Bulbous is a grower. But it rewards. As I said earlier, it isn't too shelf KX but it's solid. In fact, I've fallen in love with it all over again thanks to this song by song review. Just wish it had one more song. Or two.
Marsh Mellow Field "Marsh Mellow Field" features lead vocals from Doug Pinnick and Ty Tabor. The song originated with a Tabor riff during a jam session. As for the lyrics, the title phrase was also Ty's. Doug Pinnick: "That was a jam song ... We were making up rhymes, and Ty said, 'Beautiful marsh mellow field'. As we wrote the song, we kept coming back to 'marsh mellow field' - every fourth line of every verse - until we realized that must be the song title, so we left it." "Beautiful marsh mellow field" then became "militant marsh mellow field" for the final lyric. The track was the sole single issued from Please Come Home ... Mr. Bulbous. It did not chart. I like this song, it's one of the better ones on the album. It sort of wears out its welcome, though. Seems a tad too long. But overall, I dig it. Heard you were coming back Been hanging around for so long A militant mother, a militant brother A militant marsh mellow field Loosen the tourniquet Long way to go for so long An angry professor misguided confessor Of militant marsh mellow fields Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me out of my mind Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me out of my mind Valedictorian Living the words for so long I love you forever, I curse the bad weather In militant marsh mellow fields Its raining in storyland Stuck in the pages so long Attracted a loser a practiced confuser A militant marsh mellow field Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me out of my mind Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me out of my mind New resolution Forever lasting so long Got over inflated I no longer waited In militant marsh mellow fields Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me out of my mind Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me out of my mind Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me out of my mind Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me Oh won't you take me out of my mind "Marsh Mellow Field" live: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HEm1l0nz_wM
Not to get too wise-azz sounding, but I always wondered if Charlie Sheen knows that King's X wrote a song in his name.
Yeah, the last verse and probably the guitar solo could be ditched on this song as well. There is stuff in this song I should like more than I do. As well as maybe the album. I think this album tries to be clever rather than go for the heart. Had a Chris Cornell solo album that did that same thing. Not for me so much. "Militant Marshmallow Field." Whatever. Better than Fishbowl Man and Julia. Not as good as She's Gone Away.
My friend got me into KX at the time of Tape Head. We had a few years to freak out on the whole KX catalog, tried to attend a show (but we were only 20 and it was 21+), and were really anticipating the release of PCHMB. The day of its release, we played it and loved it straightaway. Just an interesting album with a lot to chew on, some plodding tunes, but others with fantastic hooks and melodies. We couldn't stop laughing, thinking, this $#$% is weird, but damn catchy. Charlie Sheen is the song that endures with me to this day. Classic KX three part harmonies, Jerry's funky drumming, inscrutable lyrics, it's got it all. Doug's bass goes LOW on this album. How many hz is a low dropped A note on a bass?
I remember Doug saying at the time that his bass strings were practically flapping in the wind, LOL. I don't know about the hz but it rattles the heck out of my crappy car speakers when I play it.
It was a cool listen, even if they spent most of it on the Sam Taylor years. But when the new album gets a mention they sound really psyched. It has me psyched!
Maybe I've been a fan for too long, but I feel like I've heard all the stories and accolades before. It WAS cool to see how excited they are for the new album.
Okay here is something odd... Each of the live links I've posted for the Bulbous songs we have covered are from a show the band did at the House of Blues in (I think) Orlando. When I went to YouTube just now to grab more links for the remaining Bulbous songs from that show, the videos were gone. It appears whoever uploaded that show has removed it. Makes me wonder why now, suddenly, a 20 year old show has been completely removed? I have a theory: the band plan to release it as part of the documentary. Like a bonus thing. Maybe? Otherwise I'm not clear on why it would be removed. And it was done today. Because those links worked when I posted them. Thoughts?
Could be. That was one of their main reasons for taking down videos before and also stopping fans from filming at shows. A videographer friend did a multi-camera shoot for a show at Sony Hall in NYC a couple years ago at the request of the band. When I asked to see some of it he said the band was not allowing anyone to see it...yet.
Marsh Mellow Field First off, I think this one would have been a good contender to follow Fishbowl Man in the song order. The way it comes charging out of the gate it would have kicked up the energy level another notch making for a stronger one/two punch opening. As for the song itself, I like it. However, I do feel the chorus comes off as a slight letdown from the strong dual vocal verses. As to it being too long? Well, maybe the ending is too drawn out, but I have no problem with the solo then final short verse leading into the final chorus. In fact, that final chorus just after the final verse could have been halved. Then they could have just had the main riff fading out with the "Oh won't you take me" vocals.
Yea I don't think I would cut the solo either. I really think it is the tempo making it feel long. I don't usually complain about song length with this group. But it does feel like the ending drags a bit. But I like it overall.
I vaguely remember something like a live streaming broadcast from a House of Blues show back around then - maybe that was the show that you mention? I think I got an audio of that....lemme see...YUP!! I have several audio CDs of that plus a VCD (video) somewhere, on my old tradelist dated as July 11, 2000 from Orlando!!!!!!!!! I had no idea it was ever up on youtube but obviously someone must have put it there....
