Review: '99 Cents' by Santigold

With her third album Santigold continues to be one of the most unique and underappreciated musicians alive.  This time, however, she's having a little more fun while she's doing it.  Her magnificent sophomore record Master of My Make-Believe had an edge to it befitting of her punk rock roots as front woman Santi White of Stiffed.  She told SPIN that on 99 Cents, which follows the birth of her son, she altered her point of view to create a more lighthearted but still provoking work that is every bit as eclectic as its predecessors.

The party starts immediately with the upbeat "Can't Get Enough of Myself."  A vaguely doo-wop intro quickly segues into a synthy 80's girl group vibe.  It could almost be a straightforward celebration of self-love but there's a noticeable undercurrent of irony suggesting displeasure with the vanity of social media and celebrity.  The video, which features one of the most efficient uses of interactive media by a musician thus far, makes that point a little more clear.  It puts the viewer's face into the background of a casual day in the life of Santigold including advertisements, dollar bills, and under a headline reading "America's Vanity Epidemic".

The first remnant of the aggression in Master of My Make-Believe is  "Big Boss Bit Time Business but "Banshee" is far more explosive.  The chorus erupts as Santigold pleads "let me play with fire tonight."  The operatic "Before the Fire" is more of slow burn.  White's vocals soar over tensely familiar tropical drums.  Maybe the most morose is the sullen "Outside the War."

Santigold told SPIN that the quietly powerful "Run the Races" is about her reluctant attempts to keep up with the times and promote herself and her work on social media.  It also calls to mind the struggles of society's underprivileged, as well as the efforts of anyone trying to stay in the game.

Santigold's new attitude is better represented by the likes of the driving, vaguely Parisian, "Rendezvous Girl."  She is joined by hip hop crooner iLoveMakonnen on the R&B grooving "Who Be Loving Me."  On "All I Got" she presents a carefree island lifestyle with a touch of romance and a chorus that encourages participation.

Finally, "Who I Thought You Were" serves as a bookend with "Can't Get Enough of Myself."  Instead of challenging worship of the self it questions the identity of another being.  Musically, it's back to the 80's, evoking the Go-Go's with its guitar driven pop-rock.  In the opener Santigold sings "All I want to do is what I do well/ Ain't a gambler but honey I'd put money on myself."  By the closer she's proven that she does music incredibly well and that's the safest bet going.