DJ Shadow has made a career of pushing the envelope. But this time he might have pushed it too far.

For his third solo full-length, Bay Area producer Josh Davis abandons his sampledelic soundscapes for a wildly mixed bag of commercial, song-oriented tracks that run the gamut from hard-hitting hip-hop and foul-mouthed gangsta rap to mournful blues, Philly soul and even a tribute to John Cage.

Even more contentious, many of the 18 cuts are performed by a live band and topped by guest rappers and vocalists.

If you're a purist, you've probably already joined the ranks of former fans who think Davis has become a, well, Shadow of his old self.

But the more openminded may notice that these impeccably crafted cuts feature infectious grooves, inventive arrangements and hooky lyrics. They may not match the groundbreaking sound of Endtroducing, but they're still a few levels above most of the competition.

And ultimately, you gotta give Shadow credit -- anybody who's willing to alienate most of his fan base deserves a listen.

Track Listing:

1. Outsider (Intro) - DJ Shadow
2. This Time (I'm Gonna Try It My Way) - DJ Shadow
3. 3 Freaks - DJ Shadow, Keak da Sneak, Turf Talk
4. Droop-E Drop - DJ Shadow
5. Turf Dancing - Animaniaks, DJ Shadow, , Federation
6. Keep Em Close - DJ Shadow, Nump
7. Seein Thangs - David Banner, DJ Shadow
8. Broken Levee Blues - DJ Shadow
9. Artifact [Instrumental] - DJ Shadow
10. Backstage Girl - Phonte Coleman, DJ Shadow
11. Triplicate/Something Happened That Day - DJ Shadow
12. Tiger - DJ Shadow, Christopher Karloff, Sergio Pizzorno
13. Erase You - DJ Shadow, , Chris James
14. What Have I Done - Christina Carter, DJ Shadow
15. You Made It - DJ Shadow, , Chris James
16. Enuff - DJ Shadow, Lateef the Truth Speaker, Q-Tip,
17. Dats My Part - DJ Shadow, E-40,
18. 3 Freaks [Droop-E Remix] [Mix] - DJ Shadow, Keak da Sneak, , Mistah F.A.B., Turf Talk