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Track Listing 1. Not Today - (with Sen Dog) 2. Apocalypse Now 3. Gangsters and Thugs 4. What I Can't Describe - (with Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.) 5. Doomsday 6. Killafornia - (with B Real) 7. American Guns 8. Madness 9. Hit the Fence 10. Pay Any Price 11. I Want It All 12. Crash and Burn - (with Rakaa)
Album Notes Transplants: Tim Armstrong (vocals, guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, bass guitar); Rob Aston (vocals); Travis Barker (drums, percussion, loops). Additional personnel: Ganxsta Ridd, Godfather, Rakaa, Sen Dog, B Real, Baby Down (vocals); Dave Carlock (guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, bass guitar, background vocals); Victor Ruggiero (Farfisa, Wurlitzer organ); Matt Freeman (bass guitar); Scott Abels (percussion). With the exception of the lead singer, Transplants is composed of ex-members of Rancid and Blink 182. The band's sophomore release HAUNTED CITIES straddles the line between punk, rock-rap, and alternative pop. The latter is best epitomized by "Gangsters and Thugs," a tune that sounds like it could have appeared among outtakes from Beck's ODELAY. However, this album points mostly in the direction of a punk revival, only with crunchier guitars, heavier vocal rants, and chunkier drum beats. For example, "American Guns" mixes Shane MacGowan-style vocals with messy guitars and a driving bass pattern. But just when you think you've pigeon-holed the group, Transplants switches gears again. On "Hit The Fence" the band combines Beastie Boys-influenced rap with a menacing piano motif. The last track on the album, "Crash and Burn," even uses Afro-Cuban piano riffs. Featuring guest vocal performances by hip-hop stars Sen Dog and B. Real (from Cypress Hill), this release is sure to remain a favorite with those who love to hear genres combined freely and without apology.
Industry Reviews Punk and hip-hop have a lot in common, and few bands have bridged this gap so effortlessly.
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