Faith No More frontman and all around musical multi-hyphenate Mike Patton has given fans a constant stream of varied and interesting projects over the span of his career, and his latest venture sees him lean into the avant-garde lounge persona he's cultivated yet again with the help of renowned French composer and producer Jean-Claude Vannier. Vannier is most well-know for his work with Serge Gainsbourg, a man who in many ways embodied the same artistically adventurous spirit Patton carries today.
The fruit of the duo's collaboration will be an album titled Corpse Flower, and today marks the release of its lead single "On Top of the World." Harboring a French pop sensibility like that of the late Gainsbourg, the melding of Patton and Vannier's vision is a well-balanced amalgamation of their respective styles. Patton's alternately relaxed then gruff delivery adds texture and intrigue to the spare guitar lines and background whistling, while the dreamy haze of the surrounding sounds gently pull back the vocalist's tendency for bravado.
Reminiscent of Patton's work in Mr. Bungle at its most laid-back, the track is a lush landscape of matured, sophisticated talent. Lending credulity to the heavy influences, he says of his work with Vannier, "Jean-Claude and I met while working on a Gainsbourg retrospective at the Hollywood Bowl in 2011 ... We bonded immediately. I could see he had a dedication and attention to detail that was relentless, so the respect I had for him in my mind was magnified in person." The two planned to work together and after a few years, the project was fully realized.
"He made my music awaken with his unique perspective and interpretation of my songs," Vannier gushes. "A formidable vocalist with a sense of humor, Mike and I created a strong, beautiful, and sincere collection of music, as well as a friendship."
Pre-orders for Corpse Flower are available now at this location, with the album arriving in full on September 13th.
Track list:
1. Ballade C.3.3
2. Camion
3. Chansons D'Amour
4. Cold Sun Warm Beer
5. Browning
6. Hungry Ghost
7. Corpse Flower
8. Insolubles
9. On Top of the World
10. Yard Bull
11. A Schoolgirl's Day
12. Pink and Bleue
