Limp Bizkit

The band emerged from Jacksonville, Florida, in the 1990s. Three Dollar Bill, Yall$ brought their mixture of rap, metal and distorted funk to a wider audience in 1997. Their transformation of George Michael’s “Faith” attracted attention, but originals such as “Counterfeit” showed a more anxious and unsettled group underneath the provocation. The spaces between the heavy parts mattered as much as the impact.

Significant Other in 1999 tightened that sound into something much bigger. “Nookie” and “Break Stuff” were built for a crowd to answer back, while “Re-Arranged” demonstrated how effective the band could be when they held something in reserve. Borland’s small, strange guitar figures and the bass-and-drum interplay kept the arrangements from becoming a simple procession of shouted choruses.

Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water followed in 2000, enlarging every gesture. “Rollin’”, “My Way” and “Take a Look Around” put the group at the centre of mainstream heavy music. The last of those borrowed the Mission: Impossible theme without losing the band’s own rhythmic identity. The jokes and confrontations were part of the packaging; the playing made the songs last.

The later catalogue is less straightforward. Results May Vary explored a different guitar configuration, while Gold Cobra and Still Sucks returned to more familiar territory at different moments. Listening across those records makes the musical identity clearer. Limp Bizkit work best when the band sounds tightly connected and the vocal sounds as though it might upset the balance at any second.