Personnel: David Josefsberg (vocals); Erik Della Penna (electric guitar); Jonathan Dinklage (violin, viola); Dave Eggar (cello); Rich Campbell (piano); Dean Sharenow (drums).

Audio Mixer: Dean Sharenow.

Recording information: Vibromonk Studios, Brooklyn, NY.

A respected comic actor in addition to being a musical funnyman, Stephen Lynch earns his laughs on 3 BALLOONS not from wacky hi-jinks or funky timing, but from the absurd incongruity between his gentle folk ballads and his often-dark, profanity-laced tales of waiting for AIDS test results and drug smuggling gone wrong. The dandy new hook on this 2009 record (his third) comes on the "Dear Diary" series, consisting of four one-minute entries of sunshine and hope, each with a devilish twist.

Love him or hate him -- and that really does seem all there is to choose from -- 3 Balloons finds novelty songster Stephen Lynch on a roll, keeping the quality high even when the formula is the same it has been for the past decade. "Waiting" is quintessential Lynch style as it starts off believably wistful and searching and then does a complete 180, becoming depraved and somewhat vicious. The song's chamber music arrangement is clever but it's the sudden switch to mocking AIDS testing that will drive the more prudish away. Those same people should also stay away from the songs that devolve into subjects such as children being "assholes" ("Fishin' Hole"), cocaine being smuggled by anus (the title track), and unhealthy obsessions with breasts ("Hallelujah"). Sick humor aficionados, however, will thrill at the way "The Ballad of Scarface" works the film's "Her womb is so polluted" line into the lyrics, and the four "Dear Diary" interludes -- all from tragic historical figures -- will seem like manna from heaven. "It doth resemble Fidel Castro eating a London broil!" is a lyric from "Medieval Bush," and that's all the info you need to decide if 3 Balloons is the album for you. ~ David Jeffries