Nostalgia bugs 213 in The Hard Way

213 has used The Hard Way to update the distinct Southern California sound its members helped popularise a decade ago.

It doesn't exactly mark a return of the G-funk era, but supergroup 213 has used its first album, The Hard Way, to nicely update the distinct Southern California sound its members helped popularise a decade ago.

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Snoop Dogg, Warren G and Nate Dogg each bring the baggage of up-and-down careers to the long overdue collaboration, which is exactly the messy, frivolous ear candy we've come to expect from them.

Snoop, the overexposed superstar, betrays his boredom at times while imbuing rhymes with a veteran's irony and winking wisdom. "I'm entertainin' folks," he explains on the Kanye West-produced Another Summer, before warning against gun violence by noting "it's too hot for all that." Warren G, who has always been more of a producer than rapper, can seem stuck in 1994 with his earnest approach to lines like not 'cuz your beauty, it's your booty I'm attracted. His voice, however, is as crisp as ever, and provides a perfect contrast to Snoop's languid flow on the compelling, reflective Gotta Find A Way.

Nate

 Dogg's choruses have lifted one hip-hop hit after another up the charts, and he seems relieved to have time to sing full verses. He's showcased on the nonsensical but fabulous chorus of as well as , in which he eagerly dusts off the familiar cry The trio deals out some complete failures, including the sluggish, juvenile and . And they're saved by top-notch production on less lyrically interesting tracks. Whizzing Neptunes-style beats propel and floats atop church organ flourishes. Though there's less true funk flavor than expected, is airy summertime gangsta rap that's actually hard to resist.