Members of the So Solid Crew (of "21 Seconds" fame), Oxide & Neutrino's Execute is the first solo release from members of the popular U.K. crew and Oxide & Neutrino's first full-length effort. As they say on the BBC, it's all 'bout the coppers, cars and hard stares (read: this is the British take on gangster). Almost in spite of all its hype as an anticipated release, Execute is a fair, but not strong, album. Oxide's production draws on the usual suspects: 2-step, garage, and American hip-hop. For his part, Neutrino fulfills his duties well enough, delivering clever lines on cracking heads and cracking safes, as well as tossing some dancehall toasts. Without doubt, taking a bullet in the leg outside a London club before the album's release helped validate his roughneck persona -- but it didn't improved his skills (read: ain't no Cannibal Ox). The first single, however, "Up Middle Finger," is a block-rocking track, complete with live crowd call and response. Why they chose to release second the being-a-rap-star-is-so-hard "Only Wanna Know U Cos Your Famous," which is a subpar explication of this thematic mainstay of the not quite famous, will forever remain a mystery. The remainder of the album is at times moving, but probably would sound better on the radio (read: lack of range). After their single "Bounce 4 Da Reload," with its catchy "could everyone stop getting shot" break, put them over in the U.K., Oxide & Neutrino hoped to break the American market riding the tails of the Tomb Raider soundtrack. Unfortunately, it didn't come off. This album, though charting five Top 20 singles in England, didn't do the trick either.
© Brian Whitener /TiVo