This is a very interesting album, to say the least.
Their first with Jeff Pinkus, of the Legendary Butthole Surfers.
And he even brought along his Butthole buddy, Paul Leary.
Leary brings the signature BHS production style, mixed with the Melvins hard crunch.
The project works well for me, but now that I've been listening to it for 4 months,
I have some observations;
The bass is extremely low (frequency-wise). I usually like this, but it doesn't work quite as well on this one.
I'm getting used to it, but it's a little disorienting, how the Paul Leary "Wall Of Sound" keeps chucking delay at you. I'm not sure that I like the feel of how all of this goes together.
It's like a grumbling tummy. Every time you listen. Not an attribute that keeps me coming back for more.
The treble is shelved pretty low. Dan Halen pointed this out. You combine this with the low bass, this album lives lower on your eq than most everything, other than classic gangsta rap.
You don't get the metallic sheen of the Atlantic years, or even the Kevin or Big Biz eras.
The guitar continues to sound like Freak Puke and Tres Cabrones, which is fine by me.
Many decry the lack of Gibson Les Paul tone and more conventional Marshall stack amplification.
Get used to it, King Buzzo has officially moved out of AC/DC and KISS territory, at least when it comes to his guitar rig. The riffs he's playing are more important to me, and on this album, they're excellent.
The mix of songs, alternating between late model Melvins, Pinkus/ Honky/ Melvins hybrid and Paul Leary LSD -inspired pop flows quite well. It's a Beatles-White Album type of affair. Different songwriters coming together to showcase their abilities, yet exhibiting a cohesive structure, where they all get to add their own flavor to each others songs.
I have my cassette I made of this CD, tracks in this order;
1-Bride Of Crankenstein-Pinkus on vocals, channeling King Buzzo rage.
7-Sesame Street Meat-a very solid Melvins tune, could have been on a dozen different Melvins
projects.
3-Brass Cupcake-A more collaborative effort, exhibiting equal parts Melvins/ BHS song structures
and vocals.
5-Onions Make The Milk Taste Bad-a continuation of Big Biz style Melvins.
6-Eyes On You-Leary pop song, with crazy, subversive lyrics. A stellar combination.
9-The Bunk Up-Perhaps a continuation of Dogs And Cattle Prods, from Tres Cabrones? Starts out
with Melvins riffs from hell, continues devolving into weird interludes.
12-House Of Gasoline-the first 2 1/2 minutes are a great Melvins track. The next 7 minutes
degrade into a drum-off between Dale and Pinkus?! Even without Coady on this project, Dale
loves some call and response type cadences.
2-You Can Make Me Wait-pure Paul Leary pop genius. This one reminds me of songs that were
popular on the radio in the late 70's, but in a good way.
8-Nine Yards-Pinkus being Pinkus. Sounds like Honky, but with Buzz instead of Bobby.
10-I Get Along (Hollow Moon)-Leary. What more can I say? I miss me some Buttholes! :(
11-Piss Pistopherson- :lol: see Nine Yards^
4-Barcelonian Horseshoe Pit-crazy ass instrumental. Did I mention Leary is a freakin' genius?
12b-here's where I put the final 3/4 of this track. It's brilliant, but it doesn't hold my attention
very well.
So there you have it. Out of post-Big Biz, here's my decisive ranking (subject to change :P )
1- Freak Puke
2-Tres Cabrones, This Machine Kills Artists, Hold It In (3-way tie)
pretty spot-on review
i think the bass tone is good
i agree about freek puuk.
That's a great review. Nice insights. I'd say for me the excitement of the newness has worn off. I do think it's a truly stellar effort but I listened to Freak Puke not that long ago and I hadn't listened to it for a while. Once the record was over it had me wanting more Freak Puke. I wasn't ready for it to be over where as by the time House Of Gasoline is over I get an overall sense of satisfaction and I'm fine that it's over. I think that feeling of wanting more gives Freak Puke that extra push to still be tops. With that said I can't wait for what's next!
Quote from: Bro Hammer on March 16, 2015, 01:07:13 AM
That's a great review. Nice insights. I'd say for me the excitement of the newness has worn off. I do think it's a truly stellar effort but I listened to Freak Puke not that long ago and I hadn't listened to it for a while. Once the record was over it had me wanting more Freak Puke. I wasn't ready for it to be over where as by the time House Of Gasoline is over I get an overall sense of satisfaction and I'm fine that it's over. I think that feeling of wanting more gives Freak Puke that extra push to still be tops. With that said I can't wait for what's next!
The best part is there are still approximately 37 more Melvins Lite songs in the bag. :excited:
Quote from: meezer on March 16, 2015, 03:48:20 AM
Quote from: Bro Hammer on March 16, 2015, 01:07:13 AM
That's a great review. Nice insights. I'd say for me the excitement of the newness has worn off. I do think it's a truly stellar effort but I listened to Freak Puke not that long ago and I hadn't listened to it for a while. Once the record was over it had me wanting more Freak Puke. I wasn't ready for it to be over where as by the time House Of Gasoline is over I get an overall sense of satisfaction and I'm fine that it's over. I think that feeling of wanting more gives Freak Puke that extra push to still be tops. With that said I can't wait for what's next!
The best part is there are still approximately 37 more Melvins Lite songs in the bag. :excited:
Ohhh reeeaaallly?!? That makes me happy.
yay! pinkus!
Pinkus introduces the album. Here it is.
https://mega.nz/#!XhMDwQoR!9Ydzs0hdUIidmpg_jlEkTZJ39N5ThANJRFxqgC7TE2s
"Get used to it"
OK. :(
I just want to know, Ii it just me or did they change Sesame Street Meat live? On the album they switch straight into that massive riff at the end but live they play the intro riff twice beforehand.
Sounds a bit disjointed live compared to the album version, wonder what the reason for that would be. First world problems...
explain better, which is the part they cut in your opinion? to me they sound pretty much the same:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec6tg21H3jE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6rMyGs8t8E
The studio video 2:39
The live one 2:50.
You can hear the live one has an extra bar, where the studio version cuts straight into the riff.
ah you're right!
Quote from: ))))(((( on January 29, 2016, 10:31:08 AM
Currently listening to this album again. It's not all that good in a way i think. Bride, Onions, Bunk Up and Sesame Street are pretty much the only cool songs. Although those four ARE really good songs! Especially 'The Bunk Up'.
it's a good album. problem is: production
I'm glad we have it as a one off deal. I enjoy it more than POTRE, in that regard.
I couldnt Find the Review I did in the original Thread so I am re-posting it here:
This album is cut clean and pure.
Heisenberg couldnt Touch The Chemists who cooked this batch of tunes.
Adendum;
suffice to say this album leaves my ears ringing.. in a good way.
Its probably the most ambient album since COD IMO, theres sounds on their Ive only been able to imagine hearing. Things I cant Identify, Its a very Alien Album altogether, and Yet that is somehow Familiar space to me.
The Ambience and Noise on this thing Basically Confronts your awareness and overloads your sensory perception until youve forced to revert to a Relaxed State of pleasant Chaos, then the musical side does its work on your subconsious without you even knowing.
(I dont need to mention the Keyboard parts are very satisfying and work so beautifully in every way from a production standpoint to Just being a basic Aid to enhance the musicality of the thing, This is not a modern Album, it *SOUNDS* modern but a lot of what Im hearing on it goes back to about 1984 or older, Instruments Im hearing like pipe or reed organ, and maybe even a woodwind somewhere. and slathered in synth Gravy. Theres Vocoder and what I want to believe is the culmination of Just about every single Recording Technique Ive ever heard, not to mention all the different Instrumental Sounds the Melvins and buttholes have used over their Career span on different albums. )
I love how chaotical yet organized it appears in its entirety, Like a complete oxymoron, So Twisted in its beauty.
It comes on hard, and by the end, youre back to where you started again.
The amount of work and planning going into this was only executed through some kind of Zen like temperance.
Like this album has been 30 years in the making.
To me its almost like this is an album Throbbing gristle would have made *IF* they were more technically gifted musicians rather than simple factory hands..individual parts of a machine on an assembly line that make up a whole Just to increase work effort while cutting costs and making maximum profit margins by simple Mass production runs, Its coming through from both worlds, it lingers between Reality and surreal on a spiders thread that is tied to a psychological Web of entrapment.
Not to mention the Cars Influence on that early track, and I sadly confess butthole Surfers are alien to me as the bottom of the ocean. Im guilty of only owning Electric Larryland.
But some friends showed me their Other albums once and I was in love, almost like Ive been waiting to get into them because I know like a well balanced meal its good to savour every bite rather than gobble it down before you even tasted it.
Thats how much like life this whole *music* thing is to me right now at least.
Frank Zappa wasnt kidding around when he said music is a powerful force that could lead to * hamburger time.*
Theres ONE Disgustingly Killer Pinkus Bassline on a later Track that comes in and then Stops Just as the Drums Kick for that bassline and the Bass STOPS! and the drums keep that part going on Just drums without bass...*shakes head* Its like...!!! you bastards! You mad Bastards!!! You know how good you are!!!!!!!! and youre Just laughing at us all for being so puny and weak and simple minded that we will never quite put our fingers on Just what it is that makes you soo damn....Alive.
If you had to classify this album, Its a very complex Hybrid, and outwardly defies any said Laws or *rules* for pre-expectations of Music and sound.
..but I think Thats only my third or Fourth Listen so far. :-k
=D>
TY :mrgreen:
https://everetttrue.wordpress.com/2016/02/10/an-appreciation-of-melvins-these-are-people-who-make-up-their-own-myths-and-legends-uncaring-of-what-happens-around-them/
I think House of Gasoline should have started the album.
Respectfully disagree... "What's that shit they sold you?" (or however it goes) is among the best opening lyrics of an album ever.
i like to listen to it without pauls songs. i listen to them along with "a history of dogs" they fit very well and would actually make an interesting tour.
of their recent albums this is probably the one i listen more :shock:
Quote from: black stallion on August 06, 2018, 03:16:29 PM
of their recent albums this is probably the one i listen more :shock:
From the last decade i'd say this album is my favorite!
I've definitely come around to the extended "House of Gasoline" It's a moment like opening Lysol or "Magic Pig Detective" or "Youth of America" where once you know it's coming, it's the place you just strap in and hold on.
This record is a favorite, indeeeeeeeed. Super heavy, super super weird, super damn good. BUTt I disagree with the track sequencing, it is within my rights in this day and age. So I ripped the CD, re-ordered the tracks, burned a cdr to listen to in the car, even made a tape of this order. Much more preferred listening to me and mine.
1. Bride of Crank
2. Onions Make the Milk
3. Nine Yards
4. Sesame St. Meat
5. The Bunk Up
6. House of Gasoline
7. Eyes On You
8. You Can Make Me
9. Brass Cupcake
10. Piss Piss
11. BCN Horse
12. I Get Along
I would really really like to see this line-up do more records together. Leary & Buzzo guitaring together is just the Bees Knees. Pinkus & Crover rhythm section is Fierce. Pinkus & Leary together....❤!
It would be fantastic if they could bring King along for a dual drum destruction descent downtown to Brown Acid Avenue.
A girl can dream.
I really liked Pinkus being involved with the band. He seems like a proper Melvins bassist in my eyes. In fact put it this way, i'd be happy to see him replace Steve full time. Im not sure about Leary and whether i'd like him involved again. I say that because i don't like his songs on the record. Those pull it down a peg or two for me. However i would have liked to see him perform some of this album live with the band. I'll give a listen to your revamped track order.
There was a few things I didn't like about the record in weird ways, [...], but once the order changed, I appreciated and enjoyed far more all the weird weird variety. Thinking about it, the record is more in line with Stag for all the really weird heavy variety, IMO
YMMV.
Part of what made me think to move around the order was somewhere a mention from Buzz about listening to different mixes of the songs of this record specific which led me to thinking about track sequencing, something I'm sure Buzz probably has strong opinions about and maybe probably there was much talk about that amongst the involved parties. Or maybe not. I dont know. Just speculating for no reason. Good record, good songs. They should do it again.
I don't disagree, and I hear it more like Honky than Stag. But "House of Gasoline" is a closer.
I find "You Can Make Me Wait" disrupts the awesomeness early on. Having a block of five heavy hitters up front seems like a stronger record.
Quote from: amazonAMAZON on September 14, 2020, 07:04:27 PM
I find "You Can Make Me Wait" disrupts the awesomeness early on.
I totally agree. That tactic quite often seems to be something of a Melvins thing lately - put an unexpected (sometimes naff) song as track 2. Often the worse song of the lot too! Examples of this being Best Friend, Embrace The Rub, the aforementioned You Can Make Me Wait and Inner Ear Rupture. Although the latter one there is actually pretty good and effective! I like that one.
Sigh, yes, they do keep doing that. Meh.
BUT Notes & Hot Takes:
Inner Ear Rupture is a cover of Eruption by Van Halen. Also the 2nd song on the Van Halen record. So that makes sense but I get someone not digging it.
Embrace The Rub is actually a GREAT song IF the (imo) dreadfully-placed* Stop Moving To Florida* is removed and becomes the start to PAT*
Best Friends should be a 7" exclusive track, left there along with SMTF... collector fool material (guilty of loving hunting finding having records with exclusive tracks).
You Can Make really works better in the revised track order.
* I love PAT. It's a Fantastic action record IF ya start the rec at ETR. S/MTF is a meh take on both songs, they're not terrible (MTF could be way better than it is, tho, tbh) -why they're together in this form and title...??- they're really un-interesting takes of those songs to be starting a fine record like PAT with. 🤷♂️
Again better left for 7"s.
Whew doggy, hot take city. Haha!
Quote from: ))))(((( on September 14, 2020, 09:19:38 PM
Quote from: amazonAMAZON on September 14, 2020, 07:04:27 PM
I find "You Can Make Me Wait" disrupts the awesomeness early on.
I totally agree. That tactic quite often seems to be something of a Melvins thing lately - put an unexpected (sometimes naff) song as track 2.
I like the three Paul Leary tracks on the album! Being spread out at tracks 2,6,&10 seemed like a good choice to me.
Are there songs missing from this vinyl? Like Basses Loaded, it goes cheaper than most Melvins vinyl. At 54 minutes it is long for a record...
Quote from: coodies on September 02, 2021, 06:06:56 PM
Are there songs missing from this vinyl? Like Basses Loaded, it goes cheaper than most Melvins vinyl.
I think it is just the final track 'House Of Gasoline' that isn't on the vinyl. Probably that one since it is the longest of the bunch.
Quote from: ))))(((( on September 03, 2021, 06:12:18 AM
Quote from: coodies on September 02, 2021, 06:06:56 PM
Are there songs missing from this vinyl? Like Basses Loaded, it goes cheaper than most Melvins vinyl.
I think it is just the final track 'House Of Gasoline' that isn't on the vinyl. Probably that one since it is the longest of the bunch.
eyes on you and house of gasoline are missing on the ipecac vinyl version. they are included on the amrep 10" bride of crankenstein.
Never noticed that. Wow, how insulting. Ditch "You Can Make Me Wait" and "Eyes on You," fade a bit of "House of Gasoline" if you really have to perhaps.
I guess that's still better than the Basses Loaded vinyl fiasco.
Most of the missing basses loaded tracks on ipecac are available on amrep 10inches.... I think only the track with Krist is not available anywhere on vinyl...
The melvins should include it as a b-side if they ever go back to releasing 7inches.
I think this record might be among the finest they did in a last decade, easily holds up really well.
Quote from: CoryCory on September 03, 2021, 06:12:17 PM
I think this record might be among the finest they did in a last decade, easily holds up really well.
On the whole yeah, i just don't like the Leary tracks. Kick them to the curb and we have one great Melvins album!
Quote from: CoryCory on September 03, 2021, 06:12:17 PM
I think this record might be among the finest they did in a last decade, easily holds up really well.
it's a good record, i think recording is very poor though. especially drums
wonder how you guys rate this record,been listening to it after a long time...i love it
Absolutely on of the best late period Melvins records. It's got a good fistful of core Melvins tunes. It gets weird but in a fun way. And it's got Paul's fucked up headspace to boot.
Quote from: amazonAMAZON on February 03, 2025, 02:25:06 PMAbsolutely on of the best late period Melvins records. It's got a good fistful of core Melvins tunes. It gets weird but in a fun way. And it's got Paul's fucked up headspace to boot.
i agree with you.some of those songs were amazing live too