Bands like Rage Against The Machine, P.O.D., and Linkin Park have all worked in the genre to more success than (hed)P.E. What sets (hed)P.E. apart is their harsher and less refined sound. The guitars sound raw and thrashy- not necessarily heavier, per se, but the production gives the impression of the band sounding heavier than they probably are. The hooks are fewer and far between, which really gives the impression that the band exemplify the Do It Yourself quality of “real” underground bands. I don’t know if this element of their music is intentional or not. All I do know is that there isn’t a song on Back 2 Base X that’s as immediate and catchy (or commercial) as their hard-hitting song “Bartender,” from their Broke album.
Strangely, this album feels like the work of a young band. The hip-hop elements that were present in some of their older songs are generally absent here, replaced with a sound that attempts to approach hardcore. The rapping isn’t as passable as it was before, and even the songs which feature actual singing don’t sound as good as “The Meadow” (also from Broke). Perhaps the downgrade in sound has to do with moving to a smaller label. The production certainly hints at a lower budget.
None of this is to say that Back 2 Base X is completely devoid of energy, though. Sure, it’s a silly album title, and a couple of the song titles are embarrassingly childish (“Novus Ordos Clitorus” and “Beware Do We Go” are two big offenders). Plus, the lyrical content is somewhat questionable, generally alternating between empty macho posturing (gratuitous use of the f-word), sentimental clichés (“I know you wanna take an eye for an eye but pretty soon the whole world will be blind”), and the inane (“she’s not your girl she’s mine / geometric so sublime”). Despite these problems, most of the songs are enjoyable for what they are.
“Listen” has a nice groove to it, and it’s probably one of the best tracks on the album because it’s the least indebted to the artificial rage stylings that are omnipresent in this style of music. “Beware Do We Go” changes up the formula by focusing less on the rapping and more on the melodic side of the music. The singing isn’t masterful by any standards, but it works well in the context of the album. Several other nice moments pop up here and there throughout the record, but Back 2 Base X still feels like a collection of a few good moments peppered by nice moments, rather than a collection of a few good songs.
But, to cop a line from one of the most famous of all the rap/rock hybrids, in the end it doesn’t even matter. (hed)P.E. are unlikely to win any new fans with this latest outing, but their usual audience should be pleased with what they’ve accomplished.
And hey. If nothing else, at least they’re better than Limp Bizkit, right?
"Back To Base X" is on sale November 30, -0001 from Suburban Noize.
