Published on Jan 25, 2019
Ohio music legend Chris Butler returns with a purposely misspelled album title and a bunch of tunes full of humor and songwriting skill that points at his time in bands like The Waitresses and Tin Huey when he was playing New Wave, post-punk, and penning themes songs to TV shows like Square Pegs.
The album leads with the quirky pop of “Physics,” which reminds us of both Talking Heads and The Kinks in the best ways. That extends into the talking/singing of “Songs For Guys,” and then “New Enemy” is all sorts of rock rolled into one – classic, prog, and off-kilter punk – with a fun guitar solo. “Summer Money” is a hazy, acoustic strummer that sits on the cusp of prog rock. “Late For Work” recruits organs and a mysterious atmosphere before erupting into a rap like tune that's groove filled with unusual synth work.
Butler clearly spends a lot of time writing lyrics, and we get to spend a lot of time figuring them out. But that's half the fun when we're listing to synth-rockers like “The Whirlaway” or the R&B flavored “Better Than I Ever Was.” Some of the best moments, though, are the least bizarre. First and perhaps foremost, Butler is a fantastic guitar player, and that's evident with the licks and melodies of the bluesy and retro-rock of “Bitch Box.” “Never Been Old Before,” another highlight, is an anthemic rocker with a sing-a-long chorus that tips its hat heavily to The Who while giving us a quick history lesson in the process.
If you're a fan of oddly charming bands like They Might Be Giants and XTC, or find Frank Zappa and Steely Dan alluring, Chris Butler has got an album plus some bonus songs that will fill the void of your inner weirdo and eclectic rock ‘n’ roll fanatic quite nicely.