Posts Tagged ‘Buckethead’

















primusFor the album that I chose for this week’s album of the week, I wanted to go outside my tastes a little so that I could expand my horizons musically. Plus, I have a lot of respect for Primus bassist/lead singer Les Claypool who may be the best bassist out there in the metal world. The man has done great things for the bass guitar as many have done for the electric guitar. I chose the album Antipop because it was the very album the band was supporting when I saw them on Ozzfest 1999 with Buckethead (Note: Buckethead is not credited on the album). The album features lots of musical guests from Tom Morello to James Hetfield of Metallica as well as some guests also producing tracks on the record. It was the band’s sixth studio album, it was the last to feature drummer Bryan Mantia, and it would be their last until 2011’s Green Naugahyde. When talking about the record Les has stated, “Antipop was the most difficult record we ever made, because there was a lot of tension between the three of us, and there was some doubt at the label as to whether we knew what the hell we were doing anymore. But there was some great things to come out of it, like the tune we did with Tom Waits, ‘Coattails of a Dead Man’. I love that song.” The album peaked at number 44 on the billboard top 200 charts and unfortunately songs from this record are rarely ever played live.

1. Intro- The intro is only 17 seconds long and it features Tom Waits.

2. Electric Uncle Sam– The track has an intro to it, but once the music kicks in it’s like a funk metal party that rocks. The track is about The Man and you shouldn’t be surprised as it was co-written and features Tom Morello on it. 5/5

antipop back3. Natural Joe– This is a track that is co-produced by Matt Stone of South Park fame and it’s another bass driven funktastic track that is about how people aren’t always what they appear to be. 4/5

4. Lacquer Head– This is a track that was produced by Fred Durst which the three verses in it are all about three different kids who puff on inhalants and the harm that comes to them from doing it. Fred has said that he wanted Primus to go back to their heavier sound and it worked. The track is amazing with a thumping bass line. 5/5

5. The Antipop– The track starts off real slow and with an eerie bass line in the beginning and then Mantia’s amazing drumming comes in before the song kicks into overdrive about being Anti-pop because pop music is just bland and not compromising just to get on the radio 4/5

6. Eclectic Electric– This is the track that features Jim Martin (ex-Faith No More) and James Hetfield (Metallica) playing guitar on the song and it’s another track that starts off slow as it is an 8 minute track. The track seems to be different stages of someone not being able to grow up. 4/5

7.  Greet the Sacred Cow– At first there is something playing in the beginning that sounds like praying in the Middle East before the music kicks in with a middle eastern flavor to the guitars, but in the chorus they get heavy. 4/5

antipop cd8. Mama Didn’t Raise No Fool-This is definitely a bad ass rock song with a little more guitars thanks to the fact that it is the second track to feature Tom Morello playing guitar and producing os it has that rock/rap flavor to it. 4/5

9.  Dirty Drowning Man– The track starts off with some crazy bass beats from Les before it settles down during the verses in a track that is about calling out to see who your real friends are. The track features Martina Topley-Bird on it and it was produced by Stewart Copeland 4/5

10. Ballad of Bodacious– a bluesy guitar track with funky bass riffs in a track that is about a bull (I think). 4/5

11. Power Mad– This is the third and last track that features Tom Morello’s guitar work and production in a track that talks about various presidents of the US that were power mad. 4/5

12. The Final Voyage of the Liquid Sky– When the track first starts you feel like you are in space and then Les’s creativity comes in with his opening bass riff and then the funk starts in a track that is about going against the grain. 4/5

13. Coattails of a Dead Man– Surprisingly that someone had the balls to do it, but the song is essentially about Courtney Love ridding the coattails of Kurt Cobain. The song features vocals from Tom Waits and Martina Topley-Bird. 4/5

My Final Thoughts– I have to say that back in the day, I didn’t understand the craze behind Primus, but after listening to this album and loving the guitar, I have a whole new found respect for Primus and what they were doing and still are doing. I really liked the album and enjoyed listening to the creativity that is displayed on it. I am going to give the album four stars out of five for a final grade.

Ozzfest 1999 2 back