Five cuts into You Can Be Special Too, a bellowing voice declares, “We have the power, we have the resources, we have the energy – let’s get together and wreck shit!” Perhaps Brighton DJ duo Tom Beaufoy and Pat Pardy should’ve heeded their own advice. While Evil Nine are an innovative pair, their debut full-length lacks the consistency necessary to rise above. Mixing a potentially volatile cocktail of filthy break beats with vicious, punky edges and lots of fuzzy guitar work, it feels as if the final product never really gets off the ground, despite the inclusion of refreshing, no-bullshit U.K. singles like “For Lovers Not Fighters,” infectious instrumentals like “Hired Goons,” and an impressive guest list that includes Aesop Rock, Juice Aleem and Toastie Taylor. Woven together with darkly humorous 30-second skits, Evil Nine vacillates between moments of genuine brilliance and complete filler that simply sells them short.
This article appears in Mar 9-15, 2005.