CRITICAL BILL
"Downtown the World" (Westbound
Records; 2007)
Reviewed by Jeff Rogers
Critical Bill is rap core, but I hear more rap than core so I’ll redefine and call them corerap. They sound like 311 on a few songs and rock like Incubus on others. They really don’t create anything new but their lack of fresh air is still sometimes better than other bands who just manufacture talentless originality.
I do like the guitar here because it has that heavy sound and every now and then a solo emerges but it
too often gets interrupted by the rap. I’ve read a few interviews with these guys and they can’t explain why the hip-hop stations play their music with such heavy
rotation. It's probably because their sound seems new to those stations but you’ll recognize
it immediately and know that this train has been at the station before ... and I don’t predict any new riders.
Some songs are rap core and some are rockers, but most of them don’t have any staying
power. You might think they sound like Saliva at times if you listen long enough. The
first track really kicks things off but it’s more of an onside kick. If
Critical Bill wants to attract more fans, touring with the hip-hop crowd might give them a
larger base that rock radio won’t offer.
Critical Bill: Powerdise – vocals; Mike Scott – guitar; Phil Thacker – bass; Mark “C-Bass” Causley – drums; Tom Sawyer – turntables.
For more information, check out http://www.critical-bill.com
or http://www.myspace.com/criticalbillmusic.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2007 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 14 Oct 2024 14:01:58 -0400.
