Well if Take That can reform in the pop world, then surely the seminal rappers Naughty By Nature can have another resurgence? This is the first time Treach, Vin Rock and DJ Kay Gee have released an album since 1999’s ‘Nineteen Naughty Nine: Nature’s Fury’ and whilst this isn’t the Naughty of their 1991 classic debut, it’s still a solid return to form.
The anthematic opener ‘Naughty Nature’ is a hardcore re-familiarisation to the group, complete with sirens, dirge-like keys and a boom-bap drum pattern, off set by Treach’s strident, heavy rhymes. This is a head-nodder to the point of decapitation. ‘Throw it up’ is more danceable; a bouncy, breezy beat and some creative rhymes from Treach and a decent horn section to add a bit of drama to the chorus. ‘I Gotta Lotta’ is a dark little number that shows Naughty’s more negative side. It flows nicely with a lot of funky reverb and an overall vibe of planning sinister mischief- or “rob a deli music”, as a friend once said. ‘Perfect Party’ featuring Joe is the Naughty we know and love from such tracks as ‘Hip Hop Hooray’.
Whilst it doesn’t go off message about a party, it would still complement a gathering cook-out in the summer with aplomb. ‘Flags’ is a soulful, cautionary tale on the streets of the ghetto and its ability to swallow people up. ‘Name Game’ is a dreadful nod to some sort of commercial album imperative: namely, to have a rotten, overproduced, ripe pile of shoe-shit segwaying the second half of the album. ‘God is Us’ has a clichéd, stale worthiness all of its own: a boring beat with some sentimental hogwash about God has Queen Latifah trying to add heft to a forgettable song. Nice try, no cigar. Thankfully, ‘Impeach the Planet’ turns up the energy levels to eleven and is a rhyming, spitting exemplary showcase, with Treach doing a Chuck D impression on some sort of substance. The track’s beat essence is rough as sandpaper and has Treach re-sampled and scratched into the song’s heart.
The addition of ‘Uptown Anthem’ (their best ever song, by a country mile), ‘O.P.P’, ‘Feel Me Flow’ and ‘Everything’s Gonna Be Alright’ is interesting. It offers direct contrast with the new material, making those unfamiliar with these tracks a chance to listen to their back catalogue. It also gives heads, who remember them from 20 years ago, another chance to hear them remastered, and made clearer through the re-recording. Much of the original tracks had a 1990s muddy feel to them.
The newer versions sound crisper, clearer, but in many ways they’ve lost the deliberate mistakes obvious in the original 1990s mix downs, such as vocal overlaps with the music or the complete opposite, with the music mixed down to separate the vocals without any hint of distortion. The resulting newer versions are a little soulless, even if the vocals are that bit clearer.
All in all, Anthem Inc. is a decent return to form, with enough for both long-term Naughty fans and ones just turning eighteen, turning into the ideal demographic of the typical record buying consumer.
