Travis Matte and the Kingpins, Pop It (Matte Productions)

Travis Matte and the Kingpins, Pop It (Matte Productions)Matte refuses to be confined by preconceived cultural norms. Novelty sexual content is where he’s always shaken his biggest moneymaker, but not the first of any genre to hint what happens at behind closed doors. He’s more obvious about it, but not enough to warrant “parental advisory” warnings.

It’d be easy to dismiss his latest as more of the same, but it’s not. The sex aspect is toned down compared to previous offerings, and at times it can be funny (“Tawanna”), topical (“Text Sex”) or even overbearing (“I’m All That”). It’s a safe bet that public reaction will always be mixed, at best.

But other things make it interesting, like the quasi-metal guitar playing that, combined with Matte’s accordion, makes for an unusual zydeco groove. The poppy “Dance Dance Dance” blends ’50s sock hop rock ’n’ roll with zydeco and metal, and the title track seems like a good candidate to ignite the next dance craze. But the best statement made here is Matte’s politically-charged “Something for Nothing” where he addresses bailouts, false entitlement and illegal immigration. Matte’s angry; he doesn’t want to take it anymore, and as a high-profile artist, addressing issues like these are something he should do more often.