Blazing Arrow

(MCA Records)

In music, catchy, original beats plus good lyrics plus distinct vocal work equal potential success. Blazing Arrow doesn't have the formula quite down.

The strong point of the album is the music. Each song has its own distinct flavor and attitude. The songs use live instruments and sampled beats, a practice that is becoming more commonplace in hip-hop. These combinations create interesting sounds, from dancehall-ready beats to '70s-style funk, that would be comfortable making an episode of "Starsky and Hutch" home.

That, however, is the extent of the album's strength. The lyrics are passable, but nothing terribly memorable. The songs seem like a rehash of previous hip-hop performers' words being channeled. The only positive aspects of the lyrics are their positive message. Blackalicious is able to avoid the language that litters a majority of albums today. It's nice to see a non-edited version of an album without a parental-advisory sticker.

Sometimes, strong vocals can overcome weak lyrics. The weakest portion of the album, however, is the vocals. The majority of the work is by vocalist The Gift of Gab. His voice and vocal inflections do not add any depth to the album.

The one song that breaks from this trend is "Chemical Calisthenics." Its music is as fresh as the rest of the album, but the difference is made in the vocals. The Gift of Gab shows variety and rawness on par with the music.

Blazing Arrow is neither an overall bad effort nor a good one. If the level of balance in "Chemical Calisthenics" could have been reached in the rest of the album, it would have excelled. As it stands, Arrow is worth purchasing only as background music.

- Paul Iiams