Last Tuesday, the Melvins released their 900th album, Hold It In. This landmark achievement came by way of the band’s 743rd line-up.
Last Tuesday, the Melvins released their 900th album, Hold It In. This landmark achievement came by way of the band’s 743rd line-up.
For this recording, mainstays King Buzzo and Dale Crover recruited Paul Leary and JD Pinkus (the guitarist and the bassist from the Butthole Surfers) to join the Melvins army.
I’ve been a fan of the band long enough to enjoy several different lineups, and I want to tee this review off by noting that this particular combination of talent definitely brings something new to the table. It’s still the Melvins, and the Melvins rock, but there are some different things happening with the music, steering the experience down a variety of unforeseen avenues. Though a desire to experiment is nothing new for these titans of grunge, the various approaches and flourishes here seem a bit lighter and perhaps even catchier.
Many Melvins recordings are thunderous descents into fury and oblivion, but I found this one to be a lot easier on the senses.
I am having a great time with Hold It In, with my favorite tracks thus far being “Eyes On You” and “I Get Along (Hollow Moon),” a pair of songs that could almost be considered pop if sampled alongside some of the heavier or stranger tracks King Buzzo and company have dropped on us over the years.
I tend to like the band the most when they’re at their most brutal, and I’m not always as keen on their sonic exploration. There are heavy moments this time out, and the riffs come fast and furious, but there is a different vibe (I’m tempted to describe it as some sort of wacky cheerfulness) that has infected the proceedings. It’s a fun album.
Hell, this kooky lineup has even given those more experimental moments (which are frequently sinister–if not deranged) a bit of joyous pizazz. The end result is a Melvins album that may not rock my socks off like The Bride Who Screamed Murder or Stoner Witch, but it never leaves me scratching my head like many of the band’s offerings have either. Bonus points: it has me smiling a lot.
Honestly, all of this makes sense given the participants. Before listening to the album, I wasn’t exactly sure what it would sound like if you put The Melvins and the Butthole Surfers in a blender and mixed their unique sounds to perfection. Now that I have enjoyed Hold It In several times, I know the answer: it sounds like the zaniest and cheekiest collection of tracks we could ever expect from the band.
Having said that, I should note that the power of sludge is still alive and well, as is the “we will do as we please” attitude which has always defined King Buzzo and his brood (translation: the fantastic Dale Crover and whoever else is currently holding an invitation to the party). While these trademark elements are present and accounted for, I’m not sure that any other lineup has brought such a notable change to the band’s output.
I know we’ll get more from the Melvins (maybe as soon as next week) but I can only hope that we get more from this particular quartet, and I definitely need to see them live. I have seen my two favorite iterations of the band in person, including Buzz and Dale slaying it with Kevin Rutmanis on bass once upon a when, and the more recent double-drummer behemoth that was created by adding Jared Warren and Coady Willis from Big Business to the fold.
Where exactly does this version of the band fit in the overall pecking order? Well, it’s early to make such declarations, but I’m comfortable putting this lineup in third place. When you consider the band’s longevity and ever-evolving make-up, that’s one hell of a compliment.
Also, since I’ve mentioned seeing the band live, let’s be clear: if you’ve never seen the Melvins perform, that’s something you need to rectify. Much like Clutch or any act Mike Patton is affiliated with, these guys are genuine masters of the live experience.
Anyway, let’s get back to this album and bring this review to a close. It’s like this: Hold It In is strange, lovable, and exciting. It provides a fix for diehard Melvins fans, but it deftly adds a few new wrinkles that could invite fresh listeners into the fold. Stirring, unique, and ripe with talent and creativity, it joins Philm’s Fire From the Evening Sun as the strongest evidence I’ve seen in 2014 that rock is alive and well.
It also stands as a reminder that music is at its best when served with a heaping side of “Thanks, but we’re just going to do whatever the hell we want.” That’s rock and roll, peeps, and as long as Buzz Osborne has access to a guitar, it’s here to stay.
