Pork Soda
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| Pork Soda | |||||
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| Studio album by Primus | |||||
| Released | April 20, 1993 | ||||
| Genre | Alternative rock, Funk rock | ||||
| Length | 57:39 | ||||
| Label | Interscope Records | ||||
| Producer | Primus | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
| Primus chronology | |||||
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Pork Soda is the third album by Primus. Released in 1993, it is considerably darker than the band's earlier efforts, dealing with murder ("My Name Is Mud"), dissatisfaction with the human race ("Nature Boy"), and suicide ("Bob"). It was a certified Gold record shortly after its release and is currently certified Platinum; it is Primus' largest seller to date.
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[edit] Overview
The music on Pork Soda, an album that shares its name with a track from the Headhunters' (originally formed by Herbie Hancock; this record is without him) album "Straight From the Gate," also drifts further from the "thrash funk" style that dominated the band's previous two albums into more of a sludgy, murky sound. This album also showed more work from Larry LaLonde and Tim Alexander; while Les Claypool had been the star of their previous albums, LaLonde and Alexander were featured more on this record. On the 8 minute jam "Hamburger Train", LaLonde showcases his advanced technical skills and unique styles; on "The Air is Getting Slippery", he plays a banjo. Alexander, playing percussion rather than actual drums, contributed "Wounded Knee", an all percussion instrumental showing off his African music influences. Claypool himself grew beyond the four-string bass stylings of the previous two studio albums. Having acquired a fretted six-string bass shortly before recording the album, it would be featured heavily, as would his fretless (the "Rainbow bass"). Claypool is also heard on upright bass ("Mr. Krinkle", "The Air is Getting Slippery"), as well as on mandolin (both "Pork Chop's Little Ditty" segues).
[edit] Popularity
Pork Soda was Primus's most successful release to date, debuting in the top 10 of the Billboard 200. It featured 3 singles: "My Name Is Mud", "DMV" and "Mr. Krinkle." Despite being lyrically darker and somewhat more obscure than previous releases, it was well-received by fans and critics alike. On the strength of Pork Soda, Primus were chosen as headliners of the 1993 Lollapalooza festival. Later in 1993, they headlined their own tour, bringing opening acts such as the Meat Puppets and The Melvins.
[edit] Track listing
- "Pork Chop's Little Ditty" - 0:21
- "My Name Is Mud" - 4:48
- "Welcome To This World" - 3:40
- "Bob" - 4:40
- "DMV" - 4:58
- "The Ol' Diamondback Sturgeon (Fisherman's Chronicles, Pt. 3)" - 4:39
- "Nature Boy" - 5:35
- "Wounded Knee" - 2:25
- "Pork Soda" - 2:20
- "The Pressman" - 5:11
- "Mr. Krinkle" - 5:27
- "The Air Is Getting Slippery" - 2:31
- "Hamburger Train" - 8:11
- "Pork Chop's Little Ditty" - 1:03
- "Hail Santa" - 1:51
[edit] Personnel
- Les Claypool - Electric bass, Upright bass, Mandolin, Vocals
- Larry LaLonde - Guitar, 6-String Banjo
- Tim "Herb" Alexander - Drums/Percussion
[edit] Production
- Ron Rigler, Derek Featherstone - Engineers
- Manny LaCarrubba, Neil King, Kent Matchke - Second Engineers
- John Golden, K-Disk - Mastering
- Tom Whalley - A&R Direction
- Leslie Gerard-Smith - Project Co-ordinator
- Paul "Bosco" Haggard - Cover layout
- Jay Blakesburg - Front Cover and Background Photography
- Lance "Link" Montoya - Clay sculpture on front cover
- SNAP - Airbrushing
- Recorded at: Ultrasound
- Mixed at: The Plant, Sausolito
- "The Air Is Getting Slippery" and "Hail Santa" recorded at The Corn, Berkeley
- "Wounded Knee" recorded at Log Cabin, Oakland
- Management: David Leftkowitz Management
- All songs published by Sturgeon (BMI) except:
"Pork Chop's Little Ditty" and "Hail Santa": published by Long Corn Publishing (BMI)
Wounded Knee: published by Wounded Knee Publishing (BMI)
[edit] Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The Billboard 200 | #7 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | "My Name is Mud" | Modern Rock Tracks | #9 |
[edit] Dedication
In the album credits, underneath the credit for lyrics, there is a dedication to Buck Naked, a musician friend of the band. Buck Naked was the lead singer of Buck Naked and the Bare Bottom Boys, an up-and-coming band with Primus in the 1980s. Shortly before the release of this album, he was killed while walking his dog in the panhandle of Golden Gate Park. This is one of many dedications Primus would make to him - one in the video for "Mr. Krinkle," a song from this album (a painting of the vocalist), and another in the video for "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver," from the succeeding album, Tales from the Punchbowl (drummer Tim Alexander's bass drum head).
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