Pitchfork

Loud Records have settled on a final street date for the new full-length by New York City's four-man turntable collective the X-ecutioners, after delaying its release earlier this fall. Built from Scratch, the band's first U.S. album since 1997's Asphodel-released X-pressions, will be on shelves January 29th.

The X-ecutioners-- Roc Raida, Mista Sinista, Rob Swift, and Total Eclipse-- have done the proverbial 180 on the new record, bringing in a variety of guests to help school hip-hop frauds everywhere. Built from Scratch will feature appearances by Xzibit, Kool G Rap, MOP, Pharoahe Monch, and Big Pun, and a couple of unfortunate cameos by the Tom Tom Club, and Linkin Park. The X-ecutioners have also employed the production work of hip-hop heavyweights Dan the Automator and DJ Premiere, who drop knowledge on several tracks throughout the album.