The Stiff Sheet: September 1995

Big Sugar
500 Pounds
SiIvertone Records 

When David Letterman says “Man, oh man” it takes on a special meaning. It’s better than your standard “Man, oh man” It’s like Dave really wants to say “Holy shit, Man, oh man” If Dave heard the Big Sugar CD 500 Pounds he’d probably say “Holy Shit this band is good.” That’s because there are some fine songs on this record, some original, some well done covers of classic tunes like “Dear Mr. Fantasy”. Best songs on the album though, have to be “Wild Ox Moan” and “Sugar in my Coffee”…”I don’t want no sugar in my coffee, makes me mean” I can relate to that sentiment. This is a well named band. Big sound, big guitar, big blues, big singing, Big Sugar. Make sense? Well, it’s a gotta-hear-to-understand thing. This is not so much a straight blues band as it is a Masters of Reality type blues band, and that’s quite a compliment. Check this record out, it is definitely a keeper. It’ll give you that “whatever happened to that girl I used to go out with” feeling. Plus it’s good Sunday morning music. Two teaspoons every morning, without fail. —Madd Maxx 

The Muffs
Blonder and Blonder
Reprise 

The coolest punky band that you’ve never heard of is back with their most definitive and assured lineup and album yet, Blonder And Blonder. Kim Shattuck (vocals, guitar), Ronnie Barnett (bass, backup vocals) and Roy McDonald on drums, make up the best reason to toss your Hole CDs out the door. You want a killer punk/pop band with a female singer/guitarist that doesn’t suck? This is it. Comparisons to the widow of grunge are made only because Kim Shattuck is sooo much better at everything she does, all the things that Courtney Love is trying to do. Blasting off with the by now trademarky Muffs anthem “Agony,” this record doesn’t let up for one second throughout the 14 song trek. There’s plenty of rockers like “Oh Nina”, but perched alongside them are some perfect pop tunes like “Won’t Come Out To Play” and “Funny Face.” And when it comes to the big screamer song, “Ethyl My Love” is hard to beat. A better comparison would be early Blondie without the disco and with a slew of songs the caliber of Hangin on the Telephone, this record is a great listen from start to finish. This band is another in the line of bands that will hopefully save the otherwise doldrum filled generica of the mid 90’s. —Madd Maxx 

Rancid
…And out come the wolves
Epitaph

The only reason this record made the Stiff Sheet is because I am a fan of old NY punk rock. I AM NOT a Rancid fan. Scratch that. I didn’t used to be a Rancid fan. Now, unfortunately I have to join forces with all the other hacks that are praising this band. “...And Outcome the Wolves” is one of the better records of the year. Best punk record of the year? Abso-fucking-lutely. I must apologize to all the other punk bands that released records this year. There were many great ones, but Rancid’s kicks everyone’s ass. From the opening lines of “Maxwell Murder”…”Dial 999 if you really want the truth…he ain’t Jack the Ripper, he’s your ordinary crook” to the semi-punk/ska “Time Bomb” Rancid stays on track and NEVER disappoints. Even when they go in & out of varied song styles, they sound fresh and listenable. This is no shit, if you blow this record off as “another punk album” you’re an idiot. 19 songs that capture every possible feeling imaginable…”Junkie Man,” “Old Friend,” “She’s Automatic,” this record has it all. Need I say more? If so, read this review again from the start. —Mr. Pink

GARBAGE
Almo Sounds

12 songs from a band that successfully incorporates all of the best things that are happening today musically, without any residue of the normalness of the 90’s. Sounds pretty cool huh? A lot of people will talk about Butch Vig, and how he worked with Nirvana, and why that’s important and that’s why this record is good. Bullshit. This is a well constructed album that touches many different areas, while remaining fresh through each one. There are many affected

samples and loops, which somehow don’t sound fabricated, along with some headstrong guitar work from Steve Markes and Duke Erikson. The main thing here though, besides the refreshing song structure, is the voice of Shirley Manson (what a great name). She is reminiscent of many other female vocalists, but has a weird quality that makes her voice that much more unique and appealing. She can have an affectionate whisper to a growl, in Supervixens to a smoky sultry moan in Queer and As Heaven is Wide. Versatility is definitely the strong point here, but it’s as much with cool ideas as it is the rest of the band. For those stuck in the whiny bad attitude of female fronted bands, your ship just came in. Take out the garbage. —Madd Maxx

Tanner
Ill-Gotten Gains
Caroline 

My nephew’s name is Tanner, so it’s a good thing this band doesn’t suck. It would mentally screw him up for life. This band came from an early 90’s San Diego band called Fishwife, which was driven by guitarist Gar Wood. Thus Tanner is a guitar driven band, only this drive is fueled by really cool ideas, along with punchy, hard melodies. Intricate, complicated, and full of rhythmic tension, Ill-Gotten Gains surges through explosive passages, combining melody with anxiety, pushing Tanner’s dynamic, edgy songwriting straight into the brain, no holds barred. Tanner tricks you into thinking they are a power pop band with their layered hooks, then bulldozes over you with power. There’s some really cool songs on this album, like “Hey Jigsaw”, “Wig” and “Still a Rat”. And unlike most of your rehashed college guitar rock albums, you can actually listen to Ill Gotten Gains all the way through! What a novel idea. —Madd Maxx 

China Drum
Barrier EP
510 Records 

Record companies like long schmoozy reviews of their records—describing in full adjectivity the songs, the style, the members and so on. Then they photocopy the reviews from magazines like this one and send them back to people like me in lengthy bios, describing in full adjectivity the songs, the style, the members and so on. Sounds like a big waste of paper. Sorry. Oh yea, this record is less than $10 for six of the best fucking songs I’ve heard in a long time, I promise —Mr. Pink 

Ultra Bide
God is God…Puke Is Puke
Alternative Tentacles 

Earlier this year, Teengenerate’s Get Action! (Crypt) almost single-chordedly wiped out the dubious rock history of Japan (Pink Lady, Loudness, the Suzuki Samurai–get the picture?). Of course, it sounded like it was recorded with a pawn shop answering machine–some other hack stole it from me, so the point is moot: Ultra Bide are the weirdest mofos on the planet, God is God…Puke Is Puke is heavier than Shannon Faulkner’s thighs, and you’ll have to pry this disc from my cold, dead Pioneer! Let’s get the geography straight first: Hide (lead vocals/bass) fled Japan after his original Ultra Bide split. He wound up in New York City and formed the new UB with Satoru (guitar/vocals/fellow Japanese guy) and Tada (drums/fellow Japanese guy). The Ultra’s are technically a NYC band, but we media types exist on hooks, so let’s just bleed this Orient angle dry.

UB aren’t too far removed from the late, great NoMeansNo and Dead Kennedys (both also from Alternative Tentacles, home of the hits) with a few John Zorn whiplash claims tossed in for headcheese realism. “What The Hell”: “Happiness will never come/Use your fucking gun”, “Get High”: “Don’t worry/You are nothing/Get some dope”, “Dude”: “I wanna get you/You wanna fuck me/I’m gonna kill you/I’m gonna kill you”/I’m gonna kill you/I’m gonna kill you”, “Love Sucks”: “Love Sucks/Fucking sucks”, and “Destroy”: “Destroy/Destroy/Destroy/Destroy/Destroy/Destroy/Destroy/Fatty fatty mayor yo-yo/What a nice place here baby”. I know, I’ve been crying my eyes out for days now.

Correct me if I’m wrong (and I’m sure you will), but no major label has ever tried to schmooze a band from Alternative Tentacles, God Is God…Puke Is Puke will sure as hell guarantee that that tradition continues. The world is just not that screwed up–yet. Ultra Bide: The choice of a new generation (of borderline postal workers). —Helen Wolf 

Read more from the SLUG Archives:
Record Reviews: September 1995
Concert Reviews: September 1995