Yet the themes played out in their songs were rooted mostly in the lore of street pimps and gangster life on previous outings. On Aquemini, rappers Andre 3000 and Big Boi seemed to opt for a more conscious tone lyrically the result was a rousing success. Like their debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzic, Aquemini featured their signature smooth, drippy, southern-rap/funk sound, featuring live musicians (and not sampled). It was the album that made them a household name, largely on the strength of the single “Rosa Parks.” But the album was also important because it gave some indication of where the duo was headed. Select Cuts: Type, Pride, Undercover of Darkness #18 Outkast: AqueminiĪquemini, Outkast’s third studio album signified a turning point for this Atlanta-based rap duo.
Unfortunately, Times Up would be the last full-length album featuring the incredible rhythm section of Skillings and Calhoun, as Skillings would leave the band shortly thereafter. Always a central figure in the band, guitarist Vernon Reid dialed back the blistering guitar solos, in favor of heavily delayed riffs (“Fight the Fight”) even playing clean on the Caribbean-influenced “Solace of You.” On “Love Rears” Reid takes the opportunity to show off his jazz chops with an off-kilter solo that would have made his former collaborator Bill Frisell proud. Yet the two albums differed in that the latter was far more dynamic in sound and tone. The palette of music was varied with songs that were light (“Love Rears its Ugly Head”), politically conscious (“Pride” “Under Cover of Darkness”), and of course heavy (“Information Overload”). What truly made them a first-rate band though was the power and precision of the rhythm section of bassist Muzz Skillings and drummer Will Calhoun.
Sonically, its sound was defined by lead singer Corey Glover’s pop-meets-soul melodies and guitarist Vernon Reid’s artful but heavy guitar riffs. Like its predecessor, Times Up featured a sound that borrowed from a variety of genres. Fresh off of their multi-platinum debut album Vivid, New York-based heavy metal/hard rock/funk outfit Living Colour returned with Times Up.
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