Malibu is not only known for its infamous beaches that serve as a paparazzi Walhalla where Kimora Lee ex-Simmons and Lauren Conrad parade in designer bikinis; recently the local trailer park made headlines because of its musical wonder resident Shwayze.
Although Shwayze was already trying to find his way to the charts, it was Hollywood rockstar and dating machine Cisco Adler (frontman of Whitestarr and aspiring hip-hop producer) who moved Shwayze from his trailerpark to Beverly Hills to help the 22-year-old's career along. Together they form a remarkable combination. Cisco with his -- marked by scandals and shames -- success, experience and insight in the business and rock edge, complemented with a low-key fellow that breathes hip-hop. The result of this fraternization is their debut album self-titled album Shwayze, a melting pot of laid-back melodies, acoustic guitars and rhymes about stuff that marks their lifestyles: chilling, babes, blunts, Corona and sunshine.
The first single "Buzzin'" (also the title of their reality show on MTV) has a radio friendly sound with its acoustic guitar, while Shwayze opens up about a recent flirt; "What the hell am I to do? / I got a girl in every city from here to Peru / When I left you, I signed my name on your left boob / now go get that tattoed, I'll be back soon / Don't cry, I'll bust you with a text soon / I gotta go, but I'll be back next June." The story continues on "Don't Be Shy", a spiritless song with an infectious "Don-don-don da don-don-don-don't be shy" chorus. The comical ensemble seems to come to their senses on the lazy "Hollywood", when they wonder "What the hell am I rhyming for / Designer clothes and designer whores / Designer cars and designer doors / Designer kitchen with designer drawers?" Halfway the song, Shwayze and Adler fall back into their old lifestyle. On "Polaroid", the duo confess to take snapshots of the troops of women they date, so that they remember who they dealt with once the sun comes up. "Corona And Lime" leaves the listener with an unpleasant hangover and burning desire for classic "Gin And Juice", while "Mary Jane" is a modest ode to green gold. The only, completely inconspicuous, guest appearance is made by Dave Navarro, who joins Shwayze during their club flirt on "Flashlight".
Although it is good to have a signature sound, the concepts for each songs are exactly the same -- creating a monotone ambiance. Thirteen times in a row, Shwayze serves the same formula: Adler produces the song, croons the chorus and playing some guitar chords, while Shwayze continues to rattle about brain killing subjects. The duo recorded this hip album during the summer, partying all night and rolling from the bed into the studio the next morning to record a song. This process reflects the vibe of the album -- chill-hop with light-hearted lyrics over laid-back melodies, not suited for intellectual musical analyses. It does make good background music for those Califoria summer days -- from Shwayze's Hollyhood to Adler's Hollywood.
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