Shellac albums

1994

At Action Park - 92%

The beginning of Shellac continues the sonic journey lead guitarist and songwriters Steve Albini has made throughout his other bands of the 1980s, namely Big Black and Rapeman, and shows off all he has learned working with other influential bands of the late 80’s and early 90s such as Jesus Lizard, Nirvana, and Pixies. Not that he needed to, I mean Albini was a larger influence on those bands themselves for sure, but a great artist adapts and that is what Albini does with Shellac. The music is still abrasive, with opener “My Black Ass” pounding away in a clever funky way with vague but funny lyrics that could have fit on either of his previous records. But something has evolved and something has coalesced for sure, as there are new elements created in the charming “The Admiral” and the ghastly screams of “Il Porno Star”.

The first thing I thought about this album the first time heard it was that the mix of brainy and aggressive is very unique. A song like “Crow” has power in the chorus, but it also has abrasive guitars with catchy melodic lines and patterns and the structure changes several times. “A Minute” uses the one chord guitar chug song to great effect, flying along at breakneck speed smashing anything that gets in its way. “Idea of the North” and “Song of the Minerals” keep trying new forms of rock n roll, keeps changing the landscape and remain above all unpredictable tales of destruction. Best of all, “Dog and Pony Show” brilliantly makes each second count, as the music shovels along like its trapped underground desperate to escape; it’s one of the best songs Albini has ever done. Drummer Todd Trainer and Bassist Bob Weston create a spasmatic rhythm section, showing for creativity and dexterity of their instruments prove the power trio is still alive and well in the mid 1990’. At Action Park is a nice concise blast of punk rock mixed with a more mathematical approach to songwriting, its songs could be dissected by scientists and still not quite understood completely. Best of all, it holds up well to Albini’s previous work in both bands he has played in and production wise, and its probably the best album he ever cut.

Best Songs: Dog and Pony Show, My Black Ass, The Admiral, A Minute

2000

1000 Hurts – 71%

This the band’s 3rd record has a beautiful beginning and ending. “Prayer to God” is quite cute in its blasphemy, kind of like when your child goes up to the front of church and lets loose some bad words; it doesn’t really shock as much as entertain. “Squirrel Song” is more of the same, sort of casual approach to melody through out the tingling and heavy hitting guitar attack, the odd time signature sets it apart. “Watch Song” seems to have the best rhythmic ideas, the ones that hark back to Albini’s new mission statement and debut album At Action Park, with Albini screaming about fighting with people all throughout. But so much in the middle of the album is sort of confusing and convoluted and does not quite gel as a whole. “New Number Order” and “Canaveral” are the biggest offenders, though the slow paced “Mama Gina”, the smooth bass licks of “Ghosts”, and lengthy (for this band) grunge throwback of “Shoe Song” have their merits (Albini’s taunts of “You get the same jokes as me” almost asking for an ex-girlfriend to return, and then the homage to both Slint’s “Good Morning Captain” in the scream of ‘I miss you’ and the music of Unwound at one point, shows how much of his contemporaries he has absorbed.) Most of 1000 Hurts plays like Shellac on auto pilot, though given the caliber of musicianship on display by these 3 people the results are still above average.

Best Songs: Watch Song, Squirrel Song, Prayer to God

2014

Dude Incredible – 88%

            I love Steve Albini and Co. approach to rock n roll, so minimal but soooo effective. Just guitar bass drums and vocals and that’s all you need, listening to Dude Incredible constantly revitalizing my faith in music. There is a sort of mathematical precision to any song Albini writes himself, and it makes sense that his father was a rocket scientist (literally). There are tons of imitators, but no one suffices. Steve Albini, Bob Weston, and Todd Trainer make just about every note and drum beat sound awesome. Riding Bikes? Ok! Being totally and utterly “Compliant” in our everyday lives? YES. “You Came In Me”.....I'm confused on that one… but ok! What could only be called an unhealthy obsession with surveyors, because it's in three of the song titles…..but probably a dig at music critic's at the same time. Lyrics like “You times son of a bitch SQUARED!” are yelled at us with unbridled passion, as many of the lyrics are just odd mathematical equations. To me it sounds interesting! But I have a mathy brain, you might say.

            Every couple of years I gotta have my Albini dose of rock n roll. Albini even gave us one of his own unique ballads with "Gary" and it really sounds unlike anything else I have ever heard. Some would say this music is depressing - I say life affirming. “The People’s Microphone” is an instrumental obsessed with the speed of a song, constantly changing in tempo. The thing with Shellac is this, and it's always been this: simple is good. You can do more with live recordings, analog tape, and three people in a band then most can do with huge studio budgets and overloads of musicians crowding spaces. Here is more proof, if you have forgotten. 

Best Tracks: Dude Incredible, Gary, Riding Bikes