The Melvins, Lysol (1992)

Would you believe I’ve never closed out a week with the Melvins? Granted, I’m not the hugest fan of the band in the world, but you’d think it would’ve happened one way or another at some point anyhow, two or three times over, just through the sheer process of elimination. After all, they’re the frickin’ Melvins. If heavy rock and roll has a given, a constant presence, a relentless influence under which it works, it’s theirs. Consider this post correcting an oversight on my part.

In picking one of their 250-or-thereabouts studio offerings to actually feature, I decided to not go the obvious route, which would’ve been 1993’s Stoner Witch, 1994’s Houdini or 1996’s Stag — the three landmark albums they released on Atlantic Records — but instead dig a little deeper. Not much deeper, admittedly. It’s not like I went for Colossus of Destiny or anything, but 1992’s Lysol, with its Flipper and Alice Cooper covers, its drawling riffing from a group who were just about to set the patterns they’d continue to follow for the next 20 years and counting, and its unmistakably off-the-rails songwriting, makes a good fit without necessarily being so totally obvious as to be a Melvins cliché. Or not as much of one anyway. Whatever. You know what I mean. Maybe I just felt like hearing them do “The Ballad of Dwight Fry” and Joe Preston‘s bass on “Sacrifice,” all the songs lumped together as one CD track, apparently for the hell of it because it was a relatively new format then and that was a thing people did as a reaction to track-by-track listening.

Anyhoo, there are way worse manners in which to dispose of half an hour. Boner Records, which originally released Lysol, oversaw a vinyl reissue that came out Jan. 20 that couples the album with 1991’s Eggnog — they have one for Ozma and Bullhead as well — so I guess this wound up being a topical choice without my even realizing it. Whatever your preferred format, hope you dig it and have a good time listening. That’s the whole idea.

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The power stayed on during the blizzard earlier this week, for which I’m thankful. You never really know when you’re in a new place until it either does or doesn’t happen, and I could probably buy 15 houses before I’d think to ask, “So hey, does every wind over five miles an hour knock out the electricity?” We had some good gusts to go with the circa-two-feet of snow that came down — a little more earlier today, and more to come on Monday just in case I missed my shot to put on sad-era Anathema or that brilliant Sólstafir record from last year; I didn’t — and still, the lights persisted. I’ll take that. If you have to be snowed in, having a working charger for the laptop helps.

My big news this week, in case you missed it: I’m going back to Roadburn in April, and this site is six years old. Thanks to you for reading, because that’s the only reason either happened.

I had wanted to review Black Moon Circle‘s Andromeda LP this afternoon, but after doing the Radio adds, I’m good and burnt out and the record deserves better than to have me search Dict.org for synonyms for the word “lysergic.” Should be able to pick up with that on Monday, and next week also look out for reviews of Killer Boogie and Abbot. Elder is next after that, but I’m not sure I’ll get there by next Friday. We’ll see how it goes. Also trying to set up a premiere of one sort or another for that Garden of Worm record that was reviewed today, because it hit me hard enough that I think it’s worth featuring again. I’ll keep you posted. A Lords of Beacon House video premiere is set for next Friday, too.

I also spoke to Mario Lalli of Fatso Jetson and Yawning Man yesterday and I’m going to try really, really hard to have that posted by the end of next week as those bands head over to Europe soon to tour and I don’t want to miss my chance. Currently seeking an intern to transcribe interviews if anyone’s in need of some college credit. Yes, I’m serious, and yes, you can work remotely.

The Patient Mrs. promised sushi takeout to celebrate the site’s anniversary, so I’ll be taking her up on that and clearing out my overtaxed sinuses with wasabi. Stoked.

Whatever you might be up to, I hope you have a great and safe weekend. Please check out the forum and radio stream.

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