The Coup's Boots Riley and Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello seem more likely to meet on a political talk show than on record, but the pairing has a precedent: Morello added his hiccuping, dying-engine electric guitar sounds to "Captain Sterling's Little Problem", from the Coup's 2006 album, , and his distinctive, but unobtrusive contribution somehow worked (even if Boots Riley's affected accent on the same track didn't). Here, on Street Sweeper Social Club's self-titled debut, the ball's shifted more into Morello's court, with funky, though fairly minimal rap-rock. Granted, this album falls into a formula that's instantly recognizable the moment you hear it, for which Morello deserves credit; but with Street Sweeper Social Club, Morello is part of a backing band (and, in pulling double-duty on bass for the record, most of the backing band), ready for an assertive, engaging personality to take them to the next level.