GREEN NAUGAHYDE

If you're reading this, you probably have an idea what Primus sound like, and here they sound exactly like themselves. Les Claypool's bass playing is ridiculously complex at times and drummer Jay Lane knows his hi-hat rudiments. Larry Lalonde, while certainly not a minimalist player, plays exactly the right notes at the right time. Although, as you know, Primus are beyond right and wrong. I think Lalonde is also a bit more visible than before both as guitarist and as song (co-)writer.

I don't know if it's just me, but it seems the band are wearing their influences on their sleeve more than before? More rocking songs are not far from some things that Rush have done (a prime example to me is "Last Salmon Man"). The more experimental ones have more than little Residents vibe to them, "Eternal Consumption Engine" being a good example up to its theatrical multi-tracked vocals. "Hoinfodaman" could be lifted from a Frank Zappa songbook both musically and lyrically. And speaking of lyrics, I think Claypool is at his peak here. The stories are as absurd as ever with that Tom Waits filtered through cartoons and too much caffeine feel, and the more "political" or "conscious" ones, while not original, are well written and directed to modern world consumerist and overall dumber and dumber culture.

Despite the name-dropping, Primus are still a rare true original band that you either love or hate to admit you secretly love. To me this is one of their better and most balanced (if you can use that word here) albums with least idling and no filler stuff really. Long break since their previous, disappointing Antipop and frustratingly uneven and badly produced Brown Album really did good to the band.