★★★★★
Everyone's favourite white boy hip-hop group has put out 17 tracks here. Right off the top they hit you with two that can still boost the energy level of a party or dance floor. Unless you've been hiding in a closet you'll know these are Jump Around and Shamrocks and Shenanigans. Then comes Everlast's mainstream hit What It's Like. The rest of the tracks are a trip down memory lane such as Put On Your Shit Kickers or Just Another Night featuring Helmet from the Judgment Night soundtrack...
- www.hour.ca
2010-11-02
★★★★★
These white, L.A.-basedrappers are out to prove that Irish-American hoodlums can be associally irresponsible as certain black rappers. "Jump Around," thesmash single, redeems them: It's a charging dance number based on asampled snatch of bagpipe. But there's little else on House of Pain.
- ew.com
2010-08-27
★★★★★
I haven't talked to my good friend Chris at Tommy Boy for a while, Iassume he's on vacation for the holidays. Nevertheless, when I see thisCD's liner notes and I listen to the music I have to ask -- who is the"original scheme team", and why are they a new part of HOP's crew? Irecognize the name Divine Styler, but Cockni O'Dire rings no bells atall -- however his ragga chat is pretty nice...
- rapreviews.com
2009-07-21
★★★★★
You'll not see this review until the 18th of March, but as I write it millions of people around the world are celebrating St. Patrick's Day. To be perfectly honest about it most of the things my loutish American brethern do on this day have little to do with Ireland, let alone St. Patrick. Drinking green beer is certainly NOT an Irish custom, and I am reliably informed that no one in Ireland eats corned beef and cabbage on March 17th - it's a wholly American invention...
- rapreviews.com
2009-07-21
★★★★★
Where the first time they rode an easy hit and easier Vanilla Ice comparisons, now they're compelled to prove that they have a right to exist, and the struggle is tonic. Plug-ugly vocals and mean lean beats make this the hardest hip hop of the year. Name checks include Hendrix, Page, Steven Tyler, Divine Styler, Salt-n-Pepa, GG Allin, and Pearl Jam.
- www.robertchristgau.com
2009-07-10
★★★★★
No text for this review; see http://robertchristgau.com/xg/bk-cg90/grades-90s.php.
- www.robertchristgau.com
2009-06-06
★★★★★
House of Pain's Everlast is almost comically gruff on his group's atmosphericsophomore effort, Same as It Ever Was. But the Irish-American rapper's spontaneous rhymingstyle is no joke, and neither is his outlaw persona (he just servedfour months under house arrest for weapons possessions). The band'swarrior chants are set against gritty soundscapes that areconsistently more innovative ? and funky ? than most of its multiplatinumdebut. One of the year's best hip-hop records.
- ew.com
2009-06-04
★★★★★
No text for this review; see http://robertchristgau.com/xg/bk-cg90/grades-90s.php.
- www.robertchristgau.com
2009-03-20
★★★★★
It's an album that ushered in an era of a thousand suburbanites drinking malt liquor, wearing U.S. Postal Service caps, and reawakening their Irish (or in some cases pseudo-Irish) heritage. And it's also the debut album that ushered House of Pain into the forefront of rap culture for a brief period of time...
- music.aol.com
2008-08-27