Ugh... I don't like saying that this is a disappointing follow-up, but it really is. The reason why I thought "Street Worms" was so good was because of its eclecticism, its silliness, rawness, the pure DAD energy that radiated off of it. "Welfare Jazz" still has much of those charms. We still have great, energetic cuts with raw production like "Ain't Nice", "Creatures" and "Girls & Boys", which is a great successor to "Sports". Also, that fucking gnarly bass tone is fantastic!
Unfortunately, the inventive charm of this band has been wasted throughout a good portion of the track list. There are a surprising amount half-baked, even downright questionable ideas on this album. "Into the Sun" and "I Feel Alive" feel far too forgettable and... okay. Why the fuck is there a huge shift to country twang at the end of this album? It's so jarring and the songwriting quality dips because of it. The cover of "In Spite of Ourselves" especially feels obnoxious with its overly tacky production choices.
"Welfare Jazz" could've been a good follow-up considering the buzz surrounding Viagra Boys around the time "Street Worms" came out, but the lack of consistency and some weak ideas make it fall really short.
Fav Tracks: Girls & Boys, Ain't Nice, 6 Shooter, Creatures, Secret Canine Agent
Least Fav Track: In Spite of Ourselves
Score:
6.3
Fine