Mike Patton is one prolific dude, although most of the Faith No More frontman's output veers far away from metal. Here, there's no metal to be seen, but when Patton combines forces with Doseone and Tunde Adebimp from TV On The Radio, the results are well worth spending some time with regardless. This disc is rockin' enough, but in a weird, light-hearted, and fun sort of way: opener “Dark Ear” comes and goes in a breezy easy 3:36 that sets the tone just right, the song being a bit bouncy and very enjoyable to listen to. Like anyone else who thinks Nuclear War Now! and Hells Headbangers and Dark Descent are three of the best record labels of 2016, I've never heard a TV On The Radio song and can't pretend to know what they're all about, and I still don't really have any idea, but somehow the sounds here approximate my best guess of what they sound like: a bit rock, a bit electronic, a bit grocery-store but a bit rock club. 

But not a dangerous rock club, a very nice-smelling rock club, and here the smells are all nice, and Patton fits in very nicely, sounding almost more at home here than on the last Faith No More album, which had a pretty dismal shelf life once the excitement wore off. Like much of Patton's output, parts get a bit too meandering to actually, honestly enjoy (see the first half of “Hate On”), but much of this disc bops along at a nice brisk pace, creating a kind of fun rock album that has a bit of an '80s feel but exists in its own little world, as Patton material tends to. I mean, just check out “Mr. Mistake” or “Non Babylon” and try to not get sucked into it all. Impossible.