G. Love and the Special Sauce-Yeah, It's That Easy (Okeh/Epic)

What's so special about the sauce, G. Love? At least, that's what this reviewer kept wondering as I listened to the third and latest release from G. Love and Special Sauce, Yeah, It's That Easy. And maybe, "It's that easy" because, as G. Love himself admits this on a song from the album "Recipe," "I write lyrics so sloppy it's like a different language."

Indeed it is.

G. Love takes ramshackle rhythm and blues to a distinctive level. With the voice of a third-grader with a speech impediment, Mr. G. Love wafts from song to song lamenting his girlfriend and how she uses him, his druggie friend Greg and how he wishes he was a willow tree.

While overall a worthy effort, something in the special sauce just isn't quite right. G. Love's new album is about a 50/50 split between good and bad music. This is not exactly a fabulous ratio if you want to go platinum, but considering how many 10/90 bands there are in the world, mediocrity takes on its own lustre.

G. Love's songwriting is ambitious, as he attempts to address social problems and heighten his artistic appeal metaphorically (see willow tree reference above). Unfortunately, the music still leaves something to be desired.

If you like an artist with flow, however, G. Love might be the guy for you. The second song on the album, "I-76," features some of the best cracker rap since the Beastie Boys' album, Ill Communication. Along with his homeboys Katman and Smiles from the All Fellas Band, G. Love shows his love for his favorite hometown b-ball team, the Philadelphia 76ers. They've even thrown in some subtle but clever record scratching; it's like getting 20% more free.

The first radio single from the album, "Stepping Stones," seesaws back and forth: not too special, not too bad, just another song in the world of music. The song's high point is achieved midway through, as G. Love breaks into a Blues Traveler-esque harmonica solo.

G. Love has a knack for repetition it seems. Once he gets his hands on a song line that he likes, he wastes no time in making sure that the listener knows he likes it, too; I thought my CD was skipping, but I was mistaken.

All in all, Yeah , It's That Easy is mildly more entertaining than a trip to the dentist, despite the fact that G. Love sometimes sounds like Rocky Balboa on barbituates. The album reflects upon the lessons of life that G. Love has learned since his last album, Coast to Coast Motel, but he seems to be stuck in a sort of musical puberty-definitely in need of maturity.