Kid Rock
American Bad Ass(WEA)
Anything this gloriously simple usually comes with a catch - the witless hate bulletins of Eminem, the mercenary coldness of Limp Bizkit, the aloof artfulness of Beck. But Kid Rock does exactly what it says on the tin - I mean, he's even called Rock! Genius! And he certainly does on this blistering sequel to 'Cowboy', which pretty much encompasses the Kid's entire beer-chugging, mud-wrestling, Caddy-driving, groupie-shagging, cigar-chomping, pimp-rolling, flag-waving but somehow benign and all-inclusive multiracial take on the redneck everyman fantasy of getting paid, getting laid and raising a finger to The Man.
"I like AC/DC and ZZ Top!" bellows the Kid over the most stomptastic rap-metal riff since 'Fight For Your Right To Party'. "I like Johnny Cash and Grandmaster Flash!" he adds winningly while devouring an entire hog roast, smoking a giant reefer and watching a hardcore porn video. Rock's Spinal Tap-like philosophy of having a good time all the time is hardly a bottomless well of lyrical inspiration, but it's all here in glorious Technicolour on the only Kid Rock single you ever need to own.
Stephen Dalton
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