Travis Morrison Hellfighters

To say 2004's Travistan got mixed reviews is an understatement – the album has practically been branded a catastrophe. Morrison has been criticized for having too many ideas and not enough focus, not to mention the inevitable Dismemberment Plan comparisons. So perhaps he assembled the aforementioned "Hellfighters" to fight that bad critical blood. Like a kid with ADHD, Morrison layers surly beats and disjointed rhythms that shouldn't and often don't make sense. On "You Make Me Feel Like a Freak," he jumps from a one-note keyboard to clanging, scream-filled frenzies. It's both intriguing and perplexing because it disrupts the conventional song structures listeners have come to expect. The result is a few synth-rich dance numbers ("Hawkins Rock") and some sturdy, beat-driven numbers to sing along with, including "I'm Not Supposed to Like You (But)" and "As We Proceed." 3 stars.

Travis Morrison Hellfighters play Drunken Unicorn Sat., Dec. 8. 9 p.m. Price TBA.