12 years are more than a lifetime in nowadays music industry. Bass player Les Claypool was considered by many a weirdo even back in the 80s, beginning of the 90s, nowadays with the more uniformed, pattern-driven music, with all those self-proclaimed “whatever-core” stuffs pretending to be “alternatives” and post-everything we might think or dream of, the Primus project seems much more off-beat. I’m quite curious what the media will write about this and how the ex-emo kids, now sport-ware and iPhone fan teenagers will receive it. Things that don’t fit in the boxes, labels don’t stick to them and aren’t easy to chew and swallow are not so welcome nowadays. If you want to be appreciated, you must stay in line. Odd… isn’t it? While everybody struggling to sound the same, Primus comes back and sounds just like they did two decades ago. Like nothing else and like… Primus. Bloody bastards!
12 years of hiatus will ends on 13th September with the release of the seventh studio album, “Green Naugahyde” by Primus. Beside Les Claypool (bass, vocals) and guitarist Larry “Ler” LaLonde, we’ve got on drums Jay Lane who was in the band also back in 1988 and left Primus just before releasing of the first record, but was beside Claypool in the some side projects, such as The Holy Mackerel, The Les Claypool Frog Brigade, and Sausage, which was itself a reunion of the 1988 Primus lineup.
So, the Sailors of the Seas of Cheese are back and they bring new Antipop Tales from the Punchbowl. Claypool’s bass licks and riffs are punches right in your face, LaLonde have all those impossible and crazy solos and Lane are a balanced, powerful drummer delivering solid rhythmic background, but also colorful poundings for this boiling insanity. And it feels just right as back in the old days. If “Frizzle Fry” would had a second disc, this would be that one. On the other hand, “Green Naugahyde” includes also 20 years of experience, there are many subtle musical “cookies” hidden beneath the surface which gives another dimension to their “traditional madness”.
Primus managed to create new things doing the same thing as they ever did and it’s still charming, have the same magic. Obviously: brilliant as always, dissection overruled.
Everything’s made in China? Well, I already said this 20 years ago: God made the world in seven days, the rest is made in China. 😀 Hopefully they won’t try to clone Claypool as well…
Track list:
01. “Prelude to a Crawl”
02. “Hennepin Crawler”
03. “Last Salmon Man” (Fisherman’s Chronicles, Part IV)
04. “Eternal Consumption Engine”
05. “Tragedy’s a’ Comin'”
06. “Eyes of the Squirrel”
07. “Jilly’s on Smack”
08. “Lee Van Cleef”
09. “Moron TV”
10. “Green Ranger”
11. “HOINFODAMAN”
12. “Extinction Burst”
13. “Salmon Men”
Primus – Official Site
Primus @ MySpace
Primus @ Facebook
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=953PkxFNiko&w=500&h=305]
