Mr. Bungle - California [2LP Clear Red]

Mike Patton and company take a sun-bleached detour into lounge, surf and exotica on California, Mr. Bungle's 1999 album, pressed here as a double LP on clear red vinyl.

After the brutal genre-hopping of their 1991 debut and the experimental maze of Disco Volante, the Northern California band surprised everyone by making a record that, on the surface at least, sounded almost pretty. Patton, bassist Trevor Dunn and guitarist Trey Spruance led a crew that layered vintage keyboards, steel guitar, horns and lush harmonies into songs that flip genres mid-verse.

None Of Them Knew They Were Robots careens from swinging lounge to thrash in a few bars, Retrovertigo is a gorgeous, aching ballad, and Ars Moriendi whips up a frantic Balkan-flavored dance about death. Pink Cigarette offers a woozy, old-fashioned slow dance that feels like the last song at a haunted prom.

California may be the most accessible thing Mr. Bungle ever made, but it is still deliciously deranged under the surface, packed with tape edits and sudden left turns that reward close listening on a good system.

This clear red double LP gives the album's widescreen production plenty of room, making it an easy pick for Faith No More fans, Patton completists and anyone who likes their pop with a twist of the macabre.