Melvins: Freak Puke (Ipecac, 6/5/12)
“Leon vs. The Revolution”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Melvins_Leon_vs_The_Revolution.mp3|titles=Melvins: “Leon vs. The Revolution”]It’s another year, another set of releases from the incomparable Melvins, whose five-song EP The Bulls & The Bees (with its Big Business lineup) preceded Freak Puke, a new full-length album as Melvins Lite with Mr. Bungle bassist Trevor Dunn.
Melvins: The Bride Screamed Murder (Ipecac, 6/1/10)
Melvins: “The Water Glass”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/melvins_thewaterglass.mp3|titles=Melvins: “The Water Glass”]Last year, sludge-rock band the Melvins released its 20th album (and third since linking up with Big Business members Jared Warren and Coady Willis). That album, entitled The Bride Screamed Murder, is emblematic of what the band has done its whole career: tweak its signature sound — part anthemic classic rock, part avant-garde heaviness — to present something entirely new yet quintessentially Melvins. That willingness to shake things up has been a major factor in the band’s longevity.
After last year’s release, the band undertook a tour in early 2011, playing a different album from its back catalog each night. As the saying goes, you get what you give, and in this case, the Melvins’ 30-year history of experimentation has continually rewarded the band with new experiences. Dale Crover, drummer and founding member, recounts the band’s some of the most memorable recent experiences below.
Endless Residency Tour
by Dale Crover
The Melvins did a residency every Friday night last January in Los Angeles. To make each show unique, we decided to play a different record from our ever-growing catalog of releases. It seemed to go over really well, and since we took the time to learn all these records, we decided to take it on the road. Here are some highlights from the “Endless Residency” tour.
Austin Texas: Austin shows are always great, except for the heat. It’s 100 degrees out, and of course we’re playing outside! The show goes well, but by the end, the “costume” that I’m wearing feels like a soaking-wet sleeping bag. The next day we meet up with our friends from the band Honky to get lunch. Everyone I know that lives in Austin says that the BBQ downtown is average, and they know where the best is. We drive miles out of town to a place in Spicewood, Texas, called Opie’s BBQ. We’re greeted by a guy who opens a large trough with 10 different kinds of smoked meat. We let the Honky boys order for us, then sit down to stuff our faces. It was certainly worth the trip, and I highly recommend the spicy corn! After the feast, we stop by Willie Nelson‘s recording studio. Honky just recorded there. No Willie, but we got the full tour, including seeing the tape vault with Red Headed Stranger master tapes! I was also highly impressed by the nine-hole golf course next door. Maybe we’ll do our next record there!
Brooklyn’s La Otracina has been surfing the “new wave of psychedelic heavy metal” for seven years, impressing with its powerful style and inspiriting live shows. Now, be on the lookout for added vocals and a new line-up on its upcoming album, Reality Has Got to Die (Holy Mountain) out September 21.
Like a dog’s jaw clamping down determinedly on a small, dead animal and refusing to let go, the Melvins continue to solidify their reputation as sludge-metal gods.
ALARM leaves no genre unloved in our round-up of 50 albums that didn’t receive enough attention in 2009.
More details emerge about the upcoming Supermachiner release; the Shrinebuilder super-group begins recording; Mono announces a new album; Orange Tulip Conspiracy announces a full US tour for May. Get these and 10 other news bit after the jump.
Fans have eagerly awaited the completion of Big Business’ newest album, Mind the Drift (Hydra Head), and so have we. Though you’ll still have to wait to hear the whole album, yesterday the band posted album track “Gold and Final” on its MySpace page.
Heading the “mustn’t miss” portion of our weekend, ALARM cover artists Dub Trio return to Chicago. If we have enough time (or the ability to clone ourselves), we hope to also catch Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers, Calexico, the Melvins, Big Business, and a number of other musical talents.
Despite increasingly miserable mainstream hits (how can the radio get any worse?), 2007 was an excellent, indulgent, fulfilling year of music. Here is a look at our favorite ten albums of the year.