The Claypool Lennon Delirium: Monolith of Phobos (2LP, Moons of Phobos edition, grey vinyl) [ATO]

Why you'll love it

The Moons of Phobos edition spreads the album over two grey LPs in a gatefold, with a lyric insert and a download code. It's the first record from Primus's Les Claypool and Sean Lennon together, a full-on psychedelic trip with Mellotron and bass in the driving seat.

This edition

• 2LP set
• Grey vinyl
• Gatefold jacket
• Lyric insert
• Download card included
• Pressed in Canada

About the album

Les Claypool and Sean Lennon met on tour, got along famously and decided the sensible next step was a two-man psychedelic rock band. They split almost everything between them: Claypool on bass and lead vocals for half the songs, Lennon on guitar, most of the drums and lead vocals for the other half, and both of them leaning hard on the Mellotron.

The title track opens with a heavy, galloping riff, and the two-part "Cricket and the Genie" stretches out into full psychedelic strangeness. "Mr. Wright" and "Boomerang Baby" are wonky, hooky character studies, "Breath of a Salesman" and "Captain Lariat" wander deeper into the cosmos, and "Bubbles Burst" and "There's No Underwear in Space" bring it all in to land. Claypool switches to upright bass for "Boomerang Baby," Lennon adds a cosmic rain drum to "Captain Lariat," and the pair produced it themselves, with Stephen Marcussen mastering.

Critics took to it, and listeners rated it even higher. We can confirm there is, as advertised, no underwear in space; the monolith seems quite happy about it.

Also at Kops: more The Claypool Lennon Delirium on vinyl · browse Rock

Tracklist

Listen

On ATO Records / Prawn Song / Chimera Music (cat# ATO0308), a reissue of the 2016 album.