Part two in the Melvins' "commercial suicide" trilogy is easily the oddest of the bunch. Maggot featured tons of down-tuned sludge classics while The Crybaby was a hodgepodge of strange ideas and covers well rooted in "traditional" rock/metal (well, according to the Melvins' standards anyway), but The Bootlicker is something completely different. For one, the trio have unexpectedly decided to drop the distortion pedals for this recording and second, besides the two or three head-scratchers scattered across the album, The Bootlicker is an extremely mellow ride with the occasional prog touch. Worthwhile if only for it's uniqueness, this one might still leave behind a few confused and disappointed fans. It all depends on how much of The Melvins' couldn't-care-less attitude you can take. I personally enjoy listening to the two electro-mindbenders found here. We We and Prig sound like a strange cross between The Residents and early Boredoms. Fucked!