It's never a surprise when Cheer-Accident takes a sharp left on a new album. In fact, I have no idea what a "typical" Cheer-Accident album might sound like. These are exceptional musicians with sharp ears who are perfectly willing to execute some of the most inexplicable amateurish sounds alongside ideas whose sophistication Is almost suffocating.

Cheer-Accident Admission (Skin Graft)

And so, the band kicks this sucker off with "My Love", which is not a reworking of the Wings song, but more of a parallel-universe one with a creepy not-quite Bacharach/David vibe. The second song ("Cold Comfort") is a long-winded, languid ramble through semi-melodic 90s post rock. The third track carries the title "Weird Organ", which describes the most dominant element of the song but otherwise is hardly descriptive.

I hate reviews that go song by song, so I'm gonna quit. Cheer-Accident has decided to record a mainstream-sounding album that also immolates those impulses. Kinda like what some reviewers thought about Kendrick Lamar's relatively milquetoast Super Bowl performance, say that the veneer of normality was easily lifted to reveal the musical subversives we know and love.

This is likely the most accessible Cheer-Accident ever, and it might be the band's most transgressive as well. Or, as the band might say, "You want us to sound normal? Okay, then." I'm not sure that anyone asked Cheer-Accident to frequent the realms of normality, and that kinda makes this effort that much more intriguing. The band can't keep its musical adventurousness under wraps, but hearing it strain against a self-imposed straitjacket is fascinating. Probably not the most satisfying outing from this bunch, but easily its most sophisticated.

Actually, I do know what a typical outing for this bunch is: An album that confounds fans, critics and quite possibly the label as well. And so, bravo! Job well done.