Review: Melvins Prove They Still Have Something Unique to Say on Tarantula Heart
Forty-one years and over 30 records in, most bands have a hard time sticking around that long, so right off the bat it’s hard to even make a comparison to the prolific Melvins. But while their longevity is incredibly impressive, the most amazing thing about them is that they still manage to have something to say while still being as unique and interesting as they ever were.
It also stands to reason that after so much time and music, the band feel the need to do things a bit differently. So, on this record they wrote the songs after the music was recorded. You may need to read that sentence several times for the meaning to sink in, but I promise you, that’s not a typo. That’s really what I mean and what they did.
The entire record was based around the first track, a whopping, 19-minute doozy “Pain Equals Funny,” and then the heavy noise track “Working the Ditch.” According to the band, the music was recorded and THEN the band went through and figured out where drum parts, riffs, etc. fit. In other words, the album was almost written like an EDM record, where producers take existing sounds and build into a song structure either with computer software or analog equipment. Because of that method, there’s some seriously weird stuff going on this record.
As such, it’s a bit hard to break this album down the way we usually do, but we’re giving it the ol’ college try. Obviously a good piece of the record is taken up by opener “Pain Equals Funny,” which feels the most structured and doom/psych-influenced on the record. It could also pretty much stand alone as its own work. And it makes sense that “Working the Ditch” is next, since what it lacks in melody, it at least makes up for in structure and follows the general “rules” of a rock song.
The rest of the album descends into chaos with “She’s Got Weird Arms,” which is probably the best song title ever, and one that immediately made me think of Seinfeld (but Jerry, she’s got weird arms!) this is when the album might start to lose you, as this sounds more like heavy chorus and wall of beats than a song. “Allergic to Food” (another great title) and “Smiler” are much the same way.
The long and short of it is, this album is definitely not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. If you just love Melvins and what they do, and/or if you’re a noise fan and like experimentation, I would say don’t miss this one. But if you’re someone who can take or leave Melvins and try and catch their greatest hits, or someone who generally does not want their music super wonky, you’ll want to skip this record.
Tarantula Heart was recorded, mixed, and produced by long time Melvins’ collaborator Toshi Kasai at The Sound of Sirens Studio in Los Angeles. Cover art was created by Mackie Osborne.
Melvins’ Tarantula Heart will be available next Friday, April 19, via Ipecac Recordings. Preorder your copy today.
