Mudhoney Articles

The Beat

September '02

MUDHONEY

Since We've Become Translucent

Mudhoney boys are back. Back on Sub Pop and writing killer rock and roll songs again. Not as good as their classic Superfuzz Bigmuff days but certainly shitting all over Everygood Boy Deserves Fudge, which even now will get you laughed out of even the daggiest of second hand record stores. They think we don't exist since we've become translucent, sings Mark Arm on the closing track "Sonic Infusion". Not likely. In the four years since the last Mudhoney album, Arm and guitarist Steve Turner have been busy with garage super group Monkeywrench, noise merchants Bloodloss and a Sonics tribute band. Longtime bass player Matt Lukin left and was replaced by Guy Maddison (Bloodloss, Lubricated Goat) who steps in with some solid playing. On this record Mudhoney have found a balance. The right mix of maturity and dick jokes. They party like fools but are sober enough to get the last train home. Accepting responsibility at the same time not giving a toss. "Baby, Can You Dig the Light", is a cracking way in which to open a rock and roll album. Erupting in a haze of guitars and wall of saxophones, before banging through with a barrage of drums that chug along for nearly four hazy minutes before Arm's desolate vocals appear through the haze. I finally reached the end of the tunnel," "This is the end of the tunnel and there is no light. As ever, Arm manages to sting with largely self-deprecatory lyrics When you lash out against society/ And find yourself in penitentiary/ And your cellmate says, 'You belong to me'/ You gotta take it like a man, and "In the Winners' Circle" he squalls I'm a winner, 'cause I've got nothing left to lose. "Where the Flavor Is" turns out to be a stylish garage rocker. With the addition of horns, the song manages to pull off more while still sounding stripped back and -- think a funkier "Lust for Life". "Our Time Is Now"" finds the band taking a stab at blues-rock. Taking cues from the early R&B rock acts, they deliver the blues with a garage twist, letting you know they want to rock with you and not just at you.