When his second official solo album, "Whitey Ford Sings the Blues," went platinum in 1998, it seemed like Everlast [ tickets ] was on a fast track to superstardom. The one-time House of Pain frontman had a smash single and video with "What It's Like," and he sounded quite a bit smarter and more ambitious than peers like Fred Durst and Kid Rock.

Then came his disappointing follow-up and a tornado of record company turnover, leaving the white rapper label-less, his musical future in doubt.

Now, Everlast is back with "White Trash Beautiful." If anything, this set gives evidence of the rapper's good intentions--he has perfected the acoustic guitar/drum machine/rap synergy. Lyrically, he continues to tell sad-sack stories about victimized young people. Sound familiar? Indeed, an album of rap/rock cliches does not a classic make.

"White Trash Beautiful" features more cliches than Bon Jovi's "Slippery When Wet." A few song titles: "Blinded by the Sun," "Angel," "Soul Music," and "Lonely Road." If anything, these titles act as preparation for the mundane lyrics found between the by-now predictable wick-wacks and acoustic strumming. While there is certainly room for acoustic hip-hop, Everlast and his scruffy voice just miss the mark this time out.