Tha Alkaholiks
Firewater
Waxploitation/Shock


Tha Alkaholiks' latest and last album 'Firewater' is an explosive blast of liquor-fuelled party rap and there really is no way to describe any of Tha Alkaholiks' releases without using the word 'party' at least half a dozen times. If you don't like hedonistic, hilariously-indulgent, fun hip-hop, you should probably stop reading now. If you've heard Tha Alkaholiks and like them, or haven't heard them but like your hip-hop hot, then keep reading.

With the usual 'Liks formula in full effect, you pretty much know what to expect from Tha Alkaholiks and if you like their style they don't disappoint, but if you don't, then to be honest, 'Firewater' doesn't bring anything to the table that's likely to change your mind.

E-Swift is on the beats as usual (with a bit of help on some tracks, most notably from Dangermouse on Chaos, built around a crazy, early '90s tom-fill driven beat), making the tracks colourful and catchy, packed with funky break-beats and often-understated melodies. J-Ro and Tash are both in full effect on this album, with some of the most impressive, clever flows from either of them over the course of their careers, especially on The Flute Song, Party Ya A** Off and Hangover.

While the music isn't complicated and the lyrical content is pretty much (okay...entirely) focused around drinking, smoking weed and picking up, this album is going to be a love-it-or-hate-it affair. But that goes for the entire Alkaholiks catalogue anyway, so you probably know where you stand by now. That's the one thing about this final outing which could either be a blessing or a curse. This is either a fun-filled extension and final encapsulation of a light-hearted, mostly-unserious musical career, or a predictable, unadventurous and mind-numbing bunch of songs about getting pissed.

Regardless of which of these it is, 'Firewater' does display everything Tha Alkaholiks have built their career around - and it does it well. The beats are clean and polished, the raps clever and entertaining and the choruses (usually) more substantial than the usual gap-fillers that hip-hop choruses often tend to become, with the possible exception of the chorus on The Get Down.

Ben Ford Smith