Mr. Bungle is an American experimental rock band formed in Eureka, California in 1985 by Mike Patton, Trey Spruance and Trevor Dunn. It innitially started out as a death metal project while the members were still in highschool, the name of the band being based off a character from 1959's children's educational film Beginning Responsibility: Lunchroom Manners, but has since evolved a lot in style including many genres such as heavy metal, avant-garde jazz, ska, disco, and funk. The band has been well known for the music they've created during their most experimental era which also included things such as unconventional song structures, audio sampling, playing a wide array of instruments and many more.
During the mid to late 80s, Mr Bungle released 4 demo tapes and later released 3 full length studio albums between years 1991 and 1999 under the Warner Bros Records label which they signed up for in 1990. Those three albums being the Mr Bungle Self-titled, Disco Volante and California. They then toured in 1999 and 2000 to support the third album before promptly going into haitus, they lated reunited as a thrash metal band for a series of shows in February of 2020, performing their 1986 demo album The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny in which they returned back to the studio to re-record it as a proffesional album and released it in October of 2020. Since then the band has been present past it's innitial haitus till now.
To say that Mr Bungle's music is influential isn't enough, the band has quite the legacy influecing many bands and muscians, most notably the bands Korn, Avenged Sevenfold, System of a Down and many more. The band's style is just so uniquely Mr Bungle, with each album having such a familiar tone yet unique listening experience to one another. I had only started listening to Mr Bungle this year but the albums especially the self titled and california have grown to be my favourite albums of all time, this is certainly one of those bands you need a second listen to their songs to fully let how banger each tune is sink in.
In this page I will be listening to the entirety of Mr Bungle's Discography from all the studio albums to the demos and giving my thoughts on each of them to the best that I can!
Keep in mind these are all my opinion purely and that if you disagree with what I've said that it's completely fine.
(Mr. Bungle/Self-Titled)
Mr Bungle's Self Titled was the band's debut studio album, released in 1991, August 13th. This album while much more weirder and out there than some of their latter albums and may take a second relisten to fully grasp it, was a really good start for the band helping them gain a cult audience. The album tracks hop and include many different musical genres all even within the same song which I think is what makes this and the band so unique. This is by far my favourite album out of the Mr Bungle discography and was the first one I listened to too!
Track one: "Travolta/Quote Unquote"
The first track of the album! A really really good start for the album, wacky enough to prepare the listener for what's to come for latter tracks but still somewhat tame as to not immediately overwhelm the listener. It really makes you anticipate for what's next to expect in the album! I love the like general rhythmn alongside the first verse and the chorus's.
Track two: "Slowly Growing Death (Sleep (Part I))"
This was the second song I went back to relisten when I had first finished listening to the album, it really does stick with you. The guitar is really fucking good and the overall song is so goddamn catchy, especially the like build up to the refrain! I also just really love the lyrics and like the shift in tone throughout the song! The ending of the song while at first suprised me is honestly really camp and kinda just fits tbh.
Track three: "Squeeze Me Macaroni"
This track is truely when things go all over the place and crazy! From the really upbeat and fast points transtitioning into a more slower tone, this song is definitely the most wacky and comedic of the whole track. It's just a really catchy banger that really just screams "Mr Bungle". Also just really love the transition from this to the next track.
Track four: "Carousel"
This is def one of my fav tracks of the album! I love the whole carnival and like evil clown theme, it really fits with the album cover and the qoute unqoute music vid! I really fucking love the part in the song where after the "welcome to my house" part near the end, it just fits so fucking well. Love the overall energy of the song and such yknow how this goes.
Track five: "Egg"
It honestly took me a while to really get used to the song, and when I was planning on relistening it past my first listen I was kinda intimidated especially with it being the longest track in the album, however after relistening to it I do not regret it and wish I did so sooner. This track is so good especially in the beginning, I love how much the tone of the song changes especially the "lalalalala" parts. All this leading up to the chorus at the end and the reversed bridge makes it so unforgetable. I will say it does feel like this song honestly goes on forever/way longer than it should but I honestly just think it's cause of the ending and regardless it all from beginning to end is worth it.
Track six: "Stubb (a Dub)"
This song is by far my favourite song of Mr Bungle's while discography ever, it holds a lot of significance to me honestly from a secret meaning I've taken from the song and it was also the first Mr Bungle song I ever listened to!!! I love the innitial tonal shift from the beginning lyrics/intro and how it all ties back near the end, the overall sound is great especially the piano at the beginning and the fucking beat drop that happens throughout the song, especially near the "this dog has seen better days" AUGHH IT'S SO GOOD this whole track is so fucking good. I also love the reprise of the verse and the intro. This is once again my very favourite song out of the whole album and discography and for a good reason.
Track seven: "My Ass is on Fire"
Another favourite of mine of the album! I love just how like loud and brash it is, the instrumentals and how it all adds and builds up to the "my ass is on fire" lyric/line is soooo fucking good especially the second time it happens. I also love how the ending fits so well with the song and how it transitions directly to the themes of the next track after this. Overall energy of the song till the ending is so energetic and insane, I absolutely love replaying this.
Track eight: "The Girls Of Porn"
This is definitely the most sexual and not safe for work song in the album, right after squeeze me macaroni. I fucking love how absolutely funky and catchy this song is, helped with the vocals during the chorus. I will admit I did kinda grow embarrassed over listening to the really not safe for work part of the song past the first bridge to the point I'd just skip out on it completely but at this point I've kinda gotten used to it, at worst I find some parts of it kinda corny but past that the pre chorus/chorus is so good alongside the outro. Overall if you don't mind much more cruder and explicit work you'd enjoy this.
Track nine: "Love is a Fist"
I will admit, this is one of the only track in the album I don't really have much attachment to at all/is my least replayable song from the album. It's definitely not bad! Just honestly feels a bit lacking and dare I say generic compared to the rest of the tracks. I do like the ending though that pairs with the final track of the album. This track just wasn't really my thing.
Track ten: "Dead Goon"
At first I was really worried about this track kinda not being my thing/ a weak end to such a great album especially due to love is a fist, however my worries were proven wrong same with my worries of relistening to egg. This track is honestly such a catchy and chilling way to end this album which I feel is really perfect. I especially love the first parts of the song and the lyrics/vocals. I just overall love the whole unsettling yet funky feel I get from listening this track, with the almost somber ending being so chilling. It's honestly warmed up to being a really good Mr Bungle song to me and a good end to the Self Titled album.
This album is one if not my favourite album of all time and my fave Mr Bungle album in general, each track (with an exception of one which was honestly just middling) are banger after banger. It did take me a bit in the past when I first heard it to fully adjust but once it did this whole album is really one of a kind and I would highly reccommend it. I really can't wait for a day I could get this album on vinyl or cd.
(Disco Volante)
Track one: "Everyone I Went to High School With Is Dead"
I think at first when I heard this track, I was a bit hesistant if I was going to like this album, however I can say after having consumed and heard the works of more experimental artists/albums this is relatively tame compared to what I've seen. I've actually grown to like this track and the chaos and just overall messiness present especially since it's pretty evident this album is much more experimental and just them messing around with what they could really do past the self titled.
Track two: "Chemical Marriage"
I absolutely love the atmospheric tone and tune of this track! The vocalizations and noises present truely make the song and kinda represent to me what this album is like. The drums and instrumental flair make this track for me, the end especially is so spectacular.
Track three: "Carry Stress in the Jaw (Sleep (Part II))/The Secret Song/Spy"
This track is probably one of my fav tracks of the album!!! Funny thing there was a small amount of time I genuinly thought this was a LazyTown we are number one mr bunglefied remix. Apart from that, the vocalizations and the direction they took with it shines the most in the track, I absoluately love the overwhelmingness of the instruments such as the drums and guitars. I especially love the direction the song takes at the 3 minute mark with the interlude, bridge and 3rd verse. The end with the secret song is also just such a fun delight.
Track four: "Desert Search for Techno Allah"
I do really love the like techno elements (duh) present in this song, as well as the super ominous vocals. Just a super catchy sing overall, it reminds me of some of the tracks in Gangpol und Mit's "The hopelessly sad story of the end of the world" specifically the track WWW=666.
Track five: "Violenza Domestica"
This track mostly being vocals and it all being in italian and handeling a pretty serious topic was pretty chilling. While cut in with more possibly comedic elements such as the beginning almost spring toy sound and the mention of pasta and preggo does well to balance the overall feel of the track. I especially love where the instrumental goes and tapers off in the middle and near end of the song. The fucking glass shattering sounds and the escolta lines are downright haunting. I think this song choice being right before After School Special is such a nice touch.
Track six: "After School Special"
Oh my god. This fucking track. THIS HAS TO ANOTHER ONE OF MY FAVOURITE TRACKS OF THE ENTIRE ALBUM and one of my other fav songs out of the entire Mr Bungle discography. The super somber, chilling and just quiet feeling is so powerful.
Track seven: "Phlegmatics (Sleep (Part III))"
After the two previous tracks, this is definetaly a bombshell in tonal shift, however I absolutely love it for that. It also fits so well for part of the sleep series continueing off Carry stress in the jaw. A short one but a goodie :-], also love the saxophone (?) and the overall forebording feeling present.
Track eight: "Ma Meeshka Mow Skwoz"
The chaos of this track alongside the gibberish and almost cartoony nature from the instrumentals is sooooo good. It all comes together suprisingly well since once again the lyrics were all gibberish it's impressive. It really reminds me a cowboy heist or a halloween movie in some parts of the instrumental.
Track nine: "The Bends"
I absolutely love the direction this track had being quite atmospheric to convey a pretty simple story through soley sounds throughout different times/moments of the track. You defientely feel a certain ominous feeling of danger present. This is also by far second the longest track (right behind merry go bye bye) of the album despite seemingly only being sounds and minimal vocals. The fucking ending too is goddamn scary.
Track ten: "Backstrokin'"
I absolutely love the instrumentals in this track, they're very nice sounding and almost calming especiall after the end of the bends while still having the feeling of something being off.
Track eleven: "Platypus"
This track is pretty wild being about a platypus, but despite that I just love how this song is especially about the topic at hand. The instrumentals and the slow vocals are soooo welcoming.
Track twelve: "Merry Go Bye Bye"
I absolutely love how different this track starts from everything out of this album, it almost fits more for something out of california or just a different artist all together. The vocals are just so lovely and poppy like till of course the tone of the track shifts to what's more inline for a mr bungle song nonetheless the ending track of the album. The next tonal shift at the 4 minute mark also reminds me of something that would definitely be in california which makes sense since this was before california. The next 6 minutes of the song are just improvisations/"noises". Overall while I prefer the ending songs of the other albums compared to this one it's still a very powerful end to a very experimental album.
You can really tell from this album that they were very experimental especially with tracks like The Bends and Ma Meeshka Mow Skwoz. Like I said earlier at first I was kinda hesistant if I would like the direction of the album, however especially after hearing much more experimental pieces of music out there, Disco Volante is absolutely a great experimental Mr Bungle album and possibly the most unique especially compared to the Self Titled and California in presentation.
(California)
Track one: "Sweet Charity"
The first track of the album! It definitely gives us the vibe of how this album will be like, quite different from their earlier album works going with a much more somber and slower tone atleast compared with their more energetic and out there works. I love the beginning vibes of the song as if you're on a vacation in some coastal island. The vocals are also great in here which really highlights how it is for the rest of the tracks, very relaxed.
Track two: "None of Them Knew They Were Robots"
This now unlike the first track is a lot more like what'd you expect from a Mr Bungle song! Very high energy and out there, but it still has the distinction that makes it clear it's specifically from this album. This was another one of the first few songs I first listened of Mr Bungle, I think I also just like this track cause it reminds me of the Bump in the night theme song. This song just makes me so jumpy cause it's soo fucking catchy, def one of my fav Mr Bungle songs from this album!
Track three: "Retrovertigo"
This track I would have to say is one of the more emotional/somber esc songs in the album, I love the much more slower tone present in this that continues more into latter songs such as Pink Cigarette and some parts of Goodbye Sober Day! The vocals also once again are just done so wonderfully here, it really does convey the mood so seamlessly especially with the lyrics. Also fun fact I relistened to this properly through a Lain serial experiments amv to this song when I was looking for Mr Bungle amvs.
Track four: "The Air-Conditioned Nightmare"
Another one of the first few songs I heard of Mr Bungle! The beat is just so snappy and catchy especially with the "get me out of this air conditioned nightmare" part that gets followed up with the "ROTS YOUR BRAIN JUST LIKE A CATCHY TUNE YEAH!" lyric, it's just sooo good same with the buildup with the "walking on air, up from the wheelchair" lyric. How the rhythm changes as well is so good with it slowing down having that present somber feeling to being loud and fast again! Also I just associate this song with the air conditioner from TBLT it just fits too well. When I first listened to this song I just couldn't stop looping it great fucking song.
Track five: "Ars Moriendi"
The beginning of this song is sooooo fucking good, as well as all the shifts and rythm and tone this song takes especially near the middle to end mark, accompanied with the vocalizations I can't stress enough is so good I love the guitar and other instruments present in the song. Very much in tune with what self titled had.
Track six: "Pink Cigarette"
Another very solemn track in the album after retrovertigo, I absolutely love the slow tone with this one especially compared to all the other tracks. The lyrics for this one are so genius. Literally just repeating myself from the retrivertigo points but I just love the atmosphere this song brings especially near the end with the lyrics counting down and such. The piano in the track as well is such a lovely touch ^^.
Track seven: "Golem II: The Bionic Vapour Boy"
Another case where I haven't listened to this song much at all, atleast compared to the other tracks in the california album much like for tracks from the self titled. I'm glad to say once again I have been proven wrong in not listening to these tracks cause I fucking love the funkiness this song is packed with, alongside the vocals. The beginning also very much reminds me of carousel, just that messed up fairy tale circus feeling. The overal robotic feeling this track has is so fucking good.
Track eight: "The Holy Filament"
I really love the angelic almost dream like feel of the beginning once again with the piano building up alongside the vocals singing along. The slowish build up the further the track goes with the guitar and drums in the instrumental as well is sooo aughhhh.
Track nine: "Vanity Fair"
I love the saxophone (?) and overall feel of this track, alongside the vocals. All the vocals and singing just go so well with the music. This really does feel like the last lap, the final hurdel of this album. Especially from all the craziness of the previous tracks.
Track ten: "Goodbye Sober Day"
ANOTHER BANGER ENDING TO A MR BUNGLE ALBUM!!!!! The fucking beat drop at the "goodbye sober days" line is soooooooooooo fucking awesome alongside the noises and like instrumentals. As well as the iconic slowish vocal parts of the "goodbye sober day, the years grew wings and flew away" before the performance of the rest of the lines such as the "Ghosts of the past become barbarians, of the future, and I still pity you, because what you said was true" is sooo unbelievably good and smooth with the transitions. And how overwhelming the end gets is so fitting for such an album.
This is once again another great album of Mr Bungle I think it strikes the perfect inbetween of improvements and quirks of the self titled and Disco volante album. If it weren't for my attachment to self titled this would be what I consider the best album of their discography. This is also a great beginner album for those who potentially want to get into Mr Bungle.
(The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny)
Track one: "Grizzly Adams"
Track two: "Anarchy Up Your Anus"
Track three: "Raping Your Mind"
Track four: "Hypocrites/Habla Español O Muere"
Track five: "Bungle Grind"
Track six: "Methematics"
Track seven: "Eracist"
Track eight: "Spreading the Thighs of Death"
Track nine: "Loss for Words"
Track ten: "Glutton for Punishment"
Track eleven: "Sudden Death"
Demos
(The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny, Bowel Of Chiley, Goddammit I Love America!!!$ɫ!!, OU818)
The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny
Bowel Of Chiley
Goddammit I Love America!!!$ɫ!!
Goddammit I Love America is another demo track produced by Mr Bungle released in 1988. It features 7 tracks, 2 of which (Egg and Carousel) would later appear in the Self Titled album while the other 5 demos are all original.
Track one: "Bloody Mary"
Track two: "Egg (1988)"
Track three: "Goosebumps"
Track four: "Waltz for Grandma's sake"
Track five: "Carousel"
Track six: "Definition of Shapes"
Track seven: "Incoherence"
OU818
OU818 is one of the 4 demo tracks produced by Mr Bungle and released in 1989. It features 6 tracks, 4 of which are demos that would be later appear in the Self Titled album while Mr. Nice guy was cut last second from the album.
Track one: "Intro"
Not much to say about this apart from it potentially explaining the name origin behind the demos name OU818.
Track two: "Squeeze Me Macaroni"
What would be the third track of the self titled! Most obvious thing is how different the vocals sound, definetely a lot more clearer to say? also not as deep sounding as the final version. I can also notice some different instrumentals used! Apart from that and how the track ends it's not that different from the finished version in the Self Titled album. Still a really fun and energetic listen, both versions are pretty good in my eyes.
Track three: "Slowly Growing Deaf"
Once again the difference from this and the final version really show through the vocals especially with how certain lines are delivered, definetely a lot easier to make out what exactly they're saying. Same with some instrumentals, I especially enjoy the guitar during the bridges of the song. The 'YEAH YEAH' part especially before the 3rd verse really makes me think back to the final version of The Girls of Porn. Really really enjoy the gradual build up with the drums and guitar with the "ears are ringing" refrain. Overall I also really enjoyed this version as much as the final version!
Track four: "The Girls of Porn"
With this track, I could definitely notice the vast difference between this and the final version, definitely a lot more funkier feeling as if the final version couldn't already be extremely funky! The vocals are also different alongside some cut lines during the start of the second bridge. I just love the extra instrumentals in this it's such a banger. I do however miss the inclusion of the "I'd buy that for a dollar!" line and just the way the final version ended, but nonetheless it is once again still a very good version of the song, hell I even say I prefer some parts like the instrumentals in this than the final version.
Track five: "Love is a Fist"
I think for this track in particular, I prefer it a lot more than the final version! The beginning is wonderful and the inclusion of the drums. I just think this is a lot more exciting to me than the final version they went with, especially with the performance of the "I feel strongely about violence" line!
Track Six: "Mr. Nice Guy"
With the final/ending track of this demo, it immediately starts out so fucking funky and just gets better from that. This song is such a perfect sounding song to end this demo off with, I just love the way the instruments are performed and the vocals/line delivery. I also love the change of like rhythm and how it also manages to come back and perfectly match the earlier parts of the song. This track really is perfect for the self titled so it's sad to see it never made the cut, it feels perfect to fit in between stubb (a dub) and The Girls of porn! The ending of the track also just really tops it all off. This I think is going to be a track I replay a lot of it's just so good beginning to end.
This demo album while very short and mostly consisting of demos of songs I've already listened to, is still a very pleasant listen to and I definitely reccommend it to those who have finished listening to the Self Titled and liked it if they haven't listened to this yet. I especially really really like the drums and guitar in the demos here, it strangely makes me think these songs could be in an umjammer lammy game somehow.
Conclusion to this page, Mr Bungle SWEEP!!!
A Mr Bungle fansite
back
