Slint - Spiderland (Touch And Go)

>Slint - Spiderland (Touch And Go)
>Since about 1980, America has been host to an ever increasing parasitic infestation of rock bands of ever dwindling originality.
>It seems there is now no one left on the continent with an aspiration to lay guitar that hasn't formed a band and released a record. And that record sounds a bit like Dinosaur Jr.
>Trust me on this; all but maybe three of those records are pure bullshit.
>My primary association with rock music is that i am a fan of it, thought listening to the aforementioned nearly killed that.
>In its best state, rock music invigorates me, changes my mood, triggers introspection or envelopes me with sheer sound.
>"Spiderland" does all those things, simultaneously and in turns, more than any record i can think of in five years.
>"Spiderland" is unfortunately Slint's swansong, the band having succumbed to the internal pressures which eventually punctuate all bands'biographies.
>It's an amazing record though, and no one still capable of being moved by rock music should miss it.
>In 10 years it will be a landmark and you'll have to scramble to buy a copy then. Beat the rush.
>Slint formed in 1986 as an outlet and pasttime for four friends from Louisville, Kentucky.
>Their music was strange, wholly their own, sparse and tight. What immediately set them apart was their economy and precision.
>Slint were that rare band willing to play just one or two notes at a time and sometimes nothing at all.
>Their only recording, 1989's "Tweeze" LP (produced by Steve Albini if i'm not mistaken) hints at their genius. but only a couple of its tracks have anything like the staying power of "Spiderland"
>"Spiderland is a majestic album, sublime and strange, made more brilliant by its simplicity and quiet grace.
>Songs evolve and expand from simple statements that are inverted and truncated in a manner that seems spontaneous, but it's so precise and empathic that it must be intuitive or orchestrated or both.

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>Straining to find a band to compare them with, I can only thing of two, and Slint don't sound anything like either of them. Structurally and in tone, they recall Television circa "Marque Moon" and Crazy Horse, whose simplicity they echo and whose style they most certainly do not.
>To whom would Pere Ubu or Chrome have been compared in 1972? Forgive me, i am equally clueless.
>Slint's music has always been primarily instrumental and "Spiderland" isn't a radical departuree, but the few vocals are among the most pungent of any album around.
>When i first heard Brian McMahann whisper the pathetic words to "Washer",i was embarassed for him. When i listened to the song again, the content eluded me and i was staggered by the sophistication and subtle beauty of the phrasing. The third time, the story made me sad nearly to tears. Genius.
>"Spiderland" is flawless. the dry, unembellished recording is so revealing it sometimes feels like eavesdropping.
>The crystalline guitar of Brian McMahann and the glassy, fluid guitar of Dave Pajo seem to hover in space directly past the listener's nose.
>The incredibly presice-yet-instinctive drumming of Britt Waford has the same range and wallop it would in your living room.
>Only two other bands have meant as much to me as Slint in the past few years and only one of them, The Jesus Lizard, have made a record this good.
>We are in a time of midgets: dance music,three varieties of simple-minded hard rock genre crap, soulless crooning, infantile slogan-studded rap and ball-less balladeering.
>My instincts tell me the dry spell will continue for a while -- possibly until the bands Slint will inspire reach maturity. Until then, play this record and kick yourself if you never got to see them live.
>In 10 years you'll lie like the cocksucker you are and say you did anyways
>Ten fucking stars
-Steve Albini

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>ruins tweez
Nothing personnel, kid

well said, except for maybe this part
>Slint's music has always been primarily instrumental and "Spiderland" isn't a radical departuree, but the few vocals are among the most pungent of any album around.

big mac

thank you steve, very cool

steve albini saw me eating a big mac and he offered me the mac sandwich with mustard on it so I took the sandwich and I could actually taste the mustard and I couldn't believe it. So now I'm a fan of mac & cheese…

He's so based.

bump :^)

>I think I ate McDonald’s once... maybe twice, I don't remember
>Then I ate all your cheese n roast beef -- now they hate you

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