Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow

The Muffs

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 15, 1999)
• Original Release Date: June 15, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Honest Don's Hardly
• ASIN: B00000J5ZK
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #145,654 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Kim Shattuck has a magic touch when it comes to hook-happy power pop. She writes the kind of catchy tunes that might seem effortless to compose but whose grace and precision come from more than just a nifty chord progression. The former Pandora has the knack and the guitar chops to make these rollicking three-minute pop songs memorable--you practically need the jaws-of-life to get them out of your head. The raucous tunes about envy, jealousy, true love, and well-deserved enmity are delivered with the melodic surge of Nirvana combined with the chutzpah of the Shangri-Las. The deft rhythms of bassist Ronnie Barnett and drummer Roy McDonald give Shattuck a straightforward anchor for her crispy chords and cat-scratch vocals. Fans of the dirty sound of Happy Birthday to Me and Blonder and Blonder might worry that Alert's ultraclean production signals that the Muffs are going for a more high-class sound, but don't worry--they're not straying too far from their roots. They're just moving up to three-car-garage rock. --Lois Maffeo

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loud and Fast and Hard and Catchy and Fun, August 11, 1999

By	John Oconnor "Pleasant Company" (Merritt Island, FL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In 1974, the Ramones laid out the blueprint for how rock & roll bands are supposed to be built. It was simple: be loud and fast and hard and catchy and fun. Sometimes, I think only Kim Shattuck was paying attention. Before I came across the Muffs a few years back, I didn't think they made bands like this anymore: equal parts noiseband fuzz and bubblegum hooks, fun without being mindless, brainy without ramming it down your throat. And their latest album is a gorgeous achievement the way early Kinks albums are gorgeous, or pre-"Tommy" Who singles are gorgeous. Listen to "Dear Liar Love Me" for example: an understated organ intro that sounds like it was scraped off an old "Little Rascals" short segues abruptly into a huge crunchy riff. Just when you're tapping your foot to that, it's abandoned in a haze of feedback and a dense speed thrash takes over, complete with a solo section that echoes the original organ bit. That's art kids. Not snooty, boring, pretentious nonsense pretending to be art, but two and a half minutes of pure heavenly rock & roll art. And that's just one of the classics on this CD. The Muffs do rock the way you're supposed to do rock. Loud and fast and hard and catchy and fun.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the muffs are the best band in the world!, September 30, 1999

By A Customer

simply put, the muffs are the best! simple, straight ahead, pop punk.you can't go wrong. it's driving in the car music.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars most people in the world have bad taste, October 7, 1999

By A Customer

The ONLY reason the Muffs aren't as huge as the Beatles is everyone in the world at least right now has completely cruddy taste. The Muffs are quality, beautiful and have great songs. Why more people don't know about them is basically very telling about the pathetic state of mind of music right now. Alert Today Alive Tomorrow is a better record than the pathetic public deserve.