On their second album, the duo of The Crystal Method polish up their big beat formulae from the first LP while downplaying the slower, more texture-focused aspects in favor of heavier vocal sample usage (as shown in “Wild, Sweet & Cool” and “Name of the Game”) and clear beat patterns with sub-layers that become deceptively dense when they really get going.  In addition to
occasional turntable scratching, the album also finds the group incorporating more near-rapping delivery for the lyrics.  From the switching between lilt and Linkin Park-ish yowl from 
Stone Temple Pilots’ Scott Weiland

for “Murder”, to the go-for-it commercial bravado of “Name of the Game”, this is likely the most telling sign of the time from which it came. 

While the rap efforts are underwhelming, they don’t veer into outright cringeworthiness too often, and the instrumental side provides laudable efforts to support their weakness.  But the fully-instrumental tracks show the group at their best, following and escalating beats and brazen keyboards into deep, heady grooves.  The overall shift towards faster material does have a few bumps to it, but unfortunate as it is to lose the more atmospheric studies the band’s first album pulled off so well, it clarifies the suggestion that their capabilities were being pushed into fresh territories.  It may not be an even trade, but the confidence practically oozes from Tweekend’s most active songs, and the one-two finish of “Blowout”‘s towering loop-stacks and “Tough Guy”‘s octane cool-down is

just about enough to earn full forgiveness of the album’s faults.

Here’s the cover art version with title included.