OrbDragon
01-26-2004, 04:54 PM
Mr Bungles self titled disc is often overlooked because the song lyrics are hilarious and should be anything but taken seriously. But this Bungle record shows off the outrageous musical talent the band has every bit as much as Disco Volante (which I also reviewed) and California (coming up).
Self titled is a mixture of funk, metal, jazz, punk, ska, carnaval music and other styles like polka and doo wop pop music. It's one of those cd's that requires quite alot of listens in order to hear every little tidbit. It's got amazing replay value. Every song is very progressive has lots of amazing twists, it's just impossible to absorb into one listen.
01 Quote Unquote
This is a perfect opener. The cd starts with the sound of someone sleeping...then suddenly you hear glass break, and the madness starts. The key melody intro reminds me of the Twilight Zone theme. It's a very freaky song, which sounds like you are in a fun fair from hell, with scorching guitars and off tunes carnaval organs. It switches very smoothly from tranquil jazzy parts to heavy medium slow-paced parts. Patton sings with his familiar timbre from The Real Thing, but this is the first record where he really shows off his vocal abilities. The song has a very strange ending with the vocals whispering "nothing" repeatedly...then a strang interlude comes with brass, traffic sounds and such, and an opera sequence. 4/5
02 Slowly Growing Deaf
This song has a short funky intro that goes into a slow mellow part. it switches from an uptempo, punk rock-influenced verse. Then it goes funky again with a strange funny sequence, switching from funk to rockabilly several times...to strange videogame sounds before the chorus picks up again. It goes into a groovier part. It's got some amazing rhythm guitar parts. It's just a kickass song, with lots of tempo switches, smooth styles switching and amazing vocals. The song ends with a nice loungy jazzy part...that goes really dynamic...then mellows out again. It gets really disturbing when Mike says "I'm gonna get a cuppa coffee", and you literally hear him ****ting in the toilet. It's sick....but the song is great. 4.5/5
03 Squeeze Me Macaroni
This is an amazing freeflowing funk metal track. It starts with Patton scatting a huge lyrical essay with nonsensical content withing just 13 seconds. It's really nice uptempto, with some cool saxophone playing. I like the heavy slow part with Patton screaming hysterical. It goes into a catchy more poppy part. Then it goes into uptempo style, with Trevor Dunn really playing some awesome funky bassplaying and Patton crooning lots of nonsense. The climax of the song is funny, with the band members hollering, screaming, harassing and making lots of wise cracking remarks. It's hilarious. Every track on this cd has some ****ed up sequence to carry over to the next song. 4.5/5
04 Carousel
This song is the shortest on the cd despite being moderately 5 minutes. It's a nice micture of ska and funk...on acid. Pattons vocals are great...the lyrics are once again full of nonsense. It's probably the catchiest song on the cd. It's got a cool death metal part midway through the song...followed by a short surf rock styled part that goes back into that part where Patton croons and shouts. It suddenly shifts into a nifty carnaval song...it goes all mellow again...builds up to the death metal part and goes right back into the ska-funk. Very well thought out, despite the goofy nature of the track. I love the crazy laughter when the song fades out into another carnaval sequence. 4.5/5
05 Egg
This is the longest song of the cd...almost 11 minutes full of nonsense. It's starts with mixture of funk and untempo ska, with a little jazz thrown in here and there. Like most Bungle songs, this track has lots of crazy unexpected twists...as it goes into a very layered, spooky, boogie rock part with crazy opera falsetto vocals. Then you get some funk and heavy metal with fretted bass sounds. Just when you think the song ends at about 5 minutes, the song goes into the "there is no place like home"-part. You think this part was written by the band just to piss off the listener, since it's repetitive (but not really)...they extend the song to a point where nothing makes sense anymore. At one point it goes to a part where Patton jams on the drums, with some really silly vocals. Then you hear a sequence where the band jumps off a train, and one of the guys (I don't know who) almost got run over. 4/5
06 Stubb (A Dub)
This is another song with a piano line and some carnaval organs. The intro vocal lines are great. It's another ska-influenced track, but also sounds similair to Quote Unquote at some parts. It's got a cool bassline in the fast paced parts. I love the "throw a stick, bring it back" parts...great vocals there. Patton sings so well with the beat of song. Sometimes the melodies and beats are following one other instead of complementing simultaneously, but you can hardly notice it because the song flows so incredibly well. 4.5/5
07 My *** Is On Fire
This song is one of the heaviest on this record. The riffs are good...both the bass and guitar for that matter. I love the corny saxophone melodies complementing those heavy guitars. It even has some turntables in the song...rock and turntables was almost unheard of in 1991. This song could be interpretated as Bungles version of "nu-metal" (although I disagree that it is a nu-metal song)...but it's still amazing, whichever way you classify it. The song ends with a corny flirting sequence between a guy and a woman, and the guy is called Mr Bungle. 4/5
08 The Girls Of Porn
While none of the lyrics should be taken seriously in this record, this song really beats all. The song title pretty much says it all. It's a funk-rock song with poppy melodies but still has a pretty unconventional song structures. The vocals are great, no matter how you put it. This is as poppy as it gets on self titled. Trevor once again shows some great bass playing...he is so amazingly underrated. His highlight on this record has yet to come though. The bridge has Patton summing up all kinds of sexual activities and then shouts YEEAAAHH!!!! It's got some funny samples of horny ladies before the beats picks up again. Despite the fact that the band refused to play this song in the latter years, it's always been a fan favorite. 4/5
09 Love Is A Fist
Love Is A Fist is pretty much a rock song...but Mr Bungle usually doesn't make your average rock, and this is no exception. It's got a very atmospheric atmospheric, with ska riffs, offbeat drumming, strutting trumpets and smoothly makes transitions to grindy punk rock. Some of Pattons noises are inhumane, especially that high pitch scream he does. Trevor is once again fantastic here. I love the part where you hear lots of layered vocals, and Patton says "what's love got to do with it". It goes really chaotic with Patton sounding as if he's arguing with himself...then the song picks up where it pretty much left off. It has another extended outro that goes into a funny sequence where some guy tells about a puppet show where Mr Bungle was one of the characters. 4.5/5
10 Dead Goon
This jam session styled song is just incredible. Probably my favorite on the entire cd. The intro is kinda noisy, with sounds playing backwards. It sounds like a sound check. It the goes into this nifty carnaval-music piece with a cool tom based drum beat. Then the part with Trevor Dunns amazing bassline comes...it's amazing how well he makes the song flow. He carries this entire part of the song. The song eventually switched with a volatile psychotic sphere to upbeat and catchy. The percussion is also really worth listening to. Heifetz gives this track some real depth. Patton makes alot of silly noises, especially in the more upbeat tracks of the song. At one point the song goes really tranquil and mellow...with a pretty twisted and spooky atmosphere. You hear the cracking of a wooden chair in the background. It's one of those parts where you anticipate some strange twist any moment. But that twist never comes...it goes into a strange ambient instrumental centerpiece where Patton sings "sex there is no such thing" before the song sucks itself in. The album then ends with a musical piece that sounds as if it comes from some 60's musical...it's great. 4.5/5
Like I said...this record will take awhile to grow...there is just so much in it...I won't be suprised that you still won't hear every little thing after 50 listens. But once you grasp the listening experience it will blow you away.
This is the album that spawned the Incubusses and Mars Voltas who are successful today...there is no question about it. If you like experimental, progressive music with lots of strange twists, this is your kind of record.
Rating: 4.5/5
Self titled is a mixture of funk, metal, jazz, punk, ska, carnaval music and other styles like polka and doo wop pop music. It's one of those cd's that requires quite alot of listens in order to hear every little tidbit. It's got amazing replay value. Every song is very progressive has lots of amazing twists, it's just impossible to absorb into one listen.
01 Quote Unquote
This is a perfect opener. The cd starts with the sound of someone sleeping...then suddenly you hear glass break, and the madness starts. The key melody intro reminds me of the Twilight Zone theme. It's a very freaky song, which sounds like you are in a fun fair from hell, with scorching guitars and off tunes carnaval organs. It switches very smoothly from tranquil jazzy parts to heavy medium slow-paced parts. Patton sings with his familiar timbre from The Real Thing, but this is the first record where he really shows off his vocal abilities. The song has a very strange ending with the vocals whispering "nothing" repeatedly...then a strang interlude comes with brass, traffic sounds and such, and an opera sequence. 4/5
02 Slowly Growing Deaf
This song has a short funky intro that goes into a slow mellow part. it switches from an uptempo, punk rock-influenced verse. Then it goes funky again with a strange funny sequence, switching from funk to rockabilly several times...to strange videogame sounds before the chorus picks up again. It goes into a groovier part. It's got some amazing rhythm guitar parts. It's just a kickass song, with lots of tempo switches, smooth styles switching and amazing vocals. The song ends with a nice loungy jazzy part...that goes really dynamic...then mellows out again. It gets really disturbing when Mike says "I'm gonna get a cuppa coffee", and you literally hear him ****ting in the toilet. It's sick....but the song is great. 4.5/5
03 Squeeze Me Macaroni
This is an amazing freeflowing funk metal track. It starts with Patton scatting a huge lyrical essay with nonsensical content withing just 13 seconds. It's really nice uptempto, with some cool saxophone playing. I like the heavy slow part with Patton screaming hysterical. It goes into a catchy more poppy part. Then it goes into uptempo style, with Trevor Dunn really playing some awesome funky bassplaying and Patton crooning lots of nonsense. The climax of the song is funny, with the band members hollering, screaming, harassing and making lots of wise cracking remarks. It's hilarious. Every track on this cd has some ****ed up sequence to carry over to the next song. 4.5/5
04 Carousel
This song is the shortest on the cd despite being moderately 5 minutes. It's a nice micture of ska and funk...on acid. Pattons vocals are great...the lyrics are once again full of nonsense. It's probably the catchiest song on the cd. It's got a cool death metal part midway through the song...followed by a short surf rock styled part that goes back into that part where Patton croons and shouts. It suddenly shifts into a nifty carnaval song...it goes all mellow again...builds up to the death metal part and goes right back into the ska-funk. Very well thought out, despite the goofy nature of the track. I love the crazy laughter when the song fades out into another carnaval sequence. 4.5/5
05 Egg
This is the longest song of the cd...almost 11 minutes full of nonsense. It's starts with mixture of funk and untempo ska, with a little jazz thrown in here and there. Like most Bungle songs, this track has lots of crazy unexpected twists...as it goes into a very layered, spooky, boogie rock part with crazy opera falsetto vocals. Then you get some funk and heavy metal with fretted bass sounds. Just when you think the song ends at about 5 minutes, the song goes into the "there is no place like home"-part. You think this part was written by the band just to piss off the listener, since it's repetitive (but not really)...they extend the song to a point where nothing makes sense anymore. At one point it goes to a part where Patton jams on the drums, with some really silly vocals. Then you hear a sequence where the band jumps off a train, and one of the guys (I don't know who) almost got run over. 4/5
06 Stubb (A Dub)
This is another song with a piano line and some carnaval organs. The intro vocal lines are great. It's another ska-influenced track, but also sounds similair to Quote Unquote at some parts. It's got a cool bassline in the fast paced parts. I love the "throw a stick, bring it back" parts...great vocals there. Patton sings so well with the beat of song. Sometimes the melodies and beats are following one other instead of complementing simultaneously, but you can hardly notice it because the song flows so incredibly well. 4.5/5
07 My *** Is On Fire
This song is one of the heaviest on this record. The riffs are good...both the bass and guitar for that matter. I love the corny saxophone melodies complementing those heavy guitars. It even has some turntables in the song...rock and turntables was almost unheard of in 1991. This song could be interpretated as Bungles version of "nu-metal" (although I disagree that it is a nu-metal song)...but it's still amazing, whichever way you classify it. The song ends with a corny flirting sequence between a guy and a woman, and the guy is called Mr Bungle. 4/5
08 The Girls Of Porn
While none of the lyrics should be taken seriously in this record, this song really beats all. The song title pretty much says it all. It's a funk-rock song with poppy melodies but still has a pretty unconventional song structures. The vocals are great, no matter how you put it. This is as poppy as it gets on self titled. Trevor once again shows some great bass playing...he is so amazingly underrated. His highlight on this record has yet to come though. The bridge has Patton summing up all kinds of sexual activities and then shouts YEEAAAHH!!!! It's got some funny samples of horny ladies before the beats picks up again. Despite the fact that the band refused to play this song in the latter years, it's always been a fan favorite. 4/5
09 Love Is A Fist
Love Is A Fist is pretty much a rock song...but Mr Bungle usually doesn't make your average rock, and this is no exception. It's got a very atmospheric atmospheric, with ska riffs, offbeat drumming, strutting trumpets and smoothly makes transitions to grindy punk rock. Some of Pattons noises are inhumane, especially that high pitch scream he does. Trevor is once again fantastic here. I love the part where you hear lots of layered vocals, and Patton says "what's love got to do with it". It goes really chaotic with Patton sounding as if he's arguing with himself...then the song picks up where it pretty much left off. It has another extended outro that goes into a funny sequence where some guy tells about a puppet show where Mr Bungle was one of the characters. 4.5/5
10 Dead Goon
This jam session styled song is just incredible. Probably my favorite on the entire cd. The intro is kinda noisy, with sounds playing backwards. It sounds like a sound check. It the goes into this nifty carnaval-music piece with a cool tom based drum beat. Then the part with Trevor Dunns amazing bassline comes...it's amazing how well he makes the song flow. He carries this entire part of the song. The song eventually switched with a volatile psychotic sphere to upbeat and catchy. The percussion is also really worth listening to. Heifetz gives this track some real depth. Patton makes alot of silly noises, especially in the more upbeat tracks of the song. At one point the song goes really tranquil and mellow...with a pretty twisted and spooky atmosphere. You hear the cracking of a wooden chair in the background. It's one of those parts where you anticipate some strange twist any moment. But that twist never comes...it goes into a strange ambient instrumental centerpiece where Patton sings "sex there is no such thing" before the song sucks itself in. The album then ends with a musical piece that sounds as if it comes from some 60's musical...it's great. 4.5/5
Like I said...this record will take awhile to grow...there is just so much in it...I won't be suprised that you still won't hear every little thing after 50 listens. But once you grasp the listening experience it will blow you away.
This is the album that spawned the Incubusses and Mars Voltas who are successful today...there is no question about it. If you like experimental, progressive music with lots of strange twists, this is your kind of record.
Rating: 4.5/5