Disco de The Crystal Method: “Community Service”

Before Electronica acts such as Dirty Vegas and the Wiseguys invaded U.S. airwaves, there was the Crystal Method. And just like these groups, the Crystal Method reached massive audiences after having been featured on a whole variety of TV commercials, from GAP to Skechers to 'The Matrix'. Where is it that you don't hear these guys at a trendy shoe store or in the background of a high-budget movie nowadays?

Since their 1997 debut, 'Vegas', Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland, also known as the Crystal Method, have reached an enormous amount of success. 'Vegas' became a top-selling Electronica album, and the guys have remixed everyone from DJ Keoki to rock acts P.O.D. and Rage against the Machine. On top of that, Crystal Method recently won the 2002 Dancestar USA award for 'Best Live Act'. The second album by TCM, 'Tweekend', was another heavy-hitter with such hits as 'Name of the Game' and 'Roll it Up', and featured collaborations with famous rock stars Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots and Tom Morello of Rage against the Machine. After the duo's second CD it became evident that they needed to be paid more attention to.

On Ken and Scott's third effort, a DJ-mix album called 'Community Service', they triumph yet again. Featuring 16 tracks, this CD is packed with infectious Breakbeat rhythms and TCM's patented chalkboard-scraping noises. What makes 'Community Service' so intrigueing is that the inside sleeve features an entire page listing websites and organizations such as FreeDonations.com, American Institute for Public Service, and the Hunger Site, with the words 'Supporting the community that supports you' at the top. So it seems that Ken and Scott want you to get involved, or that they themselves are supporting such things as freedom of speech and ethnic diversity.

Standout tracks on 'Community Service' include 'No Soul (PMT Remix)' by ILS, a hypnotic intro coupled with the sound of a gospel hymns over it, Stir Fry's energetic 'Breakin On The Streets (False Prophet Remix)', Elite Force's hard-hitting 'Curveball', Dastrix's Crystal-Method-influenced 'Dude In The Moon (Luna Mix)', the Hybrid remix of TCM's own 'Name Of The Game', and the ending track 'The Red Pill' by Scratch-D vs. H-Bomb, sure to make any fan of 'The Matrix' smile. The only complaint I have on this CD is track 15, the Koma & Bones remix of Crystal Method's 'You Know It's Hard'. The middle of the song is really ugly.

>>> 5 stars for excellent track selection and for being completely original. What dance DJs do you know include P.O.D. in their mixes? And one other thing that struck me as funny was the CD cover, which features Ken and Scott in orange suits picking up vinyl records littered on the roadside.

- the enlightened one

This disc from the 'Method was the perfect predecessor to the incredible "Tweekend" cd, at the same time bringing fresh tracks (remixed or not; that is irrelevant) to the over-rated & overplayed "Vegas" release of 1997.

Scott & Ken demonstrate the essence of any electronica dj's reason to exist: remixing skills that twist otherwise snoozer tracks into their signature big beat/hard hop groove.

Being much more accessible than the ego-heavy Prodigy & having diversity of style over remix-only outfits (Rabbit in the Moon plus hundreds of other wannabe's) keeps this 'Island of Groove' (a.k.a. The Crystal Method) the standard of the genre.

You need this. Yes, you out there. Put away your chill out and your ambient, shelve your Digweed for a moment, file your Beth Orton. You need a big thumping power whomp of a big beat electronic CD turned up full blast in your car, right now. It won't irritate you, it will thrill you.

This is an A-1 mix of some meaty, beaty, pumping, stuff, with enough variety to keep it interesting. Crystal Method are the grandfathers of techno/big beat their 1997 record "Vegas" is still the classic of the genre, and its songs beloved of a thousand sound tracks and commercials. These are not their songs, but bear their inimitable stamp. And if you can, catch them on tour, it will bust your sturnum.

So when you head out to clubland, or when you head towards a dreaded family reunion, or whenever you need a shot of attitude and moxy, put this on and turn it up. Its the sort of music everyone can agree is cool, young and old.

You are bad and you are strong after all, oh yes. Buy. You won't regret it.

I have found this to be my favorite Crystal Method album of all. While I really like both Tweekend and Vegas, I sometimes find the songs to be too similar and repetitive. But as a mix disc, Community Service gets the balance just right for me: the solid Crystal Method groove throughout, but with a greater range of styles. There are a couple tracks from their earlier albums but they really do the job with their mixes of other artists like Orbital, Dastrix, and my favorite track P.O.D.'s "Boom" -- a slamming break-remix of an originally plodding alternative song. An excellent disc throughout; I hope they will mix some more.

Cool disc if you like TCM. Better than TWEAKEND though not as wicked as VEGAS, COMMUNITY SERVICE is a continuous mix of great electronic music with very little vocal disruptions. These guys create the best remixes and are top of the heap in techno. Cool, cool stuff.