Published on May 11, 1999
This could well be the best record you’ve never heard of.
Released not long before Velvel Records apparently closed its
doors, Platypus should have been some people’s best dream ever.
Combining half (well, at
that time, anyway) of Dream Theater (bassist John Myung and
keyboardist Derek Sherinian), one of the driving forces behind
King’s X (vocalist/guitarist Ty Tabor) and drummer extraordinaire
Rod Morgenstein, Platypus was primed to be a potential rock
crossover superstar.
Don’t let the bizarre title fool you.
When Pus Comes To Shove is fifty-one minutes of solid rock
and moving instrumental work that has appeal for fans of all types
of music, from rock to progressive. If you like well-executed and
well-written music, then this album is worth the search.
Opening with a solid rocker, “Standing In Line” will kill any
prejudice you might have about Platypus going into it. (Sure, I had
one: I thought this grouping would be kind of a prog-rock novelty
act on the line of Primus. Boy, was
I in for a pleasant surprise!) Each instrument’s voice is
clearly heard in the mix, allowing fans of any of the members’
bands to revel in their playing. This album, for example, further
convinced me that Myung could well be one of the greatet unsung
bassists in rock today.
The power continues in the softer-tempoed but stronger-messaged
“Nothing To Say,” which Platypus pulls off with Swiss watch-like
precision. The other vocal tracks – “I’m With You,” “Willie Brown”
and “Bye Bye” – all shine as well, with “Willie Brown” being the
standout among them. I’d love to know the inspiration behind this
track – too bad the bio I was sent doesn’t give any hints to
it.
Instrumental-wise,
When Pus Comes To Shove is jam-packed with some of the best
performances one could ever want to hear. “Rock Balls / Destination
Unknown” is one track where each member of Platypus gets a time in
the spotlight to shine (though I do wish Myung had been given a
little more room to solo), while “Chimes” stand s out for its
gentle beauty. “Platt Opus” does have some rudimentary vocals, but
they play such a small role in the song (albeit an important one)
that I’d rather count this one as an instrumental, unless anyone in
the band is reading and wishes to object.
The worst thing to say about this album – and, believe me, if
this is the worst, I’d take it any day – is that some of the
performances are so gentle, that they might just lull you to sleep.
Granted, it didn’t help that the first time I listened to this
disc, I popped it in the stereo in the bedroom.
So what’s it going to take to rescue
When Pus Comes To Shove from obscurity? Simple: word of
mouth. If you’re a fan of Dream Theater, King’s X, Dixie Dregs, or
any band of these ilks, run out and buy this album. If you have a
friend who’s a fan of these groups, tell them to buy it. None of
you will regret it for a minute.
When Pus Comes To Shove is an album that deserves a better
fate than the one that has befallen it at this point – and I
sincerely hope this is not the last we hear from this musical
grouping.