Another collection of inspired pop pastiche and four-track dementia, 1991's is nearly as long as but even weirder and more deranged, due in large part to the band's Scotchguard habit and the severe cases of mononucleosis and contracted while recording the album. As a result, is dark and murky, with a slightly distant, fuzzy feel. On some songs, such as the cryptic, prog-inspired the psych-tinged and the mystic hard rock of this sound works well, but on others -- like the opening track -- it just doesn't fit. flexes their stylistic chops a bit on 's country-rock, 's crazed speed metal, 's cute four-track, and 's psych-pop, but the majority of , for better or worse, focuses on sludgy weirdness like That most of these songs are grouped together in the middle of the album makes them even more strange and impenetrable -- though they may make more sense under the influence of Scotchguard or other, heavier, chemicals. Where ' sense of fun and experimentation was contagious, is insular; you can tell that had a fun -- or at least bizarre -- time making the album, but it doesn't translate. Though it does feature a few of 's best songs, is easily their most difficult work. However, hardcore fans will still find digging through its messy sprawl worthwhile. ~ Heather Phares