When he's not wearing skeleton face makeup alongside
Fred Durst in the more-macho-than-thou
Limp Bizkit,
Wes Borland tends to prefer a more subdued, playful brand of music.
Big Dumb Face, which consists of him, his brother, and a group of pre-
Limp Bizkit friends, reveals this softer, geekier side. And, because
Limp Bizkit has been one of the most popular bands of the late '90s and beyond, this side project's debut has garnered much attention and a major label deal. The group's first LP, Duke Lion Fights the Terror, was released in 2001 on Interscope Records. Although the current incarnation is new, the majority of
Big Dumb Face's lineup is descended from Goatslayer, a band
Borland left when fulfilling touring duties for
Limp Bizkit. Musically and lyrically, it's many solar systems removed from
Limp Bizkit. Fans of that band may be disappointed to hear that
Big Dumb Face is an attempt to mimic the comic experimental tendencies of
Ween and old
Mr. Bungle. This is a project created with modest ambitions, though, and therefore does not live up to the musical standards of
Borland's idols. Either way, there's no hardcore
rap-rock here.
Borland reportedly played all the instruments on the first album in his home recording studio, with just a little help from brother
Scott and friend
Kyle Weeks. The official touring lineup includes both
Borlands,
Weeks, drummer
Greg Isabel, and bassist
Chris Gibbs. All have adopted long-winded aliases like "Tongue of Calicab" and "the Cardboard Urinal." In that vein, the album tells the story of a mythical Duke, whom
Borland describes as "this idiot barbarian guy." Tracks feature
Borland running around the halls of his home making noise, and the music ranges from
Dr. Demento-esque variety-show
pop to
alternative country à la
Ween. ~ Kieran McCarthy, All Music Guide
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Red links represent a CD that is not currently available.
Duke Lion Fights the Terror!!