On this sophomore release, producer Martin Bisi seems to bring a cohesiveness to an otherwise sound splattering band. Although a couple times Steve's voice seems more buried than it should be. Of course his trademark "yell through an old noisy ham radio mic" sound is still there. What attracted me to S.T.R.'s debut was the single "Mine Eyes" with its oddly obnoxiousness, yet catchiness. The whole disc was too squalid to get through till it all grew on me. Perfect World will just be an extension of that growth. Yet I don't notice a particularly obvious radio single friendly song right off. Lyrically, "Tulipana" is still disturbing, concentrating on the grief, drudgery and real or seeming paradoxes of life. As the album's title seems to be saying "as if ...", and concert "poster man" Derek Hess nicely illustrates on the cover. Local pals Molly McGuire loaned drummer Jason Gerken for this album & S.T.R. couldn't have gotten a better fill-in. Get the blue vinyl.
