Haunted Cities [Chopped & Screwed By DJ Paul Wall]

by Transplants

Overview

Transplants' 2002 debut shouldn't have worked. There was the supergroup tag, for one, with Tim Armstrong and Travis Barker at the center of a trio that also included vocalist/rapper Rob Aston. And besides, their charge of modified punk revivalism, streetscape grit, and hip-hop bravado seemed (on paper anyway) like music for the villains in a DMX action vehicle, or at the very least a sound tailored for game systems. Nevertheless it was oddly effective, and managed some real atmosphere. In 2005 the Transplants return. They've skipped from Armstrong's Hellcat imprint to Barker's Atlantic-distributed La Salle, but it's close to the same sound on Haunted Cities. Opener "Not Today" suggests the first record's "Tall Cans in the Air"; it sounds like a futuristic retelling of 1977 punk, and Sen Dog stops by for a guest verse. "Apocalypse Now" isn't as effective -- its lyrical rage is empty, and the converted drum'n'bass backing track doesn't go anywhere. But the single "Gangsters and Thugs" is as oddly effective as the debut with its turntables and hedonism, organ drop-ins, and skittering percussion racket. "Gangsters and thugs/Criminals and hoods/Some of my friends sell records/Some of my friends sell drugs." And speaking of Sen Dog, B Real appears on the dubby swagger "Killafornia." "What I Can't Describe" appropriates vintage soul and Cali G-funk; it even features some raps from Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. The swaggering "Madness" sounds like a Rancid track recut to fit the Transplants' shadowy street-fighting sound -- while the hammering guitar and Armstrong's vocal part are pulled right from punk, the theremin-and-keyboard breakdowns are strange flashbulbs from an alternate Golden State reality where it's always night and thugs drive around in jet-powered Packards. Haunted Cities suffers lyrically. Blood, guts, and I'll punch you (or worse) if you look my way -- that's about the size of it, particularly when Aston's on the mike. But the weird Clash-isms of "American Guns" and "I Want It All"'s chopped-up rhythms and scratches work even though they shouldn't. It's all so blatantly postmodern. But the whole package ends up having this strangely alluring glimmer. It's like discovering California Babylon after being lost in suburbia. ~ Johnny Loftus

Product Details

Release Date:	11/01/2005
Label:	Atlantic
UPC:	0075679412621

Tracks

1. Not Today
2. Apocalypse Now
3. Gangsters and Thugs
4. What I Can't Describe
5. Doomsday
6. Killafornia
7. American Guns
8. Madness
9. Hit the Fence
10. Pay Any Price
11. I Want It All
12. Crash and Burn

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Transplants   Primary Artist
Rakaa   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
B-Real   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Sen Dog   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Ganxsta Ridd   Vocals
Matt Freeman   Guitar (Bass),Bass
Dave Carlock   Guitar (Bass),Bass,Organ,Guitar,Theremin,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Tim Armstrong   Guitar (Bass),Vocals,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Bass,Guitar
Rich Graiko   Trumpet
DJ Pone   Scratching
Obi Fernandez   Trombone
Godfather   Vocals
Scott Abels   Percussion
Victor Ruggiero   Wurlitzer,Farfisa Organ
Vic Ruggiero   Wurlitzer
Jennifer Tefft   Flute
Brett Reed   Percussion
Baby Down   Vocals
Rob "SR" Aston   Vocals
DJ Die   Scratching
Dave Holden   Saxophone
DJ Odie   Scratching
Travis Barker   Drums,Loops,Percussion
Gemi Taylor   Guitar
Paul "Ganxta Ridd" Devoux   Vocals
Richard Stites   Vocals (Background)
Vincent "Gawtti" Devoux   Vocals
Kim Jade Fry   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Gawtti   Vocals
Billy Jam   Sound Effects
Rob Aston   Vocals

Technical Credits

Dave Carlock   Audio Production,Composer,Engineer,Producer
Tim Armstrong   Audio Production,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Group Member,Executive Producer
Rob Aston   Composer
T. Armstrong   Composer
Neal H. Pogue   Mixing
Rakaa Taylor   Composer
Louis Freese   Composer
S. Reyes   Composer
Brian Gardner   Mastering
Rob "SR" Aston   Group Member
John Morrical   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Carlos Paucar   Programming,Drum Programming
Brian "Big Bass" Gardner   Mastering
Senen Reyes   Composer
John Cranfield   Assistant Engineer
Travis Barker   Composer,Group Member
Chris Rakestraw   Assistant Engineer
Fredrik Sarhagen   Engineer
Neil Pogue   Mixing
Ted Barker   Composer
Alicia Simmons   Assistant Engineer
Paul "Ganxta Ridd" Devoux   Composer
Nicky C.   Drum Programming
Nick Ferrero   Assistant Engineer
Ian Suddarth   Assistant Engineer