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CD Review: 2 Skinnee Js Release Album on Napster
By: Andrew Shaw - U-WIRE
January 25th 2001 12:10am
(U-WIRE) LINCOLN, Neb. -- Whimsical braggadocio. Ethereal and hard-hitting. With "Volumizer," 2 Skinnee Js explore the various corners of their talents, resulting in one of the best albums of the last year. But you can't yet find it on the shelves of your favorite local music store. The recording of "Volumizer" ended in late Spring of 2000 and Capricorn, the label responsible for 311, CAKE, the Js, and many other modern acts, had the release slated for September of last year. When Capricorn decided to throw in the towel, their bands were at the will of potential buyers, which has delayed the release of "Volumizer" until February, not to mention temporarily postponed their tour and disappointed the group's fans. In an act of love, bravery and trust in the technological machine, the Js have released "Volumizer" on Napster to get the music out to their faithful followers. And we couldn't be happier. "Volumizer" will be the Js' second major-label release. The underground popularity of "Supermercado!," the Js debut album, exposed their unique twist of funk, new wave and rap. Although I'm tempted to call their sound "rap-rock," the music of 2 Skinnee Js is far more intelligent, diverse and interesting than what the term "rap-rock" has come to portray. Where Limp Bizkit feels compelled to repeat the same four-letter words, the Js have a vocabulary to battle the most inclusive thesaurus. Where Eminem finds success in his brutal honesty and lyrics that graphically portray what he thinks are real-life situations, the Js spin metaphors and similes more intricate than e. e. cummings'. Opening the album with "Horns of Destruction" leads listeners into a world where the artists know their talents, and Special J and J Guevara, the dueling MCs, beat their chests like the cockiest of ballers. But as "Volumizer" unfolds, you can't help but agree with them. Special and Guevara are a dynamic duo of verbal assault, bouncing rhymes off of each other like oral rubber. The Js dip far into their new wave element on "Secret Frequency." The song sounds like a lost track from Fountains of Wayne's pack of bouncy alt-pop. The Spice is showcased throughout the tune with a happily sliding keyboard part, setting "Secret Frequency" as one of the Js giddiest tracks. But the Skinnees are at their absolute best in "The World In Her Eyes." The track features the most intricate, scintillating and shrewd set of rhymes from the Js toolbox, or anyone's at that. The list of allusions covers Shakespeare, Sinatra and science, in which the music accompanying the blindly intelligent vocals is mature and involved, backed with the right amount of pace and bounce to keep you rocking even after multiple listens. The only disappointment from "Volumizer" comes when thinking about how the industry manipulates its artists' skills and intelligence in their quest for the next quick dollar. The 2 Skinnee Js are entertainers and scholars, never underestimating the mental capacity of themselves or their audience like most modern rap and rock acts do. The Js push the boundaries of popularity without pushing the boundaries of decency, and it's in this constant display of light-hearted intellect where 2 Skinnee Js find success.
(C) 1999 Daily Nebraskan via U-WIRE
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