December 25, 2005 @ 11:00 pm

Bubba Sparxxx - The Charm (Virgin)

Justin Monroe

"My name rings bells / But it means not a thing if it can’t bring sales,” raps Sparxxx on “Represent,” elucidating the intent of his third LP. Critics celebrated his quirky 2003 album Deliverance for its revelations and bluegrass banjos. Fans hungry for hits like 2001’s “Ugly,” however, paid Bubba neither mind nor money. Thus, he’s returned to beaten paths in the interest of commerce, which sometimes pays off artistically as well.

Though he abandons Deliverance’s eccentricity, Bubba’s lyrics still engage. A gothic Heatmakerz score heightens drama as he confronts the pressure to rebound on “The Fluke.” “Run Away,” a story of young lovers torturously tenderized by Latino crooner Frankie J and Basement Beats’ soft guitar, however, is pure pop schmaltz. Likewise, with “Ms. New Booty,” on which Sparxxx and the Ying Yang Twins force-feed the strip-club crowd over Mr. Collipark’s raging sirens, demanding more “Booty, booty, booty, booty rockin’ everywhere!”

While his hedged bets reduce both risk and reward, his rural raps restore at least some of the magic in The Charm.

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Article tags: Bubba Sparxxx, The Charm 

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