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Man, this album is hated-hated critically. The consistently low-brow music styles, every song's tongue-in-cheek attitude, and Mark McGrath's sophomoric and inevitably offensive lyrics, which were far outside of politically correct even in 1995, don't help. Though not a single word was meant to be taken seriously, jokily ticking off two boxes of the triggering trifeca (borderline misogyny, check, racial stereotypes, check, homophobia, not that I recall) isn't going to appeal to many listeners except for the dumb teenage boy in some of us. Speaking of which, some of us fossils may remember "Mean Machine" being on featured on Beavis and Butthead; it was definitely the most appropriate venue.
Half of the songs on the album, including "Rhyme Stealer" and "Dance Party USA," are made up of some permutation of hip-hop-metal or rap-metal with a shouted group chorus, a nu-metal "We Will Rock You" if you will. The goofy aforementioned hit "Mean Machine" and unapologetically un-PC "Big Black Woman" (danger! danger!) are played at punk/hardcore speed. Given their obvious affinity for funk and hip-hop perhaps the latter is meant as homage rather than as mockery (danger! danger! abort! abort!). The comic parody "Drive By"..... (shut up! shut up!). On "Caboose" they do an uncanny impression of 90's southern-metal band Jackyl. Indeed, they only eschew the metallic buzz on the funky Beck / Everlast "Hold Your Eyes", "Danzig Needs a Hug", and the more purely hip-hop "Scuzzboots." Though it would be a difficult transition for the band, this style would flavor the acoustic pop of the next two albums and make them massively successful.
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