Les Claypool's Frog Brigade

The eccentric Primus bassist brings his Pink Floyd obsession to its logical conclusion with this disc, a reworking of the seminal acid rock band's Animals album. If it weren't for the presence of Claypool's trademark nasally vocals, which are a lot twangier than either David Gilmour or Roger Waters, it could pass as a Pink Floyd club recording. This six-piece band of tried and true players, including members of other Claypool side projects like Sausage and Holy Mackerel, have the chops to pull this off note for note, and they do an admirable job. With so many innovative musical ideas floating around in his head, you've got to give Claypool points for audacity, if not originality, in releasing an album like this, but with two other bands on the go to showcase those ideas, it's a self-indulgence we can overlook. Claypool's next adventure is the debut record from Oysterhead, a jazz-tinged collaboration with Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio and former Police drummer Stewart Copeland.