The San Francisco Bay area-based trio Primus with its fifth and latest release Tales from the Punch Bowl has the band pulling off another funny album by practically ripping off every album they have ever done before. Though heavier than past albums, Tales still finds itself driven by the ever-so-funky six-string bass of Les Claypool. Video hit and first single, Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver, pays homage to a girl and her pet beaver. Needless to say, the song may just have a second level of meaning. Go figure. But Claypool insists that the song is in no way referring to any real person. Though the CD is so heavy that if it was an album you would not be able to pick it up off the turntable, by the fifth track, the songs blend into one big all-so-familiar bass line. C

The Promised Land- Various Artists / Columbia Records

From Billie Holiday to Sly and the Family Stone, and from Howlin’ Wolf to Terence Trent D’Arby, The Promised Land, music from and inspired by the documentary series, gives a historical account of the most important African-American musicians from the early days of blues to the present. Unlike many compilation albums, this one not only entertains but also tells a story of the African-American experience through the 20th Century. Though styles have changed from Bessie Smith’s Backwater Blues to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, the message is still the same. A must for anyone who sings the blues. A

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Catherine Wheel – Happy Days / Fontana Mercury Records

This band currently has a song getting air time on MTV. The band’s music seemed to be a cross between Nine Inch Nails’ harder music and Andrew Fletcher’s vocal ability from Depeche Mode, and the band somehow makes it work. The CD’s compilation of 14 songs shows a different approach to the music. The one song that stands out is Eat My Dust . . .. The guitar is slow and flowing, with lead singer Rob Dickinson softly insulting everyone about his abilities. It is something different. The rest of the CD is punctuated with loud shrieking guitars, short spans of quiet dialogue, then yet another blast from a guitar. My recommendation is you can take em or leave em. C

Thurston Moore-Psychic Hearts / DGC Records

Thurston Moore (of Sonic Youth fame) has outdone his acclaimed band’s past few albums on his new solo release Psychic Hearts. From the first song, Queen Bee and Her Pals (imagine the Beatles turn punk), Moore exhibits a style of impressive songwriting that Sonic Youth lost after their album Daydream Nation. But just when you think Moore has conformed, the album ends with 19 minutes of dreamy guitar smack (a la Neil Young Arc) called Elegy for All the Dead Rock Stars. Even though it is pure Thurston and he does exhibit a new and improved guitar madness, some things never change. Sonically brilliant. B

Wanderlust – Prize / RCA Records

The first outing for this Pennsylvania band leaves a lot to be desired. With the two Rickenbacker guitars, the band’s overall style is 60s pop rock a la the Birds and a bit of the Beatles, but they do not come close to developing this style

of music to its fullest. The 11 songs

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