Joe Lally "Why Should I Get Used To It"

(Dischord/Tolotta) Thinking about the previous Lally solo albums and the last tour I saw him on (backed by the underrated Capillary Action) I would have to say this album is less weird sounding than expected. And while normally less weird would equal less good in my book 99 out of 100 times, this is a 1% situation where less weirder  + more gooder. Getting downright funky, jazzy, poppy, and hypnotic, Lally uses the trick of crafting things with real musical hooks and adeptly inserted bells and whistles (including snatches of handclaps and Tull-flute) to make the medicine of heavy lyrics go down smooth. Sure he might go from Bowery punk to jazzbo meandering without warning, but everything on here sounds like a hit. Well, maybe a weird hit. But a less weird hit than expected.