mudhoney essential discography

Superfuzz Bigmuff plus Early Singles (1988)
Sub Pop

Compiles their first stellar EP, plus their debut anthem "Touch me I'm sick", the original studio version of their longest live favorite, "Hate the police", and much more. Essential.

Superfuzz Bigmuff has all the best attributes of Mudhoney's Stooges fixation -- whether slow or fast, this music is grimy, raucous, and violently enthusiastic, with a stronger melodic sensibility than Iggy's band possessed.

Mudhoney (1989)
Sub Pop

While all the songs are strong, the studio versions just don't do justice to them: but compare them with one of the many live bootlegs from that same period or with the radio recordings on "Here Comes Sickness" CD (2000) and you'll see.

"Flat out Fucked" about sums up the whole ethos of the album -- careening pace, compressed feedback roar, and Mark Arm's desperate but never self-important singing resulting in neo-garage rock anti-anthems.

Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge (1991)
Sub Pop

Another high point: while the fuzz is still there, the band's passion for sixties garage permeates almost every song, giving the album a nice pop feeling, complete with surf instrumentals, country twangs and organ stomps.

Whether it was Conrad Uno's production, the addition of more instruments to the Mudhoney arsenal, a slew of brilliant songs, or a combination of the above, Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge found Mudhoney coming into their own album-wise.

Piece Of Cake (1992)
Reprise

The album the band loves the less, and hironically their biggest seller. While the record may not be solid as a one piece, the songs are all good to great, with some underrated numbers lined up toward the end.

Faster and fiercer than ever, but no less fuzzy or messed-up, Piece of Cake proved Mudhoney's palate was broader than some folks might have expected, but without turning their backs on the glorious ugliness that was always their stock-in-trade.

Five Dollar Bob's Mock Cooter Stew (1993)
Reprise

A more complex listening than it seems, this almost experimental EP shows Mudhoney reinterpreting, in their own way, a wide range of sounds and music genres. It grows a lot once you're familiar with the LP's and the bands who influenced them.

Heavy-duty psychedelic starts, mid-range paces and slightly queasy organ parts, analog synths creating a buzz that Suicide could have been proud of, honky tonk country touches, and garage rock that looks in the face of grunge's success and laughs.

My Brother The Cow (1995)
Reprise

An explosive slab of blasting punk snarls, proto garage rides and spooky country/psych deoturs which was criminally overlooked when it came out. Years later it still rocks, and remains a favorite among the fans.

On My Brother The Cow Mudhoney finally found a noisy middle ground where their fondness for Billy Childish and Blue Cheer could peacefully coexist; the songs are less sludgy and more driving, but with enough thunder to remind you of who's playing.

Tomorrow Hit Today (1998)
Reprise

Realizing this was probably their last chance to spend some real major label money on a record, the band decided to go for the big thing, and came out from the studio with one of their most focused and adventurous works.

Mark Arm still sings with all the attitude he can muster, while the others gleefully bash away at their instruments, creating tunes comparable to the enjoyable racket that the New York Dolls and Stooges laid down earlier.

March To Fuzz (2000)
Sub Pop

The long awaited best of & rarities double disc set, worth having for the second disc alone, filled with tons of obscure anthems, unreleased songs, and a killer sequence of early OC punk covers which will make you want to run out and buy a skate.

The rarities disc is surprisingly entertaining, featuring plenty of cover versions and songs that were certainly better than some of their album tracks. Their '60s garage and surf roots are summed up very effectively, as well as their love of '80s hardcore.

Here Comes Sickness: the best of the BBC recordings (2000)
Strange Fruit

A good hint at the otherwise rarely documented live potential of the band. Compare the 1989 peel session tracks with the ones released on "Mudhoney" to realize both how that LP should have sounded and what the band was like on stage in the early days.

Mark Arm's vocals slur and hiss, Steve Turner's lead guitar work stings with a vengeance, Matt Lukin's bass chugs along, and Dan Peters' drums are well-miked, adding to the overall strength of the tracks.

Since We've Become Translucent (2002)
Sub Pop

The first album with new bassist Guy Maddison is a blistering mix of acid soaked psych journeys, stripped down garage blasts, horns fueled punk rock slashes and dark, stoned out trips. Probably their best record to date.

The band sounds at once heavier and more confident than it did during its major-label tenure, and the addition of horns on three tracks adds new textures to the classic Mudhoney throb without crushing the band's personality or spirit.