M.V.P.

‘Roc Ya Body (mic check 1,2)' was a massive party track from 2005. M.V.P's infectious hooks and an outlandish video crammed with barely dressed, gyrating girls exploded unto the UK charts and dance floors. Their new album, produced by Robert Clivilles (90s club music veteran who was one half of C+C Music Factory) tries to keep the party going with up-tempo tracks “Aye, Aye, Aye' and ‘Bounce, Shake, Move, Stop!' but the feeling of deja-vu kills the vibe.

The album does have some variety, ranging from diet-crunk on ‘Lifetime' to inspirational on ‘Fly High' but great beats are coupled with average MCs. An Elton John cover – ‘Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word' sounds like something a boy band has attempted with the ‘cool' one rapping. ‘Lost' a dedication to the late rapper Biggie Smalls, considers where rap has been and where it is going. It has good intentions and some insightful lines like ‘it ain't dope just cause you read it in the Source', but is let down by the characterless and pedestrian rappers Stagga Lee and Vice Verse.

Essentially, M.V.P.'s big hit was a dance track layered with light rapping. The group's average MC skills are exposed when they get down to hip-hop without giggling bums and catchy beats. It was a bad idea to name one of the tracks ‘What Makes a Great MC' when their album sounds like a guide on how not to rap.