Thunderball

[black stallion]

should've been a bit longer

I keep thinking that too, but then today shockingly i remembered it's actually the same length as Bullhead!!! Which weirdly i always think of that as a "proper" album for some reason.

ah, that's a good point! Eggnog should be pretty short too. put it this way, probably having heard two tracks in advance didn't help. you got 5 tracks and one of them is a short piece of abstract noise,plus you knew two songs yet.that's why you'd want more. i think the album is great btw

[amazonAMAZON]

Bullhead, too, is eight songs. Each one is truly distinct. There's a few particular emotional peaks like "Your Blessened", "Zodiac", and "Anaconda". It's got those tightly wound riff moments like the ending of "It's Shoved". And just the opener, "Boris", is so unique and memorable that everything after feels a lifetime away.

So when I hear Thunderball I just don't hear that same kind of dynamic range. It's pretty light on lyrics. There's really only one tightly wound riff (if at all) and that's in the opener. Vocally there's not a ton of variety. No snarls, whispers, or bellows. Right?

I'm not complaining. It's just a different kind of record. Still feels noticeably short.

[amazonAMAZON]

Actually I take some of that back. In "Victory of the Pyramids" he gets to that "Your Blessened" style bellow.

[johnnyg]

Here's my review: https://www.punknews.org/review/18089/melvins-thunderball

[black stallion]

great review

[Colonel Cheese]

i agree that it was a great review. I am on my third listen and may have thoughts after this one of the fourth go round.

[black stallion]

I am on my third listen and may have thoughts after this one of the fourth go round.

 

[black stallion]

this album flows so well, i think it's the best thing they did in a long time

[amazonAMAZON]

I think Dillard's been practicing. This album has more Buzzisms than the previous M83 stuff. Maybe Buzz chose them to line up to 4/4 time more easily than they normally would in a given Melvins song. But the kind of shoulder/hip swing shit in "Short Hair" and "Victory" are really lovely elements of this record.

[))))((((]

I think Dillard's been practicing.

Funnily enough, i was wondered that exact thing myself today actually. I hadn't personally noticed any difference between this or the other two albums, but it does stand to reason to imagine Mike probably would practice at home a bit always knowing he would do more recording with Buzz again at some point. I know i would in his position anyway. It's just a shame Buzz said that he most likely will never get to tour with the band.

[TheBloatedPopeDude]

Heh Coady Willis liked my comment on Facebook about how it could be better than Michael Jackson's Thriller and AMG would still give it 3 and a half stars like most of their albums from the past 20 years.  A few days later they gave it 3 and a half stars! Bwhaha!  I mean I don't really care about their opinion but it's pretty weird.

[amazonAMAZON]

In both of the recent interviews Buzz specifically mentioned that Dillard can't wrap his head around the odd time signatures so it is a fun writing challenge to make Melvins songs that still work in standard time like 4/4.

[the bloat]

Venus Blood is a new Melvins classic. The guitar line that plays over and over again in the 2nd half of the song is a fucking earworm. I can't get it out my head

[))))((((]

The guitar line that plays over and over again in the 2nd half of the song is a fucking earworm.

It's got a very laidback style to it. Sends the album off on a reflective or even slightly melancholy note i feel. Which is something i can't say i've noticed much at all on other Melvins albums.

[))))((((]

Also i gotta say i love the electronic touches in this album. They work EXCELLENTLY! I'd be quite happy to see Void Manes and Ni Maitres contribute to future Melvins releases. The noise bits are almost like little hooks in the songs on their own. One particular bit i like is near the start of Short Hair, where Buzz sings "beyond your twisted mind" and suddenly this twisted electronic sound comes in to emphasise the words.

My song ranking!

1. Short Hair With A Wig
2. Venus Blood
3. King Of Rome
4. Vomit Of Clarity
5. Victory Of The Pyramids