Jurassic 5

Feedback skirts a thin line between paying homage to the past and needlessly reliving it. "Radio" banks off an 808 beat template that was cool when people thought Betamax was the lick and throughout J5 employ their trademark vocal harmonies. It's appealing in doses -- "Gotta Understand" is nice 'n' smooth funk, while "Back 4 U" is head-nodding boom bap -- but too often the production is stiff and the lyrics trite. Still, longtime fans will not be let down. J5 are like the Grateful Dead of rap: they're not just the best at what they do; they are the only ones who do what they do.