fear (1991)

A promising rock band that have been building its audience without the help of Top 40 radio have a worthwhile new album out. A religious intensity emanates from the flowing, gorgeous songs profferred by Toad the Wet Sprocket. (The moniker comes from a Monty Python skit.) The Southern California pantheists celebrate butterflies and haunted houses on the band's third album, fear, but things aren't all nice; The group also takes on gang rape and false gods who ''hold you by your fear.'' B