Brown is smarter than his enemies, which is a good thing, because he has lots of enemies.
Frustration permeates the album.
You'd think the guy would be insufferable, the kind of doomed cynic who pins you to the barstool with an interminable litany of everything that's wrong in his world. Brown's humor, clever wordplay and instantly catchy songs cut the bile nicely, and if you read between the lines, you'll find some unexpected vulnerability. Some of these characters are outcasts, or downright losers, and you sense that their venting goes on behind closed doors, where the targets are safely out of earshot. By enlisting our sympathy Brown makes his point by winning you over, not beating you senseless. Even better, there are moments of sweet loser redemption.