The Real Rock
The Real Rock | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1990 | |||
Genre | Reggae, rap | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Shinehead chronology | ||||
|
The Real Rock is a studio album by the reggae/rap musician Shinehead, released in 1990 via Elektra Records.[1][2]
The album peaked at No. 155 on the Billboard 200.[3]
Production
[edit]The album was recorded in New York and Jamaica, with contributions from the rhythm section of Steely & Clevie.[4] It contains interpretations of the songs "Family Affair", "Love and Marriage", and "Till I Kissed You".[5][6] "World of the Video Game" samples the music of Super Mario Bros.[7]
Critical reception
[edit]Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chicago Sun-Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | ![]() ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Los Angeles Times thought that "even the strongest songs are more well-crafted than inspirational, and the cleverest verbal forays are undercut by the musical retrenchment."[11] Trouser Press wrote that "the music on The Real Rock is more sophisticated in terms of technology and styling, but the songs are hit-and-miss."[13] The Washington Post declared that "the album's highlight ... is an inspired remake of Sly Stone's 'Family Affair', which mixes slap bass, scratching, soul singing and speed-rapping into an imaginative defense of black music, black neighborhoods and the black family."[5] The Philadelphia Daily News called Shinehead "the most captivating and versatile of the reggae-rap artists."[14]
AllMusic called the album "one of the best rap releases of 1990," writing that "the East Coast resident wisely avoids being predicable."[8]
Track listing
[edit]No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "The Real Rock" | 4:07 |
2. | "Family Affair" | 4:23 |
3. | "World of the Video Game" | 3:42 |
4. | "Potential" | 4:42 |
5. | "Good Things" | 3:59 |
6. | "Strive" | 4:16 |
7. | "Dance Down the Road" | 3:50 |
8. | "Love and Marriage Rap" | 4:12 |
9. | "Till I Kissed You" | 4:14 |
10. | "Cigarette Breath" | 3:28 |
11. | "Musical Madness" | 4:00 |
References
[edit]- ^ Pareles, Jon (August 3, 1990). "Reviews/Music; Shinehead's Lessons in Morality". The New York Times.
- ^ Huffman, Eddie. "Shinehead Declines to Be Pigeonholed". Greensboro News and Record.
- ^ "Shinehead". Billboard.
- ^ a b McLeese, Don (July 20, 1990). "Shinehead: The Real Rock". Weekend Plus. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 57.
- ^ a b "Records". The Washington Post. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- ^ Hill, Edward (Aug 17, 1990). "Shine On". News. The Plain Dealer.
- ^ Dafoe, Chris (29 June 1990). "Shinehead makes splash with reggae tour". Toronto Star. p. E12.
- ^ a b "The Real Rock - Shinehead | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: Shinehead". www.robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 420.
- ^ a b "** 1/2 Shinehead 'The Real Rock' Elektra". Los Angeles Times. July 22, 1990.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 631–632.
- ^ "Shinehead". Trouser Press. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- ^ Takiff, Jonathan (28 Jun 1990). "Sunsplash '90: Reggae and the Roots of Rap". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 37.