The Dandy Warhols

From the faux rock history intro to the final 12-minute mess of effects on "A Loan, Tonight," the Dandy Warhols continue to stick out their tongues and do what they please despite (or in spite of) their commercial success. The overall self-indulgence of this disc is interrupted only by the smirking garage rock of "Smoke It" and the harmonic sing-along "Holding Me Up."

Sometimes, good bands release outstandingly bad records. As sloppy and low on hooks as
their previous album was tight and tuneful, the Dandy Warhols' Odditorium reverts to the
Velvet Underground drone of the Portland, Oregon, foursome's earliest records -- minus
those discs' hazy joy. Four tracks wander beyond the seven-minute mark without much
variation, and even the Stones-y single "Smoke It" loses momentum after two min... More >

What they get for assuming psychedelia, futurism, and the drone are the same thing ("Down Like Disco," "All the Money or the Simple Life Honey"). (Grade - *)