Disco de Primus: “Brown Album”

So, you're sittin here readin reviews that say, "OH MY GOD, WHAT IS WITH THE DRUMS???? WHY ARE THESE SONGS SO 'SIMPLE'??? WHY DON'T THEY MIRROR THEIR FIRST THREE ALBUMS??? Well, children, here's the deal the The Brown Album.

For one, if every album sounded like Frizzle Fry or Seas of Cheese we would all be bored out of our skulls. Brown album goes back to fundamentals and perfects the art of riffing like a mad-man. It almost reminds me of the countless array of Jimmy Page licks from the days of Zep... though, of course, its Claypool on a bass. Claypool and LaLonde are FANTASTIC on this album, really keeping themselves together and tight, which is not 'simple' by any means (speaking as a musician of 12+ years)

Secondly... the drums... are perfect. People have to understand that the album was created with everyone sounding dirty. The drums sound flat because that was the sound Primus WANTED!! The entire album was recorded in a single large room, with little to no overdubbing. This gives it a crisp, raw sound that helps with the overall tone of the album - down and dirty rock. Besides, speaking as a drummer, Brain is amazing. Him and Alexander have two completely different styles - Tim always goes for much more complicated rythms using a lot more finesse, while Brain likes accenting the upbeat, as opposed to the down beat, and hits a helluv-a-lot harder then Tim.

And finally... here's the deal, people. The band is exploring new grounds, and with exploration in music comes new sounds, and ANYTHING Claypool puts out will have a purpose and a distinct flare, you can be rest assured about that.

Oh, and one last thing... only talk about things you understand. Some of the other reviewers clearly have no idea how to play any instrument, so can you really take what they have to say seriously?

Peace

I guess it depends on your viewpoint. The way I see this album, it is a great leap for Primus. They have simplified their approach to this album, resorting to a less-than-perfect production and less flamboyant bass playing. However, this may be for the best, as the band loses some of their goofiness for a darker, more focused album. Now, don't get me wrong. I love the quirkiness of Seas of Cheese and Pork Soda. However, after 5 albums, it starts to age. This selection is a breath of fresh air for Primus. The absence of Herb is definitely noticeable, but that doesn't discredit the skill of Brain; he is an amazing drummer as well, though in a different vein than Herb. His drumming is simpler and more rhythmic, which is a perfect fit for the grittiness and depth of this album. The influence of Tom Waits is very apparent in the music, drawing from the percussive, choppy sound of the Swordfishtrombones-era (in fact, Les says that this album is Tom Waits' favorite Primus cut.) I would recommend this album to all music fans; even if you don't like it, you have to admire its ambition.

This album has a completely different sound than other Primus records. It`s sound is a lot more funkier. I really like this album. Les drops some cool bass lines and Brain and Ler are playing good, though Brain isn`t like Herb, but he is still good. He is very much different than Herb, but he still plays damn good. You should check out the song Golden Boy! It`s bass and guitar lines match together so damn good! Thank you.

I don't know why this album is being bashed by some of you guys. This is a phenomenal album. Les's songwriting is awsome and his bass playing is amaising as usual. It's the first album with Brain on drums. Mantia is not as good as Tim "Herb" Alexander but Brain is still a superb drummer. As for Ler, this album yeilds some of his best guitar work. He sounds more traditional and less distorded then some of his earlier work with Primus. By the way, Ler was formerly in a death/thrash metal band called Possesed incase some of you ar interested. So for all you hecklers out there, realise that Primus wants to move forward in there music and not just make Frizzle Fry and Seas of Cheese all over again. Anyway, in the words of Les himself, "It's just a matter of opinion."

Primus is a band of obscure nature, and their history of mixing funk, hardcore, and alternative sounds among others, as well as folk jigs on most their albums, has given them a unique image. The Brown Album, their latest release, is a somewhat new direction for the band's image, in addition to a new drummer, but what seemed to be predictable from bassist and lead singer Les Claypool. His last project was a solo effort entitled Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel, Highball with the Devil. The music on that recording bears striking similarities to that on Brown Album. While almost everything by Primus is of good if not excellent quality, this album is perhaps my least favorite of their extensive music history. I was disappointed with this record, not because it was a small change for Primus, but because it was a dramatic change. They maintained little if any of the previous potent bass lines, and showed not nearly any of their talent. Call me stoic, but this album does not do justice to the classic Primus image, and while the music is not depressingly bad, if you really loved Primus before this album DO NOT BUY IT, but if you do be prepared for something very different from their previous releases: "Tales from the Punchbowl" and "Pork Soda." As a doting fan of their work, I do not seriously consider myself to be an authority on their music. All I know is that compared to what I know of their work, Brown Album is not Primus.