"The cabin boy was Flipper, he was a dirty nipper, he stuffed his ass with broken glass and circumcised the skipper."
Dale
The most recent decade has been a period of unprecedented productivity for The Melvins. Both Dale and Buzz were prolific with side projects and collaborations, Dale with Altamont, Porn, super group Shrinebuilder with Wino Weinrich and Scott Kelly from Neurosis. Buzz played with Kevin Sharp's Venemous Concept and in Fantomas with Mike Patton and Slayer's Dave Lombardo which spawned combined tours as "The Fantomas Melvins Big Band."
The band went on to make records with Jello Biafra and Lustmord and then absorbed the two-piece Big Business; bassist Jared Warren and drummer Cody Willis, after firing Kevin Rutmanis and morphed into a four-piece, featuring two drummers.
King Buzzo
Dale
Buzz, Kevin, unknown, Dale
Dale, Buzz, Jared, Cody
Dale Buzz Jared, Cody
Jared, Cody, Buzz, Dale
Hostile Ambient Takeover (2002)After the epic scope of the ambitious "trilogy," that preceded it ("Maggot," Bootlicker," "Crybaby," the band seems to have streamlined their sound in more of a "back to basics," approach.
Less concerned with experimenting with sounds, instruments and recording techniques, the album in certainly more hostile than ambient,
grabbing right for the jugular with a ferocious, guitar-driven sound, punctuated by sickening bursts of electronic noise and feedback.
The creepy pitch-shift vocals on "Foaming," and almost countrified guitar lines on the maniacal sounding "Dr. Geek," only add flavour, as do occasional unexpected synth bits. For the most part, the record is a snarling, sludgy, onslaught, with songs like, "Black Stooges," and "The Fool, The Meddling Idiot," as heavy, abrasive and crunchy as anything they've done previously. They've never sounded riffier than on "The Brain Center At Whipples," one of my favorites, before culminating in the stark unsettling album closer "The Anti-Vermin Seed."
This record may be skipped over by some casual fans, since it is situated between the trilogy and the highly publicized Biafra collaborations, which are then followed by the acquisition of the members of Big Business.
A shame, since Kevin Rutmainis' final record with the band, (collaborations not withstanding) contains many of their best heavy, concise tunes since "The Maggot," yet is, in many ways, more adventurous and satisfying.
Pigs of the Roman Empire (2004)
I was unaware of Lustmord, prior to this release; apparently he's one guy, rather than a band, who specializes in eerie soundscapes.
Many of the songs walk the line between ambient and creepy. Lustmord conjures up a house of horrors; water dripping, heavy doors clanging shut, rusted tools grinding and scraping, bells tolling and monks chanting along with the type of quiet whispering that usually accompanies Jason, lurking somewhere in the bushes in Friday The 13th movies. If this is consistent with the rest of Lustmord's back catalogue, I imagine he may have helped inspire the equally ominous, drippy sounds found on Pig Destroyer's "Natasha," album.
Elsewhere, the tabla has likely never been made to sound as sinister as on "Toadi Acceleratio," as the record moves between dark, atmospheric pieces and bursts of brutal heaviness. "The Bloated Pope," is one of the heaviest things they've done in a while; maybe ever, and it packs more of a punch, framed by the foreboding intro "III".
The sprawling title track builds from a slow crawl over it's over 22 minute length, constantly mutating in different sonic directions, from deathly quiet, to surging, lumbering guitars, to both dark and ethereal sounds, until "Pink Bat," begins with a jarring blast of shrieking white noise.
This record is unique, in that it has the best heavy qualities of records like "Hostile Ambient Takeover," melding with a more adventurous, experimental side reminiscent of certain tracks from records like "Honky," making for an interesting collision that more than makes up for the virtual absence of the band's sly sense of humor. Due to it's focus mainly on quieter material, it may not be for everyone.
Many of the songs walk the line between ambient and creepy. Lustmord conjures up a house of horrors; water dripping, heavy doors clanging shut, rusted tools grinding and scraping, bells tolling and monks chanting along with the type of quiet whispering that usually accompanies Jason, lurking somewhere in the bushes in Friday The 13th movies. If this is consistent with the rest of Lustmord's back catalogue, I imagine he may have helped inspire the equally ominous, drippy sounds found on Pig Destroyer's "Natasha," album.
Elsewhere, the tabla has likely never been made to sound as sinister as on "Toadi Acceleratio," as the record moves between dark, atmospheric pieces and bursts of brutal heaviness. "The Bloated Pope," is one of the heaviest things they've done in a while; maybe ever, and it packs more of a punch, framed by the foreboding intro "III".
The sprawling title track builds from a slow crawl over it's over 22 minute length, constantly mutating in different sonic directions, from deathly quiet, to surging, lumbering guitars, to both dark and ethereal sounds, until "Pink Bat," begins with a jarring blast of shrieking white noise.
This record is unique, in that it has the best heavy qualities of records like "Hostile Ambient Takeover," melding with a more adventurous, experimental side reminiscent of certain tracks from records like "Honky," making for an interesting collision that more than makes up for the virtual absence of the band's sly sense of humor. Due to it's focus mainly on quieter material, it may not be for everyone.
Never Breathe What You Can't See (2004)
I was a big Dead Kennedys fan as a kid, but since that time I seem to have developed an aversion to Jello Biafra's voice. Maybe it's his constant presence on any documentary remotely related to punk rock, or that the past couple of collaboration albums (D.O.A. and NoMeansNo) seemed a bit flat and uninspired. For whatever reason,
my low expectations for this record were shattered. Biafra sounds re-energized. Perhaps some time off has given him time to lace into on a whole new set of targets from the the war on terror, to SUV drivers to over-zealous airport security post 911, or maybe simply having the best possible backing band imaginable (The Rutmanis line-up of the Melvins with contributions from Tool's Adam Jones) but Biafra shows the kids why he is an icon in the first place and that he's still relevant now. "McGruff The Crime Dog," is my favorite track, followed closely by "Yuppie Cadillac." Jello shrieks, howls, and gleefully impersonates his subjects of ridicule, with his classic combination of irreverence and cynicism. He's never sounded creepier than he does inhabiting the character of an airport security guard on "The Lighter Side of Global Terrorism." The music (mostly Buzz's with contributions from Jello) is crunchy and heavy enough to be distinctly Melvins, but also suited to the punk rock style Biafra is known for, even incorporating subtle nuances reminiscent of East Bay Ray, almost as a homage to original DKs (touches missing from the D.O.A. and NMN records, which sounded like the music and lyrics were conceived separately and hastily tossed together.)
my low expectations for this record were shattered. Biafra sounds re-energized. Perhaps some time off has given him time to lace into on a whole new set of targets from the the war on terror, to SUV drivers to over-zealous airport security post 911, or maybe simply having the best possible backing band imaginable (The Rutmanis line-up of the Melvins with contributions from Tool's Adam Jones) but Biafra shows the kids why he is an icon in the first place and that he's still relevant now. "McGruff The Crime Dog," is my favorite track, followed closely by "Yuppie Cadillac." Jello shrieks, howls, and gleefully impersonates his subjects of ridicule, with his classic combination of irreverence and cynicism. He's never sounded creepier than he does inhabiting the character of an airport security guard on "The Lighter Side of Global Terrorism." The music (mostly Buzz's with contributions from Jello) is crunchy and heavy enough to be distinctly Melvins, but also suited to the punk rock style Biafra is known for, even incorporating subtle nuances reminiscent of East Bay Ray, almost as a homage to original DKs (touches missing from the D.O.A. and NMN records, which sounded like the music and lyrics were conceived separately and hastily tossed together.)
This album is not only a great listen, it's the closest we may get to hearing how a new Dead Kennedys record could have sounded in the new millennium. It also demonstrates what a bad ass punk rock record sounds like, when delivered by seasoned veterans.
Sieg Howdy! (2005)
This record is less a follow-up to "Never Breathe What You Can't See," than it is a companion record, stitched together from outtakes of the same sessions fleshed out with various remixes of songs from the previous album.
Their cover of Alice Cooper's "Halo of Flies," (one of my favorite songs ever) is well done, as is the live "Califonia Uber Alles," update skewering Arnold Schwarzenegger and; probably the highlight, "Those Dumb Punk Kids Will Buy Anything," Biafra's awesomely vicious, and long overdue, musical shot back at his former Dead Kennedys bandmates. The two remaining originals are throwaways and the various amusingly titled remixes ("subway gas/hello kitty mix") aren't really very interesting to me at all and, curiously the songs being remixed are the weaker album tracks, in my opinion . The buzz surrounding "Those Dumb Punk Kids..." seems to have gained this release more attention than it's predecessor. Unfortunate since, while the original tracks and one live track would have some value as singles and/or B-sides, ultimately "Sieg Howdy," seems unnecessary.
(A) Senile Animal (2006)
Acquiring both members of Big Business made the band into a juggernaut, especially live. The question could be asked; Did the Melvins need a second drummer? - Of course not. Why did they bother incorporating Cody Willis into their sound? Because it's simply awesome and because they can. The mirror image of Dale side-by side lefty, Cody playing in lock-step is incredible to behold.
The presence of a second drummer is less obvious on record (aside from a heavier reliance on different forms of percussion) but the result is a great album. Not only do Big Business fit in perfectly with the Melvins sound but you can hear their influence started to seep into their new band as well. Jared's voice complements Buzzo's well, sitting on top with a higher range. You actually hear a bit more Jared than Buzz, on many songs. The record has a more direct, stripped down sound than anything the band has done previously. Crunchy staccato riffing of "Blood Witch," and straight-ahead ass-kickers like "The Hawk," and "Rat Faced Granny," combine with greater attention to vocal melody that utilizes the voices of all four members. The infusion of new blood seems to have done the band some good, with an abundance of cool songs, heavy guitar riffs and interesting percussion, equalling what may actually be their most accessible album, and one of their all-time best.
The presence of a second drummer is less obvious on record (aside from a heavier reliance on different forms of percussion) but the result is a great album. Not only do Big Business fit in perfectly with the Melvins sound but you can hear their influence started to seep into their new band as well. Jared's voice complements Buzzo's well, sitting on top with a higher range. You actually hear a bit more Jared than Buzz, on many songs. The record has a more direct, stripped down sound than anything the band has done previously. Crunchy staccato riffing of "Blood Witch," and straight-ahead ass-kickers like "The Hawk," and "Rat Faced Granny," combine with greater attention to vocal melody that utilizes the voices of all four members. The infusion of new blood seems to have done the band some good, with an abundance of cool songs, heavy guitar riffs and interesting percussion, equalling what may actually be their most accessible album, and one of their all-time best.
Nude With Boots (2008)
Buzz's guitar seems to add a different flavour on this record. At times it seems like he's incorporating more traditional rock licks that, at times remind me of ZZ Top, but in an off-kilter sort of way; "Suicide In Progress," is a good example of this. "The Kicking Machine," and "Billy Fish," and "Nude With Boots," contain the closest thing to "pop-hooks," The Melvins have ever served up. Parts of these could actually be described as "happy-sounding."
It's a good companion piece to "(A) Senile Animal," in that it features many of the same elements; more experimenting with odd time signatures and vocal lines/harmonies and quirky percussion, but with less emphasis on crunchy guitars and heavy material and more on melody. Songs like "Dog Island," and "The Savage Hippy," still provide a healthy dose of downtuned sludge for anyone concerned.
Sound-wise, the record is consistent with their other records produced by Tashi Kasai, (whom the band has worked with exclusively since "Hostile Ambient Takeover," in 2002) with a rawer, more organic, "live," sound. Kasai, who is also a member of Altamont and Big Business, has been somewhat overlooked for his influence on the band's sound. Ultimately, "Nude With Boots," is unique to the band's catalogue, building on, without straying too dramatically from, their signature sound.
Sound-wise, the record is consistent with their other records produced by Tashi Kasai, (whom the band has worked with exclusively since "Hostile Ambient Takeover," in 2002) with a rawer, more organic, "live," sound. Kasai, who is also a member of Altamont and Big Business, has been somewhat overlooked for his influence on the band's sound. Ultimately, "Nude With Boots," is unique to the band's catalogue, building on, without straying too dramatically from, their signature sound.
An effective follow up to "(A) Senile Animal," though I personally give the edge to the previous record.
The Bride Screamed Murder (2010)The most recent Melvins record finds the band experimenting even more with vocal harmonies, percussion and more random sounding, complex arrangements, branching off in more directions, as the unit becomes more cohesive. "The Water Glass," stands out for it's, "I don't know but I been told..." marine-style, call and response vocals. Maybe the influence of Buzz's time with Fantomas inspired the fractured timing on "Evil New War God," and "Pig House," blenderizing chainsaw guitars until it plays almost like jazz.
Keyboards, whistling, staccato burst of drumming military snares, bells and pitch shifts vocals pop up at different points. Songs like "War God," and "Inhumanity and Death,"have a heavier guitar sound, reminiscent of "(A) Senile Animal," but with a continuation of the vocal experimentation and different guitar textures and melody of "Nude With Boots." The other variable is a weird playfulness that marks the first time the Big Business has gone onto the studio with The Melvins and laid down some truly odd material Their cover of The Who's "My Generation," is suitably strange, slowing it down to a barely recognizable trudge before completely taking off in another direction. Another high water mark for their trademark weirdness. There are more weird twists and turns to this album
like"Hospital Up,"melding the best parts of more traditional Melvins compositions with oddball material. "P.G.X3" is a strange finale, the likes of which the band hasn't recorded since the "Honky"/"Stag" period. There's a bit of something for everyone enjoy here, and also a bit to make everyone scratch their head. A great one for those of us who like our Melvins records a bit weird.
