by Bradley Torreano
Scatterbrain's debut record, Here Comes Trouble, did an excellent job of showing what this comedy metal troupe had to offer. But the music that they were making had such limited potential that by their second album, there was little new to offer besides more silly joke lyrics over their brand of "fun" metal. Vocalist Paul Neider has a flat voice that is more like talking than singing. This makes their juvenile lyrics even harder to take, and songs like "Grandma's House of Babes" and "Swiss Army Girl" are virtually unlistenable. Their attempt at social commentary, "Fine Line," is one of the few bright spots as it uses their wit in a far more biting manner. "Tastes Just Like Chicken," their tribute to the record industry, is another example of where they could have directed their energies toward a far more witty cause. But in the end, and especially on the last half of the album, Scatterbrain is far less interesting than their fantastic cover art would lead you to believe.