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Artist: Limp Bizkit
Genre: Alternative
Year: 1999
Rating: 7.5 / 10

Speaking of Limp Bizkit, Rolling Stone's Lorraine Ali summed up my thoughts with one short sentence: "They're actually (gulp) good." After listening to Limp Bizkit's 1999 release, Significant Other - an album I bought because the group's cover of George Michael's "Faith" was not on it - I could not agree more. Two or three months prior to my purchase of this album, my knowledge of Limp Bizkit consisted of "Nookie" and rumors of a Woodstock riot-inducing set. While I do not despise "Nookie" like I did when it was first released, I still find the song to be infantile and unexciting. The rest of the album, however, turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

Limp Bizkit's brand of hip-hop metal is certainly not new, as it seems to have become all the rage in the last few years. The breadth of their musical talent, though, is worth noting, as the band actually achieves its greatest success when it strays away from "Nookie." A prime example of this is Limp Bizkit's collaboration with Method Man on "N 2 Gether Now," a heavily rap-laced cut from the album. (It should be noted as well that the video is rather funny, showing frontman Fred Durst and Method Man in a playful contest of one-upmanship.) In and of itself, "N 2 Gether Now" is a significant track; even more important, though, is the fact that it symbolizes the varying styles Limp Bizkit employs on the album.

I must make a confession before I continue: I am a reformed metal head. That being said, the heavier aspects of Significant Other certainly appeal to me, almost reminding me of a time when I thought Metallica and Megadeth were God's gifts to music. I also remember an early 1990s film called Judgment Night, or, more appropriately, the soundtrack that accompanied it. It featured collaborations between metal up-and-comers like Helmet and Tool and rappers like Ice-T and House of Pain. Believe it or not, at the time, that soundtrack was quite a risky venture, even if similar styles now guarantee mainstream success. I believe I enjoy Limp Bizkit's Significant Other so much because it is one of the truest current incarnations of this type of music.

Contrary to popular belief, Fred Durst can actually sing. He tries to scream his way through a great many tracks, but songs like the mellow "Rearranged" prove he has a range not evidenced on "Nookie." My personal favorite might just be "Break Stuff," complete with some pulse-pounding guitar work by Wes Borland. This song, which encapsulates Durst's rage over a prior breakup, features the catchy chorus: "It's all about the he says she says bullshit." I said the album was good - I never claimed that the lyrics were overly intelligent. Try not to forget - this is still the same band that is, apparently, doing it all for the nookie. At least, that is what they would have us believe.

Submitted 3/23/00.