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02-28-2009, 01:54 PM
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National Treasure
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: Feb 2007
: England
: 3,121
Rep Power: 24
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Mr. Bungle were around in the '80s, and before Faith No More, making them Mike Patton's first band (as well as, in my opinion, his best band). But it was most definitely his most experimental band, and only people who have an open mind and appreciate the finer details in music will enjoy listening to them. Now, I'm going to cease referring to them as "Mike Patton's band", as each member was as important as each other, which is not often the case with a lot of more recent bands (in fact I think we could do without each member in most recent bands). The more recent bands tend to sound more or less the same, and produce very boring and predictable pieces (my finger points at the Kaiser Chiefs and several other popular bands. I really don't understand what people see in them), whereas Mr. Bungle sound like everything you've heard before all mixed into one song, producing something like you've NEVER heard before.
This album was the first major label release, and contained some of the most experimental pieces that the band have produced (the most notable being "Dead Goon" which sounded like it could almost fit with their second album, "Disco Volante". Listening to earlier tapes like "Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny" and "Bowel of Chiley", it's easy to see where the circus-ska like element came from, and it seems obvious why it was fused with metal. It's very interesting to hear how the band has evolved since the demo tapes, and they even demonstrate this by using songs from "Bowel of Chiley", "Goddamit, I Love America" and "OU818".
Patton's singing has certainly improved since the demos, and Dunn's bass skills have most definitely matured. Spruance shows some improvement, and we hear "Bär" McKinnon and Danny Heifetz from "OU818" who would remain with them for the rest of the band's activity.
There are some interesting new songs on this album (such as "Travolta"/"Quote Unquote", "My Ass is on Fire" and "Stubb (A Dub)", each being of an entirely different nature. "My Ass is on Fire" is perhaps the most conventional song on the album, although it certainly isn't normal. The saxophones compliment the guitar very well, which will be surprising to some, but many also know that it works very well (just see "Carry Stress on the Jaw" on "Disco Volante".
The strongest track in the album is, in my opinion, "Carousel". Many may disagree, but I think it's mood suits the album perfectly. It does sound like something that came straight from a sinister circus, and the use of the saxophones and guitars really help to make it seem crazy and surreal. It's obviously one that the band liked, as this is their third recording of it (if you're going to count the Warner Bros. demo, their fourth). The song originated from "Bowel of Chiley", and was used again slightly altered in "Goddamit, I Love America". This time, they've really polished it, and have thrown rock into the fusion, as well as an extended section (they did away with the mysterious riff that lasted only a few seconds, and replaced it with some new, sinister circus-esque music).
The weakest track on the album is perhaps "Love is a Fist". Many will disagree, but it didn't sound much of an improvement over the demo, and sounded like that it might have been forgotten by some of the newer Bungle fans if it had not featured on the album.
The artwork is excellent, and suits the album's style well. It wasn't made specially for the album (at least, the clowns in the panels and in the booklet weren't; they were taken from "A Cotton Candy Autopsy". I'm not sure about the clown with the match on the cover, but I'm sure that the man on the back cover holding his severed head isn't original either), but will still probably be remembered as being the "Mr. Bungle artwork" instead of what it was originally. Not very friendly to our coulrphobic friends, though.
In a nutshell, this album is a very fun listen. It's just as experimental as "Disco Volante" and "California", but in a different way (as "California experimented in a different style to "Mr. Bungle" and "Disco Volante". It wasn't weaker, it was merely different, but let's not go into that), and should be approached with an open mind (it IS more accessible than "Disco Volante" but NOT as accessible as "California").
The vocals are great, the intrumentation is great, and how many more bands can credit Nintendo, Sega and Atari? Maybe a few, but not many.
You get much more if you buy a physical copy and not just the .mp3s, the artwork is enough incentive, as well as the thought that Mr. Bungle will be lurking on your shelf (or in your draw, where ever).
This band have much more talent in their semiquaver than most bands do in their whole bar (excuse me).
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I did a review for Amazon.co.uk, because I finished listening to the CD (again). I have been looking for the CD for a month, so I was in a particularly good mood when I wrote this.
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A man walks into a zoo. There's nothing there but one dog. It was a shih-tzu.
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