"[Live Evel] is one of the most important hip-hop EPs in years." -Popmatters.com
"In my book, the mark of a truly great CD is whether or not it creates its own world that you can return to each time you play it. Some discs manage it, most don’t. “The Failure”, by B. Dolan, manages it with aplomb, dropping you into a bleak, post-apocalyptic landscape and then leaving you to fend for yourself. Trust me, it’s a journey you’ll want to take over and over again..... In the end, “The Failure” stands as a fascinating objet d'art." -Sputnik music
"Through Dolan's vociferous fragments you can almost hear the world unravel." -The Boston Herald
"Cocaine, Evel Knievel, Vietnam: we got goosebumps five minutes into this set and they pretty much stayed until Dolan was finished with his creepy, bangin', challenging work." -Seattlest.com
Fresh off this summer's Rock the Bells tour, a short New England run with El-P, and the release of a free mixtape via Urb.com (House of Bees vol. 1, mixed by Buddy Peace), B. Dolan isn't taking any time to rest this autumn.
Instead, elaborate preparations are underway for the release of his sophomore LP, and a March UK tour with Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip.
"Fallen House, Sunken City" (releasing in Feb. 2010) finds Dolan backed by one of indie rap's most legendary producers; Alias of anticon records. We can't say too much about this record yet, but suffice it to say that it'll be impossible to ignore in 2010.
B. Dolan began performing in 1999 at New York City's Nuyorican Poets Cafe, where he gained respect as part of HBO's Def Poetry Series in 2002, and earned numerous slam poetry championships in the years that followed.
2003 also saw the first release of "The Failure," [at the time] a two-disc, homegrown demo full of Dolan's earliest work.
After this self-release, Dolan disappeared from poetry slam to pursue more overtly musical projects, as well as his own contribution to the struggle against social injustice.
In 2003, he founded a youth art-outreach program called "the Open Mics Project", and began counseling youth through rap and poetry in a variety of settings.
In the midst of inventing the ragged, breakdown aesthetic seen of his work, Dolan also created and co-founded the Knowmore.org website with former slam teammate and friend Sage Francis.
B. Dolan joined Francis on The Knowmore.org Tour in support of the project, which is when Francis expressed interest in releasing a revised version of "The Failure" on Strange Famous Records.
2008 brought about the official re-release of "The Failure" lp and the accompanying "Live Evel EP", which was hailed by Popmatters.org as "the most important hip-hop EP in years."
Since his signing to SFR, Dolan has toured exhaustively and internationally, most notably as part of the Paid Dues, SXSW 09, Soundset, and Rock the Bells festivals.
In addition to his partner and frequent collaborator Sage Francis, Dolan has also toured with the likes of Buck 65, Jared Paul, Alias, Sol.ilaquests of Sound, Sole, Dan le sac vs. Scroobius Pip, and Grand Buffet.
I feel stupid for forgetting the name of the spoken word piece you performed in San Diego last year in September when you did that show with Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip. I remember it was about a mother who worked at a morgue or something...? It nearly made me cry. I doubt you will have a chance to respond to this, but hopefully one of your fans will see this on your page and be kind enough to tell me the name of the poem and/or poet.
I'm loving the new music but I must say I prefer the original version of Joan of Arcadia. This new version is grittier and updated and more explosive but there's something about the old version that lets me listen to it over and over again and really hear every single word you say. Anyway, I miss you and the AS220 man.
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