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Published
by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. CLICK FOR NEWSPAPER DELIVERY
Tuesday, October 23, 2001
Outside the box
BUBBA SPARXXX
"Dark Days, Bright Nights" (Interscope)
(3 stars)
Think of Bubba Sparxxx as Eminem light. He embraces a white-trash aesthetic, talks tough, is all about the women and makes frequent reference to inebriation. But the homeboy from Athens, Ga. (which also produced R.E.M. and the B-52s), raps rhymes that aren't nearly as in-your-face and overtly offensive as his Detroit counterpart - due to Southern gentility, perhaps.
"Dark Days, Bright Nights" shows the influence of producer Timbaland (Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, Aaliyah). Slow, big beats are interspersed with some slightly funky, vaguely Far East-sounding riffs, but it's mostly Sparxxx's voice and lyrics that make the disc memorable. "Y'all don't know me at all," Sparxxx raps on "Bubba Talk," carefully pronouncing each syllable, "I say the same thing but slower than y'all / A little southern charm to top it off / Okey-dokey just that Bubba talk."
DAVID BALL
“Amigo” (Dualtone)
(2 and one-half stars)
The South Carolina native’s first single from “Amigo,” “Riding With Private Malone” is already No. 1 on the Texas Music Chart, and the rest of the record seems similarly poised for success with those who appreciate outside-of-Nashville country music.
Ball shows fewer honkytonk and roots rock leanings than most Texas Music Chart toppers, instead playing slow, Western-style swing music, accompanied by Ball’s soothing baritone. Besides the sentimental storytelling of “Private Malone,” other highlights include the accordion-tinged “New Shiner Polka,” the guitar-love song “Amigo” and the self-deprecating “Loser Friendly.”
C-MURDER
“C-P-3.Com” (No Limit/Priority)
(2 and one-half stars)
No Limit Records is well known for releasing sloppy material, and one would assume that C-Murder’s fourth album in as many years would be more of the same — especially since he’s the brother of No Limit kingpin Master P and rapper Silkk the Shocker. But nepotism wasn’t a factor on “C-P-3.Com.” Producer XL — one of No Limit’s best — provides mostly tight, jumpy beats, some decent scratching and smooth transitions. Thankfully, there are only a few skits on the record — a rarity among recently released hip-hop albums.
C-Murder’s flow, his vocal pacing, is reminiscent of “classic” West Coast rappers like Too Short or Ice Cube, not dramatically affected and without gimmicks. He doesn’t break into falsetto or rap too fast to be understood.
Standout tracks include the club anthem “What U Gonna Do,” which features Caribbean dancehall beats, as well as “Young Ghetto Boy,” a redo of the Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre classic duet “Lil’ Ghetto Boy.”
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