The Real Rock
Studio album by
Shinehead
Released1990
GenreReggae, rap
LabelElektra
Shinehead chronology
Unity
(1988)		 The Real Rock
(1990)		 Sidewalk University
(1992)

The Real Rock is a studio album by the reggae/rap musician Shinehead, released in 1990 via Elektra Records.[1][2]

The album peaked at No. 155 on the Billboard 200.[3]

Production

The album was recorded in New York and Jamaica, with contributions from the rhythm section of Steely & Clevie.[4] It contains interpretations of the songs "Family Affair", "Love and Marriage", and "Till I Kissed You".[5][6] "World of the Video Game" samples the music of Super Mario Bros.[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
Chicago Sun-Times[4]
Robert Christgau(2-star Honorable Mention)(2-star Honorable Mention)[9]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[10]
Los Angeles Times[11]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[12]

The Los Angeles Times thought that "even the strongest songs are more well-crafted than inspirational, and the cleverest verbal forays are undercut by the musical retrenchment."[11] Trouser Press wrote that "the music on The Real Rock is more sophisticated in terms of technology and styling, but the songs are hit-and-miss."[13] The Washington Post declared that "the album's highlight ... is an inspired remake of Sly Stone's 'Family Affair', which mixes slap bass, scratching, soul singing and speed-rapping into an imaginative defense of black music, black neighborhoods and the black family."[5] The Philadelphia Daily News called Shinehead "the most captivating and versatile of the reggae-rap artists."[14]

AllMusic called the album "one of the best rap releases of 1990," writing that "the East Coast resident wisely avoids being predicable."[8]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."The Real Rock"4:07
2."Family Affair"4:23
3."World of the Video Game"3:42
4."Potential"4:42
5."Good Things"3:59
6."Strive"4:16
7."Dance Down the Road"3:50
8."Love and Marriage Rap"4:12
9."Till I Kissed You"4:14
10."Cigarette Breath"3:28
11."Musical Madness"4:00

References

  1. ↑ Pareles, Jon (August 3, 1990). "Reviews/Music; Shinehead's Lessons in Morality". The New York Times.
  2. ↑ Huffman, Eddie. "Shinehead Declines to Be Pigeonholed". Greensboro News and Record.
  3. ↑ "Shinehead". Billboard.
  4. 1 2 McLeese, Don (July 20, 1990). "Shinehead: The Real Rock". Weekend Plus. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 57.
  5. 1 2 "Records". The Washington Post. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  6. ↑ Hill, Edward (Aug 17, 1990). "Shine On". News. The Plain Dealer.
  7. ↑ Dafoe, Chris (29 June 1990). "Shinehead makes splash with reggae tour". Toronto Star. p. E12.
  8. 1 2 "The Real Rock - Shinehead | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  9. ↑ "Robert Christgau: CG: Shinehead". www.robertchristgau.com.
  10. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 420.
  11. 1 2 "** 1/2 Shinehead 'The Real Rock' Elektra". Los Angeles Times. July 22, 1990.
  12. ↑ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 631–632.
  13. ↑ "Shinehead". Trouser Press. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  14. ↑ Takiff, Jonathan (28 Jun 1990). "Sunsplash '90: Reggae and the Roots of Rap". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 37.
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