Peeping Tom -- Peeping Tom

Watching Mike Patton prance around with Faith No More on MTV in the late '80s like a Value City version of Anthony Kiedis, even the most clairvoyant music fan couldn't have predicted the singer's triumphant journey down a much more bizzaro musical path. Releases by carnival-soundtrackers Mr. Bungle were the first hint that Patton was not your average money-driven Pop star, and his immense array of non-FNM projects showed a true artist unafraid of challenging and provoking listeners. For Peeping Tom, Patton says he wanted to make a Pop album, a shift from his usual esoteric, noisy output. Assembled through shared files, the album -- while sprinkled with catchy melodies and club-friendly beats -- is still mischievously experimental, just not as impenetrable as some of his other work. "Five Seconds" opens the album with a slinky R&B grind, before erupting with a rambunctious gust of metallic, throat-gripping bluster (think Prince meets System of a Down). Elsewhere, "Mojo" (with guests Dan the Automator and The Roots' Rahzel) sounds like electronic-tinged Faith No More, screwball MC Doseone (whose Anticon clan-mates Odd Nosdam and Jel also make cameos on the album) adds his alphabet-soup rhymes to the end-of-the-world Disco jam "How U Feelin?" and Massive Attack re-create their dark, menacing vibe on "Kill the DJ." Norah Jones might do some damage to her Starbucks-lovin' fanbase, as she plays a cooing, trifling femme fatale on the sultry "Sucker" and quite convincingly sings the word "motherfucker." See -- even when Patton plays it semi-straight, it's with a devious smirk. (Mike Breen) Grade: B+

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