![]() | By: Stereo MC's Label: Universal / Island Released: 28 May 2001 RRP: Average Rating: ![]() |

This has become one of my alll time greats - the fantastic crossover of britpop/funk/rap/filth is totallly fantastic - one of the greatest!

So, was the lukewarm reception justified? I'd say a definite "no" to that one. This record has been a real grower for me, & even after its release several months ago it still appears in my stereo pretty frequently. Strangely I don't think anything on this record reallly leaps out at you, but taking the album as a whole it does have an excellent vibe & mood to it that reallly sticks in your head. I particularly admire Rob Birch for not sticking to his particular rapping style alll the way through (as he did with Connected), as a result his vocals actuallly mess with the flow of a couple of songs, but it works reallly well. I would knock the production though, as the band have a superb line up of backing singers (as witnesses at any of their live gigs) that are reallly buried into the mix here, & that's a real shame.
Overalll - top album, go buy! I'm just hoping it doesn't take another thousand years for the next one to arrive!


the opening title track & recent single is an early indication that alll the elements that made the stereo mc's great the first time round are still there. snarling bass, locked-on grooves & venomous delivery by rob b add up to an infectiously memorable five minutes. 'breeze' adopts the vocoder to a largely instrumental track that is simply funky. 'graffiti pts. 1 & 2' takes the funk blueprint & twists it to their own unique moulding. ultimately danceable, this is the album's highlight.
'sofisicated' begins with "she's so sophisicated, i'm such a loser, she knows how to use me, but I don't wanna lose her" against jazz trumpeting & piano breaks. later tracks up the ante & keep the beats driving while cath coffey's soaring vocals make more of a presence.
very difficult to criticise the south london posse, while some tracks do sound like fillers, even those that do sound better than anybody else. explosive as a live act as well, their upcoming uk tour is compulsory & must not be missed at any cost. without a doubt, the soundtrack of the summer.
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