Word: iv
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...trio's image of endearing pot-addled goofballs, which they established on Black Sunday, may have faded with the evolution of their music, but they are still one of rap's most vital groups. Cypress Hill IV shows that rap has not taken its final breath just yet. This offering, together with the impending release of Ice Cube's new album, shows that there is still some hope out there...
Cypress Hill has always been an odd rap group, since they've been more inclined to croon about the legalization of marijuana than street violence or gang warfare; but over the last decade they've been one of the industry's most reliable assets. Their fourth album, Cypress Hill IV, is a sleekly polished and satisfying blend of the upbeat, flavorful tempos of their smash second album, Black Sunday, and the solemn, brooding tones of their third offering, Cypress Hill III (Temples of Boom...
...sounds as if he's suffering from one too many hits from the bong. The extremely somber Cypress Hill III had a number of serious, grave successes, such as the grim "Killafornia" and the spooky, spiritual "Illusions." Thus it is not surprising that the best songs on Cypress Hill IV are the ones that boast the most chilling sounds. "Dead Men Tell No Tales" is a pleasingly eerie mesh of quiet guitar riffs, chimes and the voice of B-Real clucking "Da da da daaa." "Prelude to a Come Up" features a strikingly solemn piano line that punctuates the lyrics...
What distinguishes Cypress Hill IV from previous the group's previous albums though, is the diversity and variation of the music. The album's most experimental song, "Tequila Sunrise," is a sharp and satisfying piece of Southern music that is peppered by the sounds of Spanish guitars. B-Real spits out "Tequila Sunrise/Bloodshot eyes/Realize we are born to die/SO GET THE MONEY!," which is quite ironic since Cypress Hill is one of the few rap groups that is yet to become a sell out. The album ends with a powerful one-two punch, first with the epic-styled "Clash...
...horns and Indian chants. The other drug song is the lackluster "High Times," which does little more than evoke memories of "Hits From the Bong" and "I Wanna Get High." Despite a couple of duds other, such as the overwrought "Feature Presentation" and the placid "Audio X," Cypress Hill IV is an album that arrives none too soon...