Coda.fm

Devil Without a Cause

by Kid Rock

• Buy it at Amazon.com

It's fitting that the Kid Rock revival got started when the Beastie Boys featured him in their Grand Royal magazine--and not because the kid from Detroit shares their skin tone. Rock has often been compared with the early Beasties--the boys of "Fight for Your Right to Party" and "Brass Monkey," the boys no one ever thought would grow up. With lines like "I ain't straight outta Compton, I'm straight out the trailer" and "I started an escort service--for all the right reasons," it's obvious that Kid Rock doesn't aim to follow suit. But that's no hindrance to Devil--backed by the funky metal band Twisted Brown Trucker and special guests like blues vets Robert Bradley and Thronetta Davis, Rock is hosting one hell of an interesting party. Ultimately, Rock's party is great, schlocky fun, equal parts old Beasties and Sebastian Bach--making Devil a guilty pleasure, the Starship Troopers of hip-hop. --Randy Silver