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Rating: I am about to review an album that holds significant meaning for me, especially since it was released in a period (1994) when the majors were too busy investing time and money in groups and little groups, even trivial ones, during the height of the grunge explosion.
The band's brains, Steve Albini, is a challenging, sharp, spiteful, at times unpleasant figure but simultaneously brilliant; he was committed to being heard outside of music, criticizing the "money chase" promoted by the aforementioned majors. Shellac (the name is taken from a brand of lacquer made from insect excrement) presents itself as one of the best underground bands in the US between the 80s and 90s: their debut is startling, especially for someone like me at the time who was still unclear about how the music backdrop of alternative U.S. noise-rock operated.
Absolute masterpiece: the momentum and fury here are certainly not repressed, the intricate interplay of the bass, sharp guitar, and drums take life from multiple sources, but unite in a compact ensemble of sounds with Teutonic vibrations. The voice (some tracks are instrumental) is angry and cares less about melody than the message, and this is something we could have expected. But it's a minor detail, given that Shellac aims to make themselves heard more with music than with words.
So indulge in the hard-rock-boogie of Dog And Pony Show, the dissonance of Black Ass, the barely contained outbursts of In A Minute and Il Porno Star (what a title!!!), up to the masterpieces The Idea Of North and Pull The Cup, forerunners of the "stop and go" that much math-rock was about to reach.
So if you ever wondered about getting close to them, now is the time to do it, don't worry they don't stink (despite their name). Run to your trusted retailer and buy it, over time you will realize that money is not always spent haphazardly.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 My Black Ass (03:00)
Gonna eat what I pick
And I hope you choke on it
I'm proud to break a sweat
Too late
The sideshow pays
It's a Gary Cooper story
and it shines like sammy's knee
Babe eat what I pick
And I hope you choke on it
When I care to reach the dead
With a nickel in my hat
I wanna get your big smile
I'm proud to break a sweat
My black ass
03 The Admiral (02:21)
It comes as no surprise he's taken by surprise
It comes as no surprise he's taken by surprise
That's the man, I say his always ahead
That's the admiral his taking in his cock
It comes as no surprise he's taken by surprise
It comes as no surprise he's taken by surprise
That's man who says it's your turn in the barrel
That's the admiral taking in his cock
She walked into the admiral
Looking for someone
Show me what you can do he asked
04 Crow (04:47)
He flies, as a crow flies, straight to her...
Why?
To tell her something...
He promises her he will not do
all the things he has already done to her.
She flies, as a crow flies, straight to him...
Why?
To listen...
Time flies, as a crow flies, in a straight line,
through you, not around you -
your life is only that with which TIME has its way with you.
08 Dog and Pony Show (03:59)
If I could walk, I'd be a miner
If I could talk, I'd be a preacher
If I was a preacher
Tell you what: I'd save a million souls - even you
If I was a miner
Tell you what: I'd be a damn good one
This ain't a record
Neither a joke
Got us all worked up
And left us naked out here in the sun
But who could say it's sad?
I attach no importance to it
just because of my hand
just because of my shriveled little hand
I could be a baseball player
Doesn't surprise me now
even though we had a map
took three days to find
Local redneck stare
Taylor from Pizmo
At the dog and pony show
10 Il Porno Star (05:14)
Il porno star arrives -
No English, no money.
Two things: a cock like a stallion and an iron will.
He becomes famous.
It's a kind of fame you can never understand -
full of cocaine and cosmetics, (????????) and prosthetics.
(???????) bucks! *Brandon Matuja
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