ANTIPOP

Don't let the title fool you, this is arguably Primus' most poppy and listenable album. The songs are catchy, but still just about as progressive and absurd as always. However, when compared to previous works, it does not compare to Frizzle Fry or Seas of Cheese. Claypool's bass playing seems less adventurous on the album, and the songs overall are heavier and more "metal" than usual. This is due in part to the inclusion of RATM guitarist Tom Morello on "Mama Didn't Raise no Fool" and Metallica's James Hetfield on other tracks. Primus draws from all their same influences on this album, including Rush, King Crimson and Zappa, but also include more metal influences. The opener "Electric Uncle Sam" is undeniably heavy, but not very experimental. The tracks rock pretty steadily throughout the record, which makes it fairly easy to listen to on the first spin (a phenomenon uncommon to prog, especially Primus). The exception to this is the final track, "Coattails of a Deadman", which is presumably a rant against Courtney Love and her track to fame after the death of Kurt Cobain. The album's highlight is "Final Voyage of the Liquid Sky" which more than makes up for the lack of progressiveness and experimentalism in the other tracks. This could be the album for you if you are a prog-metal fan looking to get into Primus, but their earlier albums come with higher recommendation overall.