Motorcycles, puppies and electric guitars are, it is said, the top three guaranteed babe magnets. Unfortunately, Crazy Town have opted for choice three to be their booty calling card, much to the chagrin of those who make music because they have talent. Their album 'The Gift of Game' ('game' is American for serious pulling power) was first released in 1999, and is enjoying a second coming on the strength of top five corker 'Butterfly'.
Co-MCs Shifty Shellshock and Epic Mazur lead their crew down the messy trail of US hip-hop/thrash blenders Limp Bizkit and Papa Roach. The musical cocktail of punk, funk, rap, and metal has been mixed by experts like The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Living Color, with magic results. But Crazy Town don't have the chops to compete.
And this is despite having all the vital competing elements - DJ, frisky guitar chords, a real drummer and rhymes about porn. But it never entirely gels, except on 'Butterfly'. The stand-out track, it samples the riff from the Peppers' 'Pretty Little Ditty'. It's a love song done machismo style ('you get me sprung with your tongue ring' followed up by 'you made me feel alive when I was almost dead'), and it shows what could be if the little minxes put their minds to it.
They try to emulate the Chili's again with 'Revolving Door' which benefits from its 'Under The Bridge'-esque languid guitar intro. The content alternates between how Shifty needs a revolving door at his place because of all the female traffic, to lamenting that 'deep inside I'm suffering of a lonely heart condition' and he seeks out 'the real thing'. He wraps up the whole feel good romp by declaring that he is a 'natural aphrodisiac'. You know Shifty, nine times out ten, that kind of bravado comes back to bite you on the ass.
It's not all a loss though. 'Players (Only Love You When They're Playing)', features velvety smooth female vocals, but it really should have its namesake Fleetwood Mac sample built into the mix. Slamming beats and old skool rapper KRS-One give last track 'B-Boy 2000' some much needed street cred, and allows it to flex some creative muscle.
But back to reality. Aside from the promise shown in the few shining lights, it would truly be a feat if these guys had a second album in them (although would be nice to be proved wrong). Perhaps next time around, puppies are the way to go.
