Mr. Bungle: Mr. Bungle (2LP, orange crush translucent vinyl, indie exclusive) [RHINO]

Why you'll love it

This indie exclusive 2LP set is remastered, spread over four sides for better sound and opens with a band-approved resequenced first side. It's the first standalone North American vinyl reissue of the John Zorn-produced debut since 2009.

This edition

• 2LP set
• Orange crush translucent vinyl
• Indie exclusive
• Remastered
• Gatefold jacket
• Stereo mix

About the album

Mr. Bungle started out as teenagers in Eureka, California, on the far northern coast, and grew into one of the most gloriously unpredictable bands Warner Bros. ever signed. Mike Patton, guitarist Trey Spruance and bassist Trevor Dunn were all on board, and by the time this debut arrived in 1991, Patton was also fronting Faith No More.

The record swings from ska and funk metal to circus music, cartoon soundtracks and noise, often inside a single song. "Squeeze Me Macaroni" bounces on a slap-bass funk groove, "Carousel" spins through a fairground waltz, "Egg" and "Love Is A Fist" lurch between styles at speed, and "Dead Goon" closes on something altogether eerier, with "Slowly Growing Deaf" and "Stubb (A Dub)" adding more curveballs along the way. Spruance's guitar, Dunn's bass and the band's saxophones keep every hairpin turn tight.

It built a devoted following that carried through Disco Volante and California, the latter trading noise for backbeats, strings and vocal harmonies. Played start to finish, it's the musical equivalent of channel-surfing at 3 a.m., and we mean that as the highest compliment.

Also at Kops: more Mr. Bungle on vinyl · browse Alternative

Tracklist

Listen

On Warner Records / Rhino (cat# RCV1 26640), a reissue of the 1991 album.