The Spirit of Apollo

Credit where it's due: Sam Spiegel and Zé Gonzales evidently have really next-level Rolodexes. Spiegel is Spike Jonze's brother, and Gonzales is a pro skateboarder, so it stands to reason that they'd both know some famous people. But the sheer number and scope of guests on The Spirit of Apollo is just absurd. As the sticker on the cover proudly trumpets, the album features "over 40 guest performances," and they come from all over the genre map. Plenty of the contributors here are the type who would show up to the studio if you promised them a half-empty bag of Doritos (looking at you, ca. 2009 David Byrne). But Spiegel and Gonzales have also corralled people like Tom Waits, Sizzla, Scarface: legends with uber-devoted core fanbases who don't have to guest on anyone'salbum, who only record collaborations when they feel like it. It's tough to calculate what combination of people skills, time management, and networking Spiegel and Gonzales must've put into this thing. They must have some really, really great Doritos.