It's not hard to believe that Seth Kauffman produced and engineered Research all by himself. It sounds absolutely terrible. That's a good thing, though. Honest. Kauffman's scratchy, dull recordings prematurely age the contents therein. And when you're playing ramshackle funky beat-driven tunes, there's nothing more important than a thick layer of grime to give them some heft. Admittedly, some of the tracks are lithe: "Summertime Bossa Nova" bops along without a care in the world and "I Bleed Easy"'s lo-fi country speeds past in a blur. But, for the most part, you're in for a murky, dirty ride full of chunky organ ("Not Much Left To Give"), a bit of ukulele ("Wafting Sands") and a whole lotta bass guitar. Good luck and godspeed.