On the face of it, is one of those records that explains to much of the rest of the world (without even trying) that Canada's music scene is somehow terminally in major need of help. Trying to blend 's then three-decades-old sly humor with the mingled joy and seriousness of -- and then expecting it to fly anywhere else -- is not what could be called the easiest of tasks. It couldn't have been any easier when the band's full debut appeared in 1993 in the States, when the quartet's seemingly giddy chirpiness must have sounded like an alien broadcast in the days of 's ascendance and ' popularity. That said, even though it's clear that just won't be for everyone, makes a lot better listening than contemporaneous does well after the fact, no small feat. Admittedly, covering -- yes, that one, "does whatever a spider can" -- and the ear-niggling goofiness of would seem to condemn the quartet to being little more than a wannabe. But the rotating lead-vocal job among the members lets everyone's individual abilities shine more often than not, while the full-harmony blend shows that the busking background they share paid off in spades when it came to performance. remains the group's highlight when it comes to humor mixed with music -- two and a half minutes of brisk fun that packs in everything from and references to odd psychiatrist jokes. But the album-closing arguably steals the show in an reflection on the songwriting process, the politics of artistic commission, and how political divisions rapidly turn poisonous. ~ Ned Raggett