Review Summary: Weak, watered-down metal/Hot-blooded rap
As 1999 drew to an end, people across the United States were filled with anxiety, as the combination of Christmas shopping and the Y2K scare were taking its toll upon the stress level of many, but not the residents of Jacksonville, Florida. Citizens of Jacksonville were too busy watching their Jaguars plow through opponents, resulting in a 14-2 season, and playing the now septuple-platinum album
Significant Other by local nu-metal band
Limp Bizkit. Like ICP, perceptions of [L]Limp Bizkit[L] vary from extremely positive (greatest band ever) to extremely negative (stupid, white trash wiggers making a ***ty blend of two genres [Metal & Rap]) However, the truth can be found in the middle of these opinions, albeit slightly leaning to the latter.
It’s easy to understand why one would abhor
Limp Bizkit, their combination of metal and rap, nu-metal (which is metal using low-toned power chords, ample amounts of bass, angry vocals combined with hip-hop bounce, and infrequent electronics) detracts fans from both genres, as it could be seen as a deformed mutant that’s a sorry excuse for a enjoyable hybrid, and appeals to only a certain ear. But it’s also easy to see why one would adore them. The ‘roid rage rapping that Fred Durst brings to the table, combined with the high-octane thrashing instrumentals, can make for an adrenaline-filled listen, but only up to a certain point.
The first one-third of the album is atrocious, as the listener tries to examine the album by its technicalities, not its final product, and therefore deems it a crime against music. But the real fun is in the mid-section, when the listener decides to throw caution into the wind and actually just listens. This results in being absorbed by the unapologetically punk lyrics of Fred Durst delivered with angst and the testosterone-packed, screechy, flogging beats, the way they are as a product. Which results in an energetically angry, hyper attitude while listening, and thusly, the fun climax of the album is located at its heart.
But eventually, the feverous, frenzied listening experience dies down, and the falling action is just a disappointing exhalation of average mediocrity.
Significant Other is so sporadic in its listening, chronologically transitioning (in thirds) from a 1/5, to a 4/5, to a 2.5/5, which makes it inappropriate to rate the album as a whole, as it can only accurately be rated if by portions. Thusly, the first-one third is horrendous, the second one-third is really awesome, and the last one-third is just an indifferent warm-down. Despite the success of it,
Significant Other, is truly intermittent in the proportionate aspects of their albums, driving this to the rating of ‘average’, all the whilst being far from it.
