Mudhoney

Like many of its Seattle peers (and famous followers, notably Nirvana), Mudhoney was branded with grunge's scarlet letter. It's a hollow label, of course, ignoring the pioneering group's raunchy, bad-vibe rock and roll, which set it apart from the genre's occasional this-close-to-metal posturing. Twenty years after its release, Mudhoney's breakthrough...

By Chris Toenes

June 12, 2008

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Like many of its Seattle peers (and famous followers, notably Nirvana), Mudhoney was branded with grunge's scarlet letter. It's a hollow label, of course, ignoring the pioneering group's raunchy, bad-vibe rock and roll, which set it apart from the genre's occasional this-close-to-metal posturing. Twenty years after its release, Mudhoney's breakthrough EP, Superfuzz Bigmuff, still sounds ragged and righteous — even in this remastered two-disc set, which tags on assorted demos, singles, and live cuts. Songs such as the ultra-creepy loner come-on "Touch Me I'm Sick" and the misanthropic anthem "In n' Out of Grace" make it worth a revisit. But unlike most of its contemporaries, Mudhoney never withered or went away. Its latest CD, The Lucky Ones, even celebrates the band's longevity. The title tune's rallying cry — "The lucky ones have already gone down/The lucky ones are lucky they're not around" — burns like a cigarette through a flannel shirt.

Chris Toenes

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