On their 4th studio album, the Crystal Method swing for the fences as usual, a trait that has served them well against the fickle tide of their electronica background. Here, they eschew the typical big beat format of the past, and instead use a typical hip-hop album format, recruiting a plethora of well known and not so well known guests. This gambit succeeds most where the formula is less rigid. On the title track, a nice twitchy techno beat slowly turns into a funky banger with big drums and a vocoder refrain. Both songs featuring Peter Hook (of New Order) are great because they feature his expert songcraft, not his vocals. On “Blunts And Robots,” a guitar driven track with bouncy drums evolves into new wave with anthemic qualities. Other collaborations are not as inspired, pairing otherwise great music with lousy guests.
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