Primus - Tales From the Punchbowl

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Free Music Notes for Tales From the Punchbowl

Free Music Review: Primus' masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars

Where to begin? Well first off, this is Primus' best album ever. I love all of their work seeing as how they're my favourite band ever. I play bass and Les Claypool is my hero...along with Geddy Lee.

The music on this album is quite odd and eclectic for one thing. There isn't a song on the album that sounds the same as any other. The weirdest song is perhaps De Anza Jig, a fun little hick number with Les remembering the good 'ol days in El Sobrante. Nothing like Les on the bass banjo, Ler on the banjo, and Tim playing a cadence.

Wynona's Big Brown Beaver is probably the most popular song on the album and for good reason...it rules. Only Primus could produce such a fun mock-country song about STDs. The bass line is amazing (especially after the guitar solo when Les is playing sextuplets), the guitar is hillarious and a perfect immitation of a country song (the guitar solo is one of Ler's best), and the drumming is incredible as usual because Herb is on the throne. Herb has the best bass drum ever.

It is my opinion though that Wynona is not the best song on the album; instead I think Year of the Parrot is the best song on the album and my favourite Primus song ever. It's an awesome song played in 7/4 about plagarism in the music industry. Les takes a stab at all those out there who are trying to make a buck by spinning out a copy of someone else's music instead of creating their own music. The lyrics are some of Les' best. The music is quite incredible in itself. Les pulls out a very cool bass line which I still has me wondering what he's doing. Tim opens the song with some nice double bass work and some nice snare hits. Herb is quite the master of syncopation. Larry breaks out a very cool guitar riff that compliments Les' bass work perfectly. Ler is one of the most underrated guitarists to ever walk this planet. He is quite amazing and he shines through on this song.

Over the Electric Grapevine is another incredible song off of this album. It opens with Les doing a pseudo-solo which sounds like a middle eastern sort of thing, it's amazing. Then Tim comes in with a very nice drum fill right in the beginning of the song. Larry lays down what is probably his most haunting guitar riff. The song is completely freaky when listened to late at night. The music makes you feel like you're on a journey to hell or something. It's qutie a treasure.

Southbound Pachyderm is another stand-out on the album. Les pulls out a very nice bass line accompanied by Ler's very nice guitar work, and Tim's always great drumming. The lyrics are quite weird and so is the music video.

Hellbound 17 1/2 has some of the best drumming that Tim has ever produced. It's laced with lots of bass drum work and great snare work. Les plays a repetitive bass line that is quite "dirty." Then Ler plays a rather spastic guitar riff that gets crazier as the song progresses towards it's terminus.

Glass Sandwich is an odd little number, the upright bass meanders throughout the song, the guitar riff gives the song a circus like feel, and the drumming is very forboding.

Professor Nutbutter is an incredible opener with great performances on all fronts. Les breaks out a very magical bass line that sounds quite awesome. Larry puts out some pretty harsh guitar riffs and Tim kicks some serious butt on drums. I especially like the ragae segment during the middle of the song...it's a nice little break.

Mrs. Blaileen is another great song. The bass line is very cool paired with the drum beat. Some people have said that it reminds them of the Chili Peppers, but Primus is only a trillion times better. Ler puts out a nice riff to back up Les and then Ler takes over after each verse with an even cooler guitar riff. Very good song about the pressures of childhood.

On the Tweek Again is another odd song. I guess the boys were trying to give us all a feel of what it's like to be strung out on meths. Whatever the case the song has a very duldrums feel to it.

Del Davis Tree Farm is a great song about the guy Les gets his X-mas trees from. The bass kicks some major butt and the drumming is amazing. Then there is Larry's guitar work which sounds pretty heavy and harsh in some points. Then there is the little bit where he plays a mini-solo with that nice driving distortion. The boys make great use of stops in this song.

This is obviously Primus' best album ever due to the fact that it contains their best music. They really evolved quite well and then Brain came along, but that's a different and more depressing story. Primus is only Primus with Tim Alexander in the mix and this album is exhibit A in that case.

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