The Rancid Yak Butter Tea Party has developed quite a name for itself around town. The group has played ComFest twice (headlining last year's main stage Friday night), appeared on the first Cringe.com/pilation and released an album in 2001.

All the while, it was a bad imitation of Mr. Bungle.

But, alas, on its new record, Having Friends Over for Sex on the Table, Rancid Yak has broken the mold.

The album kicks off with "Terror Babies," a largely instrumental track alternating between hardcore punk and smooth jazz. The resulting mix is actually quite pleasant. Parts are more developed compared to Rancid Yak's previous tactic of throwing everything but the kitchen sink in the mix and seeing what happens.

"Big Knuckle Stuff" starts and ends with a traditional punk groove, but the middle section devolves into a nice ska vibe. "Five Thing Four" follows a similar pattern, with a jazzy interlude bookending pure metal mayhem.

Rancid Yak hasn't completely changed its stripes, however; "Static Nuts from the Shipping Puss" is completely schizophrenic. Fortunately, if you don't like what you're hearing, you just have to wait 30 seconds till the band moves on. There's also a nice piano, guitar and horns jam at the end.

The bad thing about Having Friends is the amount of filler. The nameless, odd-numbered songs could have easily been jettisoned.

Stil, considering the record is a sonic leap forward from its previous efforts, that's a minor quibble.

-Chad Painter
The Other Paper, Vol. 14, No. 3
October 30 - November 5, 2003