Spring Break
Killer albums post-glory days prove aging bands still know how to rock
Justin Pacheco
Issue date: 3/25/09 Section: Entertainment
03/25/09 - Musicians in the realm of pop music seem to have a fairly short shelf life. Artists have a peak when they've reached their creative potential and are at their most culturally relevant. Most often, a musician's early to middle work is considered the most important, and most musicians struggle to remain part of the music-listening consciousness late in their careers.
However, musicians don't retire; they plug on, and some of them manage to pop out a late career gem. Here are some overlooked late career albums:
Crown Royal was Run-DMC's last album before the murder of founder Jam-Master Jay ended the group permanently. Crown Royal was released well after the group's mid-80s heyday and was its first album since 1993's Down with the King. Whereas Down with the King saw Run-DMC trying to ride the popular wave of gangsta rap and had the Reverend awkwardly dropping the n-word, this album saw it return to the groups rock-infused rap roots.
The album shows that Rev. Run is still a strong rapper and driving rock -including a sample of "Sweet Home Alabama"- backs his rhymes. The album is notable for the lack of DMC, with Darrell making appearances on just three tracks.
It's also notable for the fact that nearly every track features guest stars. Some, like Method Man, are still respected eight years later, but many others like Third Eye Blind, Kid Rock, Fred Durst and Sugar Ray sound entirely dated. Nevertheless, the album is mostly reminiscent of what an updated Run-DMC album would sound like. Rev. Run's 2005 solo album Distortion continues this sound and is another album worth checking out.
Another early rap group, Public Enemy, has its own late career gem in 2007's lengthy and tongue-twistingly titled How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul???. The album blasts out of the gate with "Black Is Back" featuring heavy guitar chords that sound like (but are not exactly) AC/DC's "Back in Black." Chuck D is still angry and it shows. The guitars back him perfectly.
However, musicians don't retire; they plug on, and some of them manage to pop out a late career gem. Here are some overlooked late career albums:
Crown Royal was Run-DMC's last album before the murder of founder Jam-Master Jay ended the group permanently. Crown Royal was released well after the group's mid-80s heyday and was its first album since 1993's Down with the King. Whereas Down with the King saw Run-DMC trying to ride the popular wave of gangsta rap and had the Reverend awkwardly dropping the n-word, this album saw it return to the groups rock-infused rap roots.
The album shows that Rev. Run is still a strong rapper and driving rock -including a sample of "Sweet Home Alabama"- backs his rhymes. The album is notable for the lack of DMC, with Darrell making appearances on just three tracks.
It's also notable for the fact that nearly every track features guest stars. Some, like Method Man, are still respected eight years later, but many others like Third Eye Blind, Kid Rock, Fred Durst and Sugar Ray sound entirely dated. Nevertheless, the album is mostly reminiscent of what an updated Run-DMC album would sound like. Rev. Run's 2005 solo album Distortion continues this sound and is another album worth checking out.
Another early rap group, Public Enemy, has its own late career gem in 2007's lengthy and tongue-twistingly titled How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul???. The album blasts out of the gate with "Black Is Back" featuring heavy guitar chords that sound like (but are not exactly) AC/DC's "Back in Black." Chuck D is still angry and it shows. The guitars back him perfectly.
