Album of the Day

Upon the release of Mr. Bungle’s third studio album, label Warner Bros. said, “CALIFORNIA explores an ambiance new to the band, conjuring up the surly dance moves of Cyd Charisse and Fred Astaire; digging through the graveyard of riffs to find English pop, Elvis, Neil Diamond and Michael Jackson.” That’s one way to describe the dizzying variety of styles on the Bay-area group’s records, though with a stronger emphasis on melody, harmony and orchestration, this 1999 set is perhaps the band's most accessible. Which doesn't mean you'll hear “Sweet Charity,” “The Air-Conditioned Nightmare” or “Pink Cigarette” on the radio any time soon - Mike Patton and company have an experimental streak a mile wide. For 20 years, CALIFORNIA stood as the last word from Mr. Bungle, and the weird and wonderful collection is still way ahead of its time.