Angie Martinez - Animal House: Sophomore Album Fails to Match the Quality of Her Initial Outing

Its ok - you CAN say it. Angie’s debut, “Up Close and Personal”, wasn’t that bad. You know the one that was meant to prove the fact that female radio jocks are nothing more than eye candy at parties and clubs, and yes-women to the Flex’s and Clue’s of this world… the one that was meant to give everyone the chance to tell Angela, “stay on THAT microphone, THIS one is for emcees?” Yeah, that debut. Compared to a lot of the NY hiphop in that Hot-97 influenced, hard-beats-with-a-party-twist genre, it was actually quite good.

Now, to the delight of red-blooded males everywhere, Angie is back with the follow-up “Animal House”, an album that’s being released at quite a dramatic period in Angie’s career. With rival radio station Power 105 beginning to threaten Hot 97’s dominant position on the New York airwaves, and Ms Martinez being caught up in this summer’s Jay-Z versus Nas drama, this is perhaps a good time for Angie to focus solely on the art, and leave the politricks of the music business to the side. Oh, and there’s also the overcoming-the-sophomore-album-jinx thing to battle against too…

Angela’s “Animal House” - seriously kinky porno flick title, or Hiphop release worth picking up? A to the L decides…

Kicking things off with the title track, is an attempt by Angie to not only to introduce you to her new album, but also to her new production team who share the album’s name. Unfortunately, using a track that sounds like a throwaway from Jigga’s “Blueprint” sessions, and a chorus that borrows heavily from ‘Murder Was The Case’, is not a good way to open things. Its all a little boring in fact, with interest levels only be raised by the appearance of Sacario (already known for his verse on Angie’s first single ‘If I Could Go’) who does an amazing impression of Jay-Z, only adding to the Roc-a-fella cast-off feel to this track.