Category Archives: Melvins

The return of Melvins

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melvins-sausages

I think – like a lot of people of my generation – I first heard of Melvins (not ‘The’ apparently) because Kurt Cobain name-checked them (see also The Vaselines and the Meat Puppets).

They are about to release a covers album called Everybody Loves Sausages, which has has been described as an unconventional covers album. This is, after all, the band who covered ‘Dies Irae’ from The Shining and did it rather well.

Their cover of Queen’s ‘You’re My Best Friend’ can be streamed over at Noisey.

The full album tracklisting is as follows, with some rather ace guests and an interesting (in a good way ) choice of covers:

1. Warhead (Venom; Guest: Scott Kelly of Neurosis)
2. You’re My Best Friend (Queen; Guest: Caleb Benjamin of Tweak Bird)
3. Black Betty (Original artist unknown) (hear them covering it here)
4. Set It On Fire (The Scientists; Guest: Mark Arm)
5. Station To Station (David Bowie; Guest: JG Thirlwell)
6. Attitude (The Kinks: Guest: Clem Burke of Blondie)
7. Female Trouble (Divine, written by John Waters) (hear them covering it here)
8. Carpe Diem (The Fugs) (hear it here)
9. Timothy Leary Lives (Pop-O-Pies)
10. In Every Dream Home A Heartache (Roxy Music; Guests: Jello Biafra and Kevin Rutmanis)
11. Romance (Tales of Terror)
12. Art School (The Jam; Guest: Tom Hazelmeyer)
13. Heathen Earth (Throbbing Gristle)

Everybody Loves Sausages is released on April 29 on Ipecac.

The return of the Melvins

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melvins_promo_2008_3

Yay! those loveable hair-brained screamers, the Melvins, who recently celebrated twenty-five years together, are back with their twentieth album, The Bride Screamed Murder. This is the follow-up to 2008’s awesome Nude With Boots.This is out on June 7 (June 1, if you live in North America).

Two tracks are doing the rounds from this album -which, even if you have never heard them, you have probably rightly guessed, do not sound like Lady Gaga or Enya. The album’s opener ‘The Water Glass’ starts off maybe like you’d expect it to, then goes delightfully different about the two minute mark. The other track is the heavier than heaven second track ‘Evil New War God.’ I haven’t heard the whole thing yet, but this bodes very well indeed…check out the tracklisting here

Melvins -‘The Water Glass.’ mp3 (Right click to download)

Melvins -‘Evil New War God.’ mp3
 (left click to download)

Make friends with the Melvins at their myspace.

Jeez, do I have to be nice all the time?

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sunn-o

Sometimes, being nice, especially when you’re feeling tired, grumpy and run down is just too much.

So how about something to show that things can be aesthetically dark and brilliant?

First up, Greg Anderson and Stephen O’Malley (above) run the Southern Lord label, which produces some amazing stuff. They also have their own band, Sunn O))) (just pronounced Sun, in case you were worrrying). Like this, pretty much my introduction to Black Metal a couple of years ago…and which got me into Boris as well.

Sunn O))) -‘It Took The Night To Believe.’ mp3

When I feel a little more educated about it all, I will do a post on the Japanese underground – Boris, Merzbow, Melt Banana and Acid Mothers Temple, for example. Sample this and enjoy.

Boris -‘Flower, Sun, Rain.’ mp3

The Shining is a deeply scary, but very well-made film. Like many people, I first heard of the Melvins becuase Kurt Cobain loved them. This cover shows that anyone who thinks metal lacks inventiveness hasn’t lived.

Melvins -‘Dies Irae.’ mp3

Were/are Carcass thinking man’s grindcore? Whatever…this track, heard by me years ago when I was still at school showed me that the guy who listened to scary metal stuff might have a few aces up his sleeve.

Carcass -‘Heartwork.’ mp3

My understanding is that swiss act Celtic Frost have now split for good, but their album Monotheist was seen as stunning a couple of years ago. I think this track shows why.

Celtic Frost -‘Drown In Ashes.’ mp3

Finally…blink and you’ll miss it! Turn this on by chance and you’ll jump out of your skin…This is one of the shortest songs ever.

Napalm Death -‘You Suffer.’ mp3