Walkin' Bank Roll

Album review

Project Pat's Walkin' Bank Roll was released less than a year after his 2006 effort, Crook by da Book, but some major events occurred in that time. First, he starred alongside his Three 6 Mafia in the MTV reality television show Adventures in Hollyhood. Second of all, and more importantly, he left Sony Records after eight years on the label and switched to Koch. The indie label took advantage of his MTV exposure, promoted his single "Don't Call Me No Mo" to the point that it seemed inescapable, and in turn sold a goofy amount of ringtones. The song's "Don't call me no mo/And don't text me no mo" laid over a hard, infectious beat is classic Three 6 Mafia, who get the executive producer credit on the album. "Rubberband Me" -- as in "I'm a walkin' bank roll/You can rubberband me" -- is likewise Three 6-ish, but with track after track taking a clever phrase and beating it to death on the chorus, there's little of that Project Pat magic that made Ghetty Green so hood, so vital. With so many club tracks he's left with little room to offer something substantial, and the whole thing becomes overwhelming right about the tenth time "Wagon Wheels" offers "I'm rollin', rollin'/On these wagon wheels." Taken in small bites and singles the album fares much better, with a little sweet relief offered by the more serious numbers "Motivated" and "See You Fall." It's no big surprise that Three 6 and Pat were in a hurry to strike while things were hot, but as big as the singles and club bangers are, the album as a whole isn't up to their usual standards.
© David Jeffries /TiVo