Customer Reviews

Head/Pure

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
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doubtless, the most menacing, dark, disgusting record I ever wanna hear, Head is the Lizard's first full length LP, and best, I dont care WHAT these people are saying about Goat and Down and Liar and maturation and songwriting and such...the atmosphere on here would never be duplicated in their oeuvre or anyone else's, to my knowledge. It is a record creeping under the basement door to sit on your chest as you sleep. An aural horror movie chronicling bizarre one night stands, bizarre familiy relationships, dead bodies quietly rotting in fields, drunken debacles,and sinister men at the door. David Yow's voice was never more gnarled and desperate, Duane Denison's guitar never more coruscating. Now, I understand "Pure" comes with this as well on CD. Recorded before Mac McNeilly showed up to be the magnificent skins basher he is...this ep doesnt even sound like it was made by humans, its so weird..."Blockbuster" is required listening for any Lizard nut, oh heck, buy 'em all...too bad for you if you never saw them live, it was always, with the exception of Lollapalooza, a bracing, chaotic experience. I was a slavering,drooling fan of this band, Im really trying not to go over the top about how great this thing is...

Head/Pure is the Jesus Lizard's first album, and it catches them at the darkest, heaviest, and rawest moment of their career. Not even Goat can compare to the muffled mayhem and disturbing intensity of Head/Pure. Songs like "S.D.B.J" and "Killer McHann" capture perfectly Duane Denison's choppy, blues-influenced guitar lines, David Wm. Sim's pounding bass, and Mac McNeilly's explosive drumming power. Vocalist David Yow is at his best on Head/Pure, with his heavily muffled, and sometimes distorted (but in a tasteful way) voice, snarling, moaning, and spitting out his lyrics. Overall, this record may be too intense and difficult a listen for most, so dont start here. Instead pick up Liar, which is still frenetic, but not in the psychopathic way Head/Pure is. After that, check out Goat, which is a much darker and plodding look at the Jesus Lizard. But still, nothing will prepare you for Head/Pure

OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Lizard in their earliest and rawest form, and (IMHO) one (well, two) of the best records of their career. None of the material present quite has the polish (relatively speaking, of course) seen in later recordings, but it's a fact more than made up for by the crackpot intensity of songs like "Rabid Pigs" and "If You Had Lips", among others. One or two tracks don't quite do it for me, but the rest is as good or better than anything you'll find on the somewhat similar Goat, even though people seem to like that one better. Highly recommended, though Goat or Liar (or the new "hits" compilation) are probably more accessible starting points for new fans.

Incredible. Lyrically, this is about as sick as David Yow ever got! Lots of songs about murder, and people looking like Dracula, and other things which I probably can't mention in this review! The recording is very primitive, but that just adds to the raw meat feel. The disc comes with pure, which was their first ep. They used a drum machine on this recording, but that doesn't make it any less ferocious. When the Jesus Lizard came to Seattle a few years ago (1985-ish) and they played songs off this recording, the audience response was absolutely cathartic. Reccomended!!

ok, MTV sucks. It would not if it constelated bands that were more like Jesus Lizard. Head/Pure is an amazing combination of some of bands greatest songs. The album shows the bands full potential and it's direct influences; although they are both very separable. If you have money, which I do not, buy this album or steal it from the closest music store