Reflections In Sound #2 ~ Life is Peachy by Korn

[Grievous 3D]

Released: October 15th 1996
Record label: Immortal/Epic
Producer: Ross Robinson
Band Line Up:
Jonathan Davis - lead vocals, bagpipes, additional guitars
Brian "Head" Welch - guitars, lead vocals on "Lowrider"
James "Munky" Shaffer - guitars
Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu - bass guitar
David Silveria - drums
Additional Personnel:
Chino Moreno - Lead vocals on "Wicked"

Some History:
During the first few years of the 90's in Bakersfield California members of
local bands L.A.P.D & Sex Art would eventually unite to form the band Korn.

After gaining some attention with their demo tape Neidermeyer's Mind as well
as some intense live shows the band were signed to Immortal/Epic & entered
the Indigo Ranch studios with producer & ally Ross Robinson to record their
self-titled album.

Released on October 11th 1994 their debut album would not only prove to be
a massive success worldwide but it also ushered in an entire new genre of music,
dubbed by many music journalists at the time as Nu Metal.

After nearly 2 years of non-stop touring the band would re-entered Indigo Ranch
studios with producer Ross Robinson in April of 1996 & by October the same year
they would deliver their follow up album "Life Is Peachy"

Some Context:
So...I'm not going to lie...Korn are one of my all time favorite bands & I own every
one of their studio albums as well as seeing the band live at the "Big Day Out" music
festival on the Gold Coast in 1999.

Side Note:
Other bands on the bill that year included Ash, Sean Lennon, Fatboy Slim, Hole,
Marilyn Manson & Soulfly (more on them at a later date)

I also had the luck of meeting guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer the night before
the show & he was incredibly polite & even engaged in a short conversation with me.

Track by Track:
#1. Twist (0:49)...(Shock)
Twist, twist, twist, twist

The album opens with a "shock" track as lead singer Davis snarls & growls at you
while the guitars squeak & squawk as the backing track. Twist is an effective intro
for the album acting like a blunt force blow to the ears & shockingly the track still
gets played at their live shows to this day.

#2. Chi (3:54)...
Me entering my head
Feeling like I'm God
With the world around me
Can't you feel this pain?
Reaming through my heart!
Screaming through my veins!
Nothing I can kill!

The first "real" song of the album (named after the former deftones bassist Chi
Cheug R.I.P) is a more direct statement with basic structure, the soft creepy
verses giving away to a chugging chorus with an impressive break down beginning
at the 2 minute mark which then explodes into some of the best screaming Davis
has ever committed to tape. The song appears to die a quiet death before picking
up for one more chorus to finish.

#3. Lost: (2:55)...
Why can't I decide, why my feelings I hide?
Always screwing with my mind, a thorn in my spine
Oh Sure, it feels fine, wasting all our time
In the back of my mind, a thorn in my spine

The next track keeps the momentum building with its dark funk-styled verses
& a somewhat motorcore-like chorus. Its an interesting track simply because of
its overall vibe...like something written for a horror film soundtrack.

#4. Swallow (3:38)...
My sorrow (I swallow)
Follow me (Oh hell no)
Was it me? (I swallow)
Forget me (I don't know)

We are still chugging along at a steady pace with this next song even though
Swallow has some very laid back verses the chorus addresses the balance issue
with some nice duel vocal styles over some compact riffing. The song almost gives
up at the 3 minute mark & simply chills out for the rest of its run time.

#5. Porno Creep (2:01)...(Instrumental)
And all the momentum built so far is simply thrown away with this short & some
what confusing instrumental track. I'm not exactly sure what the band were trying
to achieve with this piece...but I've never really been fan of it. If it was meant to be
some kind of "Breather" track...trust me...we didn't need it.

#6. Good God (3:21)...(Single)
In the sea of life you're just a minnow
Live your life insecure
Feel the pain of your needles
As they shit into my mind
You stole my life
Without a sigh
You sucked me dry

Well...the album kicks back into high gear with this, possibly the most frenzied
track on display. Good God is a venomous, spiteful, hate-filled blast of funk metal
with a more complicated structure featuring a great pre-chorus which actually gives
way to a slight hint of melody.



(Note: The video for this song uses the Rammstein remix...for some reason)

#7. Mr. Rogers (5:09)...
Fred, you told me everybody was my neighbor
They took advantage of me, you let them take their turns hitting me
I wish I would have never watched you
You really made my childhood a failure
What a fucking neighbor

Now I have to admit this track is far from bad...but again...I'm not exactly sure
what it is trying to do. The tempo shifts are kind of off putting & while the chorus
sees the band branching out for a more melodic sound...it feels disjointed & seems
like an attempt to write "Shoots & Ladders Pt.2" Its not bad...but it just seems out of
place.

#8. K@#Ø%! (3:02)...(Shock)
I don't know what to say!
So what, don't give a fuck!
Man, I don't know what to say!
So what?

Wow...talk about a song ruined by its lyrics. Basically this great piece of music
was turned into a "shock" track by having Davis bark as many swear words & vulgar
suggestions as possible in the verses...which is a real shame because the song
itself is musically fantastic...but its killed by the extremely stupid verse lyrics.

#9. No Place to Hide (3:31)...(Single)
I have no place to run and hide
I have no place to hide, which I like

Now this is more like it. Its my favorite track from this album & one of my all time
favorite Korn songs No Place to Hide is (much like Good God) a blast of raw, feral
rage with all of the best elements of the band songwriting shining through.

Not that it matters to me...but this song was nominated for a Grammy Award...and
rightly so.



#10. Wicked (3:58)...(Cover)
Yo Chuck...we got running mixes in the headphones

Its cover & cameo time as Chino Moreno from the deftones swings by to lay down
some vocals on this energetic, metal version of an Ice Cube track. It feels so raw &
live as Chino raps & Davis barks the chorus refrain & it works. It so works.

Korn would of course expand their "Rap Connections" on their next album & Ice Cube
would even join them on the first ever Family Values tour performing this track
with them on a nightly basis.



#11. A.D.I.D.A.S. (2:32)...(Shock & Single)
Honestly somehow it always seems that I'm dreaming of
Something I could never be
It doesn't matter to me cause I will always be that pimp that I see in all
Of my fantasies

Oh Boy...where to begin. This is another "shock" track that actually helped the
band reach a wider audience and while there is nothing wrong with the music...the
lyrics kind of kill it for me. Now I understand this is considered a "Korn Klassic"
by many fans...but honestly...the band have written so many better songs than this.

And what the fuck is with the ending of this track?



(Note: The video version of this song is the awful "censored" version)

#12. Lowrider (0:58)...(Intermission Cover?)
All my friends drive a low rider
And a low rider is a little lower

We then segue into another cover as guitarist Brain "Head" Welch takes over lead
vocals as the bagpipes finally get a run. This actually sounds really cool...but it only
lasts for 58 seconds.

WTF?

The original version (by the band War) goes for 3 minutes...so why did Korn record
only a third of song to include it on this album? Did someone press the wrong button in
the studio and erase the master tapes or something?

#13. Ass Itch (3:39)...
I hate writing shit, it is so stupid
What's my problem today? maybe I'm depressed
Maybe I'm helpless to what comes out my hand
Burn! pain! burn! pain!

And we once again have a solid song crippled by its title as this track finally
gets the album back on track. Much like Lost & Swallow...this track is somewhat
of a forgotten gem in the Korn back catalogue...but no one ever really talks about
it...probably because of the title.

#14. Kill You (5:05)...
Living life, don't you cry
My life, pain is God
Many nights, painful thoughts occur
Yell at me again, I'm numb
In denial, I tried to be your friend
I tried to be a good boy
All I see, a hate deep inside
Startle me, someone save me

Well...the first Korn album ended with a highly emotional & often misunderstood
track...so we may as well do this same on the follow up. Musically this track is
great & almost feels like the track "Mr. Rogers" was trying to be...but again...
the highly personal & extremely vulgar lyrics do take the shine off the track in
my opinion.

[HASHTAG]#Hidden[/HASHTAG] Track. Twist (A Capella)...
Twist, twist, twist, twist

Its just the vocal track for Twist...nothing much else I can say really.

Best Tracks:
Good God
No Place To Hide
Wicked
A.D.I.D.A.S. (I guess?)
Twist/Chi

WTF Moments:
Porno Creep
The verse lyrics of K@#Ø%!
Releasing A.D.I.D.A.S. as a single
Only 50 seconds of Low Rider
The title of Ass Itch

Thoughts:
Okay...so first off...let me positive for a few moments (which I am capable of
doing to shut up & get off my back!)...

This album is one of my all time favorites. Its nasty, raw & has so much energy
its hard not to appreciate it on a sheer sonic level. The songs themselves reflect
this perfectly & its not hard to believe this album was written & recorded in such
a short space of time.

But...(Becky's Butt!)

For as much as I enjoy this album...its incredibly uneven & at some times feels
more like a demo rather than a professionally recorded album.

I personally believe this album was rushed out simply so the band could begin
another touring cycle with some fresh songs to play & a new album to promote.

Having watched the behind the scenes footage on the Who Then Now? home
video many times...the entire writing & recording process of "Life Is Peachy"
seems like one giant keg party at a music studio...and you can hear it on the
album.

Now Korn were still a "young" band at the time & probably didn't have much of
a choice as to when & what they were doing...but another month or two would
have given them more time to "spit & polish" the material.

So...in conclusion "Life Is Peachy" a nasty, raw, unpolished, rushed beast of
an album that honestly could have been a lot better.

But I still love every second.

Trivia:
~ Korn had not written any new material in 2 years before they entered the studio
to work on this album. According the multiple band members the songs simply
"exploded" out of them
~ While producer Ross Robinson tried to keep the band focused...he was fighting
an uphill battle most of the time as the band spent many hours drunk or high beyond
the point of being able to write or perform.
~ The album entered the Billboard charts at #3 & went Platinum only 11 months
after its release.
~ The cover did cause some controversy...much like the cover of their first album did.

What Happened Next:
Well...two years later (on August 18th 1998) the band would release their third
album "Follow the Leader" and you know what...if you want to know what happened
go read wikipedia.

All I'll say is they changed producers, took their time & crafted a masterpiece...which
I may get around to "reflecting" on later on down the line.

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Well...that's the second one of these in the bag...and I just want to take a moment
to thank all of those who have taken the time to read (& listen) to this piece.

Next time I'll be doing something a little different but until then...I'm sure I'll see you
all around the traps.

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