Stop your Hobnobbbin' and do the Booneville Stomp
Marshall Oechsner
Issue date: 10/7/09 Section: Entertainment
In March Les Claypool released another solo album called "Of Fungi and Foe." The album is an odd mix of hillbilly, gypsy, electronic and acoustic music. The music, like always, is complex, progressive and catchy. However with this effort it seems like Claypool is trying to create a new style of music, odd music of course, but not like anything you may be comfortable with even if you're fan of the album "Purple Onion" or the band Primus.
In fact, "Of Fungi and Foe" is for open-minded people only. It's odd, and according to online reviews, the music is almost too much for his most loyal fans. Primus fans will probably dismiss it immediately.
In interviews Les Claypool has claimed the he likes to record his music and then "sit on it" for about six months before releasing it to see if it works. Perhaps the listener should do the same when they first purchase the record because it's quite bewildering upon the first listening. However, it rewards patience and becomes a really fun album once you get past its strange, and sometimes unpleasant, sound.
Les Claypool uses instruments ranging from bass guitar to bass banjo to penny whistle to uber-dogs of doom. Other band members use marimba, tabla, vibraphone, cello, slide whistle and, of course, drums. All these unique instruments create a weird collection of songs and display how Americans, indeed, have a diverse arsenal of musical genres that we have neglected and continue to neglect because we just want to hear an electric guitar over and over. Nevertheless, "Of Fungi and Foe" is not nostalgia; it's a new and innovative mix by a great musician.
The album contains many standout tracks. "Red State Girl" is musically one of the best songs, which also happens to be about Sarah Palin. "Amantis" and "Booneville Stomp" have catchy chorus lines. "What Would Sir George Martin Do?" displays Claypool's unique sense of humor (it will turn off many people, but I laughed my ass off) and "You Can't Tell Errol Everything" has killer beat to blast your speakers.
All in all, this is a muddy, low fidelity album that has a collection of great songs that don't really go together, but who cares! Great music is great music. So, get out on the dance floor and do the Booneville Stomp.
In fact, "Of Fungi and Foe" is for open-minded people only. It's odd, and according to online reviews, the music is almost too much for his most loyal fans. Primus fans will probably dismiss it immediately.
In interviews Les Claypool has claimed the he likes to record his music and then "sit on it" for about six months before releasing it to see if it works. Perhaps the listener should do the same when they first purchase the record because it's quite bewildering upon the first listening. However, it rewards patience and becomes a really fun album once you get past its strange, and sometimes unpleasant, sound.
Les Claypool uses instruments ranging from bass guitar to bass banjo to penny whistle to uber-dogs of doom. Other band members use marimba, tabla, vibraphone, cello, slide whistle and, of course, drums. All these unique instruments create a weird collection of songs and display how Americans, indeed, have a diverse arsenal of musical genres that we have neglected and continue to neglect because we just want to hear an electric guitar over and over. Nevertheless, "Of Fungi and Foe" is not nostalgia; it's a new and innovative mix by a great musician.
The album contains many standout tracks. "Red State Girl" is musically one of the best songs, which also happens to be about Sarah Palin. "Amantis" and "Booneville Stomp" have catchy chorus lines. "What Would Sir George Martin Do?" displays Claypool's unique sense of humor (it will turn off many people, but I laughed my ass off) and "You Can't Tell Errol Everything" has killer beat to blast your speakers.
All in all, this is a muddy, low fidelity album that has a collection of great songs that don't really go together, but who cares! Great music is great music. So, get out on the dance floor and do the Booneville Stomp.
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