Thursday, February 21, 2008

No. 377: CrazySexyCool


Band: TLC
Album: CrazySexyCool
Why Rolling Stone gets it right: TLC's only foray into greatness is a picture into female hip hop/R&B of the 1990s. It's also the best album of that style.
Why Rolling Stone gets it wrong: Like so much of hip hop and R&B of that period, the record has too many skits and interludes.
Best song: "Creep" is great.
Worst song: "Kick Your Game" isn't great.
Is it awesome?: It's close.

Like most R&B and hop hop records of the time, "CrazySexyCool" isn't necessarily a full album in that every song is great. Rather, the sum of the singles is the more important aspect of "CrazySexyCool."

And, as such, the singles on the album are great. "Creep" is the wonderful anthem of stepping out on one's spouse (of course, in retaliation for the man cheating on her), while "Waterfalls" is the overwrought morality tale against drugs and AIDs.

The group's schtick -- three girls with the three adjective personalities in the album title -- is such that the album gets real old, real quick. However, "Creep" remains a classic and the album reflects that. It's not great, but it's close.

1 comment:

Aaron said...

I went through an odd female R&B phase in high school, and Crazy Sexy Cool was easily my favorite of the lot. The album doesn't hold up terribly well, but "Creep" and "Diggin on You" are still quite enjoyable.