Wicked Wisdom – S/T / 2006 Suburban Noise / 10 Tracks / http://www.wickedwisdom.com / http://www.suburbannoizerecords.com / Reviewed 25 March 2006

Yes, Jada Pinkett Smith is in the band, but the style of music that Wicked Wisdom plays is something that is actually substantive instead of just riding on the coattails of Jada’s name. The hard rock of tracks like “Yesterday Don’t Mean” is something that transcends simple rock or metal lines; this is simply music that is hard-hitting any way individuals slice it. The music that the rest of Wicked Wisdom plays is not anything that is immediately amenable to the style of vocals that Jada lies down; rather, Wicked Wisdom is something that Jada really has to acclimate to throughout the entirety of the disc.

The style of a lot of Jada’s explications on this self-titled album really seems to be more of a rap instead of a singing style; this means that tracks like “One” straddle the line between a number of musical styles. In a sense, there is a lot of cross-over between Wicked Wisdom and the earliest days of White Zombie. The tracks are not at the edge of experimental music, but they really fit in well with the heavy-rock categorization that Wicked Wisdom finds themselves lumped in by tracks like “Bleed All Over Me”. Some of the tracks on this self-titled albums do not contribute much in the way to the overall sound of Wicked Wisdom; this can be mostly heard during tracks like “Cruel Intentions”. At some point, there is a nucleus of solid musicianship that cannot be debated; it is really only the arrangements that have to be called into question.

What specifically in the arrangements needs to be called into questions is the innovative nature of these riffs; there is nothing that they provide that has not been found on other tracks. During tracks like “You Can’t Handle”, there is no debate possible that says that Jada is not at the cutting edge of heaviness; it is again the lack of innovative spirit that holds Wicked Wisdom back from really shining at a level that they can. Wicked Wisdom is one of the best celebrity bands that have ever come out; the music present on this album may not be challenging in any meaningful way, but the tracks are fun nonetheless. Here’s to hoping that Jada Pinkett Smith and the rest of the individuals in Wicked Wisdom work together to create another album, and that that album will shine above the problems encountered during this album.

Top Trakcs: Yesterday Don’t Mean, You Can’t Handle

Rating: 5.0/10

[JMcQ]