Well holy shit! Holy fucking shit!
I played this thing LOUD and it may very well be my favorite Melvins album of the last ten years. You know how playing Lysol feels like listening to 4.5 songs (all of them great?) Well this record does not feel like that. It feels like more songs than Working With God did (at least to me).
There's so much to unpack. The prologue (and epilogue) of "Mr. Dog" is both frightening and lovable. I think it's toms and reversed vocals and maybe something else, but it really sets the tone for the record.
Every tune rocks. There's no major diversions into genres they don't belong in or synthy noodling. There is a track or two on side two that feel a bit like the cheerier parts of Nude With Boots.
While much of it sonically resembles these past Toshi years, especially Melvins 1983 albums, there are also some new choices that feel more like 5 Legged Dog or Buzz's acoustic stuff in that there is space to listen and definition in each instrument.
I didn't notice any awkward lyrics or clunky melodic turns. The songs all pretty much end up somewhere different from where they started, except the two we've already heard on the EP. "Receiver and the Empire State" might be my least favorite track.
Anyway, I'm super excited. I'm really glad I splurged on the initial vinyl release. I'm still new to records, so I probably have nasty azimuth and a crappy preamp, but it still sounded alive and immediate. Though I know I'll buy the CD when it comes available, I'll also be happy to live with my little digitized copy for the car.
I heard some backing vocals that I don't think were Steven's on side 2. Almost sounds ladylike. Elsewhere the harmonizing is good. I like that they didn't lose that element from 5 Legged Dog either. Buzz sings lead throughout, as best I can tell. I certainly don't hear a Steven lead anywhere.
None of these songs would play on the radio, but this is a great record to introduce people to the Melvins. Perhaps the best such new studio album since the BB days.
Ha! This band does not keep fans waiting very long, and I'm grateful for that, but FUCK I've been waiting for this for a loooong time.
