The Jesus Lizard\’s second album followed in the vein of the first with little immediate variation: loud, excellently produced by Steve Albini, plenty of space in the recording to emphasize the sheer force of McNeilly\’s drums and Sims\’ bass, and more besides. The little-remarked-upon ability of the rhythm section to kick out some ass-shaking jams spikes up such great numbers as \”Nub,\” which almost predicts Rocket From the Crypt down to the gang-shout vocals, and the slower but no-less-compelling grind of \”Rodeo in Joliet\” (also one of the band\’s most inspired titles). Denison\’s guitar playing seemed a touch more focused at points here, the results almost suggesting such post-punk groove monsters as Gang of Four and even the Pop Group. There\’s a more evident melodic lead role for his work as well, as the just plain great riff that fires up \”Mouth Breather\” and his near-countryish twang on \”Karpis\” makes perfectly clear. Yow, meanwhile, steps ever more into his own persona, his lyrics now downright comprehensible and his singing levels a touch less doom- (and bass) heavy, if no less aggrieved. The staggered vocal overdubs on \”Monkey Trick\” are a standout, especially when Denison suddenly serves up another one of his surprisingly sweet passages as a bed. Other treats on the album include the opening \”Here Comes Dudley\” — in context one of the more non-welcoming greetings around — and the Morricone-tinged freakout of \”Lady Shoes,\” assuming Morricone scored movies about doctors dealing with some freaky female patients. The whole album seems like a party in hell, not to mention demonstrative proof that there\’s still plenty of fun to be had with a basic rock lineup; it\’s all in the matter of how it\’s handled. -All Music Guide