Customer Reviews

Icky Mettle

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Must be something about summertime and the feeling of nostalgia and memories of my younger days that has had me going crazy over some of my favorite '90s indie rock records as of late. Recent reviews prove this, as reissues of Sebadoh and Spoon classics received my record of the week honors. Truth be told Icky Mettle is just as qualified for that honor as well. There was a period during the '90s when I used to joke that if you looked up "indie rock" in the dictionary you would find a picture of Archers of Loaf's Icky Mettle. But really, I sort of wasn't joking. All you had to do was listen to it and you instantly understood the full glory of indie rock and how totally heavy and wild and kick a-- and catchy indie rock could be. Guitars are crunchy and jagged, ringing loud and true, vocals soaring, melodies you can't EVER get out of your head, and a passionate urgency that makes your heart race and your soul shiver. It's pretty serendipitous that this record just got reissued as it's been playing around here quite a bit, Irwin rediscovered it earlier this summer, it's been rocking Andee's iPod quite a bit lately, and it gets played in the store NON-STOP!!

There is not a dud on this album... it's almost like Archers of Loaf made us the most perfect indie rock mix tape ever, except it's their entire album! The track "Web In Front" might just be THE GREATEST INDIE ROCK SONG EVER. If it's not, it's definitely top five. It jangles, it totally rocks, the vocasl are super intense but completely melodic, the arrangement is bizarre and the parts unlikely, but that only serves to make it that much more unique and unforgettable.

I can't count the times in the past that I've put songs from this record on mixes I've made for friends, crushes, boyfriends, girlfriends, etc. It's got it all: the angst, the heartbreak, the longing, the anger, the catchy hooks, even the quintessential anthem about indie rockers. What a debut full length from a band adrift in a veritable sea of indie rock revolution, the next Seattle, Chapel Hill, NC. Helping to raise the bar for all their peers and proteges (Superchunk, Polvo, Pavement, etc.). This is not just some indie rock nostalgia trip, a longing for some unattainable indie rock heyday, this record has totally stood the test of time and still pretty much blows away any pop, rock or indie rock record you care to stack up against it. So utterly and completely and impossibly essential!!

I can't quite explain how this got to be my favorite album, or why it is so, except to say that every song on here is great. You can here some influences, like early punk bands, Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, Tom Waits and even Neil Young-ish country-rock at times, but this really does forge new ground. Along with bands like Pavement, Superchunk and many others, Archers of Loaf created a certain sound that really defined what all later indie-rock bands would sound like. What sets this band, and album, apart from those other bands is consistency. Every single song on this album is good. I don't know what else to say about it, except BUY IT NOW!!

Song after song the Archers of Loaf show perfect execution of what Indie Rock is all about. Dirty yet smooth, hard yet clear... this band really has great skill with NYC style execution. Big Thanks to Kevin Smith for putting WEB IN FRONT in Mall Rats. Web In Front is probably the best song under 2 mins ever made in the genre. Overall the entire album is full of what will be classics once you hear them. Enjoy. Personal note: Archers of Loaf & Pavement found me when I was 16 years old... and I thank them for all the positive infulence they have had on my life.

Icky Mettle is a strong contender in the "Best Album You Probably Haven't Heard" sweepstakes. Released at the peak of the indie-rock invasion of the early to mid-90's it inexplicably never managed to gain more than a limited cult following. That's hard to understand because its a near perfect alterna-guitar fest.

It only takes a listen or two to understand what sets the Archers apart from most bands of their ilk. First off are the guitars, never less than three. One is usually playing crunching rythym riffs while another cranks out wild leads as a third (and occasionally, by the sounds of things , a fourth and fifth etc) careens off everything in sight, alternating between dissonant shards of noise and catchy countermelodies. The result is a sound that is by turns abrasive and incredibly melodic, often at the same time.

Secondly are the songs which are instantly memorable from the first listen and gain in stature with repeatedly plays. Foremost is the lead track "Web In Front" which is loud, catchy as heck, and filled with strange, but occasionally catchy lyrics ("you're not the one who let me down/but thanks for offering). Other songs echo this more or less melodic vein, although even the catchiest numbers are usually punctuated with squeals, squawks, and shards of white noise.

Not the least of the records strengths is the pacing which is perfect. Everytime things threaten to get too pretty, the Archers throw a curve ball with a dark, flat out bitter song or two and when that mode threatens to get old its back to something in a more listener-friendly mode. Rather than producing a schizophrenic feel, this keeps the record fresh throughout. Its an amazingly consistent work which requires no editing or reprogramming.

The Archers went on to make a handful of other records which were perhaps more sophisticated. All though the band's entire output is recommended for challenging yet enjoyable listens, they never quite recaptured the sheer sonic rush of this one.

Icky Mettle is a jarring, brutal, left-of-center forgotten wonder of early 90's indie rock, an album which contains one of the best rock songs of the decade ("Web In Front"). The rest of the album is on par with that minor hit, but not as immediately so. Sounding like Pavement as filtered through the dirty noise of the Stooges and early Dinosaur Jr., the Archers Of Loaf deliver a good number of bitter, loud, and angry bursts of energy. Such a premise might sound pretty derivative on paper, but the gritty vocals of Eric Bachmann and the ridiculous energy of the band are beyond compare. This album is a wet dream for indie rock fans looking for the oft-desired, and not always expertly executed, concept of pop and noise. Just listen to the way "Backwash" turns into a frenzy of distorted everything for proof of this group's skill. These Archers Of Loaf are liberal with the feedback and distortion, and thus Icky Mettle remains a lost gem on par with the best work of Superchunk and Pavement.

It is nice to hear an album from a band who takes pride in their work. Of the Archers of Loaf albums, Icky Mettle is by far my favorite. Each song travels through the technical difficulties of Jazz, but remain grounded in a solid rock and roll format that reminds many of the Stooges. A great album that will always be one of my favorites. I recomend buying Vee vee (another archers of loaf album) if you like softer, but still complex and great songs. IF you are interested in hearing rock mixed with passion and emotion than I cannot recomend any other album. A must have to anyone interested in Rock and Roll

This is to me the best Archers of Loaf album out there. It is one of the only albums that I can listen to all the way through without skipping tracks, it flows perfect and keeps the listener entertained.

Web in front: One of the best songs on the album, it's catchy, and the lyrics keep you hooked the whole time. It's a song that will be stuck in your head for weeks.

Last word: One of my favorite songs on the album, it's just a great song, with great lyrics and melodic guitar riffs that get you lost in the best possible way, then when you think there's no way out, the lyrics storm back and hook you in. There's no escaping it.

Wrong: Pure Archers at their best, it sounds almost like a pixies song, great all the way around.

You and me: Very calm, but still a great song, and just when it gets really slow, guitar saves the day by breaking through, with lyrical blasts. good song.

Might: Good song. great guitar, great lyrics.

Hate paste: One of my favorites on the album, it starts off with folky guitar, then joins heavy riffs and great lyrics. great song, keeps the album interesting.

Fat: Another great song. Lyrics keep you hooked and wondering.

Plumbline: One of my favorites, very catchy.

Learo you're a hole: Very weird song, keeps the album interesting, still a good song, just not one of my favorites.

Sickfile: Starts off right away with 100 mph guitar and even faster lyrics. great song.

Toast: One of the calmer songs. It takes a while to get hooked on this one, but i guarentee you'll love it after a few listens.

Backwash: Great song, great guitar, great lyrics, the usual archer greatness.

Slowworm: One of my favorites on the album, if not my favorite. It's slower than most of the tracks, but it's got great guitar, and even better lyrics.

i suggested this record to my friend who is in love with hot rod circuit. if you're like him, chances are, indie walked late into your life, though that doesn't mean you can't listen to this album. i highly recommend archers of loaf to anyone who enjoys the genre a little or a lot. it will definitely enhance (maybe not, it's just my opinion) what indie sounds like today when you listen to current bands with knowledge of some roots in the genre.

Perfect album...Perfect band...what a start - and they haven't let up since...

This album is amazing. People, cast your votes, fill your ballots, raise your glasses. Make a toast. Brilliance deserves devotion. One paltry review? Now two? How now brown cow? If you don't own this album and you want a good one, buy this. You will be happy.