Manpanzee

The quintessential BEEFUS plus some.

     

BEEFUS, for those not in the know, is an electric banjoist who has taken the electrical banjo further in the direction of hard rock than just about anyone.On this outing, he's joined by the crack coterie of Madison-based musicians calling themselves the BEEFUS Project. Don't expect bluegrass or folky minimalism; this is a full-on sonic funk-metal assault. BEEFUS himself comes across as a hybrid between Captain Beefheart and Animal (from the Muppets), a crazed blues shouter in top hat and goggles. The music is very bass-heavy, inviting comparisons to Primus, although that's more typical of this record than of Beefus' output in general. Lyrics are pleasantly weird, shot through with cryptic references to evil corporate experiments, DNA mischief, paranoia and fungus. Highlights are the roots-rock rave-up "Your Girl Got Boned By A Rodeo Clown" and the apocalyptic "Meat Fork Wiggler." A must for any weirdo-rock completist, this one stands up to multiple late-night freakout replays.