Sneaky Sound System - 2
Whack Records
By Neil Banks
God knows why SSS had the longest chart run in history with 'I Love It', or why their debut album went twice platinum, but one can't deny their mass appeal. One can, however, point out that their sophomore album 2 is much of the same old Sneaky Sounds, with a slightly more pop oriented lean. Lead single 'Kansas City' links the two albums as the opening track and is, frankly, the only one worth its salt. Filled with catchy pop/dance beats referencing master electro pair Chromeo with its pop-rock undertones, it's exactly what SSS are here to make: a mindless dance track to sing along to.
The problem comes on track two ('16') and continues from there. SSS could have basically just repackaged the same album and no one would know the difference. Is anyone else tired of the same beat, the same fake sounding electro-guitar riff, and the same lyrics/melody over and over from Miss Connie? About the middle of the album I was unsure of whether there were three separate tracks, or simply one track with three breaks in it. There are some exceptions. The catchy and interesting start of 'When We Were Young' (which descends into typical SSS for the chorus unfortunately), and the acoustic-ish pop track 'Where Do I Begin' see SSS maturing from club tracks to give us hope of a future album that does basically consist of B-sides.