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Baker's Dozen

Irrepressible Discoveries: James Lavelle Of UNKLE's 13 Favourite Albums
Elizabeth Aubrey , September 18th, 2017 14:19

With a new album on the way and a much-anticipated set at Brighton's Attenborough Centre at the ready, James Lavelle, the man behind UNKLE and Mo' Wax, takes Elizabeth Aubrey through the 13 records that shaped him

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Dr. Dre - The Chronic 2001

I love the fact the 2001 version was one of the greatest comebacks of all time. I just thought that the production, the lyrics, the energy on that record were incredible. I didn't actually really like The Chronic particularly, but when I heard that, it reminded me more of NWA. There was just something that felt incredibly personal in—I think it's Dre’s most personal record.

It’s raw, and it wasn't just that kind of West Coast typical sound, it had a bit more of a dry—I don't know, it wasn't so lazy, it was a bit more aggressive. It’s one of those songs that I just feel like, “Fuck you: this is revenge; this is a comeback!” And at the time I was going through a lot of stuff, so it kind of had quite a synergy with where I felt I was at at the time.