Took time to realize this is one of their best

Review Score: (10/10)
If you're new to the Femmes, rush out to get Violent Femmes and Hallowed Ground immediately. Those are the unquestioned masterpieces you'll never regret buying at any price. You shouldn't stop there because the Femmes definitely have a lot to offer with their later work, but you should definitely start there. New Times shows a maturing Femmes stretching out musically. The songs are diverse in style and construction, running a gamut from Gano's solo guitar and voice on "I'm Nothing" to the intense pacing on "I Saw You In The Crowd" to the hilarious electronic experiment "Machine" and the completely unusual "Jesus of Rio." I'm particularly fond of the moral angst and melancholy of "This Island Life." Somehow it all works. Honestly, it took me quite a while to fully appreciate this record. At first listen, I didn't like it very much at all. But it's really grown on me to the point where I consider it easily the best of their post-Hallowed Ground records. I could live without hearing the one song some reviewers here seem to live best, "Don't Start Me On The Liquor," but the rest of New Times has become essential music in my collection. If the idea of the Violent Femmes challenging themselves to expand in directions appeals to you, eventually you'll probably love this record too. On the other hand, if your reaction to later Femmes music is usually "Why can't they make more songs like Blister In The Sun?" don't surprised if New Times goes over your head.

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• Ugly, UGLY, UGLY!
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• For True Femmes Fans,