Shamrocks & Shenanigans: The Best of House of Pain and Everlast

Irish American rappers House of Pain's one big moment was the single "Jump Around". And what a moment it is. "Jump Around" is perhaps the most energetic and infectious hip-hop track ever made, the sort of tune people who hate hip-hop love. It was produced by DJ Muggs from Cypress Hill whose services Everlast then decided to dispense with and very soon House of Pain were no more. Everlast's move into a solo career had a similar pattern. The hit single "What's It Like" is a piece of classic modern rock. The rest of his work, as he moved from rapper into bluesy folk singer hanging out with the hip-hop crowd, is patchy. However "Black Coffee" and the striking "Black Jesus" showed a unique talent for bringing together the hillbilly and the homeboy (aka hick-hop). Everlast never capitalised on this. A sad mixture of ill health, self-destructive behaviour and a losing battle with Eminem sapped his thirst for the fight. Unfortunately his excellent collaboration with Santana ("Put Your Lights On") is missing from this album. Two for the price of one? Nope, but together this pair make one very good album. --Jake Barnes