311, the Pharcyde, Cypress Hill coming to Houston
When I first heard that the Pharcyde had released a new album, I immediately ran to the Tower Records by my house. Somewhere in the back corner of the rap section I found it, rather isolated and unremarkable. The absense of any stickers proclaiming "such hits as ..." or sale stickers which indicate a good album made me rather cautious. As I paid my 15 bucks, I thought, "Please don't let this be a waste, just another one-hit-wonder rap group."
But what was once early fear is now extreme satisfaction. Within one day, I grew to love the new sound of the Pharcyde. With two songs being played in the club scenes and a U.S. tour starting on Jan. 26, the Pharcyde has far outdone the already-fantastic first album, Bizarre Ride to the Pharcyde .
While the first album pokes fun at the toughness of the rap persona -- "Ya Mama," "Soul Flower," "Quinton's on the Way," and the two phenomenal songs "Oh Shit" and "Passing Me By," -- LabCabinCal-ifornia is much more introspective and serious, with more subtle humor and gaity.
The first three songs of the album are very similar, showing off the group's harmony and smooth sound, and act as a very good introduction with each song blending into the next one. The last of the three, "Groupie Therapy," is perhaps the best, having both humor and the best lyrics:
"Instantly she made another selection/Because he was in the window plus had the money connection/Correction/Way more paid is why she laid and played/A charade in the game of deception/This Miss- mysterious mistress is just an actress/of the mattress 'cuz she's a wanna be mack-tress/Well-built but equipped with the tackiest of tactics."
The next song is "Runnin'," a song concerning growing up, survival and self-improvement -- the main themes of the rest of the album. These themes are brought out both in a serious manner and with their brand of humor. "Runnin'," along with "Drop" and "Y?," these three are the best three out of thirteen fantastic songs.
Perhaps the best aspect of the Pharcyde is the development of their sound itself. Though all of them hail from California, they met in New York as fly boys on the TV show "In Living Color." This, combined with doing the Lollapoloza circuit with the Beastie Boys a couple of years back, has given them a very East Coast sound to mix with their West Coast beginnings. At times you hear distinct aspects of both coasts, but usually it is their original combination from the rap spectrum which makes them so great.
The video for "Drop" has cameos from the Beastie Boys (the Pharcyde samples from a Beastie Boys song in "Drop") and is directed by Spike Jonez (Beastie Boy's "Sabotage" and Weezer's "Buddy Holly" videos), winner of the Best Director award from MTV this past year.
The video is shown in reverse, but the trick is that they are rapping backward so it appears normal. Apparently it took them a couple of weeks to master this ability, but the video is worth it.
The Pharcyde plays the International Ballroom on Feb. 1 with Cypress Hill and 311. Tickets are $26.
Someone approached me earlier this week asking if I would be going to the 311 concert. I thought "Who?" but then realized he was referring to the Cypress Hill/the Pharcyde/ 311 concert at the International Ballroom Feb. 1.
I thought that they must be good if someone at Rice has heard of them and ranked them before Cypress Hill and the Pharcyde. I was told not to expect a rap group but a band with a reggae-ish sound.
Well, as far as I know, this is the band's second album, and I really hope there is not a third coming. These guys really suck. The miniscule amount of a reggae sound was very clichéd, hidden underneath a really bad sound.
Imagine crossing G-Love & Special Sauce with Rage Against the Machine, add the familiar hard rock chords and funk style of spoken-word and rub your head against the Pub floor and you have the 311 listening experience. I thought I would be keeping a good CD for reviewing their album, but man, these guys eat it.
They go on at seven o'clock the night of the concert. But save your ears and salvage your concert experience: Arrive at the end of their act so you miss all the bad music.
This item appeared in the Arts & Entertainment section of the January 26, 1996 issue.
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