Disco Biscuits

It's almost as if 13 separate bands recorded the 13 different tracks on Señor Boombox. The Disco Biscuits’ new album finds them merrily schizophrenic and attempting to cram as much old school Zappa quirkiness and new institutional nightclub DJ tricks into their decidedly urban jam sound. Credit goes to the band for stepping out on a sonic limb and merging rock and electronic culture, and also for not being afraid to fall on their ass once in awhile. Usually the unforeseen breaks, expert tempo changes and all around genre foolery enhance Boombox's "party central” feel (their words, not mine) but occasionally the shifts are too drastic and uncomfortable, like a cut and paste scrapbook. Still, you have to marvel at the Biscuits’ scope — one minute the four-piece executes a perfect beach/stoner anthem ("Floodlights”) that would make Fu Manchu proud and the next they invent the soundtrack to some as yet to be conceived psychedelic Smurf opera ("Jigsaw Earth”). Touches of trance, Phish and even a bit of classical will keep you happily guessing what's coming next.