From the roaring crowd of the intro all the way to the "five-million-dollar cribs, and all we do is make hits" chorus call of the close of "Back 2 Back," the sixth full-length broadcast from Junkyard Ju Ju and
Psycho Les, the album is a lesson in braggadocio. In the finest tradition of New York hip-hop, the Queen's duo utilizes minimal grooves to maximum effect, flexing an enviable line in sampled hooks and some irresistible basslines which insist the listener nod his head as if under some kind of aural hypnotism. "Yae Yo" is typical, opening with a slice of
Debbie Harry before winding down the turntable to make room for a funky-as-you-like flute loop, while the handclaps and
Bootsy-inspired low-end theory of "Routine" are dirtier than the 2 Live Crew in full lyrical flow. On the downside, as with much of their previous material, most of the lyrics don't stand up to close scrutiny, but even the uninspired -- not to mention geographically challenged crew/city/state/country shouts of "Ya Better Believe" -- fail to dent the Beatnuts' ability to bend a singalong hook around a groove so infectious it clamps to the subconscious with the tenacity of a pit bull. ~ Kingsley Marshmallow