Mit Gas

Last updated

Mit Gas
Mitgas.jpg
Studio album by
Tomahawk
ReleasedMay 6, 2003 (2003-05-06)
Recorded2003
Genre
Length40:43
Label Ipecac
Producer Joe Barresi, Tomahawk
Tomahawk chronology
Tomahawk
(2001)		Mit Gas
(2003)		 Anonymous
(2007)

Mit Gas is the second studio album by the musical supergroup Tomahawk. It was released on May 6, 2003, through Ipecac Recordings, the record label owned by vocalist Mike Patton. Mit Gas charted in several countries, reaching the top 20 in Norway's VG-lista and the United States' Billboard Independent Albums charts.

Contents

Recorded after an unreceptive tour with the band Tool, Mit Gas has been described by critics as a more focused and unified album than its predecessor, Tomahawk . The album was supported by a tour alongside Melvins, Skeleton Key and Dälek. Mit Gas has garnered positive reviews, drawing comparisons to the works of Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.

Production

Tomahawk is a musical supergroup consisting of Mike Patton, vocalist for Faith No More and Mr. Bungle; Duane Denison, guitarist for The Jesus Lizard; Kevin Rutmanis, bass player for Cows and Melvins; and John Stanier, drummer for Helmet. [3] Mit Gas was recorded after they toured with the band Tool, whose fans frequently booed Tomahawk off stage during their performances. [4] Denison has likened the experience of playing to the unreceptive and uninterested crowds as similar to "being pro-choice at a [then-US president] Bush rally and trying to make your point". [1] Subsequently, the band opted to organize their own tour in support of the album, choosing to work with Melvins, Skeleton Key and Dälek. Speaking about the planning required to stage a four-act tour, Patton stated "that's a lot of music. That's a lot of time to be sitting in some stinking-ass club with some guy puking in your purse". [1] Tool's guitarist Adam Jones offered to direct a video, but the offer was declined by the band. [1]

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllRovi Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Pitchfork 8.4/10 [4]
Spin B− [6]
Tiny Mix Tapes Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]

Mit Gas was released in the United States on May 6, 2003, and in the United Kingdom six days later, [7] through Ipecac Recordings, the record label owned by Patton and Greg Werckman. [8]

Reviews of Mit Gas have been positive. Writing for AllRovi, Daphne Carr awarded the album a rating of four stars out of five, adding that it "expand[s] the borders of guitar rock with intelligence and humor". [5] Carr felt that "You Can't Win" and "Rape This Day" were among the album's best songs, and compared the overall sound to the work of avant-garde musician Frank Zappa. [5] Pitchfork Media's Scott Hreha rated the album 8.4 out of 10, finding that the band seemed to complement each other musically more than they had on their previous album. Hreha singled out "You Can't Win", "Mayday" and "Rape This Day" as highlights of the record, and praised the album's ability to "straddle the distance between ambience and onslaught". [4] Stephen Hang of PopMatters felt that the album was rewarding but challenging to listeners, and that Patton's lyrics were deliberately obtuse. Hang was positive about the album's sound, but described the release as having "deliver[ed] the goods for Patton's small, devoted cult audience". [7]

Spin magazine awarded the album a "B−" rating, describing it as "heavy on nuts and bolts, light on bolts from the blue". [6] The reviewer felt that the group's lineup suggested a greater potential than the resultant album offered, but called it "solid" nonetheless. [6] Matt Rhodes, writing for Consequence of Sound, reviewed the album positively, stating that "frankly, this album sounds like dark, kinky sex". [9] Rhodes compared it to the works of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, and felt that Denison's guitar parts served to specifically complement Patton's vocals, rather than attempting to stand out for themselves. [9] Tom Mallon of CMJ New Music Monthly felt that the album presented a more cohesive group than was present on Tomahawk, allowing the band to "[step] out of the shadows" of their previous careers. [10] Mallon praised Patton's vocal performances, finding them to be his most diverse work since the 1999 Mr. Bungle album California . [10]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Tomahawk.

No.TitleLength
1."Birdsong"5:10
2."Rape This Day"3:12
3."You Can't Win"4:49
4."Mayday"3:32
5."Rotgut"2:51
6."Capt Midnight"3:10
7."Desastre Natural"2:58
8."When the Stars Begin to Fall"2:54
9."Harelip"3:30
10."Harlem Clowns"3:40
11."Aktion 13F14"4:55
Total length:40:43

Personnel

Chart performance

John Stanier e5100801.jpg
Faith No More @ Steel Blue Oval (1 3 2010) (4416923516).jpg
Left: John Stanier playing for Battles in 2008; right: Mike Patton on stage for Faith No More in 2010

In the United States, Mit Gas reached a peak position of 137 in the Billboard 200 albums chart, spending two weeks in the chart. The album also attained a peak of 7 on the Independent Albums chart, also published by Billboard , spending five weeks on that chart. [11] The album also charted in Norway, making it to number 17 during a three-week stay on the VG-lista chart; [12] and in Australia, where it reached number 28 on the Aria Charts, staying there for two weeks. [13]

CountryChartPeak
position		Ref
Australia ARIA Charts 28 [13]
Norway VG-lista 17 [12]
United States Billboard 200 137 [11]
United States Independent Albums 7 [11]
United States Top Heatseekers 3 [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melvins</span> American rock band

Melvins are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Initially, they performed as a trio but later also sometimes appeared as a quartet, with either two drummers or two bassists. Since 1984, vocalist and guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover have been constant members. The band was named after a supervisor at a Thriftway in Montesano, where Osborne also worked as a clerk; "Melvin" was disliked by other employees, and the band's members felt it to be an appropriately ridiculous name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Bungle</span> American band

Mr. Bungle is an American experimental rock band formed in Eureka, California, in 1985. Having gone through many incarnations throughout their career, the band is best known for music created during their most experimental era. During this time, they developed a highly eclectic style, cycling through several musical genres, often within the course of a single song, including heavy metal, avant-garde jazz, ska, disco, and funk, which is further enhanced by lead vocalist Mike Patton's versatile singing style. This period also saw the band utilizing unconventional song structures and samples; playing a wide array of instruments; dressing up in masks, jumpsuits, and other costumes; and performing a diverse selection of cover songs during live performances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fantômas (band)</span> American band from California

Fantômas is an American heavy metal supergroup formed in 1998 in California. It features vocalist Mike Patton, drummer Dave Lombardo (ex-Slayer), guitarist Buzz Osborne (Melvins) and bassist Trevor Dunn. The band is named after Fantômas, a supervillain featured in a series of crime novels popular in France before World War I and in film, most notably in the '60s French movie series.

Kevin Rutmanis is an American bass guitarist. He is of Latvian descent. Before getting into music, he was a student teacher. In late 1985, along with his younger brother Sandris Rutmanis, Thor Eisentrager, and then Jayhawks drummer Norm Rogers, he started the band The Cows. After the dissolution of The Cows, Rutmanis was the bass guitar player for The Melvins from 1998 to 2005. He was also the bass guitarist in the supergroup Tomahawk featuring Mike Patton. Kevin played bass on Tomahawk's first two long play releases, titled Tomahawk and Mit Gas, and played for two world tours supporting those albums. He has since recorded with Hepa-Titus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomahawk (band)</span> American rock band

Tomahawk is an American rock supergroup. They formed in 1999 when singer/keyboardist Mike Patton met guitar player Duane Denison and the pair started swapping tapes with the intention of collaborating. Denison then recruited drummer John Stanier (Helmet), while Patton invited bass player Kevin Rutmanis (Melvins/ex-Cows). The group recorded three albums and toured extensively from 2000–2007 then went on extended hiatus, and reformed in 2013 with Trevor Dunn replacing Rutmanis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ipecac Recordings</span> American record label

Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton in Alameda, California.

<i>The Maggot</i> 1999 studio album by Melvins

The Maggot is the tenth studio album by American rock band Melvins, released in 1999 through Ipecac Recordings. It is the first part of a trilogy followed by The Bootlicker and The Crybaby. The Trilogy was later released on vinyl by Ipecac Recordings.

<i>Millennium Monsterwork 2000</i> 2002 live album by The Fantômas Melvins Big Band

Millennium Monsterwork 2000 is a live album by Fantômas and Melvins taken from a New Year's Eve 2000 performance at Slim's which was released in 2002 through Ipecac Recordings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isis (band)</span> American post-metal band (1997–2010)

Isis was an American post-metal band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1997. The band borrowed from and helped to evolve the post-metal sound pioneered by bands such as Neurosis and Godflesh, characterized by lengthy songs focusing on repetition and evolution of structure. Isis's last studio album, Wavering Radiant, was released on May 5, 2009. Isis disbanded in June 2010, just before the release of a split EP with the Melvins. In 2018, the group reformed as Celestial for a one-off show to pay tribute to Caleb Scofield.

<i>The Directors Cut</i> 2001 studio album by Fantômas

The Director's Cut is the second studio album by American musical supergroup Fantômas. The album is a collection of cover versions of themes from horror films and television series, performed in a variety of different musical styles. The album was released on July 9, 2001, through Ipecac Recordings, a record label co-owned by the band's vocalist, Mike Patton.

Ipecac Recordings is an American independent record label founded in 1999 by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton. The label was established to release Patton's band Fantômas' self-titled début, allowing retention of "all the creative control". Its creation also provided the Melvins – friends of Werckman and Patton's – with a label.

<i>Tomahawk</i> (album) 2001 studio album by Tomahawk

Tomahawk is the debut studio album by American experimental rock band Tomahawk. Recorded after a meeting between vocalist Mike Patton and guitarist Duane Denison, the album features members of Faith No More, The Jesus Lizard, Helmet and Melvins. The band toured with Tool in support of the record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peeping Tom (band)</span> American rock band

Peeping Tom were an American rock band led by Mike Patton. To date, they have released one eponymous album and two singles on Ipecac Recordings. The band has featured a wide variety of well-known artists such as Amon Tobin, Massive Attack, Norah Jones and Kool Keith.

<i>Anonymous</i> (Tomahawk album) 2007 studio album by Tomahawk

Anonymous is the third studio album by the musical supergroup Tomahawk. It was released on June 19, 2007, through Ipecac Recordings, the record label owned by the band's vocalist Mike Patton. Anonymous charted in Australia, Norway and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Patton discography</span>

Mike Patton is an American singer, best known for providing lead vocals for Faith No More along with Mr. Bungle, Fantômas, Peeping Tom, Tomahawk, Lovage and more. In addition to recording and working with these bands, he has also been involved in many side projects and collaborations. Patton is most frequently known as a vocalist, but has also produced, played various musical instruments, has composed soundtracks, done voice over work and has done some acting.

Smile was an American rock band.

<i>Oddfellows</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Tomahawk

Oddfellows is the fourth studio album by musical supergroup Tomahawk. The album is the first to feature new bass player Trevor Dunn, who has replaced previous member Kevin Rutmanis. Oddfellows was recorded live in the Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, after a brief period of rehearsal. Guitarist Duane Denison favored the location as its cheaper studio costs allowed for longer periods of song-writing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rape This Day</span> 2003 single by Tomahawk

Rape This Day is a single by the American musical group Tomahawk. It appears on their 2003 record Mit Gas.

<i>Tonic Immobility</i> Album by Tomahawk

Tonic Immobility is the fifth studio album by musical supergroup Tomahawk. Released after an eight-year gap following their previous record, Tonic Immobility was preceded by the singles "Business Casual" and "Dog Eat Dog". Described by guitar player Duane Denison as "an escape from the realities of the world", Tonic Immobility has been well received critically, particularly for its diverse-sounding songs, and has charted in several countries including Australia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Mallon, Tom (June 2003). "I Love a Man in Uniform". CMJ New Music Monthly . CMJ (113): 22. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Tomahawk – Mit Gas : Music Review : Tiny Mix Tapes". Tiny Mix Tapes . Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  3. ↑ Prato, Greg. "Tomahawk - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic . AllRovi . Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Hreha, Scott (May 1, 2003). "Tomahawk: Mit Gas | Album Reviews". Pitchfork . Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 Carr, Daphne. "Mit Gas – Tomahawk : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic . AllRovi . Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 Aaron, Charles; Caramanica, Jan; Dolan, Jon; Joe Gross, Joe; Poppodemas, Alex; Richardson, Sean (July 2003). "Breakdown". Spin . Buzz Media. 19 (7): 110. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  7. 1 2 Hang, Stephen (May 1, 2003). "Tomahawk: Mit Gas". PopMatters . Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  8. ↑ "About Ipecac Recordings". ipecac.com . Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  9. 1 2 Rhodes, Matt (October 25, 2012). "Wait, You've Never Heard: Tomahawk's Mit Gas". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  10. 1 2 Mallon, Tom (May 2003). "Best New Music". CMJ New Music Monthly . CMJ (112): 44. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 "Mit Gas – Tomahawk". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  12. 1 2 "Tomahawk – Mit Gas". NorwegianCharts.com. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  13. 1 2 "Tomahawk - Mit Gas". australian-charts.com. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Mit Gas – Tomahawk : Awards". AllMusic . AllRovi . Retrieved January 13, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.