February 27, 2008Review: Case Jones, "Love Jones"Case Jones, originally from the "Boogie Down" Bronx, has been in the 'noke for years now, most of them as one-half of the rap duo Mack Jones. Jones and his partner, Poe Mack, have been doing their own things lately, but here they co-executive produce. "Love Jones" is a fun ride through Jones often wacky, sometimes hard and sometimes sensitive lyrical world -- the 13 tracks (14 with the intro) fly by. Samples include the Grateful Dead's "Casey Jones," natch. There are plenty of soul and funk grooves, then he breaks verses over Pat Benatar's "Love Is A Battlefield." Some of Jones' best rhymes emerge in track 3, "Ohhh!" "Addicted to women, at any price / Even if I gotta knock up Condi Rice ... "Question who I am? B**** I cured cancer / Punch you in the throat and watch you choke on the answer "Pieces are replaced, watch me blow / Executive status in the Playboy grotto" It's broad and goofy, not to be taken too literally. And it's not for kids. The CD features tight grooves and good guest appearances from Mack Jones Truenoke crew -- Poe Mack, Mr. Dynamite, Tre'Mendous and more. His dirty, dirty rap on "Girlfriend" is a little late -- Gym Class Heroes beat him to the punch and snagged a hit with the Supertramp "Breakfast In America" sample. But he's one up on the top 40 rips with Jesus Jones' "Right Here, Right Now." Toss in a sample of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under The Bridge" and some Counting Crows "Mr. Jones," and you have a 90s pop-rock fest underpinning Jones' raps. "I spit with force, like it's contact sports," Jones raps over the sped-up Counting Crows vocal riff. He and Mack head back to the 80s with Michael Jackson and Def Leppard samples, managing to make one-armed drummer Rick Allen's groove on "Pour Some Sugar On Me" sound even funkier than Allen himself did on the original. Hear some of the songs and contact Jones at http://www.myspace.com/casejones2 3 stars |
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