Of Fungi and Foe

Les Claypool | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 17, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Prawn Song
• ASIN: B001QUF7EC
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,652 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2009 release from the Bass playing legend and leader of Primus. Since his last album release, 2006's Of Whales and Woe, Les has been busy with his films, scoring other people's films, scoring video games and just having fun out on tour. This album is a collection of songs inspired by the projects he has been working on over the past few year. Also on this album is a jam session with Eugene Hutz, the charismatic front-man of the band Gogol Bordello that turned into the track 'Bite Out Of Life'. 12 tracks.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars wicked though not perfect, September 18, 2011

By 

Graham Brown (FYSHWICK, ACT Australia) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Of Fungi and Foe (Audio CD)

although saying not perfect is only my personal opinion. the fact remains that this album really shines claypool as a divine creator. its something all primus/claypool fans know already but even though on some of the tracks on this album i believe he is trying a bit to hard to expand his musical creativity, on the tracks it shines on a level as only claypool could.

ive always described claypool as the pluto of bass (the most out there). there are no doubts there are bass players who are as technically good, but none venture out as far on the creative level as this man.

the album really excentuates this straight from the start with mushroom men. a light percussion track show casing claypools talents on his 1 string bass. but its the next 2 tracks that are the peak of this collection of songs.

amanitas is classic claypool eccentric funk and red state girl is one of hes most suttle gems where hes double bass skills just ooze in a continual gel of soulful incredibility.

it doesnt get 5 stars though for me because i find the tracks about george martin, errol and the tracks kazoo and ol rasco to similar and simply tracks claypool tried to showcase hes eccentrically bizareness and doesnt pull it off because they sound just a little to sluggish. my opinion only. ive never thought claypool suited slower compositions.

but overall its one of claypools most varied album and he deserves the credit for making this quite a diverse album and the best tracks on the album are definately up there as some of hes solo best

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My fav so far, March 18, 2009

By 

Anglobotomy (Las Vegas, Nv United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Of Fungi and Foe (Audio CD)

With the exception of Highball with the Devil, this is my favorite Les Claypool album to date. Purple Onion and Whales and Woe had me so upset with Les's decline in musical genius that I feared I'd never buy another album by him. Let's not even go near Colonel Claypool's Bucket....
This album is consistent throughout. There are stand out tracks as others have mention. Certainly my favorite is Bite Out of Life. Its wind, energetic, makes me want to jump around. Other tracks are less energetic but there is a creepy, oozy awesomeness that plays all through this album. It could be the soundtrack to a Jeff Vandermeer book. Highly textured, rich, but definitely an acquired taste. But hey, my wife actually liked it, and that's saying something. Good job Les (I say that cuz I know he'll read this).

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another brilliant release from a brilliant artist!, May 10, 2009

By 

James H. Parrett "Velvetc" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Of Fungi and Foe (Audio CD)

For years Les has been one of those artists that I have admired. Anyone willing to not only showcase that brand of weird, but also perfect it, is at least worthy of some of my attention. Of Fungi and Foe is the CD that finally lifted Les to "my favorite artist" level. This is, simply put, amazing.

I will be honest, the first time I listened to it I wasn't that into it. Of course I was making dinner with my wife and two year old daughter so I wasn't really able to truly grip it for what it was. But upon really being able to listen I once again was able to peak into the mind of one of this generation's true standouts.

Make no doubt about it, Les Claypool is not for everybody. I would even venture to say that he's barely for anybody, just a small slice of society. Far too many people write it off as just weird. Far too many people write it off as "not music". But there is a beauty in oddity, and Les has mastered it.

I see this CD as being the moment when Les passed from being just a "rockstar" to being an actual artist. Because this is art at it's finest, and weirdest.

Definitely check out track two, Amanitas. That little bassline Les kicks the song off hasn't left my head for about a month. I know I will miss it when it finally does.