After disappearing from American radar screens for several years — even as Armand Van Helden’s trend-setting remix of “Spin Spin Sugar” remained very durable in clubs — Sneaker Pimps became a radically different group with their third album. Less experimental, less distinctive, and definitely missing the production finesse of Nellee Hooper, Bloodsport suffers musically from a lack of imagination and vocally from Chris Corner’s surprisingly post-grunge style of delivery. From the sub-Depeche Mode industrial pop of the opener “Kiro TV” to the bland “Nightclubbing” sound-alike “Small Town Witch,” Sneaker Pimps hardly sound like the same band that made indie pop sound hip again back in 1996. – John Bush
more »