Loud Rocks
Capitalizing on the recent commercial success of rap/rock crossovers, Loud Records volunteers their back catalog for the rock treatment on this surprisingly diverse new compilation. Ever wondered what theWu-Tang Clan,Tha Alkaholiks,Mobb Deep, andBig Punwould sound like jamming withSugar Ray,Sevendust,Incubus, andOzzy Osbourne? Probably not, but the guitar-heavy pairings work surprisingly well. Vocally, tracks are split. Certified MCs show up on roughly half the tracks to retrofit their rhymes to the rock-out sound; on the rest, rock's wailers and grunters transform into microphone fiends.Everlastgives "Shook Ones Part II" a gorgeous, stripped-down acoustic feel, andSystem of a Downturns the Wu classic "Shame" into a mosh-pit screamer.Xzibit'sgruff flow finds a perfect match alongside the distorted thrash ofEndoand Sevendust. Though the bad moments are cringe-worthy, there's enough crossover appeal to win over rockers, hip-hop heads, and the morbidly curious alike.--Hua Hsu