The Leslie Spit Treeo have never considered taking the easy way. Not in their lives. Not in their music. Not when it comes to artistic integrity. "Chocolate Chip Cookies" would never have happened otherwise. Consider it. One monster of a double CD. Close to two and a quarter hours long. Filled with everything from rock-aggressive numbers to whimsical folk ballads, from poetry to an episodic tongue -in cheek "how to make it in the biz" saga courtesy of Papa Smurf and kin. And one national anthem. No label of any repute would have come near this project with a ten foot cookie sheet. However this band does what it does so well because they do it their way, and damn if they haven't done it again.

This album is the closest thing to a true cross-section of any band's live show that I have ever heard. Loads of umph! and energy peppered liberally among the folk-oriented slices of life the Spits have become so well known for. If you've ever enjoyed the Treeo in person, imagine being able to sample that atmosphere anytime you feel the need. The thing I enjoyed most about "Chocolate Chip Cookies" was that no matter what mood I happened to be in, there was always a song or two on these discs to fit it. The Spitkins can become a bit annoying after several go-arounds with this album, but if you have a remote for your CD player, a simple skip in the right places from the comfort of your easy chair is all that is required to fix that problem. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable album that doesn't become stale after one week.

- Joel Tapscott