I tried out this new album ’’The Gift of Game’’, after I liked their chart topping number ’’Butterfly’’ ’n its kewl funky video. Its always nice to experiment hearing to a new group , which u havent heard of before , as u dont know what to expect before u plug onto ur earphones.So here r my first impressions of this new punk band on the block.
The first time I heard ’em , it was really diffcult for me to categorise under any conventional category of either rock, rap, hip-hop, techno etc.They have that strong tell tale influences of Limp Bizkits, Run DMC , Beastie Boys, ’n Korn .Well those who ’ve heard synthesised ’’Butterfly’’ , makes u a feel that it sh’d ’ve been in the Red Hot chilli Peppers recent album featuring ’’Californication’’, which was U-turn from the earlier albums couple of years back.Digging a bit deep on this jumbo 7 member group’s background which I had no clue , learnt that, r based out from the City of Angels, LA ’n the statement from the lead vocalist , some Shifty who idolises Kurt Cobian , ’’Our parents listened to rock and we grew up listening to hip-hop.We’re part of a new generation of kids who really have an appreciation for all kinds of music and they’re all being pushed together.’’ , gives suffecient indicators as to what to expect from this album ’n made me curious to give this a try.
The album starts off with an intro which goes like ’’....We’re not evil. We’re not good. We’re somewhere in between.We live within the friction of life.....’, ’n following it up with their poisonous first cut ’’Toxic’’ charecterised by liquid basslines ’n a chorus of ’’Toxic...Crazy town’s toxic’’.They show off their headstrong attitude , st8 off with a warning , ’’...f the critics.....’’ in this song.
’’Darkside’’ has a feast of guitar riffs ’n techno undertones , in the middle of the song, ’n a lot of rapping ’n scratchings , that reminds me of some Run DMC type.’’Only When I’m Drunk ’’ is a confession of violent, atrocious things one does when one is intoxicated, may be from singer’s own experience.’’Players’’ has that shade of old Red hot chillis style with mish-mash of rhymes, bass ’n brain-damaging guitaring , which is surly going to be riotous in their concerts with lots of body flinging or acid parties.This album like any of the American rapping, hip-hop style has loads full of f ’n b words, some depiction of street violence(in their songs ’’B-Boy 2000’’ ’n ’’Think Fast’’ )’n reference to drugs, 100-proof liquor, suicide ’n all interrelated things.’’Revolving Door’’ is again full of raw explicit slangs And if u r left wondering of the wierd catoonish stuff adoring the covers of the CD then , u ’ve to hear the song ’’Lollipop Porn’’ .Finally the soft ’’Butterfly’’ is all abt that elusive search for the special one in one’s life, in true ’’Crazy town’’ style, ’n a definitive grind party recommend.
So the bottomline is , if u r a ’’holy’’ pop fan then stay miles away from this one , classic rock fans think this new emerging experimentation of mixing rock with something else is one big trash, heavy metal fans can just identify sometimes with the music but rapping vocals may just not appeal to ’em , but surely up for grabs ’n a new alternative for huge Limp bizkit , Korn, Public Enemy etc etc fans .