If ERQ are the dada version of the Beatles, as I suspect they are, their roles are rather obvious - with his deadpan country cornball humor and his persuasive way with a bongo, Neno Perrotta is definitely the Ringo - and even Ringo couldn't have envisioned the genius of his song "Lawyers and Truckers," which will undoubtedly become a new anthem for a generation of unabashed hairy males. Dan Leone's use of many ethnic music forms to achieve ends that are decidedly, charmingly pop makes him the Paul. His "King of Calypso" is charming, catchy and funny as hell, as he decries the unfortunate desire to be the king of calypso, while he admits "but I'm not - I'm from Ohio." The John Lennon of the band is Carrie Bradley, who manages to be touching and emotionally honest while maintaining the album's tone of absurdity. The best lyrics here are hers - lines like "Dedicated to her dream of silence/ She talks to her appliances, she tells them to be quiet," and "I'll have to forgive me - I've got so much to do/ and you'll have to forgive me when I talk like there's someone else in the room." Her songs suggest something a little darker lurking behind the comedic tone that comes across, but that doesn't stop the whole record from being charming. The playing is even pretty good here, avoiding the "dissonance for it's own sake" that has occasionally marred their previous recordings. I will continue to play this disc regularly and will enjoy it even though I don't really understand it all, but I'll leave it to someone else to figure out why there's no George...
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