Slint | Blue Vinyl LP | Spiderland | Touch and Go
Description:
A classic album from 1991 that still defines post rock, and has never been bettered. Although this Kentucky combo had a short lifespan, its influence has been extraordinary, presaging the underground 'math-rock' revolution and spawning spinoffs such as the For Carnation and King Kong with members playing with Palace Brothers, Tortoise and a multitude more. But don't go thinking that the foursome is a mere footnote: the bracingly dense, dizzyingly complex songs that vein this, their second full-length release, perfectly capture the smarter face of early-'90s thug-rock. Slint's sound is descended from punk, but its members - particularly guitarist Brian Mcmahan - never subscribed to the 'keep it simple, stupid' philosophy. Spiderland is so rife with breakneck tempo changes, off-kilter chord progressions, and bizarro-world themes, you'd be hard-pressed to go a listen without discovering something new. An immense album that every home should own.