On Community Service II, breaks veterans The Crystal Method make room for a breathless Evil Nine cut, some New Order nostalgia and a terrible second look at a Doors tavern favorite. This is the second mix the duo has released in conjunction with its weekly L.A. radio show of the same name (Part One was released in 2002), but with such a mixed bag of selections, the final product ends up being just okay.
On one of the few original tracks here, the Crystal Method’s Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland fade the hypnotic bass buzzes of “Starting Over” into the winding final moments and egotistical surge of Ian Brown’s vocal on UNKLE’s “Reign.” It’s a beauty, and nearly outdoes the trance-y sunrise break of their take on “Bizarre Love Triangle” and conclusion with the resonating New Originals mix of Smashing Pumpkins’ “1979.”
By its close, I can almost forget “The Crystal Method vs. The Doors (Roadhouse Blues Remix)” that falls into the fifth slot. It’s a tragic beats-meets-mediocrity incarnation, in that the Doors aren’t really that good to begin with, and pushing their forgettable stuff up against breaks and a droning synth is almost as bad as including the original version in the set.
www.indie1031.fm (Crystal Method radio show, Friday 10PM PST)
http://www.thecrystalmethod.com/ (videos, etc.)
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