Mr. Scruff - Trouser Jazz

On the heels of his success with KEEP IT UNREAL, Mr. Scruff quickly offered TROUSER JAZZ. This album, however, feels a bit rushed and not quite as realized. For one, the songs seem to lack direction or development; “Shrimp” is an example. It’s catchy, yes, but it also goes nowhere. Even the cut-up end track “Ahoy There!” (again celebrating aquatic life) doesn’t feel completely thought through. But tracks like the dark-hued “Beyond” or its equally mysterious brother, “Valley of the Sausages” (with Seaming pulling an Yma Sumac) go a long way in giving the album some pep. “Come on Grandad” encourages you to pull up your trouser legs and shimmy. Still fun, but certainly not as accomplished as his earlier work.