Front End Lifter

Drawing on their many musical obsessions, Black Rock Coalition founders Vernon (Living Colour) Reid and DJ Logic have teamed up to present a very potent blend of hip-hop, electronica, circus music, blues and soul, dub reggae, and, as is to be expected, full-tilt rock & roll. Front End Lifter offers a fresh set of eclectic vibes that will especially please folks who long for a return to progressiveness on the dance floor. Songs such as the "Secret Agent Man"-like "Ponk" and the African-inflected "Tenemental" explore the trip-hop end of the spectrum, while "Bamalamb," driven by a gritty harmonica riff, mines the '70s blaxploitation era for inspiration. New York underground performer Latasha N. Diggs weaves her sexy vocals through the blistering "Psychopathia Mojosexualis," while the all-star cast of Prince Paul, Slick Rick, Corey Glover, and BRC stalwart Greg Tate add major flavor to the goofy "6996 (Club Yohimbe)," a tune that plays as a satisfying combination of both Digital Underground's "Doowutchyalike" and "Humpty Dance." --Rebecca Levine