billy woods - Today, I Wrote Nothing (10 Year Anniversary Reissue) (2LP Coke Bottle Clear Vinyl)

When billy woods released Today, I Wrote Nothing ten years ago, it was an unexpected departure from a rapper who was just starting to make waves in the indie rap scene. After spending the earlier part of his career in the wilderness, woods had managed to crawl out of obscurity with the minor success of 2012’s History Will Absolve Me. Dour Candy, 2013’s collaboration with underground legend Blockhead drew accolades, which only increased with Armand Hammer’s debut Race Music.

Then, woods dropped out of sight for two years before returning with Today, I Wrote Nothing, a record that deviated significantly from what had come before. Where Dour Candy had been concise and focused, TIWN was a sprawling 24 tracks. Where History Will Absolve Me was anchored by hard-hitting beats, anthemic songs, and a couple high powered features, TIWN was comprised of short vignettes, quietly eclectic production, and the only guests were his Backwoodz label-mates. Only one video was released; the claustrophobic “Flatlands”, shot on a shoestring budget in a Brooklyn housing project. Reviewers didn’t know quite what to make of the record, and in many cases, neither did fans.

As is often the case for woods’ albums, many perspectives shifted as the years passed. Listeners came to see the sad, quiet beauty of Today, I Wrote Nothing; a road trip album that doubles as a meditation on life’s journeys and death’s hiding places. The album’s power is in it’s intimacy, it’s insistence on holding your hand through the darkness. Now, TIWN is considered one of the more unique and vital records in woods catalogue. The dynamic woods created with TIWN vis-a-vis History Will Absolve Me and Dour Candy is one that would come to define his ouerve; constant experimentation, a refusal to be pigeonholed, and an unwavering search for the emotional heart of his subject. For us at Backwoodz, being able to repress this album on it’s ten year anniversary is especially sweet, because we remember how long it took us to sell that original run of 500. To everyone who copped one of those and helped us keep the lights on, this is for you too, we couldn’t have gotten here otherwise.

1. Lost Blocks f. Elucid produced by Messiah Musik 

2. The Big Nothing produced by Messiah Musik

3. Flatlands produced by Messiah Musik

4. Woodhull produced by Willie Green

5. U-Boats f. ELUCID produced by Driver for Raygunomics & Aesop Rock

6. Zulu Tolstoy produced by Willie Green

7. Warmachines produced by Messiah Musik

8. Carpetbagger f. ELUCID produced by Brother Hall

9. Born Yesterday produced by Messiah Musik

10. Sleep produced by Willie Green

11. Scales f. L’Wren produced by Messiah Musik

12. Poor Company f. Elucid & Henry Canyons produced by ELUCID & Messiah Musik

13. Dreams Come True produced by Messiah Musik

14. Bicycles f. Henry Canyons produced by Blockhead

15. African Dodger f. ELUCID produced by DOSG4W

16. Lambs produced by Messiah Musik

17. Slow Week produced by DOSG4W

18. Weeper f. Curly Castro produced by Messiah Musik

19. RPMS produced by Messiah Musik

20. Dark Woods produced by Steel Tipped Dove

21. True Stories produced by Blockhead

22. Borrowed Time produced by Junclassic

23. Benediction produced by ELUCID

24. Good Night produced by Blockhead