Perhaps blessings do come in disguise. Expensive, frustrating, almost destructive disguises.

Only now are the members of The Mighty Plastisols able to see the bright side of their recent fiasco in creating their new CD, Big Black Van.

“I’m just glad there’s something on it,” bassist/vocalist T.J. Clemons said of the disc. “It took a hell of a lot longer than it should have. And we’re still in kind of a mess.”

That “mess” started when the band entered a contest at the Ranch Bowl in Omaha, Neb. It was called “Opening the Big O” and was for area bands that played original music. After six weeks of eliminations, TMP emerged victorious, bagging the first-place prize — recording of a new CD, all expenses paid.

But then capitalism reared its ugly head when the music company that sponsored the contest was purchased by another corporation. The boys of TMP were left out in the cold and with a big studio bill, to boot.

“Everything’s on credit card,” Clemons said. “And at a show, we had T-shirts and CDs stolen. We were out another $2,000.”

So, where is the blessing in all of this? Well, the extra time afforded T.J. Clemons, guitarist/vocalist Donovan Miller and drummer Joe Clemons a chance to do some fine tuning to the finished product. The changes were definitely for the better, T.J. Clemons said.

“We usually stick with the first concept,” he said. “But since we waited on the CD so long, we went back and listened to some songs and thought, ‘This really sucks.'”

One track in particular, “Crackhead Greg,” bared the brunt of “whatever sounded good at four in the morning.” Originally a straightforward rock song, TMP went back and added some “funky, psychedelic stuff,” Clemons said.

This new-found confidence, reflected in the group’s experimentation with sound, is due to the group’s tightness over the years, Clemons said.

“We’re a little bolder, a little louder, a little faster,” he explained. “This CD is more lighthearted and entertaining.”

Things weren’t always so fun loving for the brothers Clemons, however. Much like an ’80s John Hughs flick, Joe and T.J. lived in separate worlds.

“We used to hate each other in high school,” T.J. Clemons said of brother Joe. “He was all-state football player, I was all-state partier. But I grew up and he mellowed out.”

Well, not too much. Clemons and company can still rock.

Join them Saturday night at People’s Bar and Grill for their CD release party to hear new tunes and some old favorites. Party time is set for 8 p.m.