Recently thrust into the limelight, Crazy Town, the California "rip-rock" band, offers a debut album lacking polish but packed with potential.

The Gift of Game (Columbia) is a 14-track run of serious talent from seven boys who have done their homework. Co-vocalists, lyricists and producers Shifty Shellshock and Brett "Epic" Mazur weld a tight sound with Faydoe Deelay (bass), Rust Epique (guitar), Anthony "Trouble" Valli (guitar), JBJ (drums) and DJ AM (turntables). The end product is a synergistic mix of heavy guitar rock and even heavier turntables. Factor in a techno drive and electronic voice-overs, and Crazy Town emerges.

"Butterfly," the current single, is the album's tangent. Its tender, Fred Durst-like vocals compliment a flashy, pretty girl sensitivity that is absent in the remaining tracks. Crazy Town's previous singles, "Toxic" and "Darkside," are cocky street-slinging rebel runs, but they easily fall into the hard punk-rap category.

The problem with The Gift of Game is that the relentless string of lyrics and repeated rhythms make the listener work too hard to decipher verse from chorus. The lyrics often bury the band's icing — sweet turntable and guitar work. Produced by Josh Abraham (Orgy, Coal Chamber) the album slightly frustrates because it has the parts but needs tweaking.

Still, the album clings to the listener. It drives hard and heavy. Close analysis yields stylistic rewards, but the listener must be willing to look. The Gift of Game definitely delivers a solid sound, but if Crazy Town is going to separate itself from other white rap rockers, it needs to promote its depth over drive.

Crazy Town has got the game but needs to unwrap its gifts.

— Reviewed by Alexa James