Primus – Sailing The Seas Of Cheese [180g Black Vinyl LP]

Description

San Francisco Bay Area trio Primus broke through with Sailing The Seas Of Cheese, their second studio album and major label debut released May 14, 1991, via Interscope Records. The album achieved Gold certification within two years and eventually went Platinum in 2001, establishing Les Claypool, Larry LaLonde, and Tim Alexander as one of the most innovative bands in alternative rock. This 2022 reissue features a new stereo mix personally overseen by Claypool, marking the first remix since the album’s original release over three decades ago. Pressed on 180-gram black vinyl, this edition brings enhanced clarity and separation to an album that influenced countless acts including Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Deftones.

The album showcases Claypool’s virtuosic fretless bass work, LaLonde’s dissonant guitar textures, and Alexander’s Bill Bruford-inspired drumming across 13 tracks of genre-defying prog-punk. Singles “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver,” “Tommy the Cat,” and “Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers” remain concert staples and video game soundtracks. “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver” features intricate tapping-technique basslines and samples from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, while “Tommy the Cat” includes a spoken-word performance from Tom Waits. “Sgt. Baker” delivers militaristic precision with acerbic lyrics, “Is It Luck?” races through technical passages, and “American Life” offers social commentary wrapped in funk-metal grooves. The album balances accessibility with experimental ambition, from the brief instrumental “Grandad’s Little Ditty” to the eight-minute closer “Fish On (Fisherman Chronicles, Chapter II).”

This 180-gram pressing captures the punchy, bass-filled dynamics of the new stereo mix, with drums positioned more prominently than previous remasters. Pressed at Quality Record Pressings and housed in a standard jacket, the edition includes a printed full-size lyric sheet and poly-lined inner sleeve. The remastering maintains dead-flat vinyl with minimal surface noise and exceptional instrument separation, allowing Claypool’s gurgling bass tones, LaLonde’s seasick guitar work, and Alexander’s intricate percussion to shine through with remarkable fidelity. The restoration brings new life to a certified Platinum album that remains a cornerstone of 1990s alternative rock.

• Format: 180g Black Vinyl LP
• Standout tracks: “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver,” “Tommy the Cat,” “Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers”
• Pressing details: New stereo mix overseen by Les Claypool, pressed at Quality Record Pressings, poly-lined inner sleeve, printed full-size lyric sheet, 2022 reissue
• Genre/style: Funk Metal, Alternative Rock, Progressive Rock, Experimental
• UPC: 602537331260

This 2022 pressing delivers the definitive vinyl experience of Primus’ breakthrough album, with a new stereo mix that enhances the dynamic range and technical prowess that made Sailing The Seas Of Cheese a Platinum-selling milestone.

* The Spotify track list may not exactly represent the tracks and audio of this LP edition.

Track List:

Side A:

1. Seas Of Cheese
2. Here Come The Bastards
3. Sgt. Baker
4. American Life
5. Jerry Was A Race Car Driver
6. Eleven
7. Is It Luck?

Side B:

1. Grandad’s Little Ditty
2. Tommy The Cat
3. Sathington Waltz
4. Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers
5. Fish On (Fisherman Chronicles, Chapter II)
6. Los Bastardos