The Transplants - The Transplants (Cover Artwork)

The Transplants

The Transplants (2002)

Hellcat


I remember this album being marketed as "a very original idea." A bunch of punks got together to make an album with a skinhead.

Together, they create a punk/rap band. Didn't the Chili Peppers do that over ten years ago? And didn't at least 200 bands do that in the past three years?

I love Tim Armstrong, I think that he is amazing, but I did not find much on this album that blew me away as original. In fact, every song sounded like a great Rancid song or an okay Fishbone song.

Rob Aston, the skinnyhead, lead singer, needs to find a new way to vent. His vocals, along with Tim's did not work very well together. Tim, with his usual, jamaican/english/drunk style of singing mixed with Rob's rapping/cursing/"smokin' chronic style of shouting didnt mesh very well. Maybe that was the point, but I don't care.

In 'Weigh on My Mind', Rob actually sounds great. I am not sure if it was done on purpose, but he actually sounds like he is losing his voice, I think that it sounded tolerable, one of the best songs on the album which included Brody, Tim's wife from the Distillers, on backup vocals.

The songs 'Sad But True' and 'California Babylon' are amazing songs. THey feature mostly Tim on vocals, but I can actually stand Rob on these songs only because the music is so strong. These songs give me a rockabilly/dancehall reggae feel. Very amazing songs.

Lars Frederiksen sings back up on one song, while Davey Havok sings a song with Rob. A lot of guests throughout the album which makes each song feel different.

In the end, after a few listens, I recommend this album. I do not recommend it for originality or creativity, but for a great listen.

It takes a while to get used to the rapping, especially on track 11, which is a complete rap song, but the music is powerful enough to overcome the rapping.

I do not love this album because of the, at times, terrible lyrics about killing people and smoking dope, but overall, the album is a great listen.

If you like Rancid, buy a Rancid album, if you like rap, buy a rap album. If you enjoy a mix, buy this album.

Nice job, good album, okay, now concentrate on Rancid.