The Butthole Surfers : "After the Astronaut"

 

Here is the record the Butthole Surfers intended to release after "Electric Larryland", but their record label deemed it not commercial enough. While it dubiously coincided with the band's Capitol Records signing, Paul Leary claims they were just influenced by trip-hop at the time and organically shifted away from noise rock. The electronic elements from their hit album are still present, and "Intelligent Guy" is not a far cry from what put them on the radio in the first place.  In fact, it still feels pretty mainstream to me when compared to even "Independent Worm Saloon. Fi

"Jet Fighter" was intended to be the single from this album, and it also holds some similarities to "Pepper.".. It's weird but not dark. "Mexico' is a little darker, with a surreal feel than the previous song, yet finds the band embracing 90s electronica. "Imbuya'"  works off a more of a break beat. Gibby's vocals are more spoken than rapped. "Venus" is the first slight mistep that doesn't connect to me, as it feels silly and less like who they are than the previous songs. Paul Leary does pick his guitar back up at some point. The title track is more of a sound collage than a song, which is fine with me, as it makes me think of their earlier work, but with better production. 

"Yentel" finds the drugs kicking into high gear. It's less of a song than the title track. It is more of a simmering interlude that leads to another piece of weirdness in "Junkie Jenny in Gaytown" that does not sound like the title. They do begin to jam a bit in the middle of the song, which is fun. There is more groove to the electronic pulse of "They Came to". The guitars also come in on this, and Gibby returns to a more familiar vocal approach, letting all the pieces click into place to make this the best song thus far. "Not a Problem" works off cool samples with a lurid droning. Then they close the album with "Turkey and Dressing' which finds them reminding you of their punk roots. I like this album better than "Electric Larryland," and the fact that Capitol Records wanted something more commercial from them is why the record industry is in the place it's at now. I will give this a 9.5. Prop to Sunset Blvd Records for relasing this.

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