Technic's Corner

TechnicLePanther · 12-14-2015, 06:29 PM

The Patton Parade

Shortly before the recording of their final demo tape, the band replaced drummer Hans Wagner with Danny Heifetz, who would remain with them for the rest of the run. Also, Luke Miller on the horns was replaced with Clinton "Bär" McKinnon on the reeds.

Mr. Bungle - OU818

Their final demo was arguably their best. Finally entering a professional studio, this demo has greatly superior sound quality when compared to their other ones. The band's sound is refined to a pinpoint, and their random switches are pulled off expertly. Some may say they enjoy this demo even more than any of their studio albums. Four of the six songs on the album would go on to feature in their debut full length, in different versions than the ones on this album.

I think I'll go over the four songs on the debut when we get to it, so besides a short and comedic intro, the only song left is "Mr. Nice Guy". The song begins with a short, tongue-in-cheek intro, and then delves into the typical Bungle fare. A pretty straightforward groove metal song, it's easy to see the song making it onto their debut. Unfortunately, it did not. Like many of their songs, it features multiple segments, delving a bit into almost progressive territory towards the middle. It contains an excellent guitar solo towards the ending, and at the very end, a short segment of outtakes from the intro.

This album is great for Bungle fans to sink their teeth into. Better in quality, if not in quantity than the previous demos, this solidified the band as a prime force in the avant-garde movement in California at the time, and inevitably, with a bit of help from Patton's other band, Faith No More, got them a record deal with Warner Bros. Just check it out.

Patton-O-Meter says:

TechnicLePanther · 12-16-2015, 06:42 PM

The Patton Parade

Okay, so we have a band that has just signed to Warner Bros, and are about to drop their debut album. They've been around for a few years, released several demos, and developed a cult following in Northern California. Now let's see how this turns out.

Mr. Bungle - Mr. Bungle

Alright, I'm going to just come right out and say it, this is a masterpiece of an album. The album was produced by John Zorn himself, and features a much more polished band than the one that appeared on their previous records. However, as it is definitely more of a compilation of their previous work than a full-fledged album, it doesn't perfectly serve its purpose. There are several fan-favorite songs that appeared on the demos that failed to make an appearance on the debut. I won't go into too much detail, but I will say it's a bit disappointing.

That out of the way, this is certainly some of their best work so far. Of the ten tracks on the album, 6 have already appeared on their demos, and they are all beautifully put together on this album. The band's funk metal sound is now mixed up with some sampling and brass noodling in between tracks, probably the result of Zorn's influence on the album.

The first track on the album is "Quote Unquote", previously titled "Travolta". The reason for the name change is actually a law suit from John Travolta himself. The song is a carnival-inspired, dark track which devolves into noise towards the end. Next, "Slowly Growing Deaf" is the first track previously featured on one of their demos. Heavily inspired by their metallic sound, but sporadically breaking for much softer sections, this one is a bit uninspired, and generally ends up unsuccessful. The song ends with another break, this time featuring the sound of a man ****ting. The next song, "Squeeze Me Macaroni" is undoubtedly one of the best songs on the album. The prominent section of the song is fast and hectic, while a secondary, slower section picks up the slack. The transitions are natural and not forced in the slightest. The song ends with a repetitive and excitable refrain of the prominent section.

The next song, "Carousel", was the earliest track to be featured on this album, demonstrating its endurance as a powerful and catchy tune. "Egg", the next song, is also older, and also features a catchy main tune. However, this one digresses into incredibly slow and experimental territory as well, so it can be a bit off-putting at times. "Stubb (A Dub)" is one of the most experimental, and yet also very cohesive tracks on the album. It tells the tale of a family dog, simple as that. It's probably the most all over the place track on the album, but it also has a very strange allure to it.

Another very heavy track, "My Ass is On Fire" is like their early death metal sound, with less growling and more horns. The main part of "The Girls of Porn", on the other hand, almost sounds like a Mario Kart track. Definitely the funkiest song on the album, and the least metal, it's a delight to the ear. "Love Is a Fist" is only rightfully a couple minutes long, but digresses to an extreme degree towards the end (probably also due to Zorn). "Dead Goon" feels like a track they decided to tack on at the end, being never before seen and honestly just not as good as the other tracks. The amalgamation of 20s music at the end is quite excellent though. And the album finishes on a positive note at least (again, probably Zorn).

It's definitely not perfect, but for what it has to work with, the album does a pretty good job. The band is at their absolute prime, and Zorn's production is quite alright, but the songwriting just isn't there all of the time. So, because the majority of the tracks have the good songwriting, I will say this is a definite listen for fans.

Patton-O-Meter says:

**Frownland** · 12-17-2015, 12:21 AM

I have zero understanding of how the Patton-O-Meter works and yet I've found myself agreeing with all of your ratings so far.

TechnicLePanther · 12-17-2015, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

I have zero understanding of how the Patton-O-Meter works and yet I've found myself agreeing with all of your ratings so far.

Me neither. The Patton-O-Meter is a mystical device.

TechnicLePanther · 12-23-2015, 03:35 PM

Quick detour from the Patton tirade to deliver an introduction to vaporwave.
Vaporwave - Genre Explorers
To begin my tirade on vaporwave, I suppose I shall begin with a warm welcome to the genre. We are going to be delving into some the most experimental, and in some cases most laid-back (boring for some) music you've ever heard. So, strap in, as we begin our descent into vaporwave and some of its most daring albums.
2814 - 新しい日の誕生

Probably one of the best vaporwave releases of its history, if not the single best, this album does not represent the traditional vaporwave sound. It was created as part of a collaboration between two of the biggest artists. No, they are not japanese. Yes, japanese characters being used by non-japanese artists is going to become a theme.

While inspired by vaporwave, this album is a lot closer to the usual electronic ambient fare that many critics have gotten used to. We'll be going into a bit more depth about the creators of this album, t e l e p a t h テレパシー能力者 , and Hong Kong Express, but all you need to know for now is that they are two of the most prolific names in vaporwave. Other than that, simply sit back and enjoy. Undoubtedly one of the biggest and best vaporwave albums of the entire year. Here is a link:

https://dreamcatalogue.bandcamp.com/album/--18

TechnicLePanther · 12-24-2015, 09:07 AM

The Patton Parade

Alright, everyone. Welcome back to the Patton Parade. However, for a little while here, we will be missing our leading man, though don't worry, we'll have him back just as soon as '88 rolls around. Anyways, let me introduce you to a little band called Faith No More, or as they were known in the early 80s, Sharp Young Men.

Originally composed of bassist Billy Gould, drummer Mike Bordin, and Mike "The Man" Morris, the band quickly adjusted to the inclusion of Wade Worthington on keys. However, rather ironically, Worthington quit soon after joining, and was replaced by Roddy Bottum. The band further adjusted their name to Faith No Man, and then released a first single, in a genre most 90s bands were formed from, post-punk.

Faith No Man - Quiet In Heaven / Song Of Liberty

So, like I said, this first single is some solid post-punk, the only of their singles to feature original vocalist Mike Morris. Definitely worth a listen if you enjoy the genre. However, fans of Faith No More will be expressively disappointed with this intro, especially those used to Patton's vocals. Intriguing, but not much more, the 7" is short and simple.

Shortly after the release of the single, everyone quit the fledgling band except for "The Man" himself. The ditchers soon after formed Faith No More, to signify that "The Man" was "no more" a part of the band. With Bottum on keys, Gould on bass, and Bordin on the drums, the band would begin their career as "Faith No More", on the track to tremendous success in the alt metal genre.

As Patton was not actually around for these early FNM albums, the Patton-O-Meter seems to have ditched us. Interesting. No doubt he'll be back for the ones he is featured in.

**Frownland** · 12-24-2015, 10:01 AM

I had no idea about this release. I'll definitely be checking it out.

Mondo Bungle · 12-24-2015, 11:39 AM

You didn't?

**Frownland** · 12-24-2015, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mondo Bungle

You didn't?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

I had no idea about this release.

Mondo Bungle · 12-24-2015, 12:10 PM

You didn't?

12-14-2015, 06:29 PM	#11 (permalink)
TechnicLePanther and the livin' is easy... Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: New York Posts: 1,997	The Patton Parade Shortly before the recording of their final demo tape, the band replaced drummer Hans Wagner with Danny Heifetz, who would remain with them for the rest of the run. Also, Luke Miller on the horns was replaced with Clinton "Bär" McKinnon on the reeds. Mr. Bungle - OU818 Their final demo was arguably their best. Finally entering a professional studio, this demo has greatly superior sound quality when compared to their other ones. The band's sound is refined to a pinpoint, and their random switches are pulled off expertly. Some may say they enjoy this demo even more than any of their studio albums. Four of the six songs on the album would go on to feature in their debut full length, in different versions than the ones on this album. I think I'll go over the four songs on the debut when we get to it, so besides a short and comedic intro, the only song left is "Mr. Nice Guy". The song begins with a short, tongue-in-cheek intro, and then delves into the typical Bungle fare. A pretty straightforward groove metal song, it's easy to see the song making it onto their debut. Unfortunately, it did not. Like many of their songs, it features multiple segments, delving a bit into almost progressive territory towards the middle. It contains an excellent guitar solo towards the ending, and at the very end, a short segment of outtakes from the intro. This album is great for Bungle fans to sink their teeth into. Better in quality, if not in quantity than the previous demos, this solidified the band as a prime force in the avant-garde movement in California at the time, and inevitably, with a bit of help from Patton's other band, Faith No More, got them a record deal with Warner Bros. Just check it out. Patton-O-Meter says: __________________ Many have tried to destroy it... but... true evil never dies. It is only... REBORN *SUGGEST ME AN ALBUM* - I'm probably not going to listen to it but I will if you bother me enough.

12-16-2015, 06:42 PM	#12 (permalink)
TechnicLePanther and the livin' is easy... Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: New York Posts: 1,997	The Patton Parade Okay, so we have a band that has just signed to Warner Bros, and are about to drop their debut album. They've been around for a few years, released several demos, and developed a cult following in Northern California. Now let's see how this turns out. Mr. Bungle - Mr. Bungle Alright, I'm going to just come right out and say it, this is a masterpiece of an album. The album was produced by John Zorn himself, and features a much more polished band than the one that appeared on their previous records. However, as it is definitely more of a compilation of their previous work than a full-fledged album, it doesn't perfectly serve its purpose. There are several fan-favorite songs that appeared on the demos that failed to make an appearance on the debut. I won't go into too much detail, but I will say it's a bit disappointing. That out of the way, this is certainly some of their best work so far. Of the ten tracks on the album, 6 have already appeared on their demos, and they are all beautifully put together on this album. The band's funk metal sound is now mixed up with some sampling and brass noodling in between tracks, probably the result of Zorn's influence on the album. The first track on the album is "Quote Unquote", previously titled "Travolta". The reason for the name change is actually a law suit from John Travolta himself. The song is a carnival-inspired, dark track which devolves into noise towards the end. Next, "Slowly Growing Deaf" is the first track previously featured on one of their demos. Heavily inspired by their metallic sound, but sporadically breaking for much softer sections, this one is a bit uninspired, and generally ends up unsuccessful. The song ends with another break, this time featuring the sound of a man **ting. The next song, "Squeeze Me Macaroni" is undoubtedly one of the best songs on the album. The prominent section of the song is fast and hectic, while a secondary, slower section picks up the slack. The transitions are natural and not forced in the slightest. The song ends with a repetitive and excitable refrain of the prominent section. The next song, "Carousel", was the earliest track to be featured on this album, demonstrating its endurance as a powerful and catchy tune. "Egg", the next song, is also older, and also features a catchy main tune. However, this one digresses into incredibly slow and experimental territory as well, so it can be a bit off-putting at times. "Stubb (A Dub)" is one of the most experimental, and yet also very cohesive tracks on the album. It tells the tale of a family dog, simple as that. It's probably the most all over the place track on the album, but it also has a very strange allure to it. Another very heavy track, "My Ass is On Fire" is like their early death metal sound, with less growling and more horns. The main part of "The Girls of Porn", on the other hand, almost sounds like a Mario Kart track. Definitely the funkiest song on the album, and the least metal, it's a delight to the ear. "Love Is a Fist" is only rightfully a couple minutes long, but digresses to an extreme degree towards the end (probably also due to Zorn). "Dead Goon" feels like a track they decided to tack on at the end, being never before seen and honestly just not as good as the other tracks. The amalgamation of 20s music at the end is quite excellent though. And the album finishes on a positive note at least (again, probably Zorn). It's definitely not perfect, but for what it has to work with, the album does a pretty good job. The band is at their absolute prime, and Zorn's production is quite alright, but the songwriting just isn't there all of the time. So, because the majority of the tracks have the good songwriting, I will say this is a definite listen for fans. Patton-O-Meter says: __________________ Many have tried to destroy it... but... true evil never dies. It is only... REBORN SUGGEST ME AN ALBUM** - I'm probably not going to listen to it but I will if you bother me enough.

12-17-2015, 12:21 AM	#13 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,548	I have zero understanding of how the Patton-O-Meter works and yet I've found myself agreeing with all of your ratings so far. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

12-23-2015, 03:35 PM	#15 (permalink)
TechnicLePanther and the livin' is easy... Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: New York Posts: 1,997	Quick detour from the Patton tirade to deliver an introduction to vaporwave. Vaporwave - Genre Explorers To begin my tirade on vaporwave, I suppose I shall begin with a warm welcome to the genre. We are going to be delving into some the most experimental, and in some cases most laid-back (boring for some) music you've ever heard. So, strap in, as we begin our descent into vaporwave and some of its most daring albums. 2814 - 新しい日の誕生 Probably one of the best vaporwave releases of its history, if not the single best, this album does not represent the traditional vaporwave sound. It was created as part of a collaboration between two of the biggest artists. No, they are not japanese. Yes, japanese characters being used by non-japanese artists is going to become a theme. While inspired by vaporwave, this album is a lot closer to the usual electronic ambient fare that many critics have gotten used to. We'll be going into a bit more depth about the creators of this album, t e l e p a t h テレパシー能力者 , and Hong Kong Express, but all you need to know for now is that they are two of the most prolific names in vaporwave. Other than that, simply sit back and enjoy. Undoubtedly one of the biggest and best vaporwave albums of the entire year. Here is a link: https://dreamcatalogue.bandcamp.com/album/--18 __________________ Many have tried to destroy it... but... true evil never dies. It is only... REBORN *SUGGEST ME AN ALBUM* - I'm probably not going to listen to it but I will if you bother me enough. Last edited by TechnicLePanther; 01-01-2016 at 08:37 AM.

12-24-2015, 09:07 AM	#16 (permalink)
TechnicLePanther and the livin' is easy... Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: New York Posts: 1,997	The Patton Parade Alright, everyone. Welcome back to the Patton Parade. However, for a little while here, we will be missing our leading man, though don't worry, we'll have him back just as soon as '88 rolls around. Anyways, let me introduce you to a little band called Faith No More, or as they were known in the early 80s, Sharp Young Men. Originally composed of bassist Billy Gould, drummer Mike Bordin, and Mike "The Man" Morris, the band quickly adjusted to the inclusion of Wade Worthington on keys. However, rather ironically, Worthington quit soon after joining, and was replaced by Roddy Bottum. The band further adjusted their name to Faith No Man, and then released a first single, in a genre most 90s bands were formed from, post-punk. Faith No Man - Quiet In Heaven / Song Of Liberty So, like I said, this first single is some solid post-punk, the only of their singles to feature original vocalist Mike Morris. Definitely worth a listen if you enjoy the genre. However, fans of Faith No More will be expressively disappointed with this intro, especially those used to Patton's vocals. Intriguing, but not much more, the 7" is short and simple. Shortly after the release of the single, everyone quit the fledgling band except for "The Man" himself. The ditchers soon after formed Faith No More, to signify that "The Man" was "no more" a part of the band. With Bottum on keys, Gould on bass, and Bordin on the drums, the band would begin their career as "Faith No More", on the track to tremendous success in the alt metal genre. As Patton was not actually around for these early FNM albums, the Patton-O-Meter seems to have ditched us. Interesting. No doubt he'll be back for the ones he is featured in. __________________ Many have tried to destroy it... but... true evil never dies. It is only... REBORN *SUGGEST ME AN ALBUM* - I'm probably not going to listen to it but I will if you bother me enough. Last edited by TechnicLePanther; 12-25-2015 at 05:29 PM.

12-24-2015, 10:01 AM	#17 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,548	I had no idea about this release. I'll definitely be checking it out. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x