Peeping Tom

Mike Patton should have worn out his welcome by now; the guy's got more side projects than sides. Yet the Good General's music is usually interesting enough to justify its existence, and Peeping Tom's debut is no exception. Despite the artsy concept (Patton and guests collaborated by swapping files rather than performing together), it's unexpectedly accessible — with an irresistible core of subversion.

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The biggest attention-getter here is "Sucker," in which adorable li'l Norah Jones moans "The truth kinda hurts, don't it, motherfucker?" Still, other tracks are more memorable, including "Getaway," which pivots on the wisdom of Kool Keith, "Kill the DJ" and "Don't Even Trip," a hook-laden partnership with electro-freakazoid Amon Tobin that sports the stirring couplet "I know that assholes grow on trees/But I'm here to trim the leaves."

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Patton reportedly has enough material for two more Peeping Tom albums, and based on volume one, that's good news. Against all odds, he remains welcome. 4 stars.