Customer Reviews

Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have always loved Trout Mask Replica by Captain Beefheart

This may seem a strange starting point for reviewing a 1992 album called Smash Your Head On The Punk Rock. There was no punk rock-not in name-when Trout Mask came in 1969. But that album later became a touchstone for art-punk and later grunge rock. Kurt Cobain said he and Courtney Love used to make love to the album

I don't know what Lou Barlow does in the sack, but I can hear the influence of Beefheart on Smash Your Head On The Punk Rock. This album is comprised of raw guitars, bending, melting, shifting, doing everything except tunefully strumming.

And I love it. This is guitar as noise, guitar as sandpaper. Sebadoh have no fear hear of lining the instruments against one another, going into weird caves of dissonance. Listen to the strange wind down of "Cry Sis" or the out and out sonic temper tantrum of "Cicelia Chime In Melee."

I don't know how much of this is self-aware experimentation and how much out and out attitude. For all I know Sebodoh never heard of Captain Beefheart. Maybe they are copping the Melvins. I can't be sure.

But I do know great art-rock, or nut-rock, when I hear it, and when I hear this, its time to explore for references, and push up the volume

This is my favorite c.d. It is so good. It is better than all the other Sebadoh albums because it is more raw and earthy. It provides a good mixture of loud songs to get angry to and soft songs that make you just mellow out. Anybody will love this c.d. Sebadoh is a great band and this album is their best in my opinion. If you like the band it's a must. And if you don't it's a must anyway. The more I listen to it the more I love it.

I've never really been too big a fan of the Sebadoh. When I went through my early 90s sub-pop phase, I bought one of their albums at random (Bubble & Scrape), and although I liked it, I didn't think it was fantastic, and I thought (and still think) it goes on too long, so I never bought another. But a few days ago, I learned that the wherehouse music here was closing and discounting everything, so I went to see what they had. At 5.99, minus 20%, I figured this would be a good buy. Anyway, when I thought of Sebadoh before putting this in, I always thought immediately of Soul and Fire. Suffice it to say, track 1, Cry Sis, was a surprise. I managed to make it through, somehow, but I thought I'd have to just get B&S back out when I got home. But then, Brand New Love sounded like I remembered Sebadoh sounding, so I took it in and listened to it. Cry Sis was, the second time, not only better, but enjoyable. Brand New Love is the best song on the album, and maybe my favorite Sebadoh song, but the whole thing is good, and I believe, consistently good.

well before you go buy any of the last sebadoh albums this is one you might want to start with first! before they went a little to mainstream and got off the beaten path of good music this album was one of there finest....this is is when they where still underground and full of awesome ideas and energy and great songs....with a mixture of sounds like husker du ,flipper and maybe even a little nirvana and sonic youth,its just that good .founding members lou barlow and eric gaffney were still colaberating at this point...they were kind of the lennon. mcartney or simon and garfunkle of alternative(i say altenative because this is when it was like that not 2001 alternative)there personalites just bounce off each other making this a kind of an rollar coaster ride of an album not leaving any thing out of our ears to bleed.or sounds to either cringe at or take you away.(best albums are made of uncertainy) so to put it great great album buy buy buy and play it for your friends and they will think you are cool.if not get new friends!

"Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock" is a stripped down version of the UK release of "Vs. Helmet". The UK version of ".vs Helmet" also contains the album "Rocking the Forest" and is a way better value. You get all of these songs plus more. If you can find it, buy it. If you can't... well, then get this. The special import version of "vs Helmet" is on City Slang Records if i am not mistaken.

an incredable album. stand out songs are brand new love, vampire, good things and junk bonds. a must have for all sebadoh and early dinosaur jr fans. only bakesale is better

The most beautiful melodies on earth come from this band. If you want something other than the crap on the radio stuck in your head all the time...buy this album now...for this price you are getting much more than would expect...a large variety of songs that will leave you on the verge of tears. Also a good mix of weirder louder stuff similar to Bubble and Scrape. GREAT GREAT record.

I wasn't really expecting much from this album because it was the last Sebadoh album for me to get and I didn't really hear anything from it. So I went with what people were saying here and listened to it. The opening track Crisis got me confused if this was the same band actually until the middle part. Crisis sounds more like metal then punk rock with Eric screaming his mind out. But then everything switches paces with Brand New Love which is a redux version only with the guitars plugged in, it's probably one of the standout tunes on the album and is really loud with the feedback near the end. The next song Notsur Dnuora Selcric is a confusing song with a weird title that makes it out to be another screamfest from Eric. But it's a solid song. Track four Vampire is pretty good, but I wasn't a huge fan of it. Good Things is a short but good song. Cecilia Chime in Melee is a loud instrumental that kinda drags on with the noise. I wasn't a huge fan of Everybody's been Burned. Junk Bonds is probably the most punk-sounding song on the album, I really like the lyrics and the sounds of it. Great song. Another standout song is Mean Distance which starts pretty mellow but goes totally nuts in the last minute with Eric literally screaming his heart out. Standout track #3 is Pink Moon which is really catchy and really done well. But the closing track made the album to me. The song Mind Meld which is a 7 minute noise-fest is just awesome. It saved the album from being so-so.

I don't know how to recommend this. The sound was alot like the Pixies actually only with Barlow on vocals.

This is one of the best Sebadoh albums, actually one of the best albums period. Buy it.

Get on your knees for the Massachusetts kings of Indie Sludge Rock. Lou Lou Lou, you rule rule rule. Okay, I've payed my homage now it's your turn. This album consists of distortion filled ballads and love songs that will make you hurt. Warning: if you purchase this CD, make sure you have got a box of kleenex and a padded room, because I guarantee you'll be blowing your nose and slamming your head into the wall.