Peeping Tom: S/T

How long did this take to complete? Talk about one of your all-time letdowns. Peeping Tom is the long-anticipated pop collaboration from Mike Patton, singer of popular rock act Faith No More and seminal jazz spazzes Mr. Bungle, among others.

And though I’ve always been a fan of Patton’s work, whether it be in the aforementioned groups, his work with John Zorn, Fantômas, Tomahawk, Lovage, The Dillinger Escape Plan, The X-Ecutioners, Kaada or any of his billion other guest appearances, these eleven tracks all seem to have their shortcomings.

Most start off promising, too, which just adds to latent kick to the goods. But after teasing us with an alluring intro or verse here and there, the majority of these radio-ready refrains devolve into half-hearted hooks. And there’s no shortage of big-name talent guesting on the album, either, as the likes of Dan the Automator, Amon Tobin, Kool Keith, Massive Attack, Bebel Gilberto, Kid Koala, and Norah Jones each lend their talents.

The album’s seventh track, “Caipirinha,” features Gilberto and the bossa nova sounds for which she is best known. A thick synthesizer and legitimately catchy Patton vocalization make the chorus one of the album’s best, and combine with the subsequent Kid Koala collaboration for the only appearance of back-to-back quality on the album.

What is most shocking about Peeping Tom, however, is that Patton’s contributions are the ones that typically limit the album. Much of the instrumentation is downright bangin’, but the choruses can be straight up cheesy. Maybe I’ve fallen victim to my own high Patton standards. Fans of this album will likely argue that it’s more accessible to the mainstream than the likes of Fantômas, but so are Lovage and his work with The X-Ecutioners. I’m unimpressed.

- Scott Morrow
Peeping Tom (Ipecac)