| operative network | writing archive: columns - reviews - interviews - features
Various Artists
Senseless Soundtrack
Gee Street/Island Records
Yawn.
You know you're in trouble when listening to a soundtrack and the most memorable songs feature the posterchild for non-voluntary stagediving, Prince Be from PM Dawn.
Of the twelve songs on this album, two are good, two are interesting, and the rest would not appeal to the majority of hip hop heads. The house-flavored dance tracks that populate most of this album would be more welcome at a rave than at the Lyricist Lounge. It's difficult to figure out who those wacky kids over at Gee Street (quick to add in-house artists Gravediggaz and PM Dawn) were aiming at when they fired this shottie.
To be fair, the Gravediggaz cut "Unexplained" is a tasty treat, haunting in that Gravediggaz way. It avoids RZA-itis by featuring a catchy-yet-not-so-familiar sample (look it up) and laid back lyrical flows. The house hop stylings of the Jungle Brothers feels downright nostalgic on the Aphrodite Mix of "Jungle Brother," but it's pretty butterfuoco anyway, moving from a straight hip hop flave into a driving house beat later on in the track. John Forte of the Fugees All Stars makes a fascinating appearance with Prince Be on the Jeffersons flavored "Gotta Be ... Movin' On Up," which is actually - alert the media - pretty damned good, even Be. Rounding out the interesting duo is "Graciosa" by Moby, which is just unexplainably fresh and easy to sample.
However, the other 8 tracks -- by the likes of Yankee B., The Crystal Method, Fatboy Slim, and a lackluster showing by AmberSunShower - aren't doin' it, yo. This will be worth it for JBs or Gravediggaz fans who catch it a year from now for sale in the used bin for $2, but until then this album as a whole is snooze city for a real head.
-- Hannibal Tabu/$d®-Parker Brothers
|