Under a Billion Suns

Mudhoney, Mudhoney | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 7, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sub Pop
• ASIN: B000CQKY1M
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #221,174 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

It may be cute and cuddly to link Mudhoney with the grunge generation of the Pacific Northwest's early nineties, but even after a cup of coffee in the majors the Seattle foursome continues to endure more then a decade after the genre was deemed defunct. Album number nine could be its most electrifying record since Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge, contrasting a band with a burgeoning social conscience, but one that shows no signs of growing old. Barreling along with the sodden riffs of guitarist Steve Turner and a rhythm section that overflows in chaos (see the instrumental "A Brief Celebration of Indifference"), vocalist Mark Arm is aping maturity, spitting a soured societal fury over D.C. demigods ("Hard-on For War"), plodding expectations ("Where is the Future") and repeat hangovers ("Let's Drop In," complete with female harmonies and Memphis-style horns). Eighteen years have come and gone, but Mudhoney remains. --Scott Holter

Product Description

For 18 years, Mudhoney has proved to be one of the most consistently electrifying acts to survive the grunge implosion, whatever that was. The wolfish howls of singer Mark Arm, soulful splatterings of guitarist Steve Turner, and frenzied fills of drummer Dan Peters have produced nine albums to date, most of which are considered neo-garage classics. Original bassist Matt Lukin has been replaced by the inimitable Australian Guy Maddison. "Under A Billion Suns" is performed with the same amplified urgency of their previous work. Mudhoney has never swayed from their vision of making really loud rock, and this album is no exception. Produced by three notable knobsters, Phil Ek, Johnny Sangster, and Tucker Martine, and boasting a blaring horn section, this record exposes a more snidely political-fueled side of our shaggy heroes, but one revealed through the invariables of the Mudhoney recipe: thick, soggy punk riffs and underrated guitar dynamics, psychedelic tangents! ,! and snot-nosed finger pointing. Loud and fierce.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Storm Surge, August 23, 2006

By 

Christopher Bushman (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Under a Billion Suns (Audio CD)

Mudhoney is still intact, it's all here: The surging, relentless power-sludge welling up out of the rumbling bass, drums and guitar drone complete with crashing waves of squirrelly soloing.

The eyebrow-raising addition of horns works in every way it shouldn't. Rather than punctuate the tracks, they meld right in with the drone and add color and most importantly power, upping the intensity.

The apocalyptic lyrical pronouncements are hurled down the mountain by Mark Arm as a disgusted Old Testament prophet in the mood for judgment and retribution. A true tribal elder, Mr. Arm has always stood apart from run of the mill punk rock critics because his criticisms come from a place of interior shame and frustration, not just anger. He has seen the enemy and the enemy is us.

The songs:

The Bush-Cheney Iraq adventure rant Hard-On For War first turned up on Thurston Moore's MP3 protest song site and has justly gained much attention. It rocks hard and protests loudly.

In a Rolling Stone magazine play list, Jeff Ament from Pearl Jam said Under A Billion Suns was the best Mudhoney album ever and called out I Saw The Light as his favorite. No argument here.

The All Music Guide reviewer picked out Let's Drop In for special attention. This song is a Mudhoney groover along the lines of Real Low Vibe where the horns are especially effective. Pretty cool.

My personal pick for best track is the album closer Blindspots. This relentless hard rocker takes me back to the grunge rock glories of old. It must be played loud, very loud. Blindness is the best defense / Senselessness is the best defense.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Long Live Mudhoney., April 6, 2006

By 

E. Garrett McGehee IV (East Northshire Landing) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Under a Billion Suns (Audio CD)

This is a great album. 17-18 years on, Mudhoney do not let off. Too bad Lukin is not around but that fact is beside the point. Mudhoney are the masters of rock. Pure rock and roll my friends. These boys do not mess around. Hard On For War is one of the best songs I have heard in the last ten years. Mudhoney remains vital, fresh, and ready to kick the [...] out of modern music which is pretty much complete garbage. These guys never sold out and make no bones about it. Long live Mudhoney.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Blast from the past, August 10, 2006

By 

Jovian Laertides "Eight Miles High" (Athens, Attiki Greece) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Under a Billion Suns (Audio CD)

Mudhoney have always refused to be a part of the 'mainstream' despite the fact that in the late 80s they were among the originators of grunge. As a matter of fact they have always celebrated their 'independent' status and this is something they do not forget to do in their new album. In 'Under a Billion Suns' they utilise their old acid grunge recipes, add to the mix a healthy dose of horn arrangements and, while their 'old' age has by now become pretty obvious, they manage to serve us with quite a few refreshments which are especially delightful for their old fans. This album won't change your life, it's probably not the first Mudhoney record one should buy but it's well worth a few spins in your player. Do not ignore it!