The Crystal Method

During their mid-'90s ascent, the Crystal Method were referred to as America's answer to the Chemical Brothers. A dance-based electronic duo with a definite rock-band feel, the comparison seemed appropriate, although it tended to erase what made Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland's output distinct: a solid base in American hip-hop, rock, soul, and pop. Unwitting participants in the commercial rise of big beat, the Crystal Method broke through with "Keep Hope Alive" (1995), a Top 15 U.S. club hit, and continued upward with Vegas (1997), their platinum debut album. By distancing them...