Beef, one of the Netherlands' most successful reggae bands, delivers its third studio album with Last Rudy Standing. Unlike the previous (self-titled) album, in which the band collaborated with the English producer Bitty Mclean (ao UB 40), Beef is now looking closer to home. Last Rudy Standing is produced by Michel Schoots, known as producer of Kane, Racoon and Claw Boys Claw and as drummer of Urban
… Dance Squad. While the previous album was criticized for sounding too neat, with Last Rudy Standing the band carefully dispenses with this. It seems like the band has gone back to basics. Not too many bells and whistles this time, the gentlemen must have thought. The English vocals of Pieter Both (ex Gotcha) come more to the fore and are recorded quite dry, which makes it seem as if he is singing in your living room. Unfortunately, many songs go one ear in the other, a problem that Beef also had with previous albums. Fortunately there are nice, catchy up tempo songs such as Last Rudy Standing and Run Da Dance. (JdD)more
