Five Legged Dog

[jules]

Didn't know Spirit covered Woman, cool. Only ever heard the Free version. (And now Three Dog Night's cover after a search...Three Dog Night, Five Legged Dog, so many dogs..........)

My mistake. Yes, Free. Not Spirit.

Oh, no, I was really looking forward to finding Spirit's version!

[blacksanta]

It's really cool, the lack of distortion puts focus on the vocals and the songcraft.

My big piece of criticism: Dale should have toned it down by half and they should have dropped 90% of the cymbals. The old Lou Reed quote has never been more apporopriate than this release: CYMBALS EAT GUITARS!

[coodies]

I really liked the Fly Paper song originally by Brainiac. It sounds like up the dumper and it's shoved mixed together. At least that's what I heard the first time.

I noticed no hold it in songs like someone else said. Brass cupcake would have worked really well acousticly I think!

Everybody's talking was a terrible song on first listen. I see now Pinkus sang that one. Wonder what the original sounds like?

I have to re-listen to At The Stake again. The vocals have an effect on them, not like on any of the other songs.

[the bloat]

OK Melvins super fans, what is the first Melvin song to feature an acoustic guitar? The first one to answer correctly wins a prize! (To be determined)

[black stallion]

Prig?

[))))((((]

Everybody's talking was a terrible song on first listen. I see now Pinkus sang that one. Wonder what the original sounds like?

I really didn't like that they included that song. It's a popular song and something of a cliche in a way. Im guessing that was just what Pinkus suggested to record.

OK Melvins super fans, what is the first Melvin song to feature an acoustic guitar? The first one to answer correctly wins a prize! (To be determined)

It probably isn't this track but im thinking 'Cottonmouth' on Stag??

[blacksanta]

OK Melvins super fans, what is the first Melvin song to feature an acoustic guitar? The first one to answer correctly wins a prize! (To be determined)

Album track? Roadbull

[blacksanta]

OK Melvins super fans, what is the first Melvin song to feature an acoustic guitar? The first one to answer correctly wins a prize! (To be determined)

Album track? Roadbull

Or Chief Ten Beers or Underground from Prick

[jules]

Or Chief Ten Beers or Underground from Prick

[Oscar]

Couple of listens in, I think this might be my favourite recent Melvins album.

We've often talked about the way they create a specific environment for studio recordings and then translate songs into a different energetic space for live shows. This record strikes a balance between those two poles, adding a third dimension to things that I find very intriguing. As amazon mentioned earlier 'it feels both practiced and in-the-moment' and I couldn't agree more.

This is also the first album that I feel really works with Steve. His upper register is essential to the Helter Skelterish vocal harmonies that haunt the entire thing. His bass work is also a lot more subtle than usual. If anything, Crover is the only one overplaying on this.
(Dropping a stick on the Evil New War God solo is such a nice touch)

The mix has been brought up a few times by this point and yeah, the drums are distractingly loud. Not always in terms of dBs, but the washed out cymbal use and boominess of it all is an odd choice, considering the way the tunes are put together. Knowing them, I'm sure this was deliberate and it's not off-putting, just a bit of a head-scratcher that they would decide to bury the guitars as much as they did. Reminds me of Beefheart's Dachau Blues, in the way that Don's vocals devour the (very interesting) instrumental beneath it. You find yourself leaning in closer to catch more of what you are enjoying. Buzz mentioned that his guitar work was all tracked with just a room mic, no direct inputs. Essentially the opposite of the Bootlicker recording technique. High level nitpick here, but I think something closer along with a more "Ringo" approach to the drum recording could have served the whole thing a little better but I might just need to live with the album a bit longer.

You can also tell that they must have gone back to some of the original recordings for reference. I've gotten so used to the lyrical mutations from live shows, that hearing certain songs performed true to the original, made them appear even fresher on first listen. Whole thing felt like a gig, come to think of it.

I'm not crazy about the covers, but they have their place. I could also do with a couple of deeper cuts in place of the more obvious hits. Brass Cupcake was mentioned earlier, which would kill with this lineup. Mr. Rip Off, Hospital Up, A Vast and Filthy Prison and Prenup Butter also come to mind. But again, only nitpicking because I like it so much.

Great record.

[))))((((]

All fine observations there Oscar.

I know a lot of people here have mentioned the drums being quite prominent. I've not minded it at all to be honest. I didn't notice the stick drop on Evil New War God either. I'll have to listen to that one again. I've noticed a few times that Dale seems to mess up a little on that one sometimes. So perhaps it wasn't an ironic mess up on the track. So true about the "live" feel of this album. Also, like you say, how these versions dance around the originals and various gig versions over the years. I was thinking today how the record doesn't really quite feel like a studio record. I wonder if much of it was overdubbed or just played together fairly straight.

[black stallion]

OK Melvins super fans, what is the first Melvin song to feature an acoustic guitar? The first one to answer correctly wins a prize! (To be determined)

Album track? Roadbull

Or Chief Ten Beers or Underground from Prick

OK Melvins super fans, what is the first Melvin song to feature an acoustic guitar? The first one to answer correctly wins a prize! (To be determined)

Album track? Roadbull

might be wrong but that's not an acoustic guitar

[Oscar]

I wonder if much of it was overdubbed or just played together fairly straight.

Same, my guess is it was pretty much live with a lot of drum and vocal overdubs.

might be wrong but that's not an acoustic guitar

I think it's an unplugged electric?

[black stallion]

is Dale playing the cocktail kit? maybe a classic drum kit would have sounded different

[Mount Ambulance]

Haven't picked this up yet. Just kinda previewing shit online. Trying not to get too deep in as I want my first listen to be on a real stereo ... that plan isn't going well, haha! Record store is like a 10 min. drive away. Maybe I should get off my ass ... they close soon!

At The Stake!? Oh shit, I can hardly wait!

When I saw the track length I was a bit worried ...

The oppressive openness and haunted hanging space in that one gonna be all the that!

Well they totally fucked with all of that didn't they? Fucking Brilliant!