Primus & the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble

Primus & the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble
Studio album by Primus
Released October 21, 2014
Genre Experimental rock, Psychedelic rock
Length 40:22
Label ATO Records, Prawn Song Records
Producer Les Claypool
Primus chronology
Green Naugahyde
(2011)		 Primus & the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble
(2014)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 61/100[1]
Review scores
Source Rating
Exclaim! (8/10)[2]
AllMusic [3]
MusicOMH [4]
Spectrum Culture [5]

Primus & the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble is the eighth studio album by American rock group Primus. The album is a re-imagining of the soundtrack of the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. The album was released on October 21, 2014. It is the first full length album with Tim "Herb" Alexander since 1995's Tales from the Punchbowl.[6]

Background

Lead singer and bassist Les Claypool told Rolling Stone of his fascination with Roald Dahl's novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: "I don't think it was until Jaws came along that I was more obsessed with a film, when I started drawing sharks all over my binders and notebooks. Prior to that it was everything Wonka." This tribute — fleshed out with help from Critters Buggin percussionist Mike Dillon and Frog Brigade cellist Sam Bass — is a logical extension of Primus' Wonka-themed performance in Oakland last New Year's Eve.[7]

Album Information

The track "I Want It Now" is the first Primus song to feature guitarist Larry "Ler" Lalonde on lead vocals.

Promotion

To tie in with the album's Wonka theme, Primus began selling exclusive chocolate "Primus Bars" at live performances. The varieties are named after Primus songs: "Mr. Krinkle Bars" (from Pork Soda), "Professor Nutbutter Bars" (from Tales from the Punchbowl) and "Bastard Bars" (from Sailing the Seas of Cheese). "The tour and the album are solely a marketing tool just so we can sell candy bars," jokes Claypool. "That's the whole impetus of this entire project. Because the fucking recording industry rolled over and let this Internet shit all over us. So we had to come up with another income stream, so we're making chocolate bars because you can’t digitize a chocolate bar — yet."[8]

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Hello Wonkites"  Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley / Primus 2:00
2. "Candy Man"  Bricusse, Newley / Primus 4:25
3. "Cheer Up Charlie"  Bricusse, Newley / Primus 3:35
4. "Golden Ticket"  Bricusse, Newley / Primus 5:07
5. "Lermaninoff"  Bricusse, Newley / Primus 0:04
6. "Pure Imagination"  Bricusse, Newley / Primus 5:28
7. "Oompa Augustus"  Bricusse, Newley / Primus 1:41
8. "Semi-Wondrous Boat Ride"  Bricusse, Newley / Primus 2:35
9. "Oompa Violet"  Bricusse, Newley / Primus 1:45
10. "I Want It Now"  Bricusse, Newley / Primus 4:09
11. "Oompa Veruca"  Bricusse, Newley / Primus 1:39
12. "Wonkmobile"  Bricusse, Newley / Primus 1:14
13. "Oompa TV"  Bricusse, Newley / Primus 1:42
14. "Farewell Wonkites"  Bricusse, Newley / Primus 4:58

Deluxe Edition

In early 2015, Primus's official website announced Primus and the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble Deluxe Edition to be released on April 28, 2015. This update reformats the album into Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound, and also includes a bonus live CD that features Primus's signature extended live jams.

Personnel

Primus
The Fungi Ensemble

References

  1. ↑ "Metacritic Review". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 2014-11-18.
  2. ↑ Ranta, Alan (2014-10-17). "Exclaim! Review". Exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2014-11-18.
  3. ↑ Heaney, Gregory. "AllMusic Review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2014-11-18.
  4. ↑ Kilby, Dylan (2014-11-09). "MusicOMH Review". Musicomh.com. Retrieved 2014-11-18.
  5. ↑ Goller, Josh (2014-11-27). "Spectrum Culture Review". spectrumculture.com. Retrieved 2014-12-09.
  6. ↑ NME. "Primus preparing to release 'Willy Wonka' tribute album". NME. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  7. ↑ Rolling Stone. "Classic Primus Lineup Reunites for Wild Willy Wonka Album, Tour, Candy". Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  8. ↑ Loudwire. "Classic Primus Lineup Plots ‘Willy Wonka’ Themed Album, U.S. Tour + Signature Candy Bars". Graham Hartmann. Retrieved 1 August 2014.