This came out in 2003 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Say what you will about Kid Rock, he’s no fool.
He apparently realized early on in his career that trailer-trash rap-rock may be a fad, but trailer-trash country-rock is forever. So, utilizing the same lowest-common-denominator appeal that captured the heart of Pamela Anderson, he set about repositioning himself with his 2001 CD Cocky — and succeeded handily, thanks to the inescapable crossover hit Picture.
Not surprisingly, the former Robert Ritchie sticks to the game plan on his latest party-hearty outing Kid Rock. If anything, this 15-cut disc picks up Cocky’s southern-rock ball and runs even further with it. The homebrewed cocktail of choppy Stones riffs, rootsy Mellencamp instrumentation and Detroit rap-rock hasn’t changed, but this time Rock spikes the punch by covering ’70s icons like Bad Company (Feel Like Making Love) and Bob Seger (Hard Night For Sarah), writing tunes with country outlaw David Allen Coe, and sharing the mic with Hank Jr., ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons and (natch) Picture pal Sheryl Crow.
Sure, there’s still enough boasting, scratching and sampling to let you know Rock hasn’t given up totally on hip-hop — but on the whole, this disc makes it clear he’s more of a good ole boy than a B-boy these days.
