Queer
Although the Wolfgang Press had toyed with their sinister brand of art funk for almost a decade, withQueerthey began to focus more closely on the rhythm section, relegating their creepier leanings to stylistic accents rather than departure points. Peppered with Kraftwerk samples and muffled house beats, this is a dance album, albeit one filled with quirkiness and black humor. Tiny treasures glisten in the mix with each listen: a backdrop of croaking frogs and stifled screams ("Birmingham"); the brutal lyrics of "Sucker"; and Annie Anxiety (a.k.a. Little Annie) babbling about her near-death experience on "Birdie Song." As an added measure, the trio tackle Randy Newman's "Mama Told Me Not to Come" (originally a hit for Three Dog Night), with truly twisted results.--Kurt B. Reighley