I prefer his solo albums.

On the contrary, I'd say this is one of his best songs of the nineties (along with, say, "And It Shook Me," "Wrapping Paper," "A Brand New Book," "Mr. Tender," "Worthy of Your Love," "Haunted Episodes," "Obsessed with Aretha," and "Sharpening Axes.") There's nothing wrong with these lyrics: the personifying of the state, letting him approach the social/political commentary from a side angle, lending it some subtlety; "You get what you pay for there," using a commonplace expression that, in this context, flares into fresh meaning; and, similarly, in the bridge, "We are not amused," critiquing the creators of amusement parks with their own lexicon.