Since 2002, when Rjd2 first proved his first-rate sampling skills on Deadringer, the straight-outta-Ohio marvel has been turning heads and vinyl at breathtaking speed — and considering he can bounce between turntables faster than most can find “”shuffle”” on their iPods, The Third Hand, his third and newest solo LP, is aptly named. The album brings him from Def Jux to XL, but the greatest change is in approach: Instead of forming beats by remixing old 45s, he writes, produces and performs every note.
Without compromising technical expertise, Rjd2 uses his own soft, vulnerably shaky vocals to consciously merge hip-hop and pop rock — though, in constant evolution from 2004’s Since We Last Spoke, leaning more than ever toward the latter. “”You Never Had It”” bops with poppy guitar and catchy piano keys, and even the hard-punching synth beat of “”Sweet Piece”” floats with his whimsical, winding melody.
The Third Hand isn’t limp-wristed — it features plenty of the dark electronics that first famed the humble DJ, with heavy-breathing bass, trancelike beeps and erratic drums that call from the dance floor. The removal of outside material is shocking — for a fan craving his usual deep, sample-based rhythms, the album hits like a flimsy left hook. But it’s worth shaking off, because in the end, all it means is more Rjd2.