Bad Mood Rising

[))))((((]

Starting the thread off for this section of the board!

[Afterbirthmilkshake]

Is this coming out on Ipecac soon?  I usually see them promoting the records earlier than this??? 

[amazonAMAZON]

So this is one of the albums I loved from the first listen, up there with Bulls & Bees, The Maggot, and Bootlicker. Now maybe part of that is that I knew to hold out for the things that would grow on me. But I think it also has a great pacing.

I mean, look at that track listing. Six titles? An album? Yes, an album, chubs.

Two songs on side one.

You start off with those echoey drums with a very spacious ominous Dale-ness. Then backward masked vocals. This intro is longer than "Skweetis" I bet. The first sub-song of "Mr. Dog" is the angel dust from heaven part. It's languid and creepy but catchy. But that unsettling bass riff and the angular guitar give it some bite.

Then it isn't until six minutes in you get the first of those monster groove riffs.

By the time you get to the bizarre and half-tuneless na-na-nas you're so far away from the beginning of the song it feels like the album has been playing for a whole day already. Not that anything goes on too long. Your brain might say so, but your body feels like this is exactly where you need to be. And notice how one of those guitar leads is mimicking the na-na-na, or is it the other way around? Chicken or egg?

Then at the end of the tune with that guitar solo (presumably by Dylan) you've got Dale really putting the lurch into this groove. It's so satisfyingly twisted.

"Never Say You're Sorry" hearkens back to "AMAZON" with its rolling stomping instrumental riffs. But the melodic part threw me for a loop for a while. It will grow on you. I like the way the guitar lead works with the dual vocals. The moment that makes it really deliver is when they sing "standing straight up" as they launch back into the stomp.

Side two and we've got "My Discomfort Is Radiant" which also is divided into two clearly separate sub-songs. The first bit reminds us this is a Melvins record. It could have easily been an Atlantic era deep cut. Then as it comes to a close we get these three or four pulsing downbeats, almost like a rock band version of the orchestra's 'hit' technique. And I swear this reminds me of something from Honky or another record. Then we burst into this swinging romp for a minute that could have been on a Senile Animal. Another huge highlight of this record for me.

"It Won't Or It Might" grew on me a lot. This also seems divided into two sub-songs, though more akin to "Layla" than the stitched-together-fade feel of "Mr. Dog." The first half again sounds like classic Melvins though with Buzz's current preference for reined-in shrill digital effects. The second half is the more polarizing piece, I bet. Its repeating lyrics sound like someone's hazy retelling of a romcom or a dream. The chords are sweet and perhaps sentimental. This sounds like it could have been a Bootlicker tune amped up for live shows. Steven's bass is the star here. I know we all have our favorite bassists and eras of the band. But I guarantee you will not be able to hear anyone else do this. This is the kind of thing he's so good at. It's energetic, melodic, a bit showy, a bit noisy and loose, but totally drives the song in a way that bears repeat listening.

I won't spend too much time on the last two songs, "Hammering" and "The Receiver a the Empire State," but they carry on each with their own character and close out the album in style.

On top of the variety of songs, the surprising flow of the album, the somewhat refreshed sonic palette, and the deep well of memorable hooks, I also really appreciate that the lyrics and songwriting of this record feel much more personal than recent efforts. I was beginning to feel that Buzz's seething sneer had turned into the stifled musings of a sheltered curmudgeon barking at the TV news cycle. On Bad Mood Rising Buzz is as inscrutable as ever, but the general sense is that he is a person reacting to relationships that actually involve him or make him upset instead of just dumping his thoughts about a topic or situation. If I had to guess, dogs come up a lot again on this one. 

Anyway, this is a modern classic. If I had heard this album first I'd probably become a Melvins fan all over again and compare everything else to it.

[Stonergrunge]

Is this coming out on Ipecac soon?  I usually see them promoting the records earlier than this???

I don't think we're going to see an Ipecac edition of this album anytime soon since AmRep already released a regular back vinyl and a jewel case edition on CD... I mean, when was the last time Haze ever released a CD inside a jewel case instead of the usual envelope? Maybe they will do it once they find out they just can't deal with the overwhelming worldwide demand.

[vince furnier]

i don't see much of a relationship between Ipecac and The Melvins lately especially on this release so i've been watching and yesterday Ipecac commented on a Melvins official post yesterday. 

[))))((((]

Then we burst into this swinging romp for a minute that could have been on a Senile Animal. Another huge highlight of this record for me.

Nice review aA. Yes i love that little bit of 'My Discomfort..' too. I never got the (A)SA vibe, i was thinking more of something like Dr Geek or a song like that. I would love for more stuff along these lines.

yesterday Ipecac commented on a Melvins official post yesterday.

I don't think there is any need to worry. There will be Melvins albums on Ipecac in the future. I'm certain of that. The bigger question for me is - will they do another AmRep only album at some point?

[amazonAMAZON]

Then we burst into this swinging romp for a minute that could have been on a Senile Animal. Another huge highlight of this record for me.

Nice review aA. Yes i love that little bit of 'My Discomfort..' too. I never got the (A)SA vibe, i was thinking more of something like Dr Geek or a song like that. I would love for more stuff along these lines.

Yeah I guess maybe there's more of that swinging heaviness on HAT, Stag, and even NWB. I probably had "Rat Faced Granny" in my mind but that's also a pretty different tune.

[amazonAMAZON]

Some things I've recently picked up on in the percussion and sonic dept.

• The first half of "It Won't Or It Might" has this little castanet sound in the beat. Love it.
• The tabla in "The Receiver and the Empire State" actually plays through the whole song, though it ends up relatively low in the mix. Part of what gives it all that frantic energy.
• "Hammering" has that sound in the Stones part that I thought was some new Dale percussion instrument. It kind of sounds like someone dropping a bag of Lego on linoleum. But now I think that's a synthesizer.

[))))((((]

Side A - 9/10
Side B - 7/10

Overall - 8/10

[black stallion]

after a few listen i'd say , side A 7/10, side B 6/10

probably it will grow on me but i wasn't impressed with this album

[Lazy_goblin]

I've been listening to this album once a day since Oct/3rd... I love it all!! My favorite tracks for me are "Never say you're sorry" and "It won't or it might be"

You want to kill me... Don't insult me!

[glen]

y'all got me thinking.

[black stallion]

y'all got me thinking.

it features some of the most melodic/ straight forward stuff they ever composed. You can find some heavy moments too though. It's a grower for sure

[))))((((]

Even though i've heard the album a load of times, just now has been my first listen where i have wondered what Buzz might be saying in the reversed vocals at the start of the record. I wonder if it is just gibberish or some vocals from the record reused.

[amazonAMAZON]

"load," huh-huh.... huh... load