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Primus bassman/mainstay Les Claypool uses the occasion of his fifth strictly solo outing to strip his musical instincts almost to the bone; guitars are almost non-existent, with Skerik's sax and the sitar/theremin work of Gabby La La providing the punctuation. Pushing his aggressive, wickedly fluid bass work even farther into the spotlight will no doubt please Claypool's most ardent fans, but the gambit also yields an album whose hypnotic rhythms and spare but potent seasonings are often intriguing. The dozen tracks may be driven by Claypool's feverish, often willfully obtuse creative muse--imagine a smackdown between Zappa and Bootsy with Zorn as referee--yet often constrained by a sense of shrewd pop economics that are rare in similar, instrumental virtuoso-driven excursions. "Vernon the Company Man" and "Phantom Patriot" are texturally compelling, if limited by a lyrical approach that's but re-heated Frank Z. "One Better" and "Rumble of the Diesel" offer sizzling funk workouts, while "Iowan Gal" and "Robot Chicken" evoke whacked-out metallic hoedowns for cyborgs of all ages.
CONDITION: NEW, Marked UPC
TRACK LISTING
Back Off Turkey 2:11
One Better 5:59
Lust Stings 4:08
Of Whales And Woe 3:03
Vernon The Company Man 2:32
Phantom Patriot 4:01
Iowan Gal 3:29
Nothin' Ventured 3:08
Rumble Of The Diesel 4:03
Robot Chicken 0:39
Filipino Ray 3:51
Off-White Guilt 2:21
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