Brown Album
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The Brown Album is an album by alternative rock band Primus.
After the success of their 1993 release, Pork Soda, Primus had some expectations to live up to. Their following album was 1995's Tales From the Punchbowl, which was a marginal success. Next came the Brown Album which, by many Primus fans and even casual listeners, is generally considered to be their weakest album to date. Upon further listening, however, one will see that Brown is actually a mature and polished effort for the band, with tighter songwriting and slightly better production. Many rabid Primus followers attribute their strong disliking of this album to the departure of drummer Tim Alexander, and the new introduction of Brian "Brain" Mantia. Mantia is still a skilled drummer, with an amazing sense of rhythm and speedy movements, which is key to Primus' frantic and complicated tunes.
As for the album as a whole, it is somewhat more subdued than any previous Primus offerings. They seemed to have scrapped the headbanger sound in favor of a darker, albeit quieter sound. Tracks like "Kalamazoo" and "Fisticuffs" have a sinister aura about them, but they're hardly in your face about it- there's an underlying creepiness that exists throughout the whole album. Claypool's bass playing has never sounded better. It's obvious his skill on the four-string instrument is getting harder and harder to top with each album. And of course Larry LaLonde is still wailing away on guitar, coming up with the perfect compliments to Claypool's booming bass. The standout track is without a doubt "Puddin Taine", a straight up forceful song with the twangy, southern fried Primus sound coming through, sounding distorted and gorgeous as always.
Track listing
- "The Return of Sathington Willoughby"
- "Fisticuffs"
- "Golden Boy"
- "Over the Falls"
- "Shake Hands With Beef"
- "Camelback Cinema"
- "Hats Off"
- "Puddin' Taine"
- "Bob's Party Time Lounge"
- "Duchess and the Proverbial Mind Spread"
- "Restin' Bones"
- "Coddingtown"
- "Kalamazoo"
- "The Chastising of Renegade"
- "Arnie"