Crazy Town - The Gift Of Game (1999)

Crazy Town's debut album, The Gift of Game, is similar to many other rap-inflected alternative metal albums in that it concentrates on sound over structure, creating macho, aggressive grooves with grinding, noisily textured guitars and the underlying feel of squared-off hip-hop beats. Hooks can be a bit hard to come by, since this isn't music that relies heavily on melody (or catchy guitar riffs), but that isn't necessarily a consideration for fans of the style. What's more relevant than the tightness of the songwriting is the intensity of the assault, and on that count, Crazy Town delivers the goods. Moreover, they're refreshingly skilled in the rap department when compared to some of their contemporaries, and the album bolsters its credibility with guest appearances from KRS-One and Mad Lion, to name two. Of course, Crazy Town's audience will be largely outside the hip-hop community, but it's evidence that they can be more serious about a truer fusion of genres when they want to be. There are elements of Limp Bizkit's juvenile humor, to be sure, but overall, the album shows promise.© Steve Huey /TiVo