Neighborhood Watch [PA] by Dilated Peoples

Dilated Peoples--there could hardly be a more apt name for the long-running California rap crew who, with only three members, sound like a much larger collective as they expand a potent West Coast-heyday sound into bold new territory. Inspiration runs high on Dilated Peoples' NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH (the outfit's third album on Capitol after countless underground releases), as revealed by the single"This Way."Joined by Kanye West, one of the most celebrated and prolific rapper/producers of 2004, the trio melds a gospel-tinged R&B sound with a wandering flute line and layers lyrics that range from silly-but-clever observations about girls and money to raw revelations about the sadness of life. NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH opens on a powerful beat provided by the Alchemist, with the troupe sagely rhyming on"Marathon"and keeping up the pace throughout the solid, insightful record. The group's talent for twisting around language is most evident on tracks like the introspective"Tryin' to Breathe,"which, true to its na...