On Elegant’s second album, Robbin’ the Hood, the Lengthy Seashore group tried to jam as a lot of their influences into 23 tracks as humanly potential. Although the band is broadly related to the punk-ska world, that hardly describes the scope right here. Robbin’ the Hood has tributes to Smokey Robinson, a collaboration with Gwen Stefani, and Jamaican dancehall interpolations. And that’s just the start. There are additionally looped samples, subject recordings, bed room DIY outtakes with popping microphones and hand percussion, a stunning quantity of 808s, blown-out vocals, and far, way more.
Opener “Waiting For Bud” kicks into gear with slacker-era guitar noodling and a meandering bassline, although the group straightens issues out with a flip from The Doorways’ “When The Music’s Over” and a Jazzmatazz Quantity 1 loop from legendary rap producer Guru. The group then brings Primal Scream, Geto Boys, and Fats Boys collectively on “Steady B Loop Dub.”
Hearken to Elegant’s Robbin’ the Hood now.
On “STP,” lead singer Bradley Nowell cribs a Smokey Robinson lyric, managing to recontextualize the crooner for post-punk reggae followers. He tosses off some strains from “I Second That Emotion,” singing, “Baby, you wanna give me kisses sweet, only for a night with no repeat. Baby, you wanna leave and never go, but the taste of honey is worse than none at all.” He doesn’t sound something like Smokey, however that’s not likely the purpose.
The band additionally pays tribute to a few of their favourite friends on the report. “Greatest-Hits” options just a few references to The Ziggens, a band signed to Elegant’s label, Skunk Data. (Nowell famously shouted out the band’s singer Bert Susanka by identify.) On “Lincoln Highway Dub,” in the meantime, they lock into an unbelievable groove that will ultimately go on to star of their hit single “Santeria.”
“Saw Red,” which options No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani earlier than the group broke large, is a straight-ahead ska anthem that ultimately drifts into hardcore punk territory. All through, although, Norwell and Stefani duet like 50s nation crooners. It’s pleasant and barely loopy, like lots of the finest Robbin’ the Hood songs. Pitchfork as soon as offhandedly referred to the album as “haphazard and caustic.” However it’s clear that each sound crammed into this sprawling opus was chosen for a motive — an act of fantastically managed chaos, equal components cohesive and thrillingly unpredictable.
Hearken to Elegant’s Robbin’ the Hood now.
