CALIFORNIA

Prog? No. Great music? Yes. Over the years, I heard so many critics lauding bands for blending styles in a timid, predictable way. "Wow, listen to these guys blending Irish and African music!" or "What brilliant visionaries adding electronic beats to Gregorian Chant!"... None of it seemed like much of a stretch, nor did it seem original. Then I heard this album. Even Zappa didn't take it to this extreme. It makes me sad that there won't be any more Mr. Bungle, by all reports. I went back to the first two albums, but they just didn't have the same impact. If I had heard "Disco Volante" first, I'm sure I would've liked it a lot. However, I think this one takes the same ideas and fine tunes them in a more succinct way. It would be 5 stars except for a couple of missteps here and there.