Arthur H Pour Madame X (Polydor/Universal) More classy gutter jingles from he who channels the ghost of Gainsbourg. The lovely Lhasa de Sela guests. 9.5 (RB)

Deep Rumba A Calm in the Fire (Justin Time/Fusion III) More fiery music from Kip Hanrahan. 9.5 (LD)

Goatsnake Flowers of Disease (Man's Ruin) Is it heavy? The fuckin' band is called Goatsnake fer chrissakes. 8.5 (JC)

Ludacris Back for the First Time (Universal/Def Jam South) This record was originally supposed to be called "Incognegro." 6 (SC)

Nokturnel Mix Sessions OS/2 (Topaz) More pounding, headache-inducing, repetitive trance beats mixed by some guy who fancies himself a bit of a computer buff. 6 (KE)

Everlast Eat at Whitey's (BMG) "This whole record is like going to a shrink to see what's happened to me."- Everlast. 5 (SC)

King Prawn Surrender to the Blender (Spitfire/EMI) What, and fuck up a perfectly good Moulinex on this ska-metal crap? 2 (RB)

Twiztid Freak Show (Island/Def Jam) Two wack-ass wannabe MCs affiliated with Insane Clown Posse dissing Richard Pryor? You gots ta go! 2 (LM)

Full length reviews...