That said, Primus and the Chocolate Factory still has its faults. Claypool might be singing about wanting chocolate bars and new toys, but you can’t help but feel he’s really talking about iPhones and fancy cars. Here, it falls in line with Primus’s cries against musical corporatization and mindless consumerism. Then there’s “I Want it Now.” The original - a satire of the bratty, demanding child who holds their parents captive with all of their “me me me” - was light and fun. In this version, he’s the guy your parents warned you not to take candy from. No longer a character of joy and light, Candy Man becomes the voice in the alleyway, the smile in the dark. On this record, it takes a dark and terrifying turn. Take, for example, “Candy Man.” In the film, the song is a whimsical ode to magical feeling of being a kid in a candy store. The implicit and explicit psychedelic terror of the film is given new life here as Primus infuses the film with a new and wonderful weirdness. Where Burton fell flat is where Primus shines. The horrifying aspects of the film were always there, as Tim Burton attempted to show us in his lackluster remake a decade ago. In Primus’ capable hands, the latent horror of Willy Wonka is pushed right to the forefront. If this record is indicative of the future of Primus then we’ve got a lot to look forward to. The mind runs wild with possibilities at what might happen if this collaboration continues. I couldn’t help but imagine how the sparse production of Pork Soda, which might be my favorite Primus record, might have sounded with this added soundscape. Their presence is perfectly complimentary to the Primus oeuvre and creates a new dynamic for the band to play with.įrankly, despite being secondary to Primus, The Fungi Ensemble might just be the breath of fresh air Primus needs as they move forward. Recalling the heydays of Pork Soda and Sailing the Seas of Cheese, Primus and the Chocolate Factory is every bit as weird and delightful as long term fans have come to expect - propelled by The Fungi Ensemble. Reuniting the original (and arguably purest) lineup of Les Claypool, Larry Lalonde, and Tim Alexander, the band entirely reimagines the musical landscape of the soundtrack to create a sound that’s wholly and uniquely Primus. In pure Primus fashion, however, it’s not a mere note-for-note cover of the original soundtrack. Anytime Primus releases a new record, I can only imagine Zappa looking down from his place among the stars and nodding in approval.Ĭarrying this idea forward, Primus and the Chocolate Factory, the latest record from these purveyors of the bizarre, carries the spirit of Zappa more than any record since The Grand Wazoo’s death in 1993.Īs the title suggests, the album is a tribute to the musical weirdness of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the 1971 musical starring Gene Wilder that has scarred and delighted generations of children with its story of a down and out kid and his adventures with an eccentric, implicitly homicidal chocolatier. This is a mantel they’ve always worn well, even if it’s never talked about or spoken aloud. In a post-Frank Zappa world, they’re the closest thingPrimus and the CHocolate Factory we’re ever going to get to the granddaddy of musical freaks. Primus has always been one of the weirdest bands out there. Larry LaLonde - guitar, lead vocals on "I Want It Now" Les Claypool - bass, upright bass, vocals 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. Les Claypool told Rolling Stone of his fascination with 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. It is the first full length album with Tim "Herb" Alexander since 1995's Tales from the Punchbowl.
The album was released on October 21, 2014. The album is a re-imagining of the soundtrack of the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Primus & the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble is the eighth studio album by American rock group Primus. Primus - Primus and the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble (2014)