Poison Clan Appreciation Week, Day 2: Check Out the Ave.

This next single from the PC is of their third album, 1993's Ruff Town Behavior. On the album, this is two songs, "Check Out the Ave. part I" and "Check Out the Ave. part II," two to three minutes each. On this 12", however, they're edited together into one five minute song.

This song is clearly indebted to Ice Cube's "It Was a Good Day." A mellow vibe as JT Money narrates some tales of his own hood. He does it well, though; and Mike "Fresh" McCray's beats are always dependably solid, if sometimes familiar. Here he samples Curtis Mayfield's "Let's Do It Again," which has certainly been used a few times (the only example that comes to mind at the moment is Wrecks-N-Effect's "Let's Do It Again" off their debut EP), but it always sounds good. There's a quick line in the lyrics about how he's driving with Home Team's "Pick It Up" in the deck (including a soundbite), just in case anyone thought he was sour about the split.

The 12" then has an exclusive remix (no credits are given, so we can only assume McCray did this one, too). It's an original instrumental (no Mayfield or other driving sample to speak of), but effectively maintains the same vibe. So, basically you've got your choice between the original, which sounds better but has been around or the remix, which is still ok and original. There are also edited radio versions of both mixes of the song.

Finally this 12" also includes the album track "Sugarhill Style." It's a fast, upbeat track with an instrumental that's like half classic Miami bass and half old school throwback. There's some "Planet Rock" vocal samples being cut up while someone (Mike Fresh again?) talks shit on the hook. Good times.