SoundsGood

Joe Good doesn't care for bling-bling raps, so he doesn't write them. Refreshingly, he leaves it at that, saying only, If you're happy living lavish/I ain't mad at you. Other underground MCs obsess over their self-righteous stances like angry vegetarians protesting in front of the grill at a backyard barbecue; Good's just chillin' with his corn on the cob. Miles Bonny's beats are as easygoing as his partner's flow. Several tracks sport harmony-honeyed hooks, and the vibrating bass lines exude warmth. Occasionally, Bonny gets really old-school, with primal boom-bap beats and tag-team line recitals, but for the most part his creations reference the 1991-94 era, with jazzy guitar riffs reminiscent of A Tribe Called Quest and xylophone tones that recall Nas' Illmatic. Like most hip-hop traditionalists, SoundsGood unleashes a few hoary choruses: The baby/crazy and gotta get up/gotta get downschemes sound tired in 2005. But even the songs saddled with those clunky constructions shine, thanks to Good's confident delivery and booming Bonny beats that feel like a sonic massage.