Tricky
Juxtapose
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Tricky
Juxtapose
Island/Def Jam, 1999
RiYL: Massive Attack, Goldie, OutKast |
Working with American producers DJ Muggs and Dame Grease (as well as the spirit of his new home, New York) has brought Tricky farther away from Bristol than he has ever dared to venture.
On opener "For Real", Juxtapose wastes no time showing its new colors. The haunting acoustic guitar and harpsichord loop accompanies Tricky's whispered ironies about the fantasy world of a pop star: "Some people have to live their lives for real / I don't have to / I've got a record deal" Listen hard through the whispers: is that Tricky actually singing? Glory be.
It's not until 1.20 into the album's second track, however, until the real secret weapon of Juxtapose comes to town. That's when rapper Street Dog introduces his captivating style of lightning-fast, stream-of-consciousness English rhyming. Tricky's newfound love (and production team) of hip-hop beats is tailored perfectly to support such a figure, and Street Dog steps confidently into the mix. He appears on only four scattered tracks, but casts his shadow of influence over the whole record.
"I Like The Girls" is all Street Dog's, a pornographic fantasy world where his off-kilter rhyme schemes take us through scene after unbelievable scene of slightly intelligible English madness. "Met two girls in a restaurant / didn't know those hookers was lesbians" -- I'll leave the rest up to your imagination for now.
So another album, another new range of styles for the chameleon Tricky. Though it can be debated how much the record actually reflects Tricky's own vision vs. those of his three producers, it's clear that he's inventive and hard to pin down, and thus worthy of admiration. We'll keep listening.
TROY CARPENTER | Troy Carpenter founded NATN from a Chicago apartment during the ambitious winter of 1998 with co-conspirators Ben French and Jonathan Cohen. After a five-year stint in New York, he and wife Lourdes have recently relocated to Indianapolis, where he spends days listening to music and nights in the kitchen at Elements restaurant. Musical heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Super Furry Animals. What else makes life worth living: Sushi, Phucty, runs in the park, and the Atlanta Braves.