Melvins

Melvins: Mangled Demos From 1983Mangled Demos From 1983 (2005)
Ipecac Recordings

Reviewer Rating: 4

Contributed by: JesseJesse
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on June 17th 2005The Melvins. A band with near-legendary status. What can really be said about them without mentioning their ties to Kurt Cobain or their recent work with Jello Biafra? Well, what am I saying. I'm no historian, so all I can do is review this album. According to the liner notes, these demos were re.

The Melvins. A band with near-legendary status. What can really be said about them without mentioning their ties to Kurt Cobain or their recent work with Jello Biafra? Well, what am I saying. I'm no historian, so all I can do is review this album.

According to the liner notes, these demos were recorded in a shithouse studio by a couple of ex-hippies who kept complaining that their amps were too loud. On drums was Mike Dillard, making this the only recording with the original lineup. The first two tracks are live recordings for the ELKS Lodge Christmas Broadcast. Yes, you get to hear some old public radio guys saying that the Melvins were about to play music that would "clear the sinuses."

The rest of the album is full of loud, fast, snotty hardcore punk. Yes, this was far before the Melvins took on their Sabbath-style, sludgy metal. While that style is apparent in songs like "Matt-Alec" and "Set Me Straight," most other songs were fast and closer to Minor Threat or Black Flag.

That's it, basically. Two radio songs, ten well-produced tracks, and then ten more seemingly self-recorded tracks. Well, actually, "Bibulous Confabulation During Rehearsal" is just five minutes of the band screwing around.

While the ten well-produced tracks could have been the first Melvins full-length album released, the ten or so self-recorded songs could easily be from any random trashy punk band. All of the material here is worth hearing and wonderful. In my opinion, at least. It's always hard to review albums like this in my opinion. Overall, it gets an 8, though I would have given the 10 well-produced tracks at least a 9 if they had been released alone. Whatever. More bang for your buck.

This album is a necessary purchase for any fan of the Melvins, and definitely needs to be checked out by anyone who digs on gritty, early hardcore punk.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

EMOHOLOCAUST (June 22, 2005)

the melvins are going broke!
o-oh

sfbarker (June 22, 2005)

Stoner Witch crushes anal cavities...

Also, it's REALLY easy to talk about the Melvins without mentioning Kurt Cobain and Jello...you just can't.

The Jello album was alright, but the real Melvins stuff wrecked more bung...

Also, Kurt was influenced BY the Melvins, so why should he be mentioned about them?

The Melvins are good by themselves or with milk.

Anonymous (June 22, 2005)

Someone trade me the melvins' ep they did on slap a ham records. I'll make it worth your while.

-ken

Anonymous (June 20, 2005)

i love the melvins. brilliant band. the first minute of honeybucket off the houdini album is possibly the greatest intro to any song ever.

Anonymous (June 20, 2005)

Hm. I usually agree with Anonymous' musings about music, but this time I can't. The Melvins are awesome, despite what this credible and well-informed commentor has said.

-BSD

rkl (June 19, 2005)

im actually not a fan of the melvins, but this album is awesome. like jesse said, its before they took on a sabbath influence, and i happen to be a sucker for early hardcore

BrandonSideleau (June 19, 2005)

yeah....welll.....what exactly DO YOU listen to?

Anonymous (June 19, 2005)

I never got the fascination with The Melvins, personally I think they fucking blow!

BrandonSideleau (June 17, 2005)

Ozma, Stoner Witch....both REALLY great.....I'm trying to find some more of their stuff. The Melvins/Lustmord thing is really good.

lushj (June 17, 2005)

I'd start with "Ozma," but I'm not a fan of their later stuff.

etwiels88 (June 17, 2005)

Woo Ipecac

gladimnotemo (June 17, 2005)

I want to like this band, but I don't know anyone that knows anything about them. Where is a good place to start?

lushj (June 17, 2005)

Haven't heard this yet, but you can get it (as well as the Jello/Melvins stuff) from Alternative Tentacles mailorder (plug plug). My favorite Melvins is the "Ozma" period stuff, right after this, so I'm looking forward to checking this out.

The 2nd Jello/Melvins will be out this fall. Details are still being worked out. Jello and the Melvins are rockin' Europe with The Fantomas in the next couple of weeks. Dates on the AT site also.

BrandonSideleau (June 17, 2005)

Um...yeah...FUCKIN' GREAT BAND!!.....sorry just couldn't hold it in. This band destroys, their new album is great too.....they are also making ANOTHER one with Jello this year (it may be just be remixes, but I heard it's a full on new release). Stay tuned....

Anonymous (June 17, 2005)

A great reminder of how rockin' this band was and still is.

Ramo
(Sky Pup rules)

Anonymous (June 17, 2005)

In my opinion, at least. It's always hard to review albums like this in my opinion.

are you sure that it's your opinion, jesse? i'm not convinced quite yet

twat

Anonymous (June 17, 2005)

what the fuck is this doing here? this is PUNKnews....only Rocket summer albums are supposed to be reviewd...

- pussyfoot

Anonymous (June 17, 2005)

Punx rawk!

Anonymous (June 17, 2005)

The melvins are sweet. stoner witch and stag were great albums. Houdini was pretty good too. those were the only ones i had. I gotta pick this one up