RPM 2000
Peace in the City
WB
“And I can tell you that it’s funny now.” What a perfect line to open this album. It really is funny, but the RPM experience starts before the music. It starts with the CD sleeve. Lamar, Ronnell, and Avery stand tough in their black clothes and silver jackets. They look like the boy band of hip-hop. N’Sync and Backstreet Boys, move over – here comes RPM. The CD opens with a few smooth lines, but that only lasts about twenty seconds. After that, the R&B comes. Not just any R&B, but obnoxiously cheesy R&B. Don’t think it’s too cheesy for you? Listen to track 12, “Peace in the City.” It’s the title track, and the message is good, but I can’t get past the medium. If you don’t mind simple loops that sound like they were created on the first drum machine ever, RPM might be for you. My only advice: take it to a listening booth before you buy it.
Now let’s go back to the CD sleeve for a moment. All three of the band members thank the Lord, Jesus Christ, first and foremost. Nevertheless, they sing such memorable hits as “I Want Your Body” and “Bump in Your Ride.” How can the album be summed up in a simple sentence? Well, “…I can tell you that it’s funny now.”
