the pathetic caverns - music by artist - Peeping Tom

Peeping Tom's mastermind is Mike Patton (of Faith No More and Mr. Bungle), aided and abetted by a cast of guest stars including Dan the Automator, Kool Keith, and Norah Jones. Anyone who's followed Patton's career will know not to expect a typical rock/rap crossover, and "typical" is exactly what Peeping Tom doesn't deliver. It's more trip-hop than anything else (although loud guitars do season a few tracks), but it's deeply weird, and scarcely dancefloor-friendly. Just when you think you've got a handle on a groove, it's likely to lurch into a different tempo. A song may suddenly dissolve into a wash of harp strings, or the drums might grind to a halt and start running backwards. Peeping Tom may not offer consistent rump-shaking or head-banging pleasures, but it definitely rewards close listening -- it's packed with sonic details and surprises. "Your Neighborhood Spaceman" and "Don't Even Trip" (chorus: "Don't even trip/Don't get too big for/Your britches") are a little goofy, and even the darkest songs usually have humorous touches. Highlights include the trip-hop/nu-metal collision of "Five Seconds" (listen to the chorus on headphones at least once), Kool Keith's laid-back narrative/rap on "Getaway," and Norah Jones' snide, "R"-rated "Sucker."

This review originally appeared at Avoid Peril.