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Baha
Men |
Some
songs have "novelty hit" written all over them. They have
the requisite cutesy-if-mindless sing-along chorus that revolves
around an instantly infectious beat. Most often it marks a
career-defining, and often career-limiting, smash for a group. Think
of Los Del Rio's "The Macarena," Aqua's "Barbie
Girl" and Green Jelly's "Three Little Pigs." |
(Most
are like, "Green WHO?!"--but they would know the song if
they heard it.) Add to that list Baha Men's current bootie-music-cum-reggae
hybrid "Who Let The Dogs Out" from the album of the same name.
Racing
up the charts, and adopted by sports teams and fans across the
country, "Who Let The Dogs Out" etches itself in the
listener's head after a single listen. Already in the Top 20 airplay
charts, "Dogs" is as fresh as a left-over summer breeze--for
now--but it's in line to wear out its welcome well before winter.
(Remember fellow novelty bootie-jam "Whoomp! There It Is!"
by Tag Team some years ago--and how inescapable . . . and annoying .
. . it got?)
To
their credit, though, fault lies with radio programmers not the Baha
Men. "Dogs" is different and fresh, especially in the sea
of teeny-bopper pop. Baha Men have crafted a classic, toe-tappin'
pop-reggae jam, which is why radio is quick to pick it up. In fact,
the group has collected an entire disc of them--a fact that will make
up for the nuisance "Dogs" is bound to become.
Of
a 12-song set, only once do the Baha Men slow the tempo--and, when
they do, it's well worth the wait. "Where Did I Go Wrong,"
a stunning, beautifully orchestrated ballad, shows the group is
capable of more than the foot-stompin' party tracks for which they
could easily be branded. With tight harmony and emotion-filled
lyrics, this could be their true breakthrough hit. Radio should snap
this up in an instant--and fans of boy groups will embrace it even
more quickly.
Instead,
though, the Baha Men seem to strive for feel-good numbers, and they
hit a homerun more than once. "You All Dat," a fun-filled
ditty jam with impressive horn arrangements and a follow-along story,
should be well received. It's breezy, fun and steals a juicy,
crowd-pleasing sample from The Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps
Tonight."
"Getting
Hotter," borrowing a recognizable section from Buster
Poindexter's 80s novelty track "Hot, Hot, Hot," gets the
blood circulating, too. The uptempo Caribbean beats and orchestration
give us no choice but to dance. In fact, that's the theme throughout:
Get up, dance! From "Get Ya Party On"--a hip-hop flavored,
hit-worthy number--to "You're Mine" to "Shake It
Mamma," the most Latin-influenced track, the dance floor awaits.
In
a time of ho-hum offerings, the Baha Men go all-out to provide a
sound that's exciting. Having a full catalog of previously released
material, they are prepared to stake their claim to stardom with
"Who Let The Dogs Out"--and it couldn't be better timed.
The
Baha Men are the perfect cure for the cooler weather and the
post-summer blues. Just throw "Who Let The Dogs Out" in the
CD player and let the toe-tappin' and rump-shakin' begin. It's time
to party!
Click
here to purchase this
CD from Amazon.com
Click
here to
purchase other Baha Men CDs from Amazon.com
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