What's for Dinner? cover

Released 20 years ago

What's for Dinner?

The King Khan & BBQ Show · 2006

41 min · 14 tracks · punk rock

A raucous blend of garage rock energy and punk irreverence, laced with playful lyrics and off-kilter melodies.

Top tracks — play these first

  • →
    Treat Me Like a Dog — This opening track sets the tone with its frenetic energy and humorous lyrics that encapsulate the album's playful yet edgy spirit.
  • →
    Zombies — With its infectious riff and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, this song exemplifies the band's knack for blending horror themes with catchy melodies.
  • →
    Too Much in Love — Closing the album on a reflective note, this track combines heartfelt sentiment with a lo-fi production style, showcasing the duo's range.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

51 /100
Foothills
Higher than 34% of albums we've rated

The album showcases energetic songwriting with playful lyrics, though it has some uneven pacing in its latter half.

What we noticed

  • The first half of the album maintains a high-energy tempo with driving guitar riffs and punchy rhythms, while the second half introduces slower tracks that create a contrast.
  • Several songs feature call-and-response vocal patterns, enhancing the playful interaction between the two main vocalists.
  • The lyrics often employ humor and absurdity, with recurring themes of love and existential musings presented in a tongue-in-cheek manner.
Composition 25% of the score
7/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
6/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
5/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
7/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
6/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

  • playful energy for gatherings
  • short bursts of raw fun
  • dynamic mix of moods
  • head-nodding anthems for driving

Maybe skip if you

  • seeking slow, reflective sounds
  • prefer polished production quality

Where this album fits

Career context
When 'What's for Dinner?' was released in 2006, The King Khan & BBQ Show were gaining traction in the underground music scene following their self-titled debut. This album marked their evolution as a duo, showcasing their distinctive blend of punk and doo-wop influences while solidifying their quirky aesthetic.
Stylistic neighbors
Flatfoot 56· NOFX· Mongol Shuudan

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

  • 1 Treat Me Like a Dog 3:55
  • 2 I’ll Never Belong 3:52
  • 3 Zombies 2:08
  • 4 Blow My Top 3:50
  • 5 Why Don’t You Lie? 4:18
  • 6 Suck It and Smell 2:31
  • 7 Learn My Language 0:15
  • 8 Captain Captain 4:35
  • 9 Into the Snow 3:17
  • 10 Dock It #8 2:52
  • 11 Operation 1:33
  • 12 The Ballad of… 2:45
  • 13 What’s for Dinner? 2:27
  • 14 Too Much in Love 3:20

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata