Primus & the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble
| Primus & the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Primus | |||||
| Released | October 21, 2014 | ||||
| Genre | Experimental rock, industrial rock, psychedelic rock, lo-fi | ||||
| Length | 40:22 | ||||
| Label | ATO Records, Prawn Song Records | ||||
| Producer | Les Claypool | ||||
| Primus chronology | |||||
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| 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 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, the 1971 film adaptation of 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), "Bastard Bars" and "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver 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]
The last live performance of the album, September 19th, 2015, was a live Pay-Per-View event on TourGigs.com
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley, arranged by Les Claypool (bass), Larry LaLonde (guitar), Tim "Herb" Alexander (percussion).
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hello Wonkites" | 2:00 |
| 2. | "Candy Man" | 4:25 |
| 3. | "Cheer Up Charlie" | 3:35 |
| 4. | "Golden Ticket" | 5:07 |
| 5. | "Lermaninoff" | 0:04 |
| 6. | "Pure Imagination" | 5:28 |
| 7. | "Oompa Augustus" | 1:41 |
| 8. | "Semi-Wondrous Boat Ride" | 2:35 |
| 9. | "Oompa Violet" | 1:45 |
| 10. | "I Want It Now" | 4:09 |
| 11. | "Oompa Veruca" | 1:39 |
| 12. | "Wonkmobile" | 1:14 |
| 13. | "Oompa TV" | 1:42 |
| 14. | "Farewell Wonkites" | 4:58 |
Deluxe Edition
In early 2015, Primus' 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' signature extended live jams.
Shortly after the last live performance of the album, it was announced on Primus' official website that the Deluxe Edition's release date had been delayed until November 20, 2015, and that pre-orders will now include a limited edition box of chocolates.[9]
Personnel
- Primus
- Les Claypool - lead vocals (tracks 2-4, 6-9, 11-13), upright bass (1, 2, 7-11, 13, 14), strings (1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14), bass guitar (3, 4, 6, 12), marimba (1, 8, 14), backing vocals (10), percussion (12)
- Larry LaLonde - guitar (tracks 1-11, 13, 14), lead vocals (10)
- Tim "Herb" Alexander - drums (tracks 1-4, 6-10, 13, 14)
- The Fungi Ensemble
- Mike Dillon - vibraphone (tracks 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13), marimba (2, 4, 10), tablas (3)
- Sam Bass - cello (tracks 3, 6, 8, 10)
References
- ↑ "Metacritic Review". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 2014-11-18.
- ↑ Ranta, Alan (2014-10-17). "Exclaim! Review". Exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2014-11-18.
- ↑ Heaney, Gregory. "AllMusic Review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2014-11-18.
- ↑ Kilby, Dylan (2014-11-09). "MusicOMH Review". Musicomh.com. Retrieved 2014-11-18.
- ↑ Goller, Josh (2014-11-27). "Spectrum Culture Review". spectrumculture.com. Retrieved 2014-12-09.
- ↑ NME. "Primus preparing to release 'Willy Wonka' tribute album". NME. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
- ↑ Rolling Stone. "Classic Primus Lineup Reunites for Wild Willy Wonka Album, Tour, Candy". Retrieved 1 August 2014.
- ↑ Loudwire. "Classic Primus Lineup Plots ‘Willy Wonka’ Themed Album, U.S. Tour + Signature Candy Bars". Graham Hartmann. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
- ↑ http://clubbastardo.shop.musictoday.com/Dept.aspx?cp=297_68898#
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