Gibby Haynes and His Problem

I can already hear Gibby Haynes fans bitching about how his new band, His Problem, sounds nothing like The Butthole Surfers' insane psychedelia of yore. It's not that I don't agree; I, too, miss the crazy days of Locust Abortion Technician. But come on. The Surfers lost their acid-drenched edge...

By sam Machkovech

September 2, 2004

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I can already hear Gibby Haynes fans bitching about how his new band, His Problem, sounds nothing like The Butthole Surfers' insane psychedelia of yore. It's not that I don't agree; I, too, miss the crazy days of Locust Abortion Technician. But come on. The Surfers lost their acid-drenched edge more than eight years ago, and it certainly hasn't resurfaced with the new band. So let's get to the actual "Problem": GHaHP is blah. The album has a few moments worth downloading MP3s for, such as "Superman," which uses a slow, spacey synth beat to accuse the caped avenger of, uh, smoking killer weed with Dan Rather. (Gives new meaning to "What's the frequency, Kenneth?") For the most part, though, the band sounds as if it's trying to land on pop-rock radio, yet trying its damndest to remain an underground stoner band. Opener "Kaiser" nails this mentality--it's a watered-down attempt to mimic their old Beck-loving hit "Pepper" by adding louder guitars and less amusing lyrics. The song, like the rest of the album, isn't smart, catchy or weird enough to demand anyone's attention.

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