A band that got kicked off Sub Pop for playing pranks (turns out their guitarist wasn't dead!) shouldn't be releasing albums so well constructed, should they? Album covers with naked/bloody women and midgets, half-hour-long albums and 15 minute shows, and a total aversion to telling the truth give the Dwarves a lower profile than you'd think if you only heard the music. It keeps the band a dirty little secret. If you want in and can stand the guy or girl behind the counter sizing you up for buying an album with such a filthy cover, The Dwarves Must Die is an excellent place to start. Producer Eric Valentine -- the man who gave everyone from Smash Mouth to Queens of the Stone Age his winning slick and loud treatment -- keeps the chaos clear as a bell and makes this the most accessible Dwarves album yet. ~ David Jeffries