Spank Rock Albums (2)
What The Critics Say
"These are the songs they always play," says the uncredited voice at the beginning, and that says it pretty well. As an evocation of the three- or four-person Spank Rock's party-hard aesthetic, Fabriclive.33 can hardly be topped. But the kind of mix date that may sound incredible on the dancefloor is going to come with a few caveats when it's studded with innumerable songs that have already enjoyed a long shelf life before Spank Rock first put them on the decks, songs like Yello's "Bostich," "The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight" by Dominatrix, Kurtis Blow's "The Breaks," Yes' "Owner of a Lonely Heart," Mylo's "Drop the Pressure," the Contours' "Do You Love Me," and the Romantics' "Talking in Your Sleep" (to name seven). The occasional raps by Amanda Blank and Naeem Juwan make things a little better than the sum of their parts, but Spank Rock sounded much more original on their debut album than they do here. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Spank Rock appear to revel in contradictions. Rapper Naeem Juwan and production phenom XXXChange (Alex Epton) are an American group who record for the British flag-waving label Big Dada, they're the only underground rappers to talk about sex more often and more explicitly than Black Eyed Peas, and their tracks accept the limitations of old-school rap and bass music, but boast an agility that makes them sound positively post-millennial. Sex is all over this record, appearing on nearly every track, from the "ass-shaking competition champ" in "Back Yard Betty" to the 50 Cent-style partying going on during "Coke & Wet." Virtually every track -- notable exception: "Rick Rubin" -- either references or focuses in on what you learn in anatomy and apply in life. Juwan may sound like a juvenile Q-Tip (minus the abstract rapping), but he's one of the brightest young American talents of the mid-2000s, using his voice in delightful ways (some helped along by post-production). Meanwhile, on the production end, XXXChange concocts a series of deep bass hits, digital claps, and the occasional cougar scream to recall the type of stark, echoing productions and drum programming rarely heard since the mid-'80s. It's all performed so perfectly, and informed so well by Juwan's lyrical finesse, that the vintage feel never seems like a crutch. Best of all is "Bump," where first Juwan takes a few minutes for a speed rap, then guest Amanda Blank enters halfway through, initially giving one of her stiffest Roxanne Shanté impressions but, in a heartbeat, shifting into a higher gear like a sports car blowing away the competition. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
