THE MELVINS
"Nude With Boots" (Ipecac
Recordings; 2008)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Browsing the Internet, you'll find The Melvins listed often as a punk rock band. Although there are certainly elements of punk to be found on "Nude With Boots," I'd have to say that trying to pigeonhole this band is an impossible task. The Melvins fit only one genre and that genre is ... well, The Melvins.
Ranging from the aforementioned punk rock to the gloomy sounds of stoner rock to the crisp guitar of classic rock to spaghetti western interpretations of Gregorian Chants (yes, you read that right - "Dies Iraea" is one of the album's most fascinating tracks), "Nude With Boots" never stops surprising you throughout its entire running time. That's probably because The Melvins have always been one of those bands that does things the way they think they should be done, not the way they think will sell the most albums.
Like all albums by the band, "Nude With Boots" may not be for everybody. Sometimes, its crashing, off-kilter guitars and dissonant rhythms go the way of bands like Unsane and its black humor lyrics may not be appreciated by all. Regardless, after twenty-five albums of doing things their way, it's great to know that The Melvins are still out there doing it and still doing it this well.
For more information, check out http://www.themelvins.net.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2008 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 11 Nov 2024 12:14:36 -0500.
