Sebadoh | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Formed by singer/songwriter Lou Barlow, Sebadoh was the quintessential lo-fi band of the 90s, and their music was a virtual catalog of 80s alternative rock and 90s indie rock, featuring everything from jangle pop to noise-rock experimentalism. Sebadoh began in 1987 as Barlows side project while he was playing bass in Dinosaur (later Dinosaur Jr.), with Barlow creating home-recorded music in a home-recording project with drummer/songwriter Eric Gaffney. When Barlow was kicked out of Dinosaur in 1989, Sebadoh became his main concern, and it grew into a backing band for both Barlow and Gaffneys songs as they became a three-piece with the addition of bassist and songwriter Jason Loewenstein. The trio became an indie rock sensation, known for the size and diversity of its output, flipping between Barlows sensitive folk-rock and Gaffneys noise experiments and back again without warning, celebrating their noisy tunefulness on 1991s III and 1992s Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock. As the media focused on Barlow -- who also released solo records under the name Sentridoh and collaborated with John David in the Folk Implosion -- Gaffney grew frustrated and left in 1994. With new drummer Bob Fay, Sebadoh produced its most accessible albums -- 1994s Bakesale and 1996s Harmacy -- whose relatively tight performances and cleaner production earned them college radio airplay and expanded their following into modest indie rock success. After the release of 1999s The Sebadoh (which introduced drummer Russell Pollard), the group splintered and the members pursued other projects, but in 2013, Barlow and Loewenstein revived Sebadoh for the album Defend Yourself. Sebadoh began as an outlet for Lou Barlows frustration with J Mascis, who refused to let Barlow contribute songs to any Dinosaur Jr. releases. In 1987, Barlow released Weed Forestin, a cassette of acoustic songs he had recorded at home on a four-track recorder, under the name Sentridoh. The cassette was sold at local Massachusetts record stores. Eric Gaffney contributed percussion to Weed Forestin, and when Barlow had a break from Dinosaur in 1988, the duo recorded The Freed Man, which consisted of songs by both songwriters. Also released as a homemade cassette, The Freed Man worked its way to Gerard Cosloy, the head of Homestead Records. Cosloy offered to release the cassette on his record label, and the tape was revised and expanded into a full-length album. Homestead released The Freed Man in 1989, and shortly after its appearance, Mascis kicked Barlow out of Dinosaur, and Lou turned his attentions toward Sebadoh. A revised and expanded Weed Forestin was released in early 1990; the two records were combined on the CD The Freed Weed later that year. By the end of 1989, Sebadoh added a full-time drummer, Jason Loewenstein, on the suggestion of Gaffney. Sebadoh began playing concerts regularly, concentrating on Gaffneys material and throwing in a few Barlow songs for good measure. Where their albums were acoustic-oriented, their concerts were noisy ventures into post-hardcore and Sonic Youth territory. Over the course of 1990, the group was active only sporadically, deciding whether they wanted to pursue a full-fledged career; a few 7" singles of primarily acoustic material appeared that year. As of early 1991, the band began recording electric material, as evidenced by the EP Gimme Indie Rock! Released early in 1991, Sebadoh III was divided between Gaffneys electric songs and acoustic material by Barlow and Loewenstein. The band was prepared to embark on its first major tour when Gaffney abruptly left the band before they left. Barlow and Loewenstein carried on, initially performing shows as a duo, but soon hiring Bob Fay as a drummer. Upon the completion of the tour, Gaffney returned to the band, but during his absence, the direction of Sebadohs music had shifted away from his songs and toward Barlows. Following a full-length national tour in the fall of 1991, Sebadoh recorded five of Barlows songs as a demo tape that served as its gateway to contracts with Sub Pop in the U.S. and City Slang/20/20 in the U.K. Gaffney left the band at the end of the year, and the group again hired Fay as a replacement. With Fay, Sebadoh toured America and Europe in early 1992, recording the British EPs Rocking the Forest and Sebadoh vs. Helmet, which were combined later that year on the Sub Pop album Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock. Gaffney again returned to the band after Sebadoh released these recordings, with Fay again leaving the band. Barlow and Loewenstein had begun to tire of Gaffneys constant sabbaticals, and Lou returned to his Sentridoh project, releasing a series of EPs, 7" singles, and cassettes over the course of 1993 and 1994. Sebadoh released its fifth album, Bubble and Scrape, in the spring of 1993 and spent the remainder of the year touring behind the record, building their cult across America and Britain. Gaffney left for a final time in the fall of 1993 and Fay became his permanent replacement. Before recording the sixth Sebadoh album, Barlow began a new band with John Davis called the Folk Implosion; the duo released three recordings over the course of 1994. Sebadoh returned with Bakesale, their first album without Eric Gaffney, in the summer of 1994. Boasting a somewhat more accessible sound, Bakesale became the groups most successful album to date, generating the near-modern rock hit "Rebound." The band took a break in 1995 and the Folk Implosion recorded the soundtrack to the controversial independent film Kids. Surprisingly, Kids spawned a genuine hit single with the haunting, hip-hop-tinged "Natural One," which climbed all the way into the Top 30 of the U.S. pop charts. In light of the success of "Natural One," Sebadohs next record, Harmacy, was expected to be a hit upon its fall 1996 release. Though it didnt match commercial expectations raised by "Natural One," Harmacy expanded the success of Bakesale, becoming the first Sebadoh album to chart in the U.S.. Before the recording of their follow-up to Harmacy, Sebadoh replaced drummer Fay with Russ Pollard. After a string of delays, the revamped lineup released their first album, the cleverly titled The Sebadoh, in February 1999. After a tour supporting The Sebadoh, the band announced that they were going on hiatus to focus on other projects. Barlow continued his work as Folk Implosion while also releasing two solo albums, 2003s Emoh and 2009s Goodnight Unknown, while Lowenstein went back into the studio to record his solo album, 2002s At Sixes and Sevens, and also to work with other bands including Fiery Furnaces. With the reissue of albums Sebadoh III, The Freed Man, and Bubble and Scrape in 2007, the original Sebadoh lineup of Barlow, Lowenstein, and Gaffney reunited for a string of live dates for the first time in some 14 years. With Barlow reuniting with former band Dinosaur Jr. to record and play live, Sebadoh was put on hold and in 2011, with the reissue of albums Bakesale and Harmacy, Lowenstein and Barlow recruited drummer Bob DAmico to play some live dates in support of their release. With the trio clicking as a unit, the three-piece re-entered the studio and set about writing new material. In 2012, the band released the Secret EP; available as a digital download, the five tracks were intended to help fund the recording of their next studio album. In 2013, Sebadoh signed with Joyful Noise Recordings and their ninth album, Defend Yourself, was released that September. Solo projects and recording and touring with Dinosaur Jr. kept Barlow busy for the next several years, but Sebadoh reconvened to record 2019s Act Surprised and launch an international tour. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 18 Title: The Freed Man Released: 1989 Tracks: 52 Duration: 1:19:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Healthy Sick (01:48) 2 Level Anything (01:37) 3 Soulmate (01:31) 4 Ladybugs (01:54) 5 Close Enough (01:11) 6 True Hardcore (02:05) 7 Julienne (02:41) 8 Wrists (01:40) 9 Amherst Hanging House (00:47) 10 McKinley’s Lament (01:18) 11 Solid Brown (01:00) 12 Narrow Stories (01:52) 13 Bridge Was You (01:41) 14 Drifts on Thru (00:54) 15 Overturns (01:04) 16 Yellow Submarine (01:58) 17 Squirrel Freedom Overdrive (00:46) 18 Little Man (00:52) 19 Land of the Lords (01:02) 20 Bolder (01:23) 21 Believe (01:13) 22 Deny (01:52) 23 Wall of Doubt (01:27) 24 Crumbs (02:15) 25 I Love Me (01:01) 26 K‐Sensa‐My (01:49) 27 Lou Rap (00:54) 28 Punch in the Nose (01:54) 29 Resistance to Flo (02:14) 30 Stop the Wheel (01:03) 31 Loose n Screw (01:11) 32 Oak Street Raga (01:40) 33 Last Day of School (01:41) 34 Jealous Evil (02:15) 35 Moldy Bread (02:22) 36 Made Real (01:17) 37 Cindy (01:11) 38 Nest (01:10) 39 My Decision (01:06) 40 Fire of July (01:50) 41 Jaundice (02:08) 42 Design (01:03) 43 Dance (01:50) 44 Cyster (00:45) 45 Powerbroker (00:48) 46 The Lorax (01:08) 47 Pig (01:57) 48 Hung Up (02:34) 49 Slow to Learn (02:08) 50 Elements (01:32) 51 Attention (live) (00:51) 52 Your Long Journey (01:30) |
| The Freed Man : Allmusic album Review : When Lou Barlow first started recording as Sebadoh with his pal Eric Gaffney in 1986, he was still playing bass in Dinosaur Jr., and the groups early work practically defines the "side project syndrome" -- since Barlow was already a member of another, more "serious" band at the same time, Sebadoh gave him the opportunity to be as silly, as cryptic, or as obsessively personal as he wished. Not long after Sebadohs The Freed Man first surfaced as a cassette-only release, Barlow was fired from Dinosaur Jr., and what was once his creative safety valve suddenly became his primary musical forum, and the rough, purposefully distorted textures of Sebadohs primitive early work (recorded on inexpensive four-track cassette decks and then dubbed down to even cheesier tape) would become the early hallmark of their music, along with the rage, puzzlement, and melancholy that defined Barlows lyrical world-view. However, on The Freed Man, while Barlow hardly sounds sunny most of the time, he was clearly able to embrace the playful side of the groups music, and Gaffney was more than willing to bring his fair share of goofiness into the formula; add the periodic barrage of audio clips from television broadcasts, old childrens records, and assorted noise, and you get the template for much of what would emerge in the "lo-fi revolution" (and like thousands of bands that would follow in Sebadohs wake, much of The Freed Man was recorded in a college dorm room, with sounds from the adjoining rooms occasionally bleeding onto the tape). While stretches of The Freed Man sound like the pot-addled meanderings of a semi-bohemian college sophomore with a little too much time on his hands, both Barlow and Gaffney display enough songcraft and imagination to show they were several cuts above most folks following a similar path, and the fact that the nerdy but confessional "Soulmate," the bare-bones pop of "Drifts on Thru," and a mock-hardcore cover of "Yellow Submarine" could peacefully coexist on the same album suggests Sebadohs budget-minded eclecticism was reaping potent rewards right from the very start. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 18 Title: The Freed Weed Released: 1990 Tracks: 40 Duration: 1:12:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Temporary Dream (01:22) 2 New Worship (02:20) 3 Subtle Holy Gift (02:29) 4 My Own Religion (00:59) 5 Ride the Darker Wave (02:17) 6 More Simple (01:35) 7 Jealous of Jesus (01:47) 8 Mr Genius Eyes (02:09) 9 Perfect Power (01:40) 10 Feeding Evil (02:12) 11 Sexual Confusion (03:31) 12 Three Times a Day (01:25) 13 Gate to Hell (01:12) 14 Broken (03:04) 15 Whitey Peach (02:30) 16 I Cant See (03:34) 17 Pound My Skinny Head (00:49) 18 I Believe in Fate (02:25) 19 Waited Forever (01:30) 20 Slightest Suggestion (03:01) 21 Its So Hard to Fall in Love (01:49) 22 Brand New Love (03:00) 23 Burning Out (01:26) 24 Little Man (00:47) 25 Punch in the Nose (01:31) 26 Loose n Screw (01:11) 27 Jealous Evil (02:15) 28 Moldy Bread (00:59) 29 Bridge Was You (01:21) 30 Bolder (01:23) 31 True Hardcore (01:37) 32 Stop the Wheel (00:44) 33 Made Real (01:16) 34 Level Anything (01:14) 35 Soul Mate (01:33) 36 Nest (01:10) 37 Narrow Stories (01:51) 38 Submarine (01:59) 39 Wall of Doubt (01:27) 40 Crumbs (01:39) |
| The Freed Weed : Allmusic album Review : The epitome of lo-fi, these 47 skeletal bits-of-songs were recorded by Lou Barlow and Eric Gaffney long before their Sebadoh days. Collects their first two self-released cassettes. Mostly for the curious or the collector. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 18 Title: Weed Forestin Released: 1990 Tracks: 23 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Temporary Dream (?) 2 New Worship (?) 3 Subtle Holy Gift (?) 4 My Own Religion (?) 5 Ride the Darker Wave (?) 6 More Simple (?) 7 Jealous of Jesus (?) 8 Mr. Genius Eyes (?) 9 Perfect Power (?) 10 Feeding Evil (?) 11 Sexual Confusion (?) 12 Three Times a Day (?) 13 Gate to Hell (?) 14 Broken (?) 15 Whitey Peach (?) 16 I Cant See (?) 17 Take My Hand (?) 18 Pound My Skinny Head (?) 19 I Believe in Fate (?) 20 Waited Forever (?) 21 Slightest Suggestion (?) 22 Its So Hard to Fall in Love (?) 23 Brand New Love (?) |
| Weed Forestin : Allmusic album Review : The press release to this LP boasted that it, unlike their debut, "was actually recorded with the knowledge that it would be released." Apparently Lou Barlow and Eric Gaffney had a pretty clear crystal ball; the music was taped in 1986 and 1987 but didnt actually come out on vinyl until 1990. Sebadohs first LP, The Freed Man, boasts some of the most deliberately awful fidelity of all time (against some stiff competition); this is somewhat, but only somewhat, more hi-fi. Barlows gifts are often in evidence: his appealing voice, sensitive wit, and knack for affected burned-out acid-folk. Alas, the merits are often buried beneath hiss and tomfoolery, as if he wasnt convinced his music was any good on its own terms, and so tried to pretend it was all a joke. The LP has since been reissued (along with most of The Freed Man) on the CD The Freed Weed. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 18 Title: III Released: 1991-09 Tracks: 41 Duration: 1:55:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Freed Pig (03:08) 2 Sickles and Hammers (00:50) 3 Total Peace (03:02) 4 Violet Execution (03:57) 5 Scars, Four Eyes (03:36) 6 Truly Great Thing (02:13) 7 Kath (01:53) 8 Perverted World (01:55) 9 Wonderful, Wonderful (03:13) 10 Limb by Limb (02:17) 11 Smoke a Bowl (03:02) 12 Black‐Haired Gurl (02:12) 13 Hoppin’ Up and Down (03:17) 14 Supernatural Force (02:42) 15 Rockstar (02:42) 16 Downmind (01:31) 17 Renaissance Man (02:20) 18 God Told Me (01:09) 19 Holy Picture (02:53) 20 Hassle (03:30) 21 No Different (02:20) 22 Spoiled (03:03) 23 As the World Dies, the Eyes of God Grow Bigger (06:49) 1 Gimme Indie Rock (03:24) 2 Ride the Darker Wave (01:42) 3 Red Riding Good (01:54) 4 New King (02:27) 5 Calling Yog Soggoth (02:39) 6 Sorted Up Wonder (Supernatural Force) (02:37) 7 Melting Wall (Holy Picture) (02:47) 8 Design (01:03) 9 Attention (00:49) 10 Stars for Eyes (03:13) 11 Unseen Waste (01:33) 12 Violet Execution (remix ’04) (04:05) 13 As the World Turns (01:52) 14 Cranberry Bog (03:21) 15 “The Devil’s Reggae” (00:52) 16 The Freed Pig (4‐track) (03:18) 17 Never Jealous (02:08) 18 Showtape ’91 (11:44) |
| III : Allmusic album Review : Along with Pavements Slanted & Enchanted, Sebadoh III is one of the cornerstones of 90s indie rock, establishing the dubious lo-fi style as a credible subgenre. Though the recording techniques give the album a distinctive, hazy atmosphere, the music itself is fascinating. Divided between contributions from Lou Barlow, Eric Gaffney, and Jason Loewenstein, Sebadoh III doesnt necessarily offer a coherent listen. Instead, its a variety of unexpected detours, with each track offering something different from what preceded. Barlow immediately distinguishes himself with his folky acoustic musings, which not only have sensitivity to spare, but also strong melodies. Gaffney, on the other hand, consigns himself to the role of hardcore noise rocker, often with varying results. Loewenstein falls between the two extremes, acting as a bridge between the two songwriters. With such a variety of styles and sounds, Sebadoh III is a kaleidoscopic summation of various American underground rock genres of the 80s, as well as a launching pad for the introspective obsessions of 90s indie rock. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 18 Title: Rocking the Forest / Sebadoh vs. Helmet Released: 1992 Tracks: 17 Duration: 49:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Gimme Indie Rock (03:24) 2 Ride the Darker Wave (01:42) 3 Its So Hard to Fall in Love (02:00) 4 Cry Sis (02:51) 5 Really Insane II (01:52) 6 Vampire (02:40) 7 Junk Bonds (01:53) 8 Mind Meld (07:10) 9 Notsur Dnuora Selcric (03:03) 10 Brand New Love (04:04) 11 Mean Distance (03:11) 12 ...Burned (03:16) 13 New Worship (02:20) 14 Good Things, Proud Man (01:25) 15 P. Moon (01:59) 16 Cecilia Chime in Melee (04:18) 17 Soulmate (02:28) |
 | Album: 6 of 18 Title: Sebadoh vs. Helmet Released: 1992 Tracks: 9 Duration: 26:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Notsur Dnuora Selcric (03:03) 2 Brand New Love (04:04) 3 Mean Distance (03:11) 4 ...Burned (03:16) 5 New Worship (02:20) 6 Good Things, Proud Man (01:25) 7 P. Moon (01:59) 8 Cecilia Chime in Melee (04:18) 9 Soulmate (02:28) |
 | Album: 7 of 18 Title: Rocking the Forest Released: 1992 Tracks: 8 Duration: 23:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Gimme Indie Rock (03:24) 2 Ride the Darker Wave (01:42) 3 Its So Hard to Fall in Love (02:00) 4 Cry Sis (02:51) 5 Really Insane II (01:52) 6 Vampire (02:40) 7 Junk Bonds (01:53) 8 Mind Meld (07:10) |
 | Album: 8 of 18 Title: Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock Released: 1992 Tracks: 12 Duration: 38:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Cry Sis (02:51) 2 Brand New Love (04:04) 3 Notsur Dnuora Selcric (03:03) 4 Vampire (02:42) 5 Good Things (01:25) 6 Cecilia Chime in Melee (04:18) 7 Everybodys Been Burned (03:14) 8 Junk Bonds (01:53) 9 New Worship (02:20) 10 Mean Distance (03:11) 11 P. Moon (01:59) 12 Mind Meld (07:10) |
| Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock : Allmusic album Review : Sebadoh made its Sub Pop debut with Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock, which collects the highlights of the import compilations Rockin the Forest and Sebadoh vs. Helmet. Lou Barlows contributions are the gems here, especially the transcendent "Brand New Love," which first appeared in acoustic form on Weed Forestin (and was later punked up by Superchunk); almost as good are "Vampire" and "Good Things," while an apt and poignant cover of David Crosbys "Everybodys Been Burned" underscores the emotional frailty which binds all of Barlows work. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 18 Title: Bubble and Scrape Released: 1993-04-01 Tracks: 17 Duration: 46:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Soul and Fire (03:46) 2 Two Years Two Days (03:07) 3 Telecosmic Alchemy (02:15) 4 Fantastic Disaster (03:33) 5 Happily Divided (02:21) 6 Sister (02:43) 7 Cliche (02:27) 8 Sacred Attention (02:48) 9 Elixir Is Zog (02:06) 10 Emma Get Wild (01:21) 11 Sixteen (01:30) 12 Homemade (05:03) 13 Forced Love (03:20) 14 No Way Out (02:16) 15 Bouquet for a Siren (02:56) 16 Think (Let Tomorrow Bee) (03:13) 17 Flood (01:35) |
 | Album: 10 of 18 Title: 4 Song CD Released: 1994 Tracks: 10 Duration: 22:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Mor Backlash (00:46) 2 Rebound (02:12) 3 Not a Friend (01:59) 4 Careful (02:43) 5 Foreground (01:00) 6 Naima (02:07) 7 40203 (04:17) 8 Mystery Man (02:08) 9 Drumstick Jumble (01:44) 10 Lime Kiln (03:39) |
 | Album: 11 of 18 Title: Bakesale Released: 1994-08-23 Tracks: 40 Duration: 1:43:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 License to Confuse (01:45) 2 Careful (02:44) 3 Magnet’s Coil (02:27) 4 Not a Friend (03:40) 5 Not Too Amused (04:15) 6 Dreams (02:39) 7 Skull (02:24) 8 Got It (02:16) 9 S. Soup (03:16) 10 Give Up (02:27) 11 Rebound (02:12) 12 Mystery Man (03:08) 13 Temptation Tide (01:53) 14 Drama Mine (02:42) 15 Together or Alone (04:03) 1 MoR Backlash (00:48) 2 Not a Friend (demo) (02:01) 3 Foreground (01:02) 4 40203 (04:18) 5 Mystery Man (demo) (02:08) 6 Drumstick Jumble (01:46) 7 Lime Kiln (03:42) 8 Fancy Ass / Destitute (03:08) 9 Perfect Way (demo) (02:12) 10 Give the Drummer Some (02:13) 11 Cementville (02:25) 12 Social Medicine (02:51) 13 On Fire (acoustic) (02:46) 14 Magnet’s Coil (acoustic) (03:07) 15 Rebound (acoustic) (02:33) 16 Punching Myself in the Face Repeatedly, Publicly (03:00) 17 Sing Something / Plate of Hatred (03:02) 18 III Screams (01:50) 19 Monsoon (02:35) 20 Rainbow Farm (01:20) 21 Hank Williams (04:36) 22 Careful (02:01) 23 Dramamine (02:31) 24 Not Too Amused (01:47) 25 Shit Soup (01:36) |
| Bakesale : Allmusic album Review : Sebadoh started out as the hobby of two guys hanging out in a dorm room with a four-track cassette machine and some weed, but by 1994, Lou Barlows side project had matured into a real rock band, and on Bakesale, they sounded more like one than ever before. With Eric Gaffney gone, the spotlight was firmly on Barlow and his songs, and he stepped out with some of his best work to date; the navel-gazing confessions of "Not a Friend" and "Dreams" were more articulate and deeply felt than his previous efforts, and theres an edgy grace in his melodies, while he brings some scrappy but committed rock & roll guitar bashing to "License to Confuse" and "Magnets Coil." Bassist Jason Loewensteins tunes arent as strong overall as Barlows, but theyre effective in context, and their minor-key twists and turns complement his bandmates work very well. And though Sebadoh had clearly learned a lot from their years of lo-fi woodshedding, on Bakesale they were working in genuine recording studios with functioning equipment, and instead of having to struggle to hear the songs through layers of aural murk, here Sebadoh burst forth from the speakers loud and clear. And this version of the band stood up well to scrutiny; Barlow, Loewenstein, and drummer Bob Fay may not have been the tightest band on earth, but they had the energy and the commitment to make these songs work, and the simple, direct, and emotionally naked sound of Bakesale served them well, and the album ranks with the most powerful and accessible music they would ever release. Bakesale confirmed that in both theory and execution, Sebadoh had matured into a great indie rock band, and if their obsession with doomed love and fractured self-worth still seemed adolescent, they had at very least grown from eighth graders to high school seniors, and thats a pretty big leap if youre willing to look back on it. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 18 Title: Magnets Coil Released: 1995 Tracks: 6 Duration: 12:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Magnets Coil (Bakesale Version) (02:28) 2 Fancy Ass (01:06) 3 Destitute (01:59) 4 Perfect Way (02:10) 5 Give the Drummer Some (02:12) 6 Cementville (02:24) |
 | Album: 13 of 18 Title: Harmacy Released: 1996-08-20 Tracks: 19 Duration: 50:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 On Fire (03:36) 2 Prince‐S (02:52) 3 Ocean (02:46) 4 Nothing Like You (03:09) 5 Crystal Gypsy (01:29) 6 Beauty of the Ride (02:48) 7 Mind Reader (01:50) 8 Sforzando! (03:30) 9 Willing to Wait (03:32) 10 Hillbilly II (01:59) 11 Zone Doubt (02:18) 12 Too Pure (03:46) 13 Worst Thing (02:55) 14 Love to Fight (00:54) 15 Perfect Way (02:49) 16 Can’t Give Up (02:02) 17 Open Ended (03:28) 18 Weed Against Speed (02:55) 19 I Smell a Rat (01:34) |
| Harmacy : Allmusic album Review : Part of Sebadohs charm is that their records are always rather inconsistent, flipping wildly between sonic extremes as well as musical genres. In a sense, Harmacy is no different than its predecessors, but there are some crucial differences that makes it their most accessible effort. Previously, that title was held by 1994s Bakesale, but in between that record and Harmacy, Lou Barlow had a genuine Top 40 hit with the Folk Implosions "Natural One." Although nothing on Harmacy sounds much like the hip-hop hybrid of "Natural One," its success did have an effect on Barlow, leading him toward more straightforward song structures and cleaner productions -- "Willing to Wait" even features strings. Instead of diluting the impact of Sebadohs music, the clearer production actually strengthens it. Barlows sighing melodies and jangling indie rock become more resonant and affecting, and his batch of songs is among his best ever. Jason Loewenstein, Sebadohs other main songwriter, suffers somewhat at the hands of cleaner production. Loewenstein tends to stick closer to the bands hardcore punk roots than Barlow, so his songs usually could use the extra layer of hiss and murk that cheap productions lend recordings. It also doesnt help that he tends to sink into rather faceless indie noise rock. When Loewenstein takes a stab at pop melodies, such as "Cant Give Up," his songs are memorable, but on the whole, his songs are uneven and occasionally tedious. If it werent for Loewensteins erratic songwriting, Harmacy might rank as Sebadohs masterpiece, but as it stands its just another very fine and sometimes frustrating record from a band that produces nothing but very fine and sometimes frustrating records. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 18 Title: The Sebadoh Released: 1999-02-23 Tracks: 15 Duration: 48:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 It’s All You (02:42) 2 Weird (03:26) 3 Bird in the Hand (01:36) 4 Break Free (02:39) 5 Tree (04:17) 6 Nick of Time (02:52) 7 Flame (04:54) 8 So Long (01:57) 9 Love Is Stronger (04:45) 10 Decide (03:42) 11 Colorblind (02:51) 12 Thrive (04:12) 13 Cuban (02:40) 14 Sorry (03:03) 15 Drag Down (02:50) |
| The Sebadoh : Allmusic album Review : Make no mistake -- the definitive article in the title of The Sebadoh is there for a reason. Where the groups previous albums frequently sounded like the work of a songwriters collective, with each musician supporting each other on their individual songs, The Sebadoh was designed to be the work of a unified band. To the bands credit, Sebadoh achieves that goal. The Sebadoh sounds unlike any other of their records, largely due to the fact they (more or less) rehearsed and recorded these 15 songs as a band, giving their music a kinetic energy it has lacked in the past. It comes at the expense of their most charming quality: their intimacy. Often, listening to a Sebadoh record feels like eavesdropping, but here, the group is playing to the bleachers. Occasionally, that works -- Jason Loewenstein kicks off the record in grand style with "Its All You," and Lou Barlows "Flame" turns the best of Folk Implosion inside out -- but it often sounds like posturing. Of course, that could be due to the fact that the songs simply arent as strong as they have been in the past. The best of Loewensteins material shows that he continues to improve, but hes still erratic; Barlow at times sounds immediate as ever, at other times sounding like a parody of himself; meanwhile, Bob Fays replacement, Russ Pollard, offers one ineffectual number. Sebadoh has always been notoriously uneven, but their rough surfaces and loose ends ultimately made their records endearing and occasionally revelatory. Here, theyve sanded down their rough edges and tied up their loose ends, which might make The Sebadoh the work of a unified band, but it ultimately makes for a record that is far less compelling than the average Sebadoh album. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 18 Title: Wade Through the Boggs Released: 2007 Tracks: 21 Duration: 47:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Happily Divided (02:23) 2 Healthy Sick (01:25) 3 Messin Around (01:37) 4 Cheap Shot (01:32) 5 Let the Day Have Its Way (02:21) 6 Mean Distance (02:59) 7 Spoiled (03:05) 8 Not My Friend (01:34) 9 MEE-YOW (01:16) 10 Smaller Yard (02:21) 11 All That I Could (01:42) 12 Broken Love (03:32) 13 Cry Sis (02:36) 14 Limb by Limb (02:11) 15 Indeed You Are (02:30) 16 Wake and Bake (02:17) 17 Visibly Wasted (01:35) 18 Wade Through the Boggs (05:30) 19 Katinas Live 1990 (02:03) 20 Chicken Walk (02:28) 21 Sebadough! (00:58) |
 | Album: 16 of 18 Title: Secret EP Released: 2012-07-23 Tracks: 5 Duration: 16:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Keep the Boy Alive (04:07) 2 My Drugs (04:05) 3 Arbitrary High (03:07) 4 I Don’t Mind (03:52) 5 All Kinds (01:33) |
 | Album: 17 of 18 Title: Defend Yourself Released: 2013-09-17 Tracks: 13 Duration: 45:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Will (03:57) 2 Love You Here (03:33) 3 Beat (04:12) 4 Defend Yr Self (03:12) 5 Oxygen (03:21) 6 Once (02:55) 7 Inquiries (02:01) 8 State of Mine (03:44) 9 Final Days (04:22) 10 Can’t Depend (04:23) 11 Let It Out (04:29) 12 Listen (03:37) 13 Separate (01:59) |
| Defend Yourself : Allmusic album Review : Led by once and future Dinosaur Jr. bassist Lou Barlow, Sebadoh blazed through the 90s helping to define movements in both indie rock and lo-fi music with their often confused and always ramshackle albums of stoner punk anthems, goofball non sequiturs, and moody, heartbroken post-grunge guitar rock. Following a 14-year dormancy since 1999s lackluster The Sebadoh, Defend Yourself revitalizes the project with surprisingly few huge changes. Barlows most serious tunes are still marked by his signature ache, this time informed by the breakup of his 25-year marriage. Songs like the tormented pop of "Oxygen" wouldnt even have sounded that futuristic when Dinosaur Jr. was still called Dinosaur and began making records for Homestead in the mid-80s. The homespun recording ethic of the bands early lo-fi days is revisited as well, with songs sounding like home recordings with updated means, but theyre still relatively gnarly. The buzzy drums and walls of cross-fading guitars on "Final Days" and the plodding fuzz bass, Cobain-ian grunge wail of "Defend Yr Self" sound on par with the bands four-track 90s masterworks like Bubble & Scrape. There are even some of the classically bad sidestepping moments that tempered the genius of those albums, such as the ugly cowpunk nonsense of "Inquiries," complete with Loewenstein singing in a hayseed accent. Of the things that didnt make it from Sebadohs earlier days are any of their three previous drummers, most notably Eric Gaffney, who was a songwriter with equal shares in the bands albums up to 1993. The speedfreak urgency that Gaffney lent to the band was replaced by the more emotionally rocky playing of Bob Fay and then others, but all of those characteristics are missing, and the show here seems to be run mostly by Barlow with some input from Jason Loewenstein. Without ever exactly getting back to their 90s glory days, Defend Yourself still sounds best when its as close to that neurotic wonder as possible almost two decades later. Barlows sullen self-loathing on the softly sung "Let It Out" has just the right amount of nostalgia. This song recalls his best 90s compositions, holding honesty in its intensity, where the faux-Americana of "Cant Depend" just sounds like a useless exercise in genre, or a songwriter dipping his toes in a passing obsession with early Wilco. Like several of the tracks here, it could have easily been left off the album and resulted in a stronger whole. While theres nothing wrong with the piecemeal construction of the record, 14 years is a long time to wait for an album that sets blandness and brilliance beside each other in an almost equal ratio. When Defend Yourself hits its stride, however, its amazing how timeless and unique the classic Sebadoh sound really is. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 18 Title: Act Surprised Released: 2019-05-24 Tracks: 15 Duration: 44:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Phantom (02:23) 2 Celebrate the Void (03:09) 3 Follow the Breath (02:13) 4 Medicate (03:34) 5 See‐Saw (03:37) 6 Vacation (02:06) 7 Stunned (02:25) 8 Fool (02:34) 9 Raging River (03:11) 10 Sunshine (03:30) 11 Act Surprised (03:11) 12 Battery (03:12) 13 Belief (02:55) 14 Leap Year (03:15) 15 Reykjavik (03:32) |