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G. Love & Special Sauce
Philadelphonic (OKeh)
Even before he began rapping, G. Love ran out of things to say. But by enthusiastically tapping a rich, rarely explored vein — the rhythmic intersection between hip-hop and New Orleans-style R&B — Love’s Philadelphia-based trio made the songs fun anyhow. Despite the clever name, “Philadelphonic” is his least fun album: The opening “No Turning Back” and “Do It For Free” have some of the upbeat rhythmic snap of Love hits like “The Things That I Used To Do,” but the album drifts into way-too-laid-back funk and soul. “Kick Drum” sounds like a bunch of potheads trying to impress each other. Incredibly, it makes you nostalgic for Love’s raps about the 76ers.