Customer Reviews

Please Come Home Mr Bulbous

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

After being such a huge King's X fan since their first release in 1988, this cd was met with a little reserve after their last two cd's ended up being minor dissapointments. What a relief to open this cd up and once again be mesmerized by the elements that make this band one of the best in the world. Keep in mind that this is a slightly different King's X, lyrically. Ty Tabor really wears his heart on his sleeve on this cd, and the band is much better for it. The music once again sounds fresh, and the band doesn't sound like a retread of their old selves as on 'Tape Head'. The songs deal with heartbreak (She's Gone Away, Charlie Sheen, and Bitter Sweet) and questioning faith and life in general (Fish Bowl Man, Smudge and Marsh Mellow Field). Every song on the disc is a keeper and the band sounds sharper instrumentally than they have in years. Ty Tabor hasn't done this many solos since their self titled effort of '92. The disc ends with possibly the best track (Move Me, in two parts), questioning God and asking for a sign to reaffirm one's faith. Much darker than past cd's, but a very moving experience, none the less. Now if one could just figure out the odd phrases between each song in Japanese and German...

Great producers are seasoned with time. If you don't believe me, listen to the arrangements and sonic quality of the self titled record, Dogman, and even Ear Candy. All done by different producers, but have a common thread.....EXPERIENCE! Now, listen to Tape Head, recorded and produced by Ty Tabor and King's X. Unless you're thick headed, you will notice the lack of experience on that record. Think about it; the band is in full charge for the first time in their career. Which brings us to "Please Come Home Mr. Bulbous", the 8th studio release and the 2nd time the band is in charge of writing, recording, and producing. This record is a giant step forward for King's X. They are much more aware of the tasks at hand; Ty is getting mighty handy at the console and the drum sounds are far and away better than on Tape Head. Yes, Ty Tabor will be on the list of great producers very soon. As for the songs on 'Mr. Bulbous', that's a personal thing. Some fans will love them, some will say they dwell on the negative, but most will dig the music simply because it's King's X. Highlights include, 'She's Gone Away', which deals with love lost, the beautiful 'Bittersweet' and a fine single called 'Marsh Mellow Field'. Let's get something straight, this is not, I repeat, NOT Gretchen Goes to Nebraska. Mr. Bulbous is dark, and it's also melodic; it's light and it's brutally heavy at times.......it's King's X in the year 2000, and it's the beginning of a very beautiful thing.

I must say that this new cd by the greatest band in the world, is very, very good indeed! Despite the fact that some fans didn't care for some of the recent albums, i.e. Ear Candy and Tape Head, which I think were excellent (especially Tape Head). I must say that I am very proud that King's X has gone back to their original sound with the three part harmonies, i.e. "Move Me" parts 1 and 2. Also, there is more guitar work on this album from Ty than ever before and its very reminiscent of their self-titled release. I also think there is a lot of influence from Ty's side project Platypus (mainly in the guitar riffs/solos). Every song on this album flows together just like "Faith, Hope, Love" and "King's X".

I am very proud to hear the soul and faith searching and strengthening lyrics again on a King's X Cd. If you have heard this yet you need to get it now because you won't be able to pull it from your cd player!

Of all the King's X albums I own, this is the one I would most like to give 5 stars and rave about, and for the first part of this review, that's exactly what I'll do. I had appreciated King's X before I purchased this album, but Mr. Bulbous is the record that truly made me sit up and take notice. After hearing all King's X could offer on this CD, I went out and purchased the albums I was missing and revisited the ones I owned. The reason why? The music on this album is some of the best King's X, or any other band has ever made. Upon first listen I was sidetracked by the unorthodox chord changes and lack of hooks, but by the second spin I couldn't stop listening. Here's an overview of each song.

The CD starts out with Fish Bowl Man, a quirky track with spoken word verses and a catchy Ty-sung chorus. The song has an awesome poetry reading in the middle of it that's hard to appreciate in the early listens but enhances the song once you've become accustomed to it. After the chaos of Fish Bowl Man we are given a rest with Julia, one of the most poignant "ballads" King's X has ever recorded, but the song is not without its breakneck heavy parts. She's Gone Away has potential to be a classic and the chorus is truly something to behold, but the guitar solo breakdown sounds awkward, especially when the song returns in full force. Marshmellow Field is a single, and an obvious choice for its dual Doug and Ty sung verses and the trademark chorus. When You're Scared is indeed the weakest track on the album due to the sub par chorus, but the other parts of the song are very enjoyable. Luckily, the album really begins to cook with the 1 2 3 4 punch of the last four tracks. Charlie Sheen is an immediate standout, a perfectly crafted pop song with quirky lyrics. Smudge is probably my favorite song on the album, spooky ethreal verses flow perfectly into a staggeringly melodic chorus that reaches emotional highs most bands could never reach. Bittersweet is a nice 2 minute ballad sung by Ty, the perfect segway between Smudge and the epic Move Me. Clocking in at around 8 minutes, Move Me doesn't quite reach the classic status the band was shooting for, but its soaring vocal harmonies are still nothing short of amazing.

The reason I can't bring myself to give this album 5 stars boils down to two things: the length and the production. The album ha only nine songs (Move Me part two is a seamless continuation of part one) which is unfortunate considering the high standard of music contained within. It becomes evident that King's X rushed through this album and an extra song or two would elevate this CD to an absolute classic. The production, which for the most part is an improvement over Tape Head, still leaves a few tracks sounding too thin, especially the verses in Move Me, which considering the epic nature of the song, should sound as full as possible. But these two complaints don't change the fact that this is my personal favorite King's X album and the songs that are here rank among the band's best. While I can't give it the perfect score, I can urge you to pick up this album and prepare to become a huge K X fan. And ignore all those negative reviews, some people wish King's X never experimented with their sound and kept making Gretchen Goes to Nebraska over and over again. Thanks for reading (lenghty eh)?

Dan

It shouldn't surprise anyone that this is a good album, it might surprise a few people how brutally honest and heavy it really is. It took me a listen to really get the hang of it, but its quite complex and engaging music. I think it shows that Ty definitely owns this record, much like Doug and Jerry owned _Ear Candy_ and _Tape Head_. If I had to compare it to any other King's X album, it would have to be the evil twin brother of _Faith Hope Love_. The chord and mood transitions are seamless in "Smudge", taking you on a terrifyingly good ride. "Move Me (1 & 2)" I believe have to be one of the most beautiful and emotional songs they have ever written, kind of like "Pleiades" from Gretchen. And then there are some grooves so sick and heavy, that would make Limp Bizkit cry for Mommy, on "She's Gone Away" and "When You're Scared". Monstrous, amazing, crazy, beautiful album.

The only problem with ...Mr.Bulbous, is that it is a ''grower'' album. It's an album that takes a little bit of time to actually show you that itis as good as previous efforts, if slightly different. Grower albums bare the uneasy weight of being compared to a band's other albums, and maybe this is unfair on Bulbous, because it does deserve a place in the King's X catalogue as one of their best efforts. I gave it 4 stars, only because it is a grower album, and not an instant gratification album like so many of their others.

As each member of King's X releases solo albums, there becomes a clearer distinction as to who supplies what to the King's X sound. On other albums this is pretty clear, but Mr.Bulbous actually sounds group composed. Doug Pinnick's Poundhound albums show that he supplies much of the groove and soul to the band, and often its most heaviest songs. Ty Tabor brings in melody, sensitivity and a commercial rock edge to their sound, and Jerry Gaskill, as evidenced by his solo album ''Come Somewhere'' has an even greater sense of melody, and atmosphere. Combine all these elements together and you have King's X. Plus one of the great vocalists of his generation (Pinnick), and one of the best guitarists (Tabor). Gaskill compliments and is integral to their sound, and live these 3 make more noise than you think 3 people can make. Their studio work doesn't suffer in the live situation.

When I bought this album, I had been a fan of King's X for 13 years. And it was the first album that didn't make an impact on me on first listen. It wasn't that the songs weren't good, because there were songs on this album that I instantly liked, like Julia, When You're Scared, Fish Bowl Man, and She's Gone Away. It was just the overall 'vibe' of the album that left me a bit confused, and the previous album 'Tapehead' had a big fan in me. Pinnick's first Poundhound album 'Massive Grooves . . . ' also was a firm favourite, so Mr. Bulbous left me confused as to where they were going. I hadn't bought Ty Tabor's solo albums at the time, but I had heard 'Naomi's Solar Pumpkin' through a friend. Mr.Bulbous didn't sound like Tapehead / Massive Groove's/OR Naomi. Which left me wondering where they were headed.

Since that time, I have picked up Ty's solo albums 'Moonflower Lane' and 'Safety', Doug's second Poundhound album 'Pineappleskunk' and Jerry's 'Come Somewhere'. And I think I understand Mr.Bulbous a bit better now. And it is actually a great album. There's songs on here that do stand out in the King's X catalogue, and are as good as anything off their first 4 albums, all essential purchases. 'She's Gone Away' is obviously the easiest radio seller, if King's X were in a radio friendly world. Usually in the King's X song, he who wrote it, sings it, and 'She's Gone Away' sounds much like what you'd find on a Ty Tabor solo album. But there's an experimental side all over Mr.Bulbous that makes this album quite different than any King's X album or solo album. It gives it that 'grower' quality. 'Marshmellow Field', 'Charlie Sheen' and 'Smudge' are all good songs themselves.

If you've bought other King's X albums, and have been scared off by reviews of Mr.Bulbous, take a chance on it anyway. It may take a little while to grow on you (it did for me), but after awhile its realised that it is a very good album, and worthy of the King's X name.

I didn't remember a note of this album the first time I finished playing it. Almost no big hooks, fuzzy production, few soaring vocal harmonies, et cetera, et cetera. But, like many good albums, _Please Come Home...Mr. Bulbous_, revealed to me its attractive musical trimmings slowly over time. I really like this CD. While it does in ways seem to be a continuation of the groove dominated sound of _Tape Head_, this release is also darker and heavier. The bass-heavy production seemed weak at first, as rock gets its kick from a balance of trebles and bass (but try telling that to the kids and their sub-woofers, neurhg) - however, I later found that the gritty, rumbling grooves of the album fit nicely with the thick bass-dominant sound.

Outstanding grooves are omnipresent on _Mr. Bulbous_, attributable to the band's amazing synergy and great writing. Take the opener, "Fish Bowl Man". It opens up the album with a sigh of feedback before the main rhythm comes together. Here, Pinnick's bass takes random stabs through the gruff rhythm and Gaskill's odd-time beat is strangely hypnotic. Mm, groovy sauce! The tune is not just groovy, it's quite uncanny: the weird (and catchy) chorus, the spooky spoken-word bridge, and the reflective metaphorical lyrics.

A highlight among highlights is the guitar sunshine and fantastic layered vocal arrangements of a tune titled... "Charlie Sheen" (?huh?). I also really like the soaring guitar hooks of "She's Gone Away", which also has an outstanding, boiling solo soaked in a bluesy juice, placed atop a groovy groundwork of deep-toned rhythm. The 10-minute "Move Me", split into two tracks, pulls all the stops - heavy duty riffs, psychedelic guitar, and freewheeling rhythm. "Smudge" has verses that sound quite creepy, both due to the grim rhythm of Pinnick's vocals and the sinister tone of the slow, moody instrumentation. A grinding guitar line carries up the memorable chorus shared by Ty and Doug. "Bittersweet" is a very short song, with great vocal harmonies and sparkling, spare beauty. And all the songs have DEADLY ROCK GROOVE. Except "Bittersweet".

Whether you like change or not, it's happening to King's X. Come along for the ride or stay on the couch - just hope you don't miss anything you'll really like.

Like everyone else who's reviewed it, I'm a die-hard, bought Gretchen when it was new, saw them first on the FHL tour, underrated band, great players, singers, yah yah. This record falls far below their previous work. It's less a bunch of songs and more a bunch of song fragments jammed together in the hope that they'll work. They don't.

The mix is close to unlistenable because of the overachieving low end (maybe from proximity to a better, but also almost unlistenable record with the same problem - Let It Go by Galactic Cowboys). Perhaps they were trying to compensate for a lack of woof on the first 3-4 records.

I salute their talent and their courage, their continued shining presence in a world of musical junk, their artistic and personal searching. I'm with you, Ty, Doug and Jerry - just not on this one.

Change. That's nothing new to King's X, although some fans still seem surprised when any album doesn't sound like the past. Well, this ain't Ear Candy, it's not Faith Hope Love, it's not even Tape Head. It's got elements of all those albums, but for the first time the band has been able to settle into their own studio and produce their own small masterpiece without any record label in the background telling them to try to sell more.

And you can tell this is no Tape Head from the moment you hit Play. Ty's feedback-laced guitar fades in playing around with a riff while Doug and Jerry noodle in the background, searching for a melody. Suddenly their massive sound kicks in and leaves no doubt just who you're listening to. "Fish Bowl Man" kicks in with a loopy dark verse, an upbeat (though weird) sing-along chorus and a spooky spoken-word stream-of-consciousness rambling segment that reminds me of the Doors' "Ghost Song." From there on it's a thick, heady stew with a surprise around every corner. "Julia" is dark, hopeful and forlorn all at once. "Smudge" sounds as though Doug wrote the melody on valium and Ty wrote the chorus on Prozac. "She's Gone Away" could have fit in on a Platypus album. Through "Move Me" they bang out a punchy song, then start channeling Primus and the Grateful Dead at the same time. We also have one of the sunniest, most gorgeous tunes the band has ever done - titled, of all things, "Charlie Sheen."

Not recommended for neophyte listeners, and only missing a star because it's got Gretchen and Dogman to contend with, this is nevertheless an album full of hope, emotion and promise. An outstanding example of originality and inventiveness in today's musical climate, and one of the finest releases of 2000. Quite a lot to pack into one little piece of plastic. Welcome home guys, it's good to have you back.

There are many reasons for a quick dislike of this album. Ty's magic guitar tone is gone. The production is not as tasty. It's introduced by dissonant stacatto guitar over a beating drum--very un-KingsX-like. The cover itself looks cheap & photoshopped. The lyrics inside seem nonsensical and uncharacteristic.

Time brings it all together, though, and some of KX's finest melodies are here. They may be at their most beatles-esque, and this is their magical mystery tour or their seargeant peppers. It's like KX decided to be a different band for an album, but its just their doppelganger in an alternate universe. The lyrics are dream-like and full of images, wordplay, fairy-tale nonsense but emotionally focused nonsense. Mr. Wilson even shows up from the Faith Hope Love album--a nod to their most psychedelic record before Bulbous.

It's alternatingly very pretty and very heavy with more dissonance than guitar solos. (There is one awesome one on "When You're Scared"). There is passion here. It just works differently. Its kinda proggy but poppy...until they riff like its 1994. Not sweet like Ear Candy, not power pop like Tapehead or the later Ogre Tones. The parts are kinda pasted together sometimes--surely a product of the collaborative on-the-spot writing they started with Tapehead--but they work here (though it does sound like the songs Ty sings are by his own pen). They're having fun. Gets better after the first song, though that's a good song, too; the drummer does a beat poetry parody and I think its safe to assume it's not meant to be too serious. This ultra-goofiness is uncharacteristic of the album, though. The show-stopping "Charlie Sheen" is all jabberwocky but must be the most majestic song they've ever done. It soars just on pure feeling.

And it's not all meaningless. Some great lyrical moments: "All of your ornaments fall to the ground when you're scared." "If she gave me a sword in a lake would I mistake it?" And there seems to be more thought behind even the weirder verses than is apparent at first glance. And check the simply beautiful "Bittersweet" about a breakup. This is a serious album. If there's not an obvious concept, there is a feeling of wholeness to it. Doug almost interrupts "Marsh Mellow Field" to yell "Oh won't you take me out of my mind?!" Being a "Fish Bowl Man" means not seeing the big picture and going around and around in your little world wondering about something beyond the mundane--God? Fantasy? Getting high? What do you do after you lose an ideal? This cynicism is the dark undertone of the entire album. It's the shadowy opposite of FHL's heartful theological optimism (with sharper songwriting but not superior musicality) and it updates and answers the themes of the pre-Dogman era records more than its predecessors. There's a desire to escape into dreamland, or knowlege of the beyond--the feeling of *searching* for the Mystery is there even in the cut-up "Charlie Sheen"--yet it keeps "coming home" ("When You're Scared," "She's Gone Away") to the things that make them want to escape in the first place. And finally does in the last song "Move Me" that is one of the most sincere and moving things the band has ever done. It's a prayer born of disillusion. "Once I was told there's a race to be won, pointed the finger straight into the sun to be blinded. And I minded."

I hated this album when I first bought it, but now I love it. It's dark, but never depressing; the beauty of the music keeps a hopeful light on things. Give it a try.