Black Flag: "Damaged" (SST 007, Nov. 1981) |
Die Band von Greg Ginn und Henry Rollins, mit der bei SST alles begann ...
(26.07.2009) |
"Meat Puppets" (SST 009, 1982) |
Das punkige Debüt des "Wüstenrocktrios"
(26.07.2009) |
Meat Puppets: "Meat Puppets II" (SST 019, April 1984) |
Mehr ...
The Meat Puppets' second album, 1984's appropriately titled Meat Puppets II, has since gone down in the rock history books as an all-time classic, and rightfully so. The Meat Puppets were one of the first punk acts to inject different musical styles into their sound, something that was an absolute no-no at the time — especially the sparkling sounds of country. The trio resembles a more conventional band than on their white-noise self-titled debut; the songwriting had improved dramatically, and you could even clearly decipher the playing and singing this time around. As many '90s alt-rock fans know, Meat Puppets II reached a whole new generation of fans when Nirvana covered the album's three best tracks on their MTV Unplugged special from 1994 — "Plateau," "Lake of Fire," and "Oh, Me." But this was an incredibly consistent recording from beginning to end; other highlights included the instrumentals "Magic Toy Missing," "Aurora Borealis," and "I'm a Mindless Idiot," the rockers "Split Myself in Two" and "New Gods," plus such mellower fare as "Lost," "We're Here," "Climbing," and "The Whistling Song." An essential recording that sounds as fresh and inviting as the day it was released.
(by Greg Prato, All Music Guide)
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Das zweite Album war eine Abkehr vom noisigen Debüt. Die Country/Desert-Einflüße begannen sich im Sound durchzusetzen.
(Glitterhouse)
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(03.08.2009) |
Hüsker Dü: "Zen Arcade" (SST 027, Sept. 1984) |
Mit diesem größenwahnsinnigen Doppelalbum mit ca. 25 Songs (!) gelang
dem Punkrock-Trio aus Minneapolis der große Durchbruch. Einen großen Teil
der Faszination dieser Band ging vom Gegensatz der beiden Sänger/Songschreiber
Bob Mould (Gitarre) und Grant Hart (Schlagzeug)
aus. Dazwischen hielt Bassist Greg Norton die ganze Sache zusammen.
Während Meistergitarrist Mould die komplexeren Songs schrieb, war
Grant Hart eher für die "poppige" Seite zuständig. |
Minutemen: "Double Nickels On The Dime" (SST 028, 1984) |
Die legendären Minutenmänner, Gitarrist D. Boon, Bassist Mike Watt und
Trommler George Hurley. Nach Boons Unfalltod (?) und einer gewissen Trauerzeit
machte die Rhythmusgruppe als fIREHOSE weiter.
(26.07.2009) |
Hüsker Dü: "New Day Rising" (SST 031, Feb. 1985) |

(26.07.2009) |
Meat Puppets: "Up On The Sun" (SST 039, 1985) |
Das dritte Album des Trios - und bereits ihr zweites beim Kultlabel SST.
Der Vorgänger "Meat Puppets II"
von 1984 gilt vielen als Meisterwerk im Grenzbereich Hard Core/Country,
zwei Gegenden, von denen man bislang gar nicht wusste, dass sie aneinander
grenzen, aber für mich ist die Band eigentlich erst ab diesem Album
hörbar: es gibt hier weniger Hardcore (für den ich als Hörer
doch etwas zu alt bin), mehr Pop (d.h. vor allem: bessere Melodien) und
Curt Kirkwood singt inzwischen besser, auch wenn er manchmal immer
noch leicht schräg daneben liegt. Liebgewonnen hatte ich die Band
erst mit dem fünften Album "Huevos"
von 1987.
(17.06.2008)
Mehr ...
What does a band do when they're trying to follow-up a masterpiece? Release another masterpiece, of course. That's exactly what the Meat Puppets did with 1985's Up on the Sun. Issued one year after Meat Puppets II, the songwriting had become more focused, the performances were tighter, and Curt Kirkwood's vocals had progressed from a high-pitched warbling to a soothing monotone. Up on the Sun catches the Arizona trio in a relaxed mood, for the most part; the tunes aren't wound up as tightly as its predecessor, with the album-opening title track, the instrumental "Seal Whales," and "Hot Pink" being fine examples. Other highlights include "Maiden's Milk," which contains some great instrumental interplay between the bandmembers, as well as the upbeat "Away," the funky "Buckethead," the psychedelic "Two Rivers," and the furious "Enchanted Porkfist." As with the other 1999 Meat Puppets reissues on Rykodisc, rarities and demos are included as bonus tracks, including a haunting demo of the album's title track.
(by Greg Prato, All Music Guide)
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Divine Horsemen: "Devil's River" (SST 091, Aug. 1986) |
(26.07.2009)
Mehr ...
Featured are literate lyrics, folk-influenced songwriting, and rock & roll spirit.
(by Robert Gordon, All Music Guide)
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Sonic Youth: "Confusion Is Sex" (SST 096, April 1983/1987) |
Bereits 1983 beim New Yorker Label Neutral erschienen und 1987 von SST wiederveröffentlicht
(26.07.2009)
Mehr ...
Abrasive and archaic, theatrical and confrontational, Confusion Is Sex marks the opening strides that Sonic Youth made during their long slog through the American underground scene of the '80s. And yes, this album is underground if anything — it's lo-fi to the point of tonal drabness, as the instruments seem to ring out in only one tone, that of screechy noise. Yet that tone in itself is part of the album's style, which is one of antithesis. The album isn't comprised of songs but rather soundscapes, while the instruments are your traditional guitar-bass-drums-vocals lineup but are performed most untraditionally. Taken as a whole, Confusion Is Sex is a spellbinding listen, especially the first time through. If you're a bona fide Sonic Youth fan, chances are you'll find it especially spellbinding — the more of the band's albums you've heard, the better. However, if you're unfamiliar with the band, or a casual fan at most, chances are you're going to be thoroughly tested — this is not an easy album to enjoy. As inaccessible as it may be, however, Confusion Is Sex is a cornerstone of Sonic Youth's career, their true opening salvo toward underground heroism, though miles and miles away from such highly regarded albums as Daydream Nation (1988) or Dirty (1992).
(by Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide)
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Meat Puppets: "Mirage" (SST 100, April 1987) |
1987 veröffentlichten die Meat Puppets gleich zwei Geniestreiche:
zuerst Mirage und dann wenige Monate später noch Huevos.
Für mich eines der besten Gitarre-Bass-Drums-Trios aller Zeiten!
Mehr ...
Drei Monate verweilten sie für dieses Album in Studio und arbeiteten
an diesem hoch-psychedelischen Werk, das im Frühjahr ´87 veröffentlicht
wurde.
(Glitterhouse)
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"The Meat Puppets at their psychedelic peak.
A tightly crafted labor of love that took them more than three months
to record, "Mirage" was released in Spring of 1987 to increasing
interest from mainstream rock circles. Writing for the Washington Post,
Joe Sasfy proclamed it "their finest, as close to a polished artistic
arrival as you'd want from a frisky anti-pop band committed to musical
spontaneity and adventure." And in the Los Angeles Reader, Chris
Morris hailed "Mirage" as "rarified rock impressionism
at its heightened best."
(vom Rykodisc-ReIssue)
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As many Meat Puppets fans had realized by 1987's Mirage, the trio would change gears and broaden their sound with each successive album. This was never more apparent than on their fourth full-length release. Synthesizers were used to add textures to the tunes, while the drums sounded metronome-perfect, almost as if a drum machine was supplying the patterns. Strangely, although Mirage was the trio's most experimental album, it also turned out to be one of their most psychedelia-based works. The groovy little ditty "Get on Down" turned out to be one of the band's first videos aired on MTV, while the title track, the melodic "Leaves," the country rocker "Confusion Fog," the unrelenting "Beauty," and the album-closing punk freak-out "Liquified" are all standouts.
(by Greg Prato, All Music Guide)
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Opal: "Happy Nightmare Baby" (SST 103, 1987) |
Nach
seinem Ausstieg bei "Rain Parade", deren Debüt "Emergency
Third Rail Power Trip" er maßgeblich beeinflusst hatte, und dem
von ihm initiierten Sessionprojekt "Rainy
Day" konzentrierte sich David Roback auf das Konzept "Instrumentalist
mit Sängerin"-Duo, zuerst mit Kendra Smith (Ex-Dream
Syndicate) unter dem Namen "Opal", ab 1990 mit Hope
Sandoval unter dem Namen "Mazzy
Star", was mit "Fade Into You" 1994 sogar einen Top-50-Hit
abwarf. Gott sei Dank klingt das Ganze aber nicht wie viele andere derartige
Duos (z.B. Eurythmics oder Roxette). |
fIREHOSE: "if'n" (SST 115, Dez. 1987) |
Zweites
Album der ehemaligen Rhythmusgruppe der Punklegende Minutemen
(Mike Watt am Bass und George Hurley am Schlagzeug) mit
dem Gitarristen Ed Crawford, als Nachfolger des verstorbenen Minutemen-
Gitarristen D. Boon. Ich kann gar nicht so genau sagen, was das
für eine Musik ist. Irgendwie natürlich Rockmusik von einem
"normalen" Gitarre/Bass/Drums-Trio, aber andererseits haben
wir hier eine Art von Zusammenspiel der Musiker, das eher an Jazztrios
erinnert. Es ist natürlich kein Jazz, der hier von den Jungs geboten
wird - aber eben auch kein korrekter "Rock". Einzigartig, kraftvoll
und ziemlich frickelig. Live ein absolutes Erlebnis (Zeche Bochum ca.
1987/88). Außerdem muss ich mich hier als Softie outen: für die "richtig
harten Fans" sind fIREHOSE den legendären Minutemen gegenüber
natürlich nur zweite Wahl - für mich aber wesentlich angenehmer
zu hören. Es gibt mit "In Memory Of Elizabeth Cotton" sogar
einen richtig schönen Folksong von Ed. |
Dinosaur Jr.: "You're Living All Over Me" (SST 130, Juli 1987) |
Nach
dem schon sehr schönen Debüt
jetzt der Durchbruch von J Mascis und seinen beiden Begleitern
- endlich bei SST, dem angesagtesten Label der Saison! |
fIREHOSE: "Sometimes, Almost Always" (SST 131, 1988) |
Ich
bin nicht ganz sicher, ob da wirklich ein Fender-Amp das Cover dieser
EP von fIREHOSE ziert. fIREHOSE, Nachfolgeband der Minutemen
mit neuem Gitarristen beim Kultlabel SST, waren mal in den späten
80ern eine meiner Lieblinxbands. |
Sylvia Juncosa: "Nature" (SST 146, Aug. 1988) |
Ende
der 80er war SST mit Bands wie Hüsker Dü,
den Meat Puppets und den Minutemen absolut
kultig. Der Sound nannte sich "Post Punk", "Hardcore"
und dergleichen. Den meisten dieser Bands war auf jeden Fall ein harter
Gitarrensound, der nichts mit Heavy Metal zu tun hatte, gemeinsam. Inmitten
dieses "Männersports" gab es ganz vereinzelt mal eine Frau,
wie zum Beispiel Sylvia Juncosa. Sie bringt hier auf ihrem Solodebüt
phantastische Gitarrenarbeit, während der Gesang da nicht ganz mithalten
kann, was aber keine Rolle spielt. Ein Song hat es mir dabei besonders
angetan: "Lick My Pussy, Eddie van Halen" ist genauso gut, wie
es der Name verspricht.
Bei den Rusty Nails haben Bernd Baumgart
und ich mal ein Lied über die Lady verfasst: "Sylvie On The
Roller-Coaster" handelt davon, wie Bernd mal Anfang der 90er mit
Sylvia Juncosa in Düsseldorf-Oberbilk auf der Kirmes war (Freunde
von uns veranstalteten damals Konzerte und veröffentlichten diverse
Independent-Platten). Da wäre ich gerne dabei gewesen (was Bernd vielleicht
etwas gestört hatte!) |
Meat Puppets: "Huevos" (SST 150, Okt. 1987) |
Ein Zufallsentdeckung wegen des schönen Covers. Bald danach meine
Lieblings-SST-Band. Vielleicht sogar mein Lieblings-Gitarrentrio überhaupt.
Mehr ...
Huevos erschien 1987 nur ein paar Monate nach dem eher experimentellen
Mirage. Gitarrist Kurt Kirkwood war seit seiner Kindheit ein
Fan von Z.Z. Top und Einflüße der bärtigen Texaner mischen
sich hier mit den typischen, Meat Puppet´schen Unwägbarkeiten
zu einem der straightesten Alben des Trios.
(Glitterhouse)
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"Hard driving riff rock, Meat Puppets style.
"Huevos" was recorded in four days and released less than six
months after "Mirage". But where that album was spacey and lush,
"Huevos" is rough and spontaneous. Writing for the Village Voice,Howard
Hampton declared it to be "steeped in bliss", while in the the
Los Angeles Times,Gina Arnold called it "the band's best effort yet"."
(vom Rykodisc - ReRelease)
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"From out of the scrub brush on the edge of the desert comes a trio
who were making their brand of music well before alt-country and Americana
were the new thing to come down the pike. Don't get me wrong, I love the
alt-America stuff, but there is something right and real about the Puppets
and the songs they sing. This record is a bit more mellow than I remembered
the first time around, but that in no way reduces the amount of pleasure
to be gotten from a few repeated listenings. The cover art appears to
be painted in thick layers in a slightly southwestern palette. Hey, any
cover with a bottle of Tobasco on it is welcome at my table, any meal
of the day."
(Tralfaz-Archive)
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Recorded and released just a few months after the experimental Mirage, 1987's Huevos was a return to the Meat Puppets' earlier, more straight-ahead direction. The band (guitarist/singer Curt Kirkwood in particular) had always voiced their admiration of ZZ Top, and Huevos contained Billy Gibbons & Co.'s influence more than any other Puppets release. But don't be misled — it wasn't a ripoff, the trio simply incorporated ZZ's sound into their energetic, unpredictable rock. It also didn't hurt that Huevos contained the band's best set of songs since 1985's classic Up on the Sun, comprised almost entirely of heavy rockers ("Paradise," "Look at the Rain," "Crazy," "Fruit," "Automatic Mojo," "Dry Rain," etc.). Another major improvement of Huevos over Mirage was that Derrick Bostrom's drums no longer sounded metronome-perfect and robotic, giving the performances a much livelier edge. The bonus tracks included on the '99 Ryko reissue included several demos of Huevos tunes, including a lengthier and much more laid-back version of "Sexy Music," as well as a medley of "I Can't Be Counted On" and Jimmy Reed's "Baby What You Want Me to Do."
(by Greg Prato, All Music Guide)
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"Sister Double Happiness" (SST 162, 1988) |
Gibt es intelligenten Hardrock? Ja. Aber eher selten. |
Henry Kaiser: "Those Who Know History Are Doomed To Repeat It" (SST 198, Juli 1988) |
Songs von den Grateful Dead und Captain Beefheart von einem der besten amerikanischen Avantgardegitarristen.
Mehr ...
Guitarist Henry Kaiser manifests at least three distinct personas: the free improvising musician coming out of Derek Bailey, the indefatigable ethnomusicologist discovering obscure musics and demonstrating their relationships to the blues and other forms, and the imaginative cover artist. This last is one of his most successful guises and is on fine display here. Kaiser's own compositions have never been particularly memorable, but he both exercises a superb ear in his choice of covers and a creative and buoyant sense of fun in his interpretations. He seems to often favor versions of songs from bands native to his own California, especially those from the Grateful Dead and Captain Beefheart. This disc begins with a rousing version of the Dead's "Mason's Children" and includes a half-hour plus exploration of "Dark Star/The Other One" that will surely satisfy the most die-hard Deadhead. Four shorter Beefheart gems are also beautifully performed. But the oddball highlights are a handful of pieces rarely associated with any kind of avant-garde, including Burt Bacharach's "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence," given a heartfelt reading by vocalist Cary Sheldon, who also warbles enjoyably on the theme from The Andy Griffith Show and, of all things, "Ode to Billy Joe." The best is saved for last, an instrumental rendition of the Country Joe number "Colors for Susan," with a delicate, John Fahey-ish accumulated strumming that shimmers transcendently. Knowing and repeating history, Henry Kaiser produced one of his finer albums.
(by Brian Olewnick, All Music Guide)
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Brian Ritchie: "Sonic Temple And The Court Of Babylon" (SST 202, 1988) |
|
Grant Hart: "Intolerance" (SST 215, Nov. 1989) |
Nach dem Trennungsfrust von Hüsker Dü spielte deren Drummer Grant Hart sein Solodebüt ganz alleine ein,
wobei das Schlagzeug eher eine untergeordnete Rolle spielt und manchmal sogar stattdessen
eine Drum-Machine eingesetzt wird. Beeindruckend ist eine Orgel, die Hart
im Studio vorfand und dann bei fast allen Titeln spielte. Mit dem Undergroundhit
"2541", später von Robert Forster und sogar von
meinen Rusty Nails gecovert! |
"Melting Plot" (SST 249, 1990) |
Ich weiß leider nicht mehr, wie ich auf dieses Album aus dem Hause SST gekommen
bin. Es handelt sich um den "Soundtrack" zu einem Film, von dem ich - und
wohl auch die meisten von Euch - noch nie etwas gehört haben. Von den beteiligten
Bands am bekanntesten: Sonic Youth, die Mädchenband L7 und vielleicht
noch Das Damen. Wahrscheinlich haben mich die schrägen Coversongs gereizt?
Zum Bleistift "Crazy Horses" von den Osmonds, "It's Not Unusual"
(Tom Jones), "S.O.S" (ABBA), "Clear Spot" und
"Apes Ma" (Captain Beefheart), "Wild Honey Pie"
(Beatles), "Hotel California" (Eagles), "Stairway
To Heaven" (Led Zeppelin) oder "Master Of The Universe"
(Hawkwind). |
Zoogz Rift: "Torment" (SST 251, 1989) |
Auf diesen Gitarristen bin ich wegen seiner Coverversion von Tim Buckleys
"Sweet Surrender" aufmerksam geworden. |