Ham

This is some fucked up shit right here, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. This Winnipeg-based collective of weird-rock aficionados draws on their apparent mutual appreciation of Frank Zappa, Sonic Youth, Shudder to Think, Minutemen, Devo, Naked City and Miles Davis to create a CD's worth of garbled, atonal, caterwaul that is as repulsively attractive as it is attractively repulsive. Psychedelic prog-rock melds with post-punk guitar screech, African tribal chanting and sometimes country twang, but buried deep in the mother lode of all the chaos and noise, however, are some genuine pop gems that manage to surface long enough to keep us interested. Definitely not for everybody, but for those who enjoy the occasional swim in Truman's Water or the taste of Captain Beefheart, medium rare, this is a must have. Pass the honey mustard — I'll take my Ham on wry to go.