Alright let me start off with a precaution, this album is not for people expecting an easy listen, a relaxing listen or something that will make your mind numb. This album pushes the boundary of music and noise in some points. This album stimulates thought (for me at least), it makes you wonder what was going through Patton’s/ Mr. Bungle’s mind, it makes you wonder how you, personally, can push the boundaries of modern music.
Numero Uno: Everyone I Went to High School with is Dead
This song opens up with a droning distorted guitar riff. Followed by the band chanting about feeling distant in high school. This is followed by more noise and guitar/drums, and more chanting by the band with Patton screaming in the background. This is a good opening song or a terrible opening song, depending on the listener. It could be good or bad because it can intrigue the listener because of the songs chanting and noise or it can repel them for the same reasons. I personally was intrigued and confused by it.
Numero Dos: Chemical Romance
Most people consider this to be a carnival inspired song. I can see where they come from but this reminds me more of the music on a carousel. The continous keyboards, just swirling around your head in a very haunting fashion. Patton as with most of his projects uses his voice in alternative ways, screaming, noise, humming and whistling all go on through out this song. I love this song.
Numero Tres: Carry Stress in the Jaw
This is a free jazz song. The opening improve of a sax are and drum beat show how jazz influenced this band can be. But this song has to be one of the most schizophrenic/bi-polar songs ever. It changes moods, and genres and then just forgets about what it was doing before. Jazz to rock to jazz to metal to noise to everything else. Listen for yourself but be “quiet, don’t let em know, it’s a secret”
Numero Cuatro: Dessert Search for Techno Allah
The first song off this album I ever heard. It is techno, as said in the title. A very strange song but yet one of the more listenable on this album, constantly changing effects are going on in the background. If any song reminded me of a video game it would be this.
Numer Cinco: Violenza Domestica
If this song reminds me of anything I think of a Greek/Italian wedding gone bad. Opening up with knives being sharpened, you know the lyrical content will probably be violent (hence the title). There is an instrument that everyone will recognize but no one knows the name for. At about a little more than halfway through the song, the song has a complete extreme makeover and gets quiet with only Mike’s Vocals.
Numero Seis: After School Special
This song is one of my favorites and one of the most relaxing Bungle songs ever. Starting off with a keyboard/vocal intro this song is perfect. It continues this way for a little bit then changes to a bit of a tango. I think this song has a very melancholy feel but it is perfectly placed on the album. Ending on what sounds like Patton on helium, I believe.
You are through the hardest part of this album so… intermission time, if this your first listen I would rest your ears/brain/rest of your body. This is an intense listen, the album is emotionally/physically draining.*
*exaggerates a wee bit here (but it is still a tough listen)
Numero Siete: Phlegmatics
The drum intro to the song, gives you a false sense of relaxation, this might sound something like what rock is on the radio. In about 5 seconds you realize, you are listening to Bungle and it isn’t what think it is going to be. It sounds kind of like an out of key guitar/piano verse. This rock intro stops immediately and a haunting, slow and soft riff begins followed by Patton’s vocals and they make you just sit in awe of how versatile he is. A keyboard outro/verse is what ends the song until suddenly you hear an explosion the brings the song back to the beginning…of the end.
Numeros Ocho, Nueve, Diez: Ma Meeshka Mow Skwoz, The Bends, Backstrokin
I love this song. It starts off so mellow then speeds to an upbeat space travel type thing. Patton is constantly saying something in another language I believe. This song and the next are 2 of my favorites and just very hard to describe overall…
Fend for yourself on this track. Absolutely out there, psychedelic feel to it. Very spacey. Go for a good listen on this one
Numero Once: Platypus
This song opens up with a bit of a hard rock intro, this is where you see some early Bungle influence. Slows down to a bass driven riff followed by keyboards and the platypus speaking. This track as with the past 3 are very slow and spacey compared to the earlier part of the album.
Numero Doce: Merry go bye bye
A very surf/fifties influenced song here. As time passes so do the decades and you float off to some noise and strange sound effects. Then the death metal in Bungle comes through. This song goes in a circle and slows down after this part and then speeds back up into the metal part only to slow again.
Overall this album is tough to get into but once you do get into it, you will love it. Intense, experimental music in its prime. Overall I love this album 4.7/5
