Madam X - We Reserve The Right (1984) ☠

*Reissued on CD for the first time in 2006 

by Majestic Rock Records. 

Contains 11 tracks total

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Glam Metal, Heavy Metal

Label Number: MAJCD078

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☠: Selected by Lass

© 1984-2006 Majestic Rock Records
*No professional reviews available for this release.

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Mudhoney - The Lucky Ones (2008)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Post Grunge

Label Number: SPCD 765
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© 2008 Sub Pop
AllMusic Review by Mark Deming
The Lucky Ones marks Mudhoney's twentieth anniversary as a band, and in those two decades they've evolved from the guys that first brought the Seattle sound to loser record collectors around the world into a living anachronism as the Last Grunge Band Left Alive. But The Lucky Ones is a telling album to release on Mudhoney's big birthday, as it's the simplest and most unadorned album the band has released since 1995's overlooked masterpiece My Brother the Cow, and also the best. While Since We've Become Translucent and Under a Billion Suns proved Mudhoney had lost nothing in the way of fire or focus in the Twenty-First Century, The Lucky Ones is a brave step backwards into the primitivism of Superfuzz Bigmuff, and though Tucker Martine's engineering and mix is cleaner and better detailed than what Jack Endino brought to the band's early sessions, the approach seems much the same -- roll tape and lurch into the songs with all the muscle the boys can muster, and when the band kicks into fourth gear on "The Open Mind," "I'm Now" and the title cut, this stuff comes on as raw and messed-up as anything Mudhoney has unleashed in years, and Steve Turner's guitar work is little short of feral. The twisted sense of humor that informed much of Mudhoney's "classic period" is in short supply, but Mark Arm's command of the verbal sneer remains unsurpassed, and when he bellows "the lucky ones have already gone down," its with the voice of the leader of the last gang in town. For good or ill Mudhoney remain bloody but unbowed, heavyweight champions of fuzz and feedback, and on the evidence of The Lucky Ones, no one with any sense is going to challenge their title anytime soon; they built this strange machine, and they can drive it better than anyone before or since.

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Mudhoney - Vanishing Point (2013)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Post Grunge

Label Number: SPCD 700
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© 2013 Sub Pop
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Growing up gracefully would seem to be a contradiction for a band as cheerfully vulgar as Mudhoney, but there's no mistaking that the members of the quintessential Seattle quartet are comfortable within their own skins. They know what they are, they know they're not gonna change their stripes, not even as they glare at middle age right in the face. If anything, they revel in being crotchety old gits on 2013's Vanishing Point, pledging allegiance to garage punk, dropping references to long-gone pop culture phenomena, happy to wallow in their misanthropy. And, unlike on the preceding The Lucky Ones -- released way back in 2008; the five-year wait is the longest between Mudhoney records, signaling the band's slow descent into middle age -- Mark Arm's savage wit is on full display, as he scrapes himself against all manner of modern irritations. Arm rails against "Chardonnay" popping up on a backstage rider and people acting like long-lost friends, gets revolted by the "Douchebags on Parade," facetiously sings a song of joy and feigns positivity on "What to Do with the Neutral." As he sneers out his disgust, Mudhoney stomp out blitzkrieg rockers and Stooges dirges, working within their wheelhouse but gamely stretching out, encompassing hints of blues and elastic slide guitars. It is, in other words, a Mudhoney album through and through: no outright surprises sonically, but beneath the roar it's hard not to admire how their perennial piss-takes are subtly deepening and how their saturated superfuzz always sounds so good.

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D.R.I. - Dealing With It! (1985)

*European pressing. Contains 24 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hardcore Punk, Crossover Thrash
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© 1985 Armageddon
AllMusic Review by John Franck
About two years prior to the groundbreaking release of Dealing With it, D.R.I. was known in their home turf of Texas as a hardcore, left of center, politically driven band. D.R.I. emerged from a Texan music bed often referred to as the "vat" scene (due to the lack of practice space, bands would often rehearse in empty beer vat warehouses). Verbal Abuse, Sick Pleasure, and the Dicks also rose up from the same ranks. Released just two years after Suicidal Tendencies' self-titled debut, another visceral, genre-defining debut of similar ilk, Dealing With it will forever stand as D.R.I.'s most compelling record of their often misguided career. Taking the Suicidal concept one step further, D.R.I.'s hardcore/thrash metal hybrid, Dealing With it reinvented the wheel by combining the humor and politics of Suicidal's debut with the speed and trash of Slayer's early records like Show No Mercy and the Haunting the Chapel EP. Embraced by skaters, punkers, and thrashers alike, ultra-fast songs like "Mad Man" and "Couch Slouch effortlessly alternate with the hilarious, longer, chugga-chugga rants of "Nursing Home Blues" and the monstrous "I Don't Need Society." The latter, featuring the classic rant "Your number's up/you have to go/the system says I told you so/stocked in a plane like a truckload of cattle/thousands of us sent off to die/never really knowing why" culminating with the ever reliable rant, "f**k this system, it can't have me, I don't need society." Worth having.

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D.R.I. - Crossover (1987)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Crossover Thrash, Hardcore Punk
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© 1987 Metal Blade/Enigma Records
*No professional reviews available for this release.

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D.R.I. - 4 of a Kind (1988)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Crossover Thrash
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© 1988 Metal Blade/Enigma Records
AllMusic Review by Stewart Mason
By the time of 1988's Four of a Kind, all evidence of D.R.I.'s early hardcore punk roots was erased, except for the quartet's fondness for thrashing tempos. While they didn't go into the limp hair metal direction of contemporaries like T.S.O.L. (whose later albums would be laughable if they weren't so sad), instead favoring a somewhat tougher speed metal streak best shown on the neck-snapping "Slumlord" -- which also shows a rather surprising social commentary bent -- Four of a Kind is a perfect example of why it was a bad idea for hardcore punk bands to go metal. They simply couldn't do metal, which at its best has deep reserves of misanthropic anger, as well as the more tortured likes of Metallica or Megadeth. A hardcore band's anger is of the more cartoonish, juvenile wiseass variety, much more Ramones than Black Sabbath, and so the songs on Four of a Kind simply sound kind of weak and petulant. Later CD pressings include an absolutely pointless, grating bonus track, "S.O.F.C.," that consists of little more than a malfunctioning tape machine.

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D.R.I. - Thrash Zone (1989)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Crossover Thrash
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© 1989 Restless/Metal Blade Records
AllMusic Review by Stewart Mason
Although the opening title track is a celebration of life in the mosh pit, D.R.I.'s fifth album is pretty much straightforward metal with little of the band's hardcore punk roots in its unapologetically slick sound. That said, Thrash Zone is an immense improvement over its immediate predecessor, the weak and unfocused Four of a Kind. Kurt Brecht's yowling vocals and forgettable lyrics are largely downplayed in favor of showing off the band's best assets: Spike Cassidy's efficient punk metal guitar lines and the whiplash dynamics of bassist John Menor and drummer Felix Griffin, who handle the dips into slow, thudding mosh sections and curves into triple-speed overdrive with relative ease. Hardcore's late-'80s swerve into metal is still basically a lousy idea (one that most bands quickly abandoned after Nevermind hit the charts and metal was suddenly very much out of fashion again), but Thrash Zone is a better than average example of the form.

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D.R.I. - Definition (1992)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Crossover Thrash
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© 1992 Rotten Records
No professional reviews available for this release.

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D.R.I. - Full Speed Ahead (1995)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Crossover Thrash
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© 1995 Rotten Records
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Mad Lion - Real Ting (1995)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Ragga

Label Number: 2006-2
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© 1995 Weeded, Nervous Inc.
AllMusic Review by John Bush
KRS-One's production gives the beats on this album a precision that contrasts with Mad Lion's gravelly ragga vocals. The lyrics are typical dancehall material.

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Extreme - Saudades De Rock (2008)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: OPE60 2
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© 2008 Open E. Records
AllMusic Review by Doug Odell
Following two short-lived live reunions in 2004 and 2006, Extreme reconvened for real in 2007, which inevitably led to the release of SAUDADES DE ROCK. Core members Gary Cherone (vocals), Pat Badger (bass), and Nuno Bettencourt (guitar) are joined by former DramaGods/Satellite Party drummer Kevin Figueiredo (who built a grooving kinship with Nuno in both aforementioned bands). In many ways SAUDADES picks up right where 1995's WAITING FOR THE PUNCHLINE left off. Like the previous album, the new material boasts a raw, live-in-the-studio vibe. Fans familiar with Extreme's instrumental muscle and genre-jumping style can expect plenty of diversity here--from the requisite funk metal ("Run," "Comfortable Dumb") to countrified rock ("Take Us Alive") to more gentle, piano-driven ballads ("Ghost," "Peace").

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Bush - Man On The Run (Deluxe Edition) (2014)

*Contains 3 bonus tracks. 

14 tracks total.

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative Rock

Label Number: 88875016572

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© 2014 Zuma Rock Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Gavin Rossdale harnessed the power of the '90s on the reconstituted Bush's 2011 comeback album, The Sea of Memories, hiring veteran hard rock producer Bob Rock to give the group a steely sheen. Sonically, the whole thing worked better than some of the records they made when they still were a going concern on the Billboard charts -- but the record didn't do much commercially, necessitating a change in direction for 2014's Man on the Run. Rossdale's Bush remains the same -- the only other surviving original member is drummer Robin Goodridge -- but the aesthetic has changed and so have the producers, with Nick Raskulinecz (Evanescence, Deftones, Foo Fighters) and Jay Baumgardner (Ugly Kid Joe, Papa Roach) getting the credits here. Man on the Run does indeed have a deliberately modern glint, one that incorporates burbling electronics, the occasional drum loop, and a heaping amount of gloss upon the grunge grind. As aurally busy as this production is -- and there are times where there's simply too much going on, the stuttering digital blips competing with the melodies, the riffs, the rhythmic wallop -- this album also houses some of Rossdale's strongest melodies in quite some time, songs that could pull in a AAA crossover if they weren't decked out in vaguely electronic hard rock clatter. This dissonance -- how the production pushes in an opposite direction than the tunes -- makes Man on the Run inadvertently revealing: as always, Rossdale's aspirations don't quite jibe with his natural skills, and to hear him deny his gifts is fascinating even if it falls short of being compelling.

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Bush - Razorblade Suitcase (1996)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Post Grunge

Label Number: INTD-90091

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© 1996 Trauma, Interscope Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Bush were criticized from most quarters of the music press for sounding too much like Nirvana on their debut album, Sixteen Stone, so in order to shed all of the comparisons, well, they hired producer Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies, PJ Harvey) and proceeded to record their own version of Nirvana's dark, difficult In Utero. Actually, Razorblade Suitcase, Bush's second album, cribs heavily from two of Albini's best productions, In Utero and Pixies' Surfer Rosa -- they even hired Vaughan Oliver, the designer behind Surfer Rosa, to do the artwork. Of course, relying so much on their idols only brings out Bush's weakness. Granted, Albini has helped make the band sound tougher, simply by stripping away the layers of effects and concentrating on a hard, driving rhythm and stop-start dynamics. The problem is that Gavin Rossdale has not come up with any hooks, which means that while Razorblade Suitcase is more pleasing and visceral on the surface, it offers no hooks to make it memorable, unlike the hit singles from Sixteen Stone.

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Bangles - Sweetheart of The Sun (2011)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Pop Rock

Label Number: MMG 20412

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© 2011 Model Music Group/Down Kiddie Records
AllMusic Review by Tim Sendra
When the Bangles re-formed in the early 2000s and released Doll Revolution in 2003, the band seemed split between trying to recapture the jangle pop sound they had when they began and trying to stay current with the times (in terms of production). On the second album to come from their return, 2011’s Sweetheart of the Sun, there are no attempts to stay current. Instead, by hiring Matthew Sweet to co-produce, the band makes it clear that they are ready to embrace their power pop past. The record brims with jangling guitars, tough lead guitar work from Vicki Peterson, rich vocal harmonies, and a layered, live sound that sounds really, really good (and almost exactly what you’d hope the band who recorded All Over the Place in 1984 would sound like 25-plus-years later). The songs that Susanna Hoffs and the Peterson sisters (Debbi and Vicki) wrote for the record are good, too. Solid and gently hooky tunes about kids, relationships, and the realities of middle age life; they too sound like the best you could hope for all these years later. The mix of convincing rockers ("Ball N Chain," "What a Life"), rollickingly tender janglers ("Anna Lee (Sweetheart of the Sun)"), and a handful of introspective ballads is just about right, too, and shows the band is adept at conveying a wide range of moods and styles. And their choice of covers is predictably savvy. They rock out nicely on "Sweet and Tender Romance," an obscure British girl group song originally done by the McKinleys in 1964, and exhibit some amazing harmony singing on the Nazz's "Open My Eyes." The combo of songs, performance, and sound means that anyone who was saddened by the glitz pop turn the band took post-All Over the Place could look at Sweetheart as the true follow-up to their debut. The only thing that gives you a clue to all the time passed is the rough edges around the lead vocals. It’s kind of odd, really. They all sound miraculously ageless when singing in harmony but when singing alone they tend to push their voices past their natural limits and end up hitting some duff, craggy notes. Especially Hoffs, who takes the bulk of the leads. It’s too bad Sweet didn’t clamp down and reign in this small but noticeable problem, as it makes for some jagged moments. Still, Sweetheart of the Sun is a remarkably good record that comes long after anyone may have expected the Bangles to do anything much at all. Credit Sweet's production, but also the trio’s dedication and renewed skills and energy. Hopefully it won’t take another quarter-decade to follow this one up.

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Bush - The Sea of Memories (2011)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative Rock

Label  Number: EOM-CD-2167

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© 2011 eOne/Zuma Rock Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
A decade after releasing the group’s forgotten swan song Golden State, Gavin Rossdale assembled a new lineup of Bush -- only retaining drummer Robin Goodridge, replacing guitarist Nigel Pulsford and bassist Dave Parsons with Chris Traynor and Corey Britz -- for a 2011 comeback called Sea of Memories. Hiring mainstream hard rock impresario Bob Rock as a producer is a pretty good indication that Rossdale is no longer desperate for indie cred -- a perennial Achilles’ heel for the model-handsome rocker, who as recently as 2005, hired Helmet guitarist Page Hamilton to produce the also-forgotten post-Bush outfit Institute's album Distort Yourself -- and is ready to make the big, glossy record he never cut in the wake of Sixteen Stone. Such slick settings are a comfortable fit for Bush, better than either the jagged textures of Steve Albini or the odd electronica flirtations of Langer/Winstanley’s The Science of Things. Rock wisely emphasizes Rossdale's instinct for arena rock hooks, not hiding the similarities between the opening riff of “All My Life” and Bad Company's “Feel Like Making Love,” urging Bush to surrender to the sweet temptations of gussied-up power ballads, pushing them toward silly glammy singalongs like “She’s a Stallion,” all the while layering on guitars so heavily processed they sound like keyboards. It’s a piece of loud, sparkly, sonic candy with much of its appeal laying on the surface, but it suits Rossdale's poppiest set of songs, tunes that greatly benefit from Gavin no longer fighting his innate ability to please large crowds. Now, those large crowds may or may not exist in 2011 -- it’s unclear who exactly is clamoring for a new Bush album 15 years after their popular peak -- but as a record, this The Sea of Memories is easily the most enjoyable collection of songs released under Bush's name.

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Bush - Black & White Rainbows (2017)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative Rock

Label Number: 00602557436464

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© 2017 Zuma Rock Records
AllMusic Review by Neil Z. Yeung
Black and White Rainbows, the seventh full-length from Bush, arrived a year after frontman Gavin Rossdale's divorce from Gwen Stefani. The emotional fallout permeates the album, as Rossdale processes his feelings with declarations like "Still got mad love for you baby" and "I will always be yours." Surprisingly, it's not a completely dour-sounding affair. Opting to focus on positivity and the big picture, Rossdale -- 51 and the father of four at the time of release -- managed to craft a collection of adult contemporary hard rock that is fittingly mature and somewhat optimistic (radio-friendly single "Mad Love" is a prime example). Rainbows features some of the brightest songs in the Bush catalog -- with less grit and generic retread than the previous two Bush 2.0 albums -- and is almost as energetic and catchy as 2001's underrated Golden State, the last from Bush 1.0 before their 2002 dissolution. Even when Rossdale delivers emo-esque lines like "I'm in a danger zone/Never did feel so alone," the music -- provided by guitarist Chris Traynor, bassist Corey Britz, and founding drummer Robin Goodridge -- betrays the darkness with propulsive rhythm, polished production, and hopeful energy. The best of these numbers includes the yearning "Lost in You," a sweeping orchestra-backed standout that features the best heartbreak lyrics on Rainbows, and the soaring "The Beat of Your Heart," which utilizes sparkly synths and a rousing gang chorus. Adding to the brightness, singer/songwriter Greta Karen provides a welcome female presence on much of the album with her subtle backing vocals. Sixteen Stone nostalgists might be turned off by this fresh direction, but there are enough hints of their early sound to satiate. The spirits of the past appear in highlights like the heavy "Water," the distortion-laden "Ravens," the crunchy "Nurse," and the funky "Dystopia." Those latter tracks are the biggest rockers on Rainbows, welcome reminders of the band's early sound. Elsewhere, Rainbows features a trio of songs that stick out in the Bush catalog for their attempts at variety. "Toma Mi Corazón" includes the odd inclusion of Spanish lyrics, but the song works so well that it doesn't feel forced. However, in a couple instances, Rossdale reaches for U2-sized thematic grandiosity and the results aren't as forgiving. While the pro-Earth message on "Sky Turns Day Glo" is welcome, lyrics like "the polar bears are weeping" land with such an awkward thud that it borders precariously close to Michael Jackson's "Earth Song" laments about elephants and crying whales. Album closer "People at War" is another well-meaning statement, this time addressing the Syrian refugee crisis. However, for all its intent, it unfortunately lacks power and any real message. Overall, Black and White Rainbows is an interesting piece of the Bush discography, hinting at a late-era trajectory shift and a reinvigorated spirit for Rossdale and company. While he nurses fresh wounds that have stripped his world of color, at the very least he can still see beauty and hope through the gloom.

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Bangles - Doll Revolution (2003) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Pop Rock

Label Number: KOC-CD-9515

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© 2003 Koch/Down Kiddie Records
AllMusic Review by Tim Sendra
The Bangles were once upon a time a great band. When they first started out as fresh-faced kids back in the mid-'80s, they captured the jangle of the Byrds, the melody of the Left Banke, the attitude of the Shangri-Las, and the rich harmonies of the Mamas & the Papas (without the Papas, of course) and wrapped them all up in a sweet and catchy package. Their first album was a bright, shiny pop album full of all kinds of promise, which they thereafter either fulfilled or wasted depending on where you stood. Having a hit with the Billy Steinberg-penned novelty song "Walk Like an Egyptian," doing Prince songs (even though "Manic Monday" is a song that deserves its pop classic standing), hiring faceless session musicians to make the second album sound more in tune with the times: these all deserve votes for wasted. The rest of their career was strewn with one landmine after another, like Susanna Hoffs being picked out as the focus of the band because she was "glamorous," the terrible power ballad (and number one hit) "Eternal Flame," more cover songs as singles (even though "Hazy Shade of Winter" was pretty darn good) and finally, the bitter breakup. So far it is not a story unique to the Bangles. Nor is the eventual, inevitable reunion. Doll Revolution is the result of the Bangles' re-formation. It would be nice to tell you that it was a triumphant return. It would be nice to tell you it was an interesting return. Sadly, it is neither. It is a bland, overproduced, and safe-sounding record that fails to leave much of an impression at all. Sure, all the things one would expect from a good Bangles album are here -- jangling guitars; full, sweet harmonies; and earnest, emotional lead vocals. All that is lacking are songs. There are a couple that are decent, like "Ask Me No Questions," a sweet Debbi Peterson sung ballad, and "Ride the Ride," a catchy Hoffs folk rocker, but mostly they are forgettable or worse. Picking Elvis Costello's recent self-derivative song "Tear Off Your Own Head (It's a Doll Revolution) to cover as the lead track was a mistake. Michael Steele's songs sound like they should be on a different band's record, the dark lyrical themes and clunky music drag Doll Revolution down. As do Hoffs' MOR soul "Something You Said" and her weak power ballad "I Will Take Care of You," which sounds like an attempt to duplicate the success of "Eternal Flame." The rest of it sounds like a solid attempt at a Sheryl Crow record, and that is something the pop world did not need from the Bangles. Doll Revolution won't add much to the Bangles' legacy. It won't do much to ruin it, either, perhaps that is the most fans of the band should have hoped for. [Initial pressings of Doll Revolution came with a bonus DVD featuring behind the scenes footage of the group filmed during the recording of the album, unreleased tracks, photo galleries, and the video for "Something That You Said."

tags: bangles, the bangles, doll revolution, 2003, flac,

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Mudhoney - Mudhoney (1989)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Garage Punk, Grunge

Label Number: sp44
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© 1989 Sub Pop
AllMusic Review by Ned Raggett
Mudhoney's first self-titled album came as a bit of a disappointment after the group's initial singles, and from the distance of over a decade it's even more of a sore thumb in the band's extensive discography. It's good, to be sure, but not great; the essential spark of the band got a bit lost over 40 minutes, where in three minutes' space the quartet could be the best act on the planet. Then again, arguably Mudhoney was trying to figure out how to make a full album work with their sound, and if it's not a perfect listen as a whole, there are still some great songs to hear. Jack Endino's production lives up to his reputation for rough, thick recording, but he's left just enough for the songs to breathe, whether it's the audible handclaps on "This Gift" or the quirky guitar riff leading into Dan Peters' rollicking drum rolls on "You Got It." "When Tomorrow Hits" is easily the sleeper hit of the record; later memorably covered by Sonic Boom in the dying days of Spacemen 3, its slow, dreamily threatening build shows off the band's ability for subtlety amidst the volume. "Flat out Fucked" about sums up the whole ethos of the album -- careening pace, compressed feedback roar, and Mark Arm's desperate but never self-important singing resulting in neo-garage rock anti-anthems. About as good is the brilliantly titled instrumental "Magnolia Caboose Babyshit," which gives Steve Turner and Arm a chance to show off some crazy acid rock/proto-funk guitar that avoids sucking, always a pleasure. A couple of draggy numbers and others that take a good idea but almost run too much with it ("Come to Mind," well, comes to mind) keep things from fully working, but next time out Mudhoney would have the perfect combination down.

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Mudhoney - Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge (1991)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Grunge

Label Number: SP105b
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© 1991 Sub Pop
AllMusic Review by Ned Raggett
Whether it was Conrad Uno's production, the addition of more instruments to the Mudhoney arsenal (notably, Mark Arm adds organ, as can be enjoyably heard on "Who You Drivin' Now," among other numbers), a slew of brilliant songs, or a combination of the above, Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge found Mudhoney coming into their own album-wise. "Let It Slide," the album's lead single, fuses everything from surf rock drumming from Dan Peters to a delicious vocal whine on the verses from Arm into a hotwired classic. It's not so much grunge as speed-freak energy, and all the better for it given the caricatures of Sub Pop's sound that would soon take over the airwaves. "Into the Drink" is another fun single, using acoustic and electric guitar to carry a nicely snotty garage stomp along, the full band adding one of their better chorus-gang shouts. More acoustic twang surfaces here and there (check out "Move Out"), helping to show that the variety of songs and styles is much more apparent and welcome here than on the self-titled album. The almost-pretty rushed guitar chime on "Good Enough" could be mid-'80s New Order or the Wedding Present, while Steve Turner's harmonica playing often suggests even deeper roots (and on "Pokin' Around" is both quick on the pace and sweetly mournful). Uno's eight-track production makes more of less plenty of times -- "Something So Clear" may not sound as full to some ears as their other records, but the basic guitar overdubs add just enough force, an effective simplicity (and Turner's soloing is pretty great to boot). The six-minute "Broken Hands" is the one point on the album where the band completely freaks out, but unlike the takes-too-long moments of Mudhoney, it's all worth it here, down to the final chaotic amplifier abuse.

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Mudhoney - Piece of Cake (1992)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Grunge

Label Number: 9 45090-2
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© 1992 Reprise Records
AllMusic Review by Mark Deming
By 1992, grunge was becoming rock's new Flavor of the Month, and Mudhoney, being the naturally contrary types that they were, seemed to be getting a bit bored with it; besides, after several years of roadwork, the band had gained enough speed and precision to allow the garage rock and old-school punk flavors to rise to the surface of their aural cocktail (or, more appropriately, their aural Trash Can Punch). Piece of Cake was the band's major-label debut, but you wouldn't have guessed that by listening to it; Conrad Uno's production is as no-frills as ever, and the short bursts of goofy noise and techno parodies that punctuate the album make it clear Mudhoney were taking themselves (and their career) no more seriously than they ever had. If those looking for the big shaggy sloppiness of "Touch Me I'm Sick" or "You Got It" might feel a bit let down by Piece of Cake, there's a snot-nosed fury to "No End in Sight" and "Suck You Dry" that makes it clear these guys were always a punk band at heart (albeit a punk band who really liked Blue Cheer), and if you're looking for heaviness, "Ritzville" and "I'm Spun" will convince you they hadn't forgotten how to drop that D tuning. Faster and fiercer than ever, but no less fuzzy or messed-up, Piece of Cake proved Mudhoney's palate was a few shades broader than some folks might have expected, but without turning their backs on the glorious ugliness that was always their stock-in-trade.

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Mudhoney - My Brother The Cow (1995)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Post Grunge

Label Number: 9 45840-2
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© 1995 Reprise Records
AllMusic Review by Mark Deming
Mudhoney didn't invent grunge, but they were one of the first bands to truly define the style, and thanks to the bizarro-world logic that has defined their career, they seemed to loose interest in the stuff once you could actually make serious money playing it, ensuring that they wouldn't have to deal with the mainstream adulation that made followers like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden into multi-platinum cash cows. By 1995, grunge's brief fling on the charts was pretty much over … just in time for Mudhoney to decide they liked the stuff again, and make the finest album of their career, My Brother the Cow. On My Brother the Cow, Mudhoney finally found a noisy middle ground where their fondness for Billy Childish and Blue Cheer could peacefully coexist, and the songs are less sludgy and more driving than their early classics, but with enough cheap stomp-box thunder to remind you of who's playing. A few years on the road had made Mudhoney a much stronger and tighter band, able to fully grasp the hard rock guitar figures they dearly loved to mock, but without falling into big rock pomp. And they came up with a dozen tunes that gave them plenty of room to sneer brilliantly (one of their greatest gifts), especially "Generation Spokesmodel," "F.D.K. (Fearless Doctor Killers)," and "Into Yer Shtik" (in which some nameless rock scene figure is advised to "blow your brains out too"). And as icing on the cake, the CD has the greatest hidden bonus track of all time. For better or worse, Mudhoney always played their game their own way, and they never played it better than on My Brother the Cow.

tags: mudhoney, my brother the cow, 1995, flac,

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Mudhoney - Tomorrow Hit Today (1998)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Post Grunge

Label Number: 9 47054-2
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© 1998 Reprise Records
AllMusic Review by Greg Prato
On their fourth release for Reprise and seventh overall, Mudhoney show that they have absolutely no plans to mellow out in their old age. On Tomorrow Hit Today, the influential Seattle outfit harness their attack more than the full-throttle previous release, My Brother the Cow. Mark Arm still sings with all the attitude he can muster, while the others gleefully bash away at their instruments, creating tunes comparable to the enjoyable racket that the New York Dolls and Stooges laid down earlier. And it's very impressive that Mudhoney can still deliver true garage rock all these years later -- "I Have to Laugh" and the opening "A Thousand Forms of Mind" are classic Mudhoney stompers, and they mix it up with '60s surf ("Night of the Hunted") and blues-rock ("Move With the Wind"). Along with the Melvins, Mudhoney remained one of the few remaining Seattle originals, and Tomorrow Hit Today is one of their finest and most focused.

tags: mudhoney, tomorrow hit today, 1998, flac,

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