The cover of the Butthole Surfers’ 1996 album Electriclarryland pictured a cartoonishly drawn young “Larry” shoving a bloody pencil into his ear. Despite the effort’s thrash-cool image, most listeners might well have traded places with Larry until they heard “Pepper,” the band’s stab at accessible, danceable alterna-pop.
Fortunately now the Surfers (Buttholes?) have pulled a Sugar Ray and built an album guided by past success. Weird Revolution shines with “Pepper”‘s lounge chair hip-hop feel. Think Beck goes to the surf shop or Smash Mouth grows some balls.
And much to the record execs’ delight, Weird Revolution offers more than a few requestable tunes without compromising the Surfers’ decidedly un-poppy edge. The catchy “Dracula From Houston” might even get some radio play. I can’t wait to tell my friends to listen, so their parents can once again make fun of the music my generation loves.
Archived article by Ari Fontecchio