Customer Reviews

DEVELOPER [Vinyl]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I choose to review this album because it has changed the way I look at rock and roll. It refocused my waning attention on what I, in many ways, still consider a dying art form. The songs are amazing ... sprawling, if you will. Cinematic. The production of Steve Albini makes them even more so as the drums sounds alive, the bass thick as molasses and the guitar blistering. When I talk about this album, I end up waxing melodramatic, but it's the type of album that inspires that in a person. In the end, it's a traditional rock album that defies tradition, souding new and quite singular. One of the few rock and roll albums of the last 5 years that is truly worth one's attention (as are their other albums).

this album's slow, pondering pace suits it well, and sets it apart. no one could argue that developer doesn't stand alone in silkworm's catalog. it does. it's a soft, dark, nocturnal album, featuring loping, crawling, slithering epics, some of which--especially "sheep waits for wolf", which is one of my absolute favorite songs by any band, ever--feature some truly outstanding guitar work. the rhythm section is as dominating as always, only here it's a little looser, a little rougher, and a lot slower. i mean, sure, the obligatory fists-in-the-air rockers are here--"never met a man i didn't like" is outstanding, and one of the band's best songs--but it seems to me they only serve to give the album a little variation, not drive it home. in fact, the heart of the album are tracks 6-9. everything leading up to that staggering climax is introduction, and everything after--that one song--utterly forgettable.

Silkworm - Developer (Matador)
Seattle based Silkworm's fifth album is the eagerly awaited follow up to 1996's "Firewater" and it won't disappoint. Silkworm has a sound that's reminiscent of nearly every important American guitar band of the last 20 years, but which belongs completely to them. Imagine "Crooked Rain" Pavement with Tom Verlaine on lead, or a merge of '77 period Talking Heads with a late period Minutemen twist and you'll probably have no idea what I'm going on about.

Standout tracks are the opener "Give Me Some Skin", the hard but brittle "Never Met A Man I Didn't Like" and the giggly "Goodnight Mr. Maugham". Musically it's top notch from start to finish, grabbing your attention from the get go and never relaxing its grip. A really fine record.

Silkworm's "Developer" is an album that will not grab you on the very first listen. It will take several, but then you will jump around the room. It is an album that has an equal balance of mellow songs and fierce ones. But since Steve Albini did the knife-sharpening on this album, each of the songs have a fierce sound, especially the drums, an Albini trademark. This is a great album, pick it up.

Steve Albini is a genius. He may be a lot of other things, but first and foremost, this guy is the recording engineer (producer) of the 90's, and late 80's. As well as being a member of the great Big Black, Shellac and Rapeman he has recorded the 'whos' who' in indie and alternative rock. And on Silkworm's "Developer" he gives it a great, pounding sound, to the drums as always and a very exquisite sound to the guitars and bass. This is a great album with unique force and power.

i was really turned off by silkworm when firewater came out. then this came around and changed evrything. this album is a perfect listen for any situation, i cant think of an equal in terms of sinewy grace.