Book-ended by some old-timey preaching, the feel of the album is actually divided down the middle. The first half is more spacey, via Hawkwind in "Girl Boy Tom" and The Doors on "Monkey In The Middle", complete with drunken lap steel (McBain - not familiar). "And the more melodic, classic rock elements of "Cowards Way Out" are more Screaming Trees grunge than stoner rock. After the hilariously atonal "Robotic Lunch"****, the second half is the more driving and assertive. As the only songs with vocals, the "Bang A Gong"-rhythm "Johnny The Boy"****, fronted by Josh, and Pete Stahl-fronted "Cake (Who Shit On The?)"**** both can't help but sound like lost tracks from the first QOTSA album. Though "Screamin' Eagle"**** is squarely in the middle of hyper-drive space rock territory, its angular guitar riff provides a focus throughout most of the song, as opposed to the noodling on earlier tracks.
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