Steve Albini
Albums
Steve Albini is no doubt one of the greatest producers who ever lived. His idea behind producing – basically don’t produce much, engineer the tracks, set up the mics correctly, and let the band do it’s thing. I could talk more about his personal ethics, but you can look that up somewhere else- his first Band was called Big Black and it started in the mid 80s. The music of big Black contained the attitudes of punk rock with the clanging / noise rock of industrial music and clashing guitars of noise rock. There was also the ability to make meaningful music at the base, otherwise non of this would matter, and Albini was quite tunesmith honestly. I feel a lot of his less sketched ideas were left to EP’s and compilations, and his actual studio albums aimed to be flawless. So many of the great producers- from Albini to Eno to Kramer to Fridmann – we music makers themselves, and they always seemed to be over shadowed by the music production. He was as amazing a musician, and his albums had a profound impact on band’s coming in the 1990s form Nine Inch Nails to Slint to Breeders to Jesus Lizard to countless others.
After two albums, Albini moved unto making music under the moniker “Rapeman” based off a Japanese comic book of the same title. Everything is sarcastic, disjointed, and blasphemous as he mainly views society as a joke and hold up an ugly reflection. In this band, we was joined by Scratch Acid rhythm section, and after this group he went on to form his power trio Shellac and they went on to form Jesus Lizard with singer David Yow and guitarist Duane Denison. Albini may be abrasive in his music, especially with lyrical content that tended to cover subject like alienation, abandonment, general perversion and his music was hard edged to match this. But there is a beauty present in all he does, even if it’s the beauty of machines – drum machines or robotic tempos paid by real people – the idea was industrial rock with passion and soul. For all of the screaming, there are moments of spoken clarity. For all of the harsh glorious noise, there are great memorable melodic lines. Albini passed away in May of 2024 of a heart attack.
Band Members:
Steve Albini (vocals, guitar, bass, drum programming, electric organ), Santiago Durango (guitar, backing vocals, 1983-87), Jeff Pezzati (bass, backing vocals, snare, 1983-84), Pat Byrne (drums, 1983), Dave Riley (bass, backing vocals, 1985-87)
Best Album:
Two Nuns and a Pack Mule
Biggest influences:
Naked Raygun, Suicide, Pop Group Ac/Dc, Cheap Trick, Sonic Youth, Gang of Four, PIL, Wire, Black Flag
Big Black albums
1986
Atomiser - 92%
Big Black create their first full length record here and it is quite the mechanical attack on the senses. What Atomizer proves, its main point I believe for existing, is that if you are creative you can make great music out of very minimal means. Every song on here uses a drum machine for its beat, but the amazing thing is you do not even care and if anything it enhances the claustrophobic feeling the band is going for. "Bazooka Joe" screams of friendship passed but also a kind of desperation, "Passing Complexion" sounds like someone playing the guitars with scissors but makes a memorable catchy riff, "Big Money" incorporates the love of classic rock acts like Cheap Trick into something truly more terrifying but also kind of poppy, and "Stinking Drunk" incorporates the attitude of punk rock while upping the dose of abandonment and nihilism. The songs on this record are great songs by anyone’s standards, and they are fairly simple in creation like layers added on layers of industrial noise.
Now how Steve Albini, the guitarist/producer/songwriter for this band makes those weird metallic guitar noises, I have no freaking idea. His mastery of guitar amps, studio technology even in his early 20s in beyond most people; I believe his father worked for NASA and strangely a lot of these songs sound like rockets taking off to me. This is industrial freak punk music, but it is great and fantastical especially on the small town anthem "Kerosene" which is the longest track and also the most terrifying; the music creates a new kind of electric guitar one that comes out of the speakers and claws at you. All the while, the tale of urban neurosis and loneliness is powerful, you feel Albini’s grief as he dares us to set him on fire. It’s over six minutes long, but the pounding one chord chorus adds layers of noise that while deafening is also an insanely emotional release.
Other “fun” topics include the child ring molestation tale "Jordan, Minnesota" (contested on if this was a rumor or a true story) a quite polarizing opening track but fascinating. There is an influence of Suicide with the random screams, also portraying children vs rapist adults- quite the daring subject matter for it’s day. Their version of a ballad the touching "Bad Houses" which shows supreme diversity in this type of music. If this does not sound like your thing so far, don't be scared off, you may be surprised how oddly accessible it all is. My only quibble with this record are the final two songs: “Strange Things” that was left out on the Cd version for good reason as they just chant “hey” over and over sort of like making fun of Gary Glitter’s hit song; and "Cables", which is decent but not as powerful as the first 8 songs. In all, hardcore punk rock in the vein of Black Flag merges with the industrial bands like Throbbing Gristle to create an entire new genre. As the liner notes say, sounds even better on VINYL so play it loud!
1987
Songs about Fucking - 87%
More of the same from Big Black on their second and final release. They try new things here, shorter songs that are just as powerful- “L Dopa” uses that approach to pummel the listeners ear drums and senses, “Power of Independent Trucking” simply hits you in the face upon that intro just like said truck. “Pavement Saw” incorporates more real drum sounds with the electronic, “Fish Fry” wears unfriendly as a tattoo daring anyone to challenge the overly macho sound. If it was all swearing and dumb machismo, none of this would work. To match the rage of the shorter songs are some real classics of maturing songwriting – “Columbian Necktie” describes an…uncomfortable situation…with chords that ascend and descend in an impactful way, bands like Nirvana and White Zombie were definitely paying attention. “Kitty Empire” is more of the same grinding hate, with no real sunlight to be found.
On the accessible side, some of these songs shave a real groove to them: “Bad Penny” above all is a stand out that really makes the machines wanna dance, the covers of Kraftwerk’s “The Model” and Cheap Trick’s “He’s a Whore” transform and update Big Blacks sound to a more all encompassing register, a sort of universal acceptance of their place in the world. “Tiny, King of the Jews” is a challenge to offend those who are more sensitive in title, but is sort of the most beautiful song here, and more what Albini’s next project would continue. There are some slight inconsistencies here and there, “Ergot” and “Kasmir S Pulaski Day” are slight misses of some of the other tunes are not as memorable on their own, but in all this is still great music meant to provoke and stimulate, another example of a mix of several style of music. Oh and note to all teenagers, don’t show your parents that album cover.
Best Songs: Columbian Necktie, Bad Penny, Tiny King of the Jews, Kitty Empire
Compilations
1986
Headache EP – 68%
Released between their two albums, this album is sort of ideas that show the transition – “Grinder” is a perfect example of what makes the band great, and “Ready Men” has a killer bass line by Dave Riley – and others that just got cut or should have gotten cut, mainly “My Disco” which comes across as a bit of a mess and “Pete King of the detectives” which is silly and awful, offensive and the worst song the band ever did.. B-sdes at best. This and Atomizer was the way to buy Big Black on CD back in the day, collected on the comp called Rich Man’s Eight Track Tape (1987).
Rapeman Albums
1988
Two Nuns and a Pack Mule - 95%
The one and only Rapeman album (controversial name these days, though named satirically after a Japanese comic book) is ironically the most accessible thing Albini ever made musically. The drum patterns – finally a live drummer is such a breath of fresh air – on songs such as “Monobrow” are as distinct as anything rock music has produced, credit new drummer from Scratch Acid Ray Wisham and an influence form far out bands like Pere Ubu. The crazy out of control rage now has distinct tempo changes, clock in the changes in speed of “Up Beat”. “Coition Ignition Mission” sounds like an engine revving up to run a race….a car race? It also includes one of the best one-note guitar solos since Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl”. Songs are also more spastic and complex at the same time. “Kim Gordon’s Panties” begins with a guitar part aping Sonic Youth’s song “Schizophrenia”, a band Albini is obsessed with even if the reasons aren’t so pure, a sa parody its pretty funny but as an actual song its not my favorite. Opener “Steak and Black Onions” gets across how Albini feels about vegetarians, but those a charming riff that will win over and detractors.
The second side of this album especially, is my favorite piece of music ever made by Albini and company: the whirlwind of interplay in the rigorous “Hated Chinee”, “Marmoset” is a comical groove that even outdoes the Butthole Surfer’s form of clownish punk, followed by a metallic version of “Just got Paid” by ZZ Top again betraying that classic rock obsession but updated with amazing playing a sudden starts/stops, ditto the title of “Radar Love….Lizard” where Albini chants about ‘red eyes’ in a manner that really disturbs and unnerves. Crowning achievement of the record is the final song, closest he ever got again to the long glory of “Kerosene”- “Trouser Minow”; the song telling a disturbing tale of a torrid relationship gone array from the female’s point of view. It’s not an easy subject matter to approach, but the influence of Suicide’s “Frankie Teardrop” is alive and well here though the violence only lasts about four and a half minutes, as if we could all not collectively not take any more than that.
While still in love with classic rock, with Two Nuns and a Pack Mule shades of more abstract musical influences peak up: in addition to those I have mentioned, some Can and Amon Dull, as well as Red Krayola or Lydia Lunch; the goal seems to be to mutate anything and everything. The name of this project proved too controversial in the long run, which is too bad, because it’s the most consistent of Albini’s records. Not only does every single song offer something special, some truly make the blood boil and the temperature rise while also stimulating the mind.
Compilations
1988
Budd EP – 76%
Released basically concurrently with their only album (a month after in September), Rapeman’s live EP plays more like songs kept off the main albums. The addition of live drums is a nice change and the biggest note from Big Black, as the screeching guitars and abrasive vocals are very much the same. A long, slow jam of a track, “Budd” plays sort of like a dragged out interrogation in which the listener is being berated by noise, though there is a lot of creativity in how the players interact. “Superpussy” is pure rage, but it’s less metallic and more a foray into noise rock. “Log Bass” is probably the most forgettable track, but “Dutch Courage is the best one, all a perfect example of what makes Albini special three people going back n forth with each other like Cream on their best day of a blues jam meets the Pop Group’s insane nonsense. That one is worth the price of the whole EP alone.
Best Song: Dutch Courage, Budd
Shellac Albums
1994
At Action Park - 93%
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