The Melvins - (A) Senile Animal (Ipecac)
4/5
By: Charlie Potter
There is an age old tradition amongst music journalists of brutally slagging off the Melvins in the most insane and deranged incomprehensible manner. Well, maybe they know something that we don't, but at rockfeedback we tend to listen to the albums that are up for review more than twice, and we try not to judge a band on what we think they should sound like, and more on the music for it's own merit.
It seems a strange phenomena that a great deal of critics champion the idea of a band being uncompromising but when one comes along they complain that it doesn't sound like what they want it to.
That being said, I admit that Melvins albums always take a bit of getting used to. And on the face of it, this album seems very simple - on the first listen it even seems a little unadventurous. But as with most Melvins albums, this is only because the music is so structurally dense that it takes a while to unravel the hooks. What you end up with after multiple listens is an incredible succession of diverse ideas which not only makes a very rewarding listening experience, it makes an album that you can listen to again and again over the course of years.
The sound of '(A) Senile Animal' is that of a crusty old gnarled up leathery crocodile, creeping along with an unpredictable and volatile nature. Their love of old American punk bands certainly shines through on this recording, and this coupled with all the members singing the same thing at once makes it sound like they had a really fun time making it. Of course the vocals are not the only thing that is doubled up - the two drummers are often playing the same thing at the same time, which makes the album sound as if it is two distinct bands playing the same songs simultaneously.
The album is recorded and mixed by Toshi Kasai, the same person they worked on 'Hostille Ambient Takeover' with. One of the most surprising things about 'Hostile Ambient Takeover' is that Dale's massive down-tuned drum kit (perhaps the most defining thing about the Melvins' sound) was made to sound like a tiny drum kit. Perhaps the most defining characteristic of the album is all the doubling up, and whilst there is a danger of sounding dirgy or over the top, the mix is absolutely pristine.
A lot of the tracks are based around the songs, which are probably one of the stronger elements of this as a Melvins album. They are largely coherent and articulate and at times go as far as even being jolly. But it's not all simple punk fun, it's far more confusing than that, and in a way this album sounds like some of their early nineties recordings like 'Bullhead' and 'Lysol', but the Melvins' years of experience writing mathematical off beat slab rock has made it so effortless that it's long been far too natural to be considered mathematical. Heck, they don't even use calculators anymore, and the complex rhythms are still in every corner. Not only is this multifaceted rhythmically, but you have 3 tracks that exceed the 6 minute mark and another that comes very close, and these are to put it bluntly monolithic in a way that only Melvins could be. One of my favourite Buzz quotes is 'we like it both ways, stupid and considered', and this really does seem to be both at the same time. The album's just over 40 minutes long, an exciting no gimmicks little punk gem. Basically if you're not ready to rock out, then this one isn't for you.
Despite the time it took, I'm now totally addicted to this - and knowing the Melvins, I'm still yet to understand the true brilliance of it as an album, and possibly never will. But at the moment, it's better with every listen - remarkable, seeing as at the minute, that's three or four a day.
Artists in this article: The Melvins
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