Strength & Loyalty [PA] (CD - 2007)

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's second album of 2006 and its sophomore outing as a trio (with Flesh-N-Bone in jail and Bizzy Bone absent), STRENGTH AND LOYALTY is a much more high-profile affair than its predecessor, TRUE STORIES. On this record, the hip-hop act's first for Interscope, Krazyie Bone, Layzie Bone, and Wish Bone are joined by guest stars such as Kelly Rowland (the R&B-tinged "So Crazy") and Akon (the hard-hitting "Never Forget Me"), but also prove that they can still astound with their own smooth vocal harmonies and deft rhymes, as exemplified by the catchy, return-to-form track "Just Vibe." With many songs produced by the perennially in-demand Swizz Beatz, STRENGTH AND LOYALTY should pull in fans who had written the group off years ago, and win over new converts to the distinctive Bone Thugs aesthetic. minimize