Primus

The Brown Album (Interscope)
by Tim Walker

The wonderfully odd trio, Primus are back with their fifth album of off-kilter ditties and rubber band melodies. The Brown Album marks the third (not second) incarnation of Primus (the first had Todd Huth on guitar) with the addition of “Brain” who replaces the truly fantastic Tim “Herb” Alexander. The question is, “Will hardcore Primus fans be disappointed by the change in the percussion department?” The answer is no. The drumming on The Brown Album is a lot more “Phil Rudd” and a lot less “Neil Peart.” This has an interesting effect an the band’s overall sound – it’s actually pretty smooth sounding and accessible (no kidding!). Primus will lose some fans as a result of the switch, but they will certainly gain more back than they ever had.

The songs remain the same in terms of subject matter and overall craziness. The terrific toe-tapper “Golden Boy” is actually quite “rocking” and “Bob’s Party Time Lounge” is the stuff mosh pits are made of (or used to be made of). They change pace frequently going from the fat thump of “Shaking Hands with Beef” to the jangle of “Hats Off” to the dilapidated locomotive sound of “Coddingtown.” (As a side note: get the double-vinyl version if you have a turntable, the entire album was recorded completely analog – no digital at all – and has a very “classic” ambiance to it.) The Brown Album is testament to what Primus are all about. Rather than15 songs that sound the same, Primus delivers a smorgasbord of different vibes that leave you bobbing up and down and smiling uncontrollably.