LES CLAYPOOL
"Of Fungi and Foe" (Prawn Song; 2009)
Reviewed by Snidermann
Let’s me say this first thing: Les Claypool is the most prolific lyricist in modern music, at least since Frank Zappa. Claypool’s latest release is "Of Fungi and Foe," and what a great release it is.
Anyone who knows Claypool's band Primus or one of the other handful of bands which Les plays for will find "Of Fungi and Foe" fascinating. This music is classic Claypool - great bass riffs, clever lyrics and Les’s whiny but irresistible vocal style make this one of the most interesting releases since Devin Townsend’s "Ziltoid The Omniscient."
Listening to "Of Fungi and Foe" (or any Les Claypool release, for that matter) is akin to musical LSD and, every time you put on of these CDs on, you venture down the rabbit hole.
Come one, come all! Mr. Les Claypool has a new release and I was once again thrilled by it! Now, bring on the tour!!
For more information, check out http://www.lesclaypool.com.
"Of Whales and Woe" (Prawn Song; 2006)
Reviewed by Snidermann
An interesting thing happens when you start to listen to a Les Claypool recording. Mostly, I know I am in for a musical tornado that delivers a one, two, three punch that is hard to describe. And yet that is just I am about to do.
Primus. Claypool Lennon Delirium. Oysterhead. Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Brains. Duo De Twang. Les Claypool’s Fancy Band. Blind Illusion. Sausage. Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel. And, of course, just ole Les Claypool. Those are the bands the man has fronted over the decades. Holy shit! Does this guy ever take any time off? After listening to most of the above bands and recordings, I figured out that he needed all of those bands just to get the musical noise out of his head. Good for us!
Back to the current release of Les Claypool, "Of Whales and Woe." This is a musical hurricane if I have ever heard one. Honestly, when I first heard Primus, I was not very impressed. At least until I listened to "The Brown Album" that came out in 1998. After hearing that album, I was very much on board! Les plays the bass guitar like a painter uses a brush, like Michael Jordan plays basketball. He does it to the hilt and, if you don't like it, I am sure he just doesn't give a fuck. Just think of the South Park theme; yes, he did that. The music is strange (of course), more than a bit twisted and he does things with that bass guitar that frankly I have never heard before.
The only contemporary artist I can think of who comes close is Frank Zappa. Les has that same flare for out-of-the-box musical composition that Frank used, and splendidly. Les has taken the torch from the late great Frank Zappa. If you don’t think Les Claypool is musical LSD, check out any or all of the bands and releases above. Then, you’ll see.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2023 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights reserved.
