Peeping Tom - Peeping Tom (CD)

All Music Guide

Mike Patton fans have been patiently waiting for his muchtalkedabout and longinthemaking pop project, Peeping Tom, for years by now. First tipped off right about the turn of the 21st century, Peeping Tom was supposed to be an outing that saw the singer return to more easily digestible material the antithesis of such releases as Adult Themes for Voice and Fantômas Delirium Cordia. The reason for the album's delay was not that Patton had been working steadily on the project since its inception he'd gotten sidetracked by a myriad of other projects not to mention a timeconsuming dalliance with major labels. But ultimately, Patton concluded that his own label, Ipecac, was the best home for the project, which by the time of its 2006 release, had become a bit of a starstudded affair. Such Patton pals as Dan the Automator, Kool Keith, Massive Attack, and Dub Trio all drop by, as does a surprise appearance by none other than Norah Jones. Right from the getgo, it's apparent that Peeping Tom is not an album of Patton crooning conventional pop tunes, as the album instead has a hiphop/electronic feel to it. That said, it's quite possibly Patton's most accessible album since his Faith No More days. The album opening "Five Seconds" features a trademark Patton vocal freakout for the chorus (which is a fine example of a singing style that countless rock vocalists have copied from him over the years), while the albumclosing collaboration with Dub Trio, "We're Not Alone," is comparable to another Patton project, Tomahawk. Other highlights include the Portisheadlike "Sucker" (which features Jones), as well as the leadoff single, "Mojo," which features some pretty harrowing lyrics (it appears to be from the standpoint of an addict). All in all, Peeping Tom is another fine release from Mike Patton (aka Mr. Multi Task).

- Greg Prato, All Music Guide