Of all the bands that enjoyed a flirtation with fame and fortune during the boom of the 1990s, few success stories seemed more of a fluke than . While and were (and are) talented songwriters and the band could play tight, accessible in a manner that startled many fans of 's earlier band , it was clear from the outset that were only willing to set aside a certain number of their eccentricities in favor of a shot at the big time, and the longer they went on, the loopier their music became, which pleased the hardcore fans who appreciated their off-kilter humor and musical eclecticism but ensured that albums like would never spawn a hit like or Now that 17 years have elapsed following the release of their first album and with the band safely removed from the intrusive eyes of the major labels, 's ninth studio album, , is as engaging and enjoyable as anything they have released since in 1993. Though the feel of the material is loose and easygoing, this edition of -- on guitars and keyboards, on bass, and on drums -- plays with an efficiency and force that make the ambling, beer-soaked of work just as well as the straight-ahead '70s-style and the L.A. punk gestures of (which borrows an obvious riff from 's ) and (whose lyrics mention listening to cassettes before opining "I think I liked 'em better with "). But just when have you convinced that have made an album for the masses again, throws in tunes like (which is overrun with wink-and-nudge phallic references), (in which is befuddled by some nameless gadget from outer space), and the title tune (one of several vaguely apocalyptic messages that dot the album), and you realize that are as slyly weird as ever. are better than they've ever been at honoring both the straight and the twisted sides of their musical personality, and balances them with an acrobatic skill that's impressive and a lot of fun to hear. ~ Mark Deming