SAILING THE SEAS OF CHEESE

At the risk of sounding terribly obvious, Primus is the type of band that best fits in the "acquired taste" category. Some people enjoy them a bit, some like them a lot, and some don't like them at all. I happen to fit in the second category, although this could be due to the fact that I'm a bassist myself and can't resist a really good bass riff. And believe me, this album is chock full of some of the best bass riffs I've ever heard. Les Claypool in my opinion belongs right up with the likes of some of the best classic prog bassists such as Squire and Rutherford for what he's done with the bass guitar.

Almost all of the tracks are catchy without them becoming cheesy (pun intended); the instrumentation is very tight, with powerful and very explosive bass riffs. The drumming is superb and the use of guitar in a more atmospheric sense with the bass taking the lead the majority of the time is quite interesting in theory and works well in practice for this band. If you want to know what the band sounds like, comparing them to a mix of the driving rhythms of Rush, the eclecticism of King Crimson, and the zaniness found in many RIO and avant-garde bands isn't too far off. Some of the highlights found here include: Here Come the Bastards, American Life, Jerry Was a Race Car Driver, Eleven, Is It Luck?, Tommy the Cat, and Fish On. A few of the songs are a bit repetitive, but overall the musicianship more than makes up for it. Claypool's voice also probably isn't one that can be tolerated by everyone, but it will take repeated listens to tell whether or not you like it. This album however is well worth the patience and effort it may take. For my standards, this is easily 5 stars, and except for the two reasons I mentioned before, I can't think of a really strong reason to give this anything other than 5 stars. If you want something that's different from your everyday batch of Genesis or like the sound of a rhythm-driven band with monster bass riffs, this album is an essential acquisition.

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