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It’s crazy to think, but when Limp Bizkit’s second full-length album, ‘Significant Other’, was released way back in 1999, not only was it a huge hit, but gradually built up to the Florida five-piece becoming one of the biggest bands on the planet. For all the angst, attitude and cheesiness, it’s exactly what people, in particular, the youth of the world, needed back then.
Bizkit’s sound is heavily influenced by a combination of 90’s alternative metal and hip-hop, building upon the style established by bands like Korn, and in particular, Stuck Mojo. Some tracks here are all-out metal, while some sway more towards hip-hop, with more focus being on vocalist Fred Durst rapping. Both work well for the band, with Durst effortlessly being able to blend clean singing, aggressive shouting, and rapid-fire rapping. And his vocals fit perfectly with guitarist Wes Borland’s creative and interesting guitar playing.
And if you’re into this sort of thing, there’s a few appearances from some noteworthy vocalists, including Jonathan Davis from Korn, Aaron Lewis from Staind, Scott Weiland from Stone Temple Pilots, Les Claypool of Primus fame, and the one that probably had the most impact, Wu Tang Clan’s Method Man. His duet with Fred on hit single ‘N 2 Gether Now’ likely helped the band gain more mainstream recognition, as well as appeal more to hip-hop audiences.
‘Significant Other’ features an abundance of great tracks, such as heavy hitters ‘Nookie’, ‘Trust?’ and ‘Just Like This’, huge hit ‘Re-Arranged’, which shows the bands melodic abilities, and rap-inspired tracks such as ‘Show Me What You Got’ and the aforementioned ‘N 2 Gether Now’. Then of course, there’s one of the biggest nu metal anthems ever, ‘Break Stuff’. If you don’t get pumped up at the sound of those opening chords and Fred Durst proclaiming that ‘It’s just one of those days…’ then you really need to stop taking it all too seriously.
Overall, ‘Significant Other’ is a great album that still holds up well today. It came out at just the right time that people needed aggression in their music, but also enough catchy hooks that mainstream audiences were able to get involved too. It’s a huge step up from their debut, and shows a band who are heading on to greater things.