Audio Bullys - Generation

If you know anything by Audio Bullys right off, it’s a good bet that it’s their mix of “Shot You Down” featuring Nancy Sinatra that was on the Kill Bill soundtrack. It’s a great mix of a pretty groovy song, and it’s probably the main reason this record might sell. But buyer beware…it’s not all that tight. The London-based duo’s latest release, Generation, feels more like a trip back in time than a jaunt to the edge of dance music. Most of Generation has an early to mid 90s techno/house feel. It’s not cutting edge but sticks to tried and true beats and sounds that worked before and to a certain extent work now. But in truth, a lot of it reminds me of things that Stereo MCs were doing back in the day, particularly “Made Like That.” That’s not to say that it’s bad; I like Stereo MCs, but basically, it’s been done. “Eq-ing” has a sharp frequency that actually hurt me when I listened to it through headphones. This song is one of the more out there songs in terms of breaks, beats and noises. It’s a rolling, driving trip into the sound of a dentist’s drill. “All Sing Along” is an awkward jumble moving too fast, never catching the vocals up with the rhythm and containing kind of ridiculous lyrics (“You’ll be callin me up to thank me / But I won’t even throw you a hankie”). “Keep On Moving” samples “Katy Lied” by Steely Dan and offers a nostalgic look back at early 90s. Then there is a peculiar section of Generation that, while also still sounding a lot like Stereo MCs, is much more chill and laid back. I prefer this section of the record because it has more personality and a sense of uniqueness that the standard dance fair offers. One song in particular for which I have a certain affinity is “Struck By the Sound,” which has almost a reggae vibe to it and is much more pared down than the other tracks. It’s more interesting and, well, cool. Complete with a saxophone solo, I’d say this is my favorite song on the record. I’m not really sure who to recommend this album to. It’s house, but not innovative house. It’s dance, but not dance that you could consistently dance to. My advice to you, if you’re contemplating plunking down cash for this one is to try and find a listening station and make up your mind then. Otherwise, I’m afraid at least part of Generation will disappoint. [www.audiobullys.com]