In the face of the teen invasion, though, some old school acts rekindled their flames and brought some elder fans back a few generations. Bad Company hooked back up, too, after a lengthy separation, to bring some of their brew back to the music scene. The tour, currently still going strong, is significant both musically and socially, because the Boss has always meant as much to America as he does to American rock. Springsteen has always, however subtly, reevaluated the kitschy Americana with which he has always been associated. His tales of loneliness on a bleak, dark highway cut acutely to the point if you're really paying attention.
Word is that it's a mostly adult crowd at the band's sold-out concerts.
It's a double-CD effort, one of some new jams, the other a peek back at the dynamic duo's last decade plus in the rap game. The compilation is worth a listen, because when they're really on point Sermon and Smith are true rhyme technicians. Its mojo has always been makin' cash, having always deferred to Nas et al. for the high-minded gospel. Def Squad vets Redman and Keith Murray check in a whole lot, too. Remembering the good old days helps ease the pain of the new disc, which reeks of repetition and proves that these two may have closed shop just in time.