FRIZZLE FRY

By now, most people are somewhat familiar with the chaotic, crazy, maniacal music of Primus. Of course it fits into the ProgArchives because of the originality of the music and the influence of some great progressive artists that have inspired this mad, yet amazing music that always sounds like it is teetering on the edge of implosion. So, it's not for everyone, it's true....it is for me and I loved it from the first time I heard it. No one, however, can deny the fact that the 3 members of this band are amazing musicians that fit together so well.

This band gets it's influence from some of the most eclectic and eccentric progressive bands including The Residents, Frank Zappa, Metallica, King Crimson and Rush. Meld all of these sounds together and what you get is Primus....yet even though Primus wear their influences proudly, they have taken this sound and made it their very own.

Frizzle Fry is their debut album and they hit the ground running. This is an amazing album, a showcase of the band's talents and their signature sound. This album was originally released and not well received by the public. I don't know if the public was ready for it at the time or if it just didn't get the spotlight it deserved. However, the album was reissued after the huge successful popularity of the next album "Sailing the Seas of Cheese". Since then, this album has quickly become a favorite of mine and every Primus fan and it features many of the band's legendary songs including "John the Fisherman" (featured on one of the Guitar Hero editions which I have attempted to play and have a blast doing it, even though I suck at it, it's still a blast to play the song), "Puddin' Time", "Too Many Puppies", and "Mr. Knowitall", every one of these songs an amazing blast of whacked out noise and chaos, teetering somewhere between conventional heavy rock and insanity. There are other great songs on here besides the regular classics including "To Deny the Laws of Tradition", "Groundhog's Day" "Harold of the Rocks" and so on. There are a few more blues oriented rockers, but when I say blues, I mean it in a very non-traditional way, like the multi rhythmic title track and the softer (?) side of Primus featured in "The Toys Go Winding Down". Yep, that's as soft as it gets for Primus, which is still heavy.

Many say this music isn't for everyone, and that's true....it's too chaotic, but that is what I love the most about it, and it's unpredictable on the first several listening's. The sound does tend to get predictable though as one gets used to their music, but to me, it never gets tiring. This album in my opinion is one of the band's best, it's a pinnacle to bass driven/guitar heavy rock, it's loud and heavy, and it doesn't really let up much except for a few short interludes. Also, if you get the reissue, you get as a bonus track a cover of one of their major influence's songs, actually a medley of 2 of The Residents songs "Hello Skinny/Constantinople" which is a worthy cover with the Primus sound. Definitely worth looking for the bonus track and it fits very nicely with the rest of the album. I have to give this 5 stars because it is an essential showcase for the band and it is a very important album for those who love music with the bass featured very prominently. Great stuff, fun music, and very original. Primus would go on to influence many future bands in return. They took their influences and turned it into their own sound and tipped heavy metal music (or at least heavy rock music) upside-down. Essential!