Aptly titled,
Sound of Change
finds the Cali reggae-rock-hip-hop crew
Dirty Heads
going more pop and electro, sounding like the children of
311
who encountered
Muse
and
Coldplay
much later in life. That's a compliment, as the artists who launched themselves as
Sublime
types are -- shockingly -- comfortable and inspired taking on
Wyclef
will.i.am
-sized numbers like "Burn Slow" with special guest
Tech N9ne
, while "Franco Eyed" with
Cypress Hill
member
B Real
is
Smash Mouth
for the legalization generation, coming on with bright beats, slick ska, and bong in hand. "Medusa" ("I get so stoned, like I checked out Medusa") with
Ward 21
is a winning combination of dancehall, trap, and
Lil Wayne
-styled bragging, then the wistful keeper "My Sweet Summer" offers something sentimental, smooth, and post-vacation, a perfect soundtrack for the heartache that comes after spring break. A couple numbers cry out like
and overstate the stately, but these are only the weak moments by default, because
is a transitional album where the highlights are numerous and the growing pains are few. ~ David Jeffries