Bizzare Ride Ii The Pharcyde : Expanded Edition

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The cover shot of a Fat Albert-ized Pharcyde roller coasting their way into a funhouse makes perfect sense, as the L.A.-based quartet introduced listeners to an uproarious vision of earthy hip-hop informed by P-Funk silliness and an everybody-on-the-mike street-corner atmosphere that highlights the incredible rapping skills of each member. With multiple voices freestyling over hilarious story-songs like Oh Shit, Soul Flower, the dozens contest Ya Mama, and even a half-serious driving-while-black critique named Officer, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde proved Daisy Age philosophy akin to De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest wasn't purely an East Coast phenomenon. Skits and interludes with live backing (usually just drums and piano) only enhance the free-form nature of the proceedings, and the group even succeeds when not reliant on humor, as proved by the excellent heartbreak tale Passing Me By. The production, by J-Sw!ft and the group, is easily some of the tightest and most inventive of any hip-hop record of the era. Though Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde could have used a few more musical hooks to draw in listeners before they begin to appreciate the amazing rapping and gifted productions, the lack of compromise reveals far greater rewards down the line. [Delicious Vinyl reissued the album in 2012 as a triple-disc box set with remixes and instrumentals.] ~ John Bush, Rovi