Hidden Stash II: the Kream of Krop in Bloomington, MN

The Kottonmouth Kings
jump back into the
rap-rock
fray with
Hidden Stash, Vol. 2
, a loud album that shows a fairly different sound than what they tried on their debut. Songs like
"Killa Kali"
are simplistic, angry tunes that take the same attitude and delivery as
Eminem
, an obvious influence judging by the production and style. The only difference is where
throws clever references, funny quips, and thoughtful comments into his controversial music,
the Kottonmouth Kings
talk about three things: how great they are, how they hate everyone, and how much they love marijuana. There is no trace of humor on most of these tracks, as they try and take their
punk
and
rap
songs as seriously as possible. This emphasizes how angry they are, but takes the energy out of the lyrics and leaves them with strong music with forgettable vocals. What is most surprising is their incredible talent for
reggae
; despite the dull lyrics, both
"On the Run"
"Tell Me Why"
are the most memorable songs on the album.
is the sound of a band playing catch-up with their contemporaries but losing sight of what makes this brand of music exciting. ~ Bradley Torreano