ALBUM REVIEW: Corpse Flower – Mike Patton and Jean-Claude Vannier
Way back in 2011, in a Hollywood Bowl of all settings, a friendship was born. It would take a few years for them to actually get around to brainstorming ideas, but when MIKE PATTON and JEAN-CLAUDE VANNIER first began to converse, their bond was immediately unbreakable. Quite often when two magnificent minds combine, miraculous things happen and in this instance, the by-product of such an ethereal partnership is the outlandish album Corpse Flower. Aside from feeling like a soundtrack born in the shadier side of Tim Burton‘s mind, the record raises more questions than it answers, on a journey that affords shock, humour and down right outrageous composition.
The easiest thing to do is to accept that Corpse Flower is a law upon itself. No genre is safe from its manipulation, as these two musicians bend physics to their will in what can only be described as an attempt to baffle and bemuse. Glancing over such song names as Cold Sun Warm Beer gives this impression, but the reality is much more puzzling. MIKE PATTON has long since established himself as an outstanding vocalist, perhaps best known for his work fronting the iconic rock band FAITH NO MORE, but here his sense of humour stands equally prominent. Sitting aloft the apt composition work, his lyrics offer many a chuckle.
Opening up affairs is Ballade C.3.3, a twisted take on a classic Oscar Wilde poem. Imagery of Cowboys and Indians flutter by with the harmonica ridden western riffs, while PATTON flirts somewhere in the middle of spoken word and his notorious singing style. Harsh screams pierce the mostly calm track, hinting at the slightly darker underbelly that we’ll uncover deeper into the record. Camion is next, flowing through another subtle soundscape, before things begin to take a turn for the bizarre in Chansons D’Amour. VANNIER‘s orchestral influence begins to feel ever more prominent, as a piano ballad intro backs a monologue of peculiar storytelling. Strings add a further dynamic, and the darkness becomes ever more palpable.
By the time we reach Browning, we can be forgiven for feeling baffled. The very fact that such an album feels so g ripping is testament to the quality of its writing, and it’s appeal lies largely in the fact that we never quite know what is round the corner. Hungry Ghost is synonymous with horror, evocative of the likes of Dracula or similar classic play work. Spooky vocals combine with eerie musicianship, while all the while managing to showcase sounds typical of French music (typically accordion), which is VANNIER‘s native country. The whole thing could score a journey along a ghost train, and leads seamlessly into the equally strange title track, Corpse Flower. Choppy violin sits with jazzy drums and oddly, PATTON is effectively reading out a list of French cuisine.
At times in the album, PATTON‘s humour takes a particularly satirical turn. “When I get to the top of the world, I’ll take a shit right down on the earth,” he exclaims in the tenuous On Top Of The World, taking a tongue-in-cheek approach to his worldly views. This is a common theme in the album, juxtaposing incredibly dramatic, outstanding musicianship alongside his unique ability to entice the listener with warped and personal lyricism. Perhaps describing the record as neo-classical is selling it short, since there is so much else on display, but it’s hard not to draw a comparison to period theatre and opera.
The oddish nature continues through Yard Bull and A Schoolgirl’s Day, the latter simply detailing a young girl’s itinerary throughout the day, right down to which lessons were studied, and what time she did her homework. This track is afforded one of the most dramatic musical backdrops. Hard rock guitar slides in between the ‘verses’, moving through the day until the girl shockingly “Gets up onto the balcony and jumps into the cold night.” This is another example of the sheer randomness and depth that Corpse Flower contains.
MIKE PATTON and JEAN-CLAUDE VANNIER are both incredible musicians, but what they have created with Corpse Flower goes beyond the norm. It is a record that thrives in mystery, leaving the most acquired of tastes in our mouths, and for better or for worse, one that feels impossible to wash out. In it’s own messed up way, it is a contemporary masterpiece, and when approached with a mind as wide as the musical offering on display, it might just be the most formidable album we could ever wish to encounter. Otherwise, it might just be totally bonkers.
Rating: 8/10
Corpse Flower is out now via Ipecac Recordings.
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