Rev Run
Distortion

(Island/Def Jam)

First Appeared in The Music Box, December 2005, Volume 12, #12

Written by T.J. Simon

The good news is that Distortion, the long-awaited solo debut from Run-DMC’s Rev Run, isn’t a total train wreck; unfortunately, it also unsurprisingly never rises to the heights of Run-DMC’s glory days. Over the years, Rev Run’s vocal delivery has changed very little, and at 26 minutes in length, the album doesn’t give the listener much time to form any new opinions about his abilities. He wisely loads the disc with familiar samples, employing chords lifted from James Brown, The Commodores, New Edition, and Blondie on Breaktime, Boom Ditty, Don’t Stop Y’all, and Take a Tour, respectively. He also pays tribute to Jam Master Jay, his slain former DJ, on Home Sweet Home, a decent tune that is constructed around Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Sweet Home Alabama. Formed on the foundation of Joan Jett & The Blackhearts’ rendition of I Love Rock and Roll, Mind on the Road is another enjoyable number, and throughout the effort, he also does quite a bit of sampling of Run-DMC’s (as well as his own) music, most effectively on the winning opener I Used to Think I Was Run. Still, his mimicry of Eminem’s lyrical style on High and Mighty Joe is positively cringe-worthy, but one can hardly fault the Reverend for attempting to keep things current in a world that has largely passed him by.

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Ratings

1 Star:   Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2005 The Music Box