In the early 90’s, rap and rock got together in Atlanta, Georgia and had a baby. Its name was El Pus (rhymes with goose), and it went on to make beautiful music. Rap rock group El Pus’s 2005 album Hoodlum Rock Vol. 1 is a small collection (under 35 minutes) of songs, all of which get feet moving with raw guitar riffs and crispy, funky drums.

What’s great about this album is how much variation is packed into a short, easy to listen to (perhaps a few times in one day) set of tracks. El Pus covers classic themes such as love and partying. But they also put different spins on otherwise trite topics. For instance, while Tupac popularized city thug life, Hoodlum’s “Suburban Thuggin’” teaches us about a different form of thug life. Other themes include childhood reminiscing in “Days of the BK’s” and naïve wannabe-players in “Flirtin’.”

Lyrical themes are quite varied for such a short album, but the music itself keeps listeners at attention as well. The comforting acoustic guitar on “Days of the BK’s” suggests the image of long-time friends sitting on a porch or around a campfire telling stories. The staccato electric guitar, open hi-hat and fast-paced drums of “Suburban Thuggin’” sound almost punk, and really get the blood flowing.

In general, the guys of El Pus bring a raw energy to this album that is hard to find these days. The gritty, animalistic chorus on “Suburban Thuggin” shouts “La la la, you’re not a tough guy!” This group just sounds like they’re having fun. Whether it’s humorous skits like the phone conversation at the beginning of “Nite Train” in which one party answers every question with some form of “wah, wah, wah,” or the intensity with which they play their instruments, these guys are having a blast — and it really comes through in their music. That’s why Hoodlum Rock Vol. 1 is so great.