Composer/Musician Reacts to Mr. Bungle - Retrovertigo (REACTION!!!)

Bryan reacts to and talks about his thoughts on Mr. Bungle - Retrovertigo Music Video
ORIGINAL VIDEO // • Mr. Bungle - Retrovert...
PATREON // / criticalreactions
Vote on future themes and bands, watch the videos early, and participate in live reactions
TWITTER // / critreactions
DISCORD // / discord
BLOCKED VIDEOS // docs.google.co...
REQUESTS SPREADSHEET // docs.google.co...
SPECIAL SELECTION LIST // docs.google.co...

[@acidgravy1]

The video is fanmade.

[@CriticalReactions]

Somehow I missed that when I selected the video. Probably because it isn't too often to find fanmade music videos and then the quality of the video was pretty high as well so nothing seemed off during the reaction either. Regardless, thanks for that info. I've pinned it to make sure everyone else knows as well.

[@acidgravy1]

@@CriticalReactions And just in case you‘ll react to Pink Cigarette by Mr Bungle somewhen, that vid is fanmade as well. Have a great sunday!

[@YeesusKrist]

And the Steve Wilson song came out in 2013 Bungle song came out 1999

[@ClintEatswood]

@@CriticalReactions Its an amazing video. Check out Pink Cigarette as well.

[@lungfulldrummer8921]

The whole California album is something pretty special.

[@ThePeca1988]

Absolutely!

[@inkubuzz]

The whole Mr. Bungle discography is something pretty special.

[@markherron3897]

All 4 albums are, but this album is the most adult and also easier to digest, especially more than the self titled and Disco Volante.

[@jeffa4110]

Yer goddam right!

[@broontroosers]

Correct

[@Youcannotfalter]

Patton does indeed beat box, the man can do anything.

[@liliIiliIilil]

Big fan of Mr. Bungle. Truly original composition and they are all great players. Their album California (Which is where this song came from) is so unique. Fun Fact: Avenged Sevenfold covered this song.

[@deminybs]

yep, funny didn't know it was a cover till today haha. only heard the a7x version

[@captainshiner42]

This has been my shit for the past 20 years. Mr. Bungle was so ahead of the curve.

[@AllergicToMyself]

Is

[@flapper3370]

Hell yeah I've met exactly two people who knew mr bungle, and one of them introduced me to them Its a lonely fanbase, but by God are they incredible

[@captainshiner42]

@@flapper3370 I can do you one better. I got myself into the band. I just started playing bass and just stumbled across them on the internet back in '01. Shit blew my freaking mind. I basically told everyone I knew about them. I had a small circle of friends back then and put them all onto the band. Now, they're obsessed. Can't say I blame them.

[@StringHead92]

This is a beautiful track indeed. California is probable the most accesible Mr. Bungle record, but remains my favourite for sure, and it's a clear blueprint for bands like The Dear Hunter or Between the Buried and Me. It works perfectly in the context of the record, as it is sandwich between two crazy tracks. The beatboxing is a nice touch. Great analysis as always, Bryan!

[@CriticalReactions]

I've never really thought to include beatboxing in a "traditional" song, so to speak. In my mind, beatboxing is for....well, beatboxing. It's it's own genre and not really classified as an instrumental choice. This song certainly opened my mind though and I hope I can remember that going forward.

[@StringHead92]

@@CriticalReactions It's not typical for sure, especially pairing it up with drums, but it adds an interesting flavour. Some artists like Björk have used it as percussion in vocal only works, and funnily enough Coldplay uses it in one of the singles from their last album, again paired with drums and it adds a bit of an extra punch.

[@ryanmcgill5048]

The song Vanity Fair from the same album has a lot of vocal instrumentation in it. And Mike Patton does crazy vocal percussion in general patton vs the xecutioners

[@paulstoliker3303]

@@CriticalReactions it's a Mike Patton thing...there is NOTHING he won't do with his voice and other related vocalish skills, with no shyness about sticking his neck out and taking chances with what he's doing vocally. You can check with the KZbin vocal coaches about his vocals...he's got them all in love with him, all giggly & impressed. So funny.

[@Sape43]

@@CriticalReactions Patton is easily the most "fun" vocalist I know, he is ridiculously versatile and not afraid to think outside of the box. "When Good Dogs Do Bad Things" song by Dillinger you reacted on livestream also had him as vocalist, I think that song showed his creative side pretty well.

[@VanemanaAMVs]

Im gonna have to give these guys some further attention. I was getting pretty into that.

[@redshift912]

I usually wouldn’t recommend a live set for someone getting into a band but this is pretty awesome . kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3vWpXqkqKaEhpY

[@ryanmcgill5048]

This is off one of my all time favorite albums. I think California is a masterpiece and anything Mike Patton does is awesome. You should check out General Patton vs The Xecutioners. Its a really fun album

[@ryanmcgill5048]

And yes Mike Patton does a lot of beat boxing in his mixes

[@southbayspike]

Now you gotta try something off their second album, Disco Volante. Possibly, Carry Stress In The Jaw.

[@j.prt.979]

I think Violenza Domestica would be a much more interesting reaction.

[@jeffa4110]

Platypus ;)

[@deighvheart9717]

Mr Bungle have a new album released a few months ago. Although technically it's a re-recording of a demo tape they originally recorded in 1986 while they were in high school. So it's pure 80s thrash metal. Scott Ian from Anthrax is on rhythm and Dave Lombardo from Slayer is on drums, with the core permenant members of the band being Mike Patton on vox, trey spruance on guitar and Trevor Dunn on bass. Mr Bungle embodies variety. You should react to 'Carry Stress In The Jaw'.

[@markherron3897]

I 2nd for Carrying Stress in the Jaw.

[@darrinsiberia]

really

[@b.l.fisher8230]

More Bungle, Secret Chiefs 3, Tub Ring, Estradasphere, Beardfish, Free Salamander Exhibit, Dog Fashion Disco & John Zorn...

[@jasongitlitz7748]

Might as well through in some Sleepytime Gorilla Museum if we're going down that rabbit hole.

[@b.l.fisher8230]

@@jasongitlitz7748 Yep and some Marbin & The Motet

[@theskv21]

Growing up I thought those drums at the end sounded really pumped and I only recently realised that was beatboxing layered on top of them. It’s a trick I’ve borrowed in a few tracks too.

[@TheseBitchesWantNikes]

I absolutely love that this is a fanmade video. What an achievement and I bet the band considers this official.

[@blockcombo5256]

mike patton is god

[@deighvheart9717]

True

[@darrinsiberia]

everything bungle does is satire. especially on California. you have rock a billy satire. doo wop satire. this song however it is very very subtle what exactly they are mocking. the chorus almost has a Faith No More feel. the lyrics are poignant and super hyper critical of materialism and pursuing shallow pleasures in life (truth is a ruin). but the key to this song is at the very very end. when Patton sings "retro vertigo" listen to the sarcasm in his voice. it's almost mocking. it's like he's mocking the tag line of the song. it's like mocking the fact the tag and the title of the song is positioned at the end like a sitcom... if you pay attention to his inflection it is totally spot on perfect. a lot of non Bungle fans seem to gravitate to this song because structurally it is the most traditional. i think when you consider the context of the whole album of California. and that Bungle is a satirical band. this song is a satirical criticism of the whole phony "American Dream" preoccupation in California and especially California suburbia and all of that music.

[@b.l.fisher8230]

Kinda sounds like a Glockenspiel

[@CriticalReactions]

Yup, I've been corrected on this. It's a case of strict definition vs actual usage. At least where I'm from xylophone is used interchangably for wood or metal idiophones. But now that I've been educated on this I'll use the correct terms going forward.

[@retinalcircus]

There's three sections, I think you didn't notice the bridges and the middle 8. It's odd to me you'd think it was the same thing all the way through as when playing this you can get a feel for where the sections change. So there's the intro (which is also a kind of bridging section as it floats around C) which plays a C, and an augmented C on guitar this augmented C is almost dissonant, it's got an odd voicing. Then the verse is Dm to E7add5. There's only really one verse as the second is instrumental but if you treat the return to C and F# and E as the bridge that launches you nicely into the chorus where we enter a folly Am chord progression "now I finding truth is ruin" . The middle 8 is where it gets different F through to G# ("with conviction.") and the bridge then provides a link into the final chorus. In the final chorus the guitar plays nice fat power chords with a little added dissonance in the root. It also sounds to me that the beat boxing goes through a filter sweep and sounds to me like an eventide factory delays unit with auto panning, and I think there's a subtle drum machine blended in too.

[@progperljungman8218]

Don't know about "xylophone". In my world that's made out of wood. This sounded more like glockenspiel (which is also sometimes made with different colors for beginners)

[@CriticalReactions]

I had to look this up and I'm partially wrong here. You're correct about the actually definition here. Xylophone is wood, glockenspiel is metal. However colloquially xylophone can refer to either. This is probably because the kid's toys in the US are often marketed as xylophones so many Americans have been misinformed (including several of my music teachers it seem 😅). One of those cases of strict definition vs actual usage. Regardless I'll be sure to use the correct words in future videos. Thanks!

[@progperljungman8218]

@@CriticalReactions Thanks 😊 (It's just that everytime I hear reference to "xylophone" I sharpen my ears listening for that "wood-sound"...)

[@JoshStobart]

Pre-emptive modern prog rock MUST LISTEN: Bent Knee. They are to me the pinnacle of modern prog. Especially songs like Being Human and Holy Ghost. They weave complexity into extremely listenable songs and inject moments of comedy, contrast and emotion without detracting from the song itself, reaching those moments organically.

[@CriticalReactions]

Keep your attention on the channel this week 😉

[@JoshStobart]

​@@CriticalReactions Oh boy you have my attention now :D

[@flapper3370]

I tried really giving them a listen, but despite them having the building blocks of almost all music I like, I found them kind of boring, frustratingly. I think it might be the strain with which the lead singer sings, or perhaps the gentleness by which the songs progresse? I'm finding it hard to vocalise exactly what it is that puts me off. I think its the latter though, I didn't feel like I was hearing anything that stuck out or was subverting my expectations in any way, beyond cool stabs and some dynamics going on. Maybe those tracks just aren't for me.

[@JoshStobart]

@@flapper3370 people have different tastes :) I'm glad you gave them a try at least and maybe you'll come back round to them later and enjoy them after all! Who knows eh?

[@flapper3370]

@@JoshStobart I've got them on my radar at least, and its always a good thing to take in new things, most of which aren't gonna gel straight away if ever. I didn't much like dillinger when I first heard them but subsequently ended up living in ire works for 2 months, so who can say. Just wanted to say thanks for the suggestion all the same.

[@Jeminai77]

the albums are somewhat thematic each not too similar to the other. other than the obvious genre crossing and eclectic sounds. the first album being very ska, metal, circus stuff, the second being very avant jazz/metal 3rd which this song is on is like a Bungle version of pop. latest album is a call back to thrash metal/punk roots. id suggest "Carry Stress In The Jaw" off the second Album "Discovolante", which captures the essence of that album well, and sounds nothing like what you have heard.(some extreme xylophones on that album) would love to hear your take on it.

[@wordzfailmebro]

You couldn't possibly compose music like this..champ.😁

[@danollerenshaw8410]

I'm pretty sure the song is a stab at excess in the 80's

[@mica8511]

You should try out Sumac, which falls in the post-metal kind of arena; they’ve also incorporated more and more free improv as time has gone by, so I’d love to hear your take on that! They are masters of tension and raw performance in the same way as GYBE, but a lot more chaotic and aggressive. I’d recommend the song Will To Reach!

[@rmidthun]

For a classic example of the xylophone used to represent death, see Saint-Saens. It first appears in Danse Macabre, which represents skeleton's dancing and later in Carnival of the Animals, "Fossils", in which the dead animals play the theme from Danse Macabre. Carnival of the Animals is full of these joke references, for instance Tortoises is the CanCan played really, really slowly.

[@ToyutahLifein]

That look is like Eyes Wide Shut towards the end, the when the blur starts it reminds me of Prince of Darkness. It's hard to say who Mike's best band is, he's got recordings with at least 70...

[@vrod2144]

It is beatboxing done by Mike Patton

[@AllergicToMyself]

This was all reel to reel analogue recording too

[@youtubesucksforforcingthis]

If you are breaking out some modern prog rock, I suggest checking out some Beardfish. Hard to pick a specific song because their sound varies quite a bit. I guess just throw a dart at "Sunrise", "Comfort Zone", and "Note" and see what you hit. And of course I have to suggest more Thank You Scientist, like "Everyday Ghosts" or "Son of a Serpent". Thanks for the Bungle!

[@joaquinbaume1291]

Yessss more mr bungle

[@nicmcee5707]

Love Retrovirtigo, haunting, beautiful.

[@stewartwallwork6505]

I have a numbered picture disc by mr bumble but it’s not on Spotify?

[@jdifab]

Excellent review.

[@jonathanhenderson9422]

This is from their last album, California, which was basically "Mr. Bungle does indie pop/rock," and it definitely has some beautiful tracks like this. Still has touches of their weirdness, but it's nowhere near as chaotic and postmodern as their first two albums. Personally, I still prefer their first album. While California is an easy album to sit down with and just enjoy, I also feel like there's a lot more music out there like this than the stuff on their first (and second) album. Good reference to Wilson's The Raven That Refused to Sing; I can also hear the similarity, especially in that bittersweet tonality, though this track doesn't push the tension quite as much.

[@CriticalReactions]

I sometimes wonder if bands that are wildly divisive, such as Mr. Bungle, create these more digestible works to help put more of a spotlight on their other music. That's not the only reason, and it's entirely possible that they honestly had to get this style of music out of their system because it was what their minds wanted to produce at the time, but these wild swings in format and style always carry some mystery to them (at least for me).

[@jonathanhenderson9422]

@@CriticalReactions I definitely think that some musicians are just really eclectic and love exploring different genres/styles. That very much fits someone like Toby Driver, eg. You'd never guess the same guy who did Maudlin of the Well also did Coffins on Io.

[@deighvheart9717]

They do have a new album released a few months ago. Although technically it's a re-recording of a demo tape they re-recording in 1986 while they were in high school. It's pure 80s thrash metal with Scott Ian from Anthrax on rhythm and Dave Lombardo from Slayer on drums.

[@CherylCold]

Play it a few more times, It grows and grows like all the best music.

[@martsame]

NOW DO VILOENZA DOMESTICA P L E A S E you said you want the other side of them...

[@ryanmcgill5048]

Mr Bungle has about 10 different sides lol

[@martsame]

@@ryanmcgill5048 indescribable, influencial mind-bending shit. one of my top bands ever.

[@ryanmcgill5048]

@@martsame yeah ive been listening to all of Mike Patton's projects since i found Mr Bungle in 99. My drum teacher showed me them and i was blown away because i was already a fan of Faith No More. So then i followed all his projects with tomahawk, lovage, general patton, peeping tom... I still listen to all those albums to this day.

[@j.prt.979]

Great suggestion. It’s one of my favorite Bungle tracks.

[@edwarddawson42]

I would say the genre for this song is nightmare noir.

[@calabiyou]

I love this song.

[@wowza5651]

so sad the little person in the video has passed on... he was hit by a car. Sounds like he was a great guy besides being an elementary school teacher.

[@deminybs]

oh shit my first time hearing the original !! Lol have listened to the avenged sevenfold cover many many times, good stuff

[@CriticalReactions]

There's an A7X cover of this?!?!

[@deminybs]

@@CriticalReactions yes. on the deluxe edition of their "the stage" album, I think they are all covers, there's a pink floyd cover on there as well, and a traditional spanish song I believe, they are all great songs

[@captainshiner42]

@@CriticalReactions Yup. And you can tell it was a labor of love.

[@sussychachi]

pink cigette is better lol

[@brandonvu5429]

nah

[@porksword1975]

None of Them Knew..... :)

[@sussychachi]

Vocally they are more singing styles and song has more music style and this song is more of a simple song being displayed in a soft side and a harsh louder side but still comes a bit dull in my opinion.

[@sussychachi]

None of them knew is way better then this song lol 😆.

[@ecclesiazero]

Subscribed

[@ClintEatswood]

Mike Patton is the best. Watch Strip Search by Faith No More.

[@LLCoolPeas]

Interesting song! Not heard these for quite some time. When's Agent Fresco up? :P

[@CriticalReactions]

Possibly this upcoming week!

[@LLCoolPeas]

@@CriticalReactions wheeeey

[@rustyhook69]

[@sussychachi]

Bud do, stubb a dubb or carry stress in a jar those songs are way more creative :))

[@alltheserobotsshallfall]

I think you would really appreciate Days of The New, a "post grunge" band.