Perry Farrell sidekick
Peter DiStefano's first solo outing since leaving the
Porno for Pyros camp (under the moniker
Venice Underground) finds the alt-rock guitarist newly steeped in electronica. While his solid and reliable guitar work still abounds in and around trance soundscapes on
Venice Underground and several tracks of plain old modern rock, the results often come across as subpar
Garbage or failed exercises in techno. Aided by vocalists Beca Starr and
Kacy Crowley, former
Jane's Addiction and Deconstruction bassist
Eric Avery, and L.A. electronics whiz Big Green Boy, much of what is musically passable here gets mired in pedestrian lyrics and clichéd arrangements. A notable exception may be the
Crowley-sung "Take Me Down," which may be the only point where
DiStefano and company effectively straddle the rock-electronica fence. Like many of
David Bowie's limp excursions into similar genres,
DiStefano tries to pave over standard and often unexciting pop songcraft with a 21st century sheen. [This DualDisc version contains bonus material.] ~ JoE Silva