nights"	Davis	3:54
13.	"I Gotta Rokk"	Davis	6:29
14.	"Scale It Back" (featuringLittle Dragon)	Davis,Erik Bodin,Yukimi Nagano,Fredrik Wallin,Arild Werling,Håkan Wirenstrand	4:16
15.	"Circular Logic (Front to Back)"	Davis, Klaus Krüger,Mike Rudd	4:55
16.	"(Not So) Sad and Lonely"	Davis, Boulet, Harel	4:29
Total length:			59:22

Deluxe edition bonus tracks

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
17.	"Come on Riding (Through the Cosmos)"	Davis,Paul Cotton	4:47
18.	"Def Surrounds Us"	Davis	7:37
19.	"Let's Get It (Bass, Bass, Bass)"	Davis	3:41
Total length:			75:27

Samples

• "Sad and Lonely" and "(Not So) Sad and Lonely" contain samples of "I'm Sad and I'm Lonely", performed bySusan Reed,and "Faut que j'me pousse", written byGérald BouletandPierre Harel,and performed byOffenbach.
• "Warning Call" contains samples of "City Rises", performed by Saigon.
• "Enemy Lines" contains samples of "Loved and Lost", written byPeter Agnew,Manny Charlton,Dennis McCaffertyandDarrell Sweet,and performed byNazareth.
• "Redeemed" contains samples of "Andra Sidan", written by Stefan Fredin and Christer Åkerberg, and performed by Trettioåriga Kriget.
• "I Gotta Rokk" contains samples of "Woman" and "Shake Yourself Alive", performed by The Harlemans, and "Backseat Driver" and "Hot on Your Heels", performed bySteeler.
• "Circular Logic (Front to Back)" contains samples of "Disciplin", written and performed by Klaus Krüger, and "The Question", written byMike Rudd,and performed bySpectrum.
• "Come on Riding (Through the Cosmos)" contains samples of "One Horse Blue", written byPaul Cotton,and performed by One Horse Blue.

Personnel

Credits forThe Less You Know, the Betteradapted from album liner notes.

• Jim Abbiss–mixing
• Ross Allen –A&R
• Erik Bodin–composer,featured artist
• Jamal Chalabi –management
• Pagnew M. Charlton – composer
• John Dent –mastering
• Josh Davis–arrangement,composer,drum machinebeats, mixing,production,scratching
• Mikael "Count" Eldridge – mixing
• Express Rising – additional production,remixing
• Talib Kweli– composer, featured artist, vocals
• Brett Lind – assistance
• Stanton Moore – drums

• Kelvin Mercer– composer, featured artist, vocals
• Yukimi Nagano– composer, featured artist, vocals
• Tony Papesh – artworkdesign
• Tony Peyrot – business management
• C. E. Rabinowitz – vocals
• Susan Reed– vocals
• Rob Seiver –licensing
• Rick Vargas – assistance
• Arild Werling– composer, featured artist
• Fredrik Wallin– composer, featured artist
• Håkan Wirenstrand– composer, featured artist
• Tom Vek– composer, featured artist, vocals
• Tim Young –mastering

Charts

Chart (2011)	Peak position
Belgian Albums (UltratopFlanders)	80
French Albums (SNEP)	118
Japanese Albums (Oricon)	86
UK Albums Chart(Official Charts Company)	34
USBillboard200	149
USBillboardDance/Electronic Albums	5

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Edition	Label
Australia	September 30, 2011	Digital download	Standard	A&M Records
			Deluxe
United Kingdom		Digital download	Standard
	October 3, 2011	CD		Island Records
Canada	October 4, 2011	CD, digital download		A&M Records,Universal Music Group
United States				A&M Records, Island Records,Roc-A-Fella Records
Italy		CD	Deluxe	Island Records
United States		Digital download		A&M Records
Australia	October 7, 2011	CD	Standard
Canada	October 18, 2011	LP		Verve Records
United States	November 8, 2011			Island Records