TheAnimalChin's Full Review: Spiderland * by Slint
As the title of this review suggests, Slint, the now defunct Louisville, Kentucky band formed out of the ashes of the Husker Du-influenced Squirrel Bait, are about as innovative as they come, almost single-handedly inventing an entire genre of post-punk music, aptly entitled "math rock". This music, so named for its odd time signatures and jazz-inflected modalities, has spread across the country and around the world since Slint's demise, spawning such bands as June of '44, the Shipping News and Tortoise (which once featured ex-members of Slint itself). For these reasons, Slint exists as a singularly powerful entity, rivaling, in my opinion, the grandaddy of them all, The Velvet Underground.
With respect to the actual album, "Spiderland" presents a band at the peak of its musical prowess. Each song is melodically focused, yet unlike anything heard circa 1991, the year in which the record was released. As expected, the album's producer, Steve Albini, does a superb job of recording Slint's distinctive sound, with each instrument given a clarity that rings in the ears and reverberates the speakers. The album's first song, "Breadcrumb Trail," begins with a relatively traditional riff, descending chords, as the song's narrator enters a carnival, and by chance encounters a fortune teller. Things go awry suddenly, both musically and lyrically, and the musicians pick up speed, showing they can rock out with the best of them. The album flows from there, presenting musical snippets with such titles as "For Dinner..." and my personal favorite, "Nosferatu Man". The record's centerpiece, however, has to the last song, "Good Morning Captain," which like "Breadcrumb Trail" begins slowly, only to later transform into some sort of pseudo-hardcore riff (God bless 'em, they remembered their roots), above which the singer screams incessantly, "I Miss You". Perfect. I used to play this song at every one of my college radio shows, and for good reason, its Slint's "Sister Ray".
I would go into greater detail regarding these songs; however, this album needs to be heard in order to be fully appreciated. Do yourself a favor and go out a pick it up. On vinyl of course, as Slint requests.
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