We Rock Hard
| We Rock Hard | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 14 June 1998[1] | |||
| Genre | Breakbeat, big beat, electronica | |||
| Length | 73:05 | |||
| Label | Freskanova (UK) PIAS Mammoth (US) | |||
| Producer | Freestylers | |||
| Freestylers chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [2] |
| NME | (7/10)[3] |
| Rolling Stone | [4] |
We Rock Hard is the first album by the English electronic group Freestylers and their most commercially successful release to date. Allmusic describes the album as a run through of the band members' back catalogue,[2] but it still showcases the classic big beat and breakbeat electronica that would remain the band's trademark sound along with ragga and dub twists.
The album features the single "Ruffneck", which garnered a certain level of MTV rotation and has a style that's reminiscent of a reggae Beastie Boys and remains popular with Amazon reviewers.[5]
The track "Freestyle Noize" was featured in the PlayStation skateboarding video game Thrasher: Skate and Destroy.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Freestyle Noize" | 5:37 |
| 2. | "Dancehall Vibes" (featuring Tenor Fly) | 6:21 |
| 3. | "Drop The Boom" | 3:01 |
| 4. | "Don't Stop" | 4:43 |
| 5. | "Here We Go" (featuring Definition of Sound) | 4:51 |
| 6. | "The Darkside" | 4:50 |
| 7. | "B–Boy Stance" (featuring Tenor Fly) (scratches by Funk Wizard Jay Rock) | 4:36 |
| 8. | "We Rock Hard" (featuring Soul Sonic Force) | 7:08 |
| 9. | "Breaker Beats (Part 1)" | 2:54 |
| 10. | "Breaker Beats (Part 2)" | 2:57 |
| 11. | "Scratch 22 (Jay-Rock's Theme)" (produced by Funk Wizard Jay Rock) | 5:25 |
| 12. | "Ruffneck" (featuring Navigator) (scratches by Funk Wizard Jay Rock) | 5:40 |
| 13. | "Feel The Panic" | 5:54 |
| 14. | "Hold Up Your Hands" | 3:58 |
| 15. | "Warning" (featuring Navigator) (scratches by Funk Wizard Jay Rock) | 5:10 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Freestyle Noize" | 5:36 |
| 2. | "Dancehall Vibes" (featuring Tenor Fly) | 6:17 |
| 3. | "Drop The Boom" | 3:01 |
| 4. | "Don't Stop" | 4:20 |
| 5. | "Here We Go" (featuring Definition of Sound) | 4:56 |
| 6. | "B–Boy Stance" (featuring Tenor Fly) (scratches by Funk Wizard Jay Rock) | 4:21 |
| 7. | "We Rock Hard" (featuring Soul Sonic Force) | 7:10 |
| 8. | "Breaker Beats (Part 1)" | 4:36 |
| 9. | "Spaced Invader" | 7:19 |
| 10. | "Ruffneck" (featuring Navigator) (scratches by Funk Wizard Jay Rock) | 5:43 |
| 11. | "Feel The Panic" | 5:57 |
| 12. | "Check The Skillz" | 7:10 |
| 13. | "Warning" (featuring Navigator) (scratches by Funk Wizard Jay Rock) | 4:57 |
| Total length: | 1:11:23 | |
- The female vocals on track 4 "Don't Stop" are sampled from the 1976 song "I Know" by Candi Staton.[6]
- The 1999 US release omits the tracks "The Darkside", "Breaker Beats (Part 2)", "Scratch 22 (Jay-Rock's Theme)" and "Hold Up Your Hands" and includes "Spaced Invader" and "Check The Skillz" (from the B-sides of the singles "Ruffneck"[7] and "B-Boy Stance",[8] respectively).
References
- ^ NME
- ^ a b Allmusic review
- ^ NME review
- ^ Rolling Stone review
- ^ Amazon.com: We Rock Hard: Music
- ^ Freestylers's Don't Stop sample of Candi Staton's I Know | WhoSampled
- ^ http://www.discogs.com/Freestylers-Featuring-Navigator-Ruffneck/release/128086
- ^ http://www.discogs.com/Freestylers-Featuring-Tenor-Fly-B-Boy-Stance/release/128097
