CD Reviews - Issue 60

The Ocean
Precambrian
Metal Blade

Through a seamless progression of moods and aural landscapes, The Ocean’s newest release, Precambrian, is a far cry from most Metal albums released today. It’s been a minute since I’ve been able to listen to an album start to finish without having to skip a track…let alone a Hardcore album… A veritable “Dark Side of The Moon” for the Metalcore world, Precambrian delivers a unique mixture of sporadic symphonic arrangements with tasteful pinches of electronic wizardry. These elevations in mood and dynamics provide the perfect texture for the band’s signature brutal chord progressions and savage vocal prowess. One of the most infectious Hardcore releases in recent years, this album may even turn the most unlikely of listeners into believers.


Alabama 3
Hits & Exit Wounds
One Little Indian

Hailing from the success of their hit “Woke Up This Morning”, which landed itself as the theme to HBO’s groundbreaking show ‘The Sopranos’, Alabama 3’s ‘Hits & Exit Wounds’ proves them to be much more than just a one trick pony. With a unique southern flavored groove, apparent on “Hello…I’m Johnny Cash”, an obvious tribute to the Man in Black, it’s dance music to combat dance music. And that’s no more blatantly expressed than on tracks such as “U Don’t Danse To Tekno Anymore” & “Ain’t Goin’ To Goa”. That’s not to say that Alabama 3 don’t incorporate electronic rhythms…they do. They just do it with class.


Raashan Ahmad
The Push
Om Records

From Crown City Rockers' MC Raashan Ahmad comes a positive hip hop album with more soul than a Texas Buffet… The Push, Raashan’s debut release on Om records conveys his ever-positive outlook on the hip hop culture and life as we know it. The Push proves that Raashan can hold his own when it comes to putting out music…full band or not! Tracks like “Weight” and “City Feel Proud” (which features J5’s Chali 2na) are laden with glimpses of wisdom straight from the mind of the Bay Area’s hip hop movement. You won’t find any ‘rims’ or ‘ice’ or ‘gangsta’ shit on this record…just some good old fashioned, down-home funk and soul with a little B-Boy style. I looooove being a B-Booooooooy!


Slightly Stoopid
Slightly Not Stoned Enough To Eat Breakfast Yet Stoopid
Stoopid Records/MRI

The culmination of years of bong smoke and an undying desire for regurgitated Reggae bass lines & Sublime albums, Slightly Stoopid’s collection of “Outtakes, Rarities and a Couple New Joints” fails to impress. With a lack of originality, every song has that “I’ve heard it before” feeling. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but I’m not getting it. With all the publicity these guys are getting on the road with acts like Pepper and Ozomatli, whom respectively employ some truly incredible musicianship, I’m surprised that Slightly Stoopid has even been able to keep up with their own hype. This album is less than forgettable. I think I’ll just keep ignoring it until it goes away.