April 12th, 2019 - Green Naugahyde Hydraulic Sandwich

Hello and happy Friday!  The Meista here today pairing "Green Naugahyde" by the Primus and a Hydraulic Sandwich India Pale Ale from Mare Island Brewing Company!  This pairing is dedicated to my sweet, amazing, and wonderful wife!  Cheers baby!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Primus
• Title: "Green Naugahyde"
• Recorded: October 2010 through April 2011 at Rancho Relaxo, Sebastopol, California
• Release date: September 12th, 2011 (7th studio album by Primus)
• Record company: ATO Records / Prawn Song
• Production: Les Claypool
• Album cover art: Zoltron (design and layout) and Tod Brilliant (photography)
• Personnel: Les Claypool (bass guitar, upright bass, and vocals), Larry LaLonde (acoustic and electric guitars), and Jay Lane (drums)
• Musical style: Progressive rock, funk rock, art rock, experimental rock
• Sound: With that signature eccentricity they are known for, "Green Naugahyde" is funkier than other albums, but is also a trippy, atmospheric, sometimes silly, a bit creepy, and wonderfully and masterfully written, executed, and produced album!  Of the sound, Claypool stated: "If I were to look at all of our records, it seems like this is reminiscent of the early stuff. Obviously, with Jay there's a newness to it, but because he left the band right before we recorded our first record, his approach has an eerie harkening to the old Frizzle Fry days."
• Major themes: Of the album's lyrics, Claypool stated that it has "20 years of life experience on it – from many different angles. A song like "Jilly's on Smack" just wouldn't have been written in the early Nineties, because we hadn't lost a friend to heroin addiction. A song like "Lee Van Cleef" which is reflective of my youth just wouldn't have been written back then."  Themes include addiction, life and death, visual media, television, movies, , etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Prelude To A Crawl"
2. "Hennepin Crawler"
3. "Las Salmon Man (Fisherman's Chronicles Part IV)"
4. "Eternal Consumption Engine"
5. "Tragedy's A' Comin"
6. "Eyes Of The Squirrel"
7. "Jilly's On Smack"
8. "Lee Van Cleef"
9. "Moron TV"
10. "Green Ranger"
11. "HOINFODAMAN"
12. "Extinction Burst"
13. "Salmon Men"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Mare Island Brewing Company (Vallejo, California)
• Website: http://www.mareislandbrewingco.com/
• Brew: Hydraulic Sandwich India Pale Ale
• Style: American India Pale  Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 7.1%
• IBUs: 51
• Ingredients: 2-Row, White Wheat, Victory, and Crystal malts along with Centennial, Summit, Citra, Simcoe, and Amarillo hops
• Pour: The Hydraulic Sandwich pours a hazy, bronze-amber with a thick, sudsy, 2+ finger, off-white head with great retention and lots of sticky, layered lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, dank, herbal, bitter, and malty.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, orange peel, tangerine, black tea, pine resin, oak, doughy bread, and sweet toffee.
• Taste: The taste of the Hydraulic Sandwich follows the nose with lots of citrus, sweet malt, bitter herb, and earthy flavors.  There are notes of grapefuit, tangerine, black tea, orange tea, pine, a touch of honey, and caramel/toffee.  
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbination, the mouthfeel of the Hydraulic Sandwich and a dry finish.

Overall pairing: The Mare Island Brewing Hydraulic Sandwich India Pale Ale is bold, complex, and very hop-forward brew... great for the intricate and funky rhythms of Primus' amazing "Green Naugahyde"!

Cheers!!