For the seventh time, the two guys with paper mache heads release a bizarre collage of samples from cartoons and throwback children’s music. The beats smack, and as always, the depth and obscurity of the library of pop-culture references that these guys draw from is astounding, however we’ve seen it all before… many times. For those who aren’t familiar with The Bran Flakes’ sound, the album might be worth a listen. But I honestly cannot understand how anybody who has listened to their music before can continue to do so. In fact, sitting through an entire album of Sesame Street samples is almost too much to bear. It’s kinda like that bear on the unicycle at the circus. The first time you see it you clap your hands and have a chuckle along with everybody else, but by the second time you’ve already lost interest. The Bran Flakes make extremely gimmicky ultra-saccharine music. This latest effort is no exception. And let me just say that if you’re going to use a Dolly Parton sample (as they painfully do for the backbone of “Stumble Out of Bed”), you damn well better do the impossible and somehow make that shit hot.

Don’t get me wrong though, I have nothing against sampling sappy children’s music. Unfortunately, besides the fact that this duo has done it to death, there have been other producers who’ve taken a stab at it with a much more discerning eye and defter touch (see: The Beatnuts – “Off the Books”). If The Bran Flakes managed to cleverly juxtapose their weird samples against each other in order to make a satirical point, maybe they’d get a pass. However, most of the tracks come off like two kids selfishly goofing off in the studio with long lost gems of nostalgia from their childhood. If you think about it, it’s kind of sad. Candy tastes good at first, but eat too much of it and you’ll start getting a toothache… and an upset stomach.

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