Atomizer

Even if it's abrasive as shit, it's still very accessible and likable. Love Durango's and Steve's driving guitar, Roland plays the drums like a damn machine. The bass sounds beautiful. Also, Steve's delivery is spot on and the lyrics, even if they're simple in nature, when paired with the music, want me to punch a hole in the wall in sheer rebellion, anger, and hatred towards the world and the state we're headed. Oh, and it was recorded in 1985, some 35-40 years ago, and it still feels like it was recorded yesterday. Holy shit. A landmark in music. Fucking recommended the whole way. Also, Steve, if you're ever reading this, I love you and everything you do.

Wholesome songs about paedophilia, racial passing, abuse of power in the police force, arson and self-immolation, shame, fist fucking and domestic violence, alcoholism, the tale of a Vietnam vet who becomes a contract killer (or is it really about drug addiction), the rat race, and cattle slaughter in abattoirs. The aural equivalent of suffering blunt force trauma to the head from a sledgehammer, these guys are so nasty, hard and bleak, that they make everyone else’s music sound as light and fluffy as a Disney movie soundtrack.

And this will stay with you until you die

Lol, this is incredible! The production is so noisy and raw. Steve Albini's band, so that makes sense. Sometimes gives me some Ministry vibes with the combination of drum machine and distorted vocals.

5.0 - Came to this with low expectations and they were immediately shattered. I've come to respect Steve Albini's exalted status as a producer. Now I'm in awe of him as a complete artist. The interplay of brutal drum machine, growly bass and clear vocals situated defiantly in the foreground - these elements make this album feel timeless. And the guitar sounds! Dry, gnarly, industrial. "Kerosene" is an obvious standout - so bleak! How do they conjure a screeching pterodactyl on "Passing Complexion"?? This album sounds nothing like what I know about 1985.

No thank you. Just noise. Completely unnecessary inclusion.

Probably one of the worst albums here

TIL Steve Albini had a band, and it was absolutely incredible. So filthy and lo-fi and layered and nasty but just perfect really, I love the harshness of the guitars and the cleanness of the drum machines. YouTube music link: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCqGF7gRwC9ZFxWIv0uWUl_g But this should really be listened to on a dog-eared vinyl or a smashed cassette tape.

Steve Albini: master of noise Post-punk meets noise rock meets industrial meets awesome.

Was excited to listen to this one since I’m familiar with Albini as an Engineer/Producer. He has worked with a lot of my favourite bands, Ty Segall, METZ, Cloud Nothings so I wasn’t surprised to be impressed with this album. It’s crunchy, gritty and loud. Sounded like a band that would have been pretty cool to see live, big fan of this one. Definitely going to explore their other work. 4 stars!

Feels like I had carnivorous earwigs inserted into each side of my brain through my ears

I'm too old to waste time listening to this fucking guy yell at me for an hour. Beats are interesting I guess.

Meh

I don’t even know where to start. This sounds like awful slam poetry paired with screeching guitars and moans and very fast drum beats to try and hide the hideous composition. This is not me tea. Nor is it my bag.

A big noise from big boys. I have this on vinyl and still play it often. I believe Nirvana ripped BB off with a lame, sanitized version. This is the real deal.

After Albini's recent passing, I made sure to throw his classic Big Black albums onto my 'to-listen-to' list - so I'm glad to see this album here. More than anything, I love all the sounds and noises on this album. They all sound so cool - a coolness only amplified by their sheer abrasiveness and character. You're not just getting walls of noise and distortion here, you're also getting these shimmering harmonics that cut through the mixes which is what makes this album stand out - that subtle layer of melody and even beauty at times. The electrifying gnawing of the industrial groove on 'Passing Complexion' is so mind-blowingly ahead of its time - how does a guitar sound like that? 'Kerosene' sounds like a deconstructed club banger that would be released decades later, the way the defined melodies manage to squeeze through the layers of crashing and clanging is incredible. The use of drum machines all over this album hammers home that industrial sound - it's something beyond punk. The bass is also so garbled, muddy, and incoherent, yet it works wonders in carving out its space in these cluttered mixes, especially on a track like 'Cables'. While vocally not too special, Albini's lyrics (and corresponding liner notes) are tortured - digging into the depths of human suffering to formulate these repetitive, yet impactful hooks. One need look no further than the troubled opener 'Jordan, Minnesota' to know exactly what they're getting into. While not every track resonated with me, I was in awe no matter what direction this album went in. It defies the ideas of punk and even noise-rock. What a blast and unlike anything I've ever heard - it really does feel like an atomic bomb going off in your ears the entire time.

If the world was made of musicians like Big Black, I would light up the atomizer without thinking twice.

Great I really enjoyed the punk sound!

Loved it. Never heard anything quite like it

Littéralement mind blown, le mélange de son est ahurissant, c'est tellement en avance sur son temps. L'une des découvertes les plus surprenantes des 1001.

I am not a huge fan of electro based music. But I can appreciate good sounds, elegant beats and surprising musical twists and turns. This album works as background as well as for intense listening. A discovery.

punk album

Just a solid, noisy, angry punk record. Shades of everything from Judas Priest to Ministry. Think it loses a little steam near the end, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed the whole thing. Favorite tracks: "Bad Houses", "Stinking Drunk", "Fists of Love"

Loud noisy fun. Always worth a revisit.

Damn... dehä e hårt

Still love this album. Bleak, angry, raging, powerful stuff. I don't think they ever bettered this, although Songs About F*cking comes very close.

Hitting right in the sweet spot between punk and industrial.

⬅️ LET’S GO.

Steve Albini died today and the day I was served this album :(

Unexpected funk - a treat for the ears

I would not listen again but I would not not listen again

This is actually horrible and horrendous I hate this it sounds like metal being scraped against the floor slowly and then added some screaming voices it’s crazy I am sorry I have nothing good to say about this …

Music for Columbine terrorists. Dreadful. Steve Albini can eat it - I uncelebrate the guy's entire catalogue. 0/10 0 stars

I think the Church Lady (SNL) sums it up nicely: "Well, wasn't that special." Notes: I so wanted to not hate at least 1 song. Fail. "Passing Complexion" - rusty, out of tune string instruments fight each other to the death. 1/5

Horrible, intentionally abrasive and not good. Didnt like it

Never heard of this band or any of these songs...probably never will again. Fists of Love had a cool groove to it ... minus the lyrics.

This is an album that I would never choose to listen to but I have to admit that, whenever my husband plays it, I get swept up by their energy. The riffs that start Kerosene and Bazooka Joe are exquisite in particular.

I mean, FUCK YEAH!!!

Set me on fire! Kerosene! Not much more to say.

muito bom

Master piece. So raw and yet melodic… it is a shame it’s not available on Spotify - but makes complete sense, knowing Albini.

This one is a surprising I think blind spot for me having never listened to the band previously. And that’s to my detriment because this album rules.

One of the best albums of the 80s in my opinion and my favourite work from Big Black or any of Steve Albini’s bands. I’m a big fan of this style of excessively loud and pissed off rock music, and the songs here are so well written and infused with raw energy, screeching feedback, rumbling bass and a drum machine that repeatedly beats you in the face. The lyrics delve into the darkest aspects of humanity and the depths of depravity (some choices regretted by Albini, such as the false rumour that inspired Jordan, Minnesota). Not a record you’d play for your parents unless they were really cool, but a complete masterwork and a landmark recording. 5 stars

Classic 80s album with big reputation that I never got around to but I knew it would be excellent of course.

Not on Spotify

There's something about the tinny, electronic dissonance of Big Black that sets it apart from nearly anything else. Like Minor Threat shrunk down and forced to perform inside a crappy old CRT telly. The subject matter is bleakly earnest too. I love it, it's horrible and I love it.

Unique, danceable, aggressive, and principled punk. I like it. Thanks Steve Albini!

This surprised the fuck out of me. Stellar.

Holy shit this fucking rips. Highlights: being atomized

Esse álbum que explica como uma música pode ser fenomenal sem ser necessariamente algo que vá ouvir sempre (ou mesmo novamente). Ele consegue sintetizar o sentimento profundo de raiva e descontentamento desses meninos na forma de músicas abrasivas e vocais agressivos, além de inovar com o uso de uma drum machine no lugar da bateria, que traz uma pegada meio post-punk, meio industrial. É uma experiência sonora poder ouvir algo desse tipo, mesmo que seja apenas uma vez.

I’ve never heard of these guys and fully expected to be annoyed. Instead I was completely charmed. There’s still fun and hope seeping through the anger and desperation in the dark world they live in and scream about. A cathartic listen for me today that completely won me over.

Great takes on the genre. Equal parts catchy and caustic, with great lyrics and a sense of purpose.

As a girl who was raised by the Providence punk scene, which was a weird amalgamation of Boston Hardcore and RISD, I’m a sucker for noise punk. While I gave Songs About Fucking a spin as a teen, I never really did a deep dive into Albini’s other work, not even with Big Black. And that’s a real shame, because Atomizer is a fucking phenomenal record. It’s full of rage, spite, and disgust, really taking the vileness of masculinity and pointing the gun inward thanks to a healthy dose of deadpan delivery and violent noise, accomplished both sonically and vocally, somehow. This is a classic because of the guitar work, funky bass lines, and stunning vocal howls, but then I consider the unique addition of a drum machine, and my mind is blown to pieces, even today. It’s not a “fun” listen and I’m not going to be spinning this every day– mainly because that would probably wreck my mental health as a trans woman – but its value is clear as day, and I can point to a hundred bands I used to adore who wouldn’t have existed without Atomizer. But that’s showing my bias for this type of noise punk, so maybe I’m in the minority here.

Proto-noise rock. Such an influential sound they pioneered. And I love the drum machine giving it an early industrial feel.

wat een uppercut van een plaat... recht in je gezicht, geen franjes, geen opsmuk... ook de teksten zijn een dreun in je gezicht...kortom : een dijk van een plaat niet onbelangrijk trouwens in de ontwikkeling van industrial

I love big black

I love this album SO MUCH

I love you Steve, please put your stuff back on Spotify, please Steve, I need to blast Kerosene from my car without having to mad skip SoundCloud or YouTube every 5 seconds

I wonder how I would've responded to this audible assault back in 1986. This is honestly the first I've even heard of this album and I now know where some of my favourite bands found their inspiration. This is brutal, energetic, noisy and bleak industrial and still sound like it could've been released in this decade, even though it's already 37 years old. What a revelation.

This noise seems important. I don't think I ever want to listen to it again, but I think I'm glad I did.

cool

A blunt approach on disturbing topics. A carefree atmosphere and a playful aesthetic (the comic cover art, for example). Guitars that feel like knives to one's ears. And a harsh noise/industrial sounds. In terms of sound, one might not consider it punk. But for me, it's ballsy, artsy, yet carefree, which makes it among the most punk album I've ever encountered.

Somehow despite having heard a million records Steve Albini produced, I never listened to Big Black. This is fucking GREAT

Yeah! good find

Couldn't listen . Not on spotify

Interesting

даааааа! Если бы я услышала эту группу в 1986 году.... сто процентов.

Best album and band this thing had given that I've never heard of, hands down.

AHHH! I love Big Black! Songs About Fucking is a classic and so is the rest of their discography. 5/5.

5/5. From the get go, I did not want to like this but it's hard to deny the excellent instrumentation throughout this one. It's heavy, and can be loud just to be loud, but considering the lyrical content, it's no where near as abrasive as it should be. The bass is a constant pressure to keep your attention present, just banging down on that like it's a drum. It's hard to find any really bad song on here. The vocals are loud and angry but even still, it doesn't feel weird, like I can tell they don't actually feel what they are singing. It's kind of funny how crazy some of these lyrics are that it's hard to take seriously, which is probably the point. Best Song: Fists of Love, Kerosene, Jordan - Minnesota

Put off listening to this for ages because it wasn't on Spotify and I'd never heard of it. I'm a fool. Proto-industrial noise with Steve Albini. Absolutely love it.

I immediately respond to the harder, louder stuff on here. I don't have much else to say except thanks for the good time.

Huhh olipas huikea ylläri! Iski lujaa ja liittyy Fugazin kaveriksi suosikki punk-bändien harvalukuiseen joukkoon. Vaikea yhdistää vuoteen 1986, olisi voinut olla 1996.

BADASS. Wish someone had introduced me to this as a teenager - it'd've gone hand in hand with my Ministry obsession. Fave track - "Kerosene". GodDAMN that song embodies the teenage frustration of living in a crappy little nonentity town. 🔥

Such an interesting mix of slightly tinny and industrial sounds with dissonant punk vibes. I wasn’t sure how to rate this but I thought long and hard about it and read more about Albini and just gained more and more appreciation for everything about this. So innovative and still holds up after everything that has come since.

Been a fan of Big Black for years. Never really considered them proto-industrial, but I'm buying it. Personally, Songs about F___ing is my go-to Big Black album.

These guitars are beyond jangly, they are fried, and for some reason, this sound has a relaxing, ASMR-like quality. The repetitive post-punk lyrics enhance this effect, allowing you to get lost in the sound instead of trying to follow the textual progression. The vibes are both emo and party, which is great.

Sept. 19, 2024 More punk lezzgo. Yep I like this a lot; less punk imo and more industrial which is also what the wiki suggests. This is exactly what I've been into lately-loud, intense, aggressive, angry. Scratches that itch for me. Apparently some of the lyrics are ehh where he's tried to over justify what he says, but I can barely understand what he's singing, so I'm rating for the vibe in the end. V enjoyable, and my first 5/5

I forgot how good this album is. I havent listened to it for years, mainly as its not on Spotify and the only Big Black record I have physically is Songs About Fucking. I always thought that was the better one, but I think this tops it. Steve Albini has always been brutal as fuck with his lyrics but he manages to find a way to make every instrument he touches sound like its bat shit angry. I love it. I love the rough sound, the production approach, the drum machine (he even managed to make that sound fucking livid). This is the post-punk / noise rock I love. Noisey, cluttered, angry, unique. Shouldnt work but it really does. Class.

Maybe in the top 5 guitar sound on an album of all time, it sounds like scraping against giant strings of metal. Kerosene alone is one of the most intense and explosive rock songs you'll ever hear ("SET ME ON FIRE"). I was pretty sure I'd give it a 5, but after relistening i'm doubly sure, you'll struggle to find more aggressive rock music than this. Not surprised that once again, an album that's actually interesting and different than plain 60s rock n roll is panned with a low score on here.

What a find. Loved every minute of this. 5/5

Finally a banger. Only one I listened to 2x so far

Unhinged, but I like it.

mjögmjög gott. 4,5.

Um, yes please. May I have another? I'm really embarrassingly unfamiliar with most of Albini's own music (though I have listened to Shellac some), but I loved this! Absolutely scratches the itch of early Ministry and all that Wax Trax industrial stuff, but still has a quality to it that's entirely separate from that scene. Weirder guitar sounds and noisier perhaps? Whatever you want to call it, I would have loved this in 1993 and kind of can't fathom that it came out in '85. Btw, did you see the news that Steve Albini won like $150k in a poker tournament recently? Can you imagine playing cards with that dude? Ha. Anyway, this one was way up my alley and has given me a sliver of hope in this list yet. Will we see a Ministry record? Skinny Puppy? Nipple rings crossed, dudes.

Noisy and hardcore I probably would’ve liked this album less if I’d gotten it back when I started the 1001 list. I think the worst part of eating music for years is that my tastes have changed somewhat and will keep changing; albums I rated a certain way two years ago might not be comparable to an album I just listened to The walls of harsh sound reminded me sometimes of Loveless

This was a great addition to this list. Another where the 4-star slightly outshines my actual enjoyment of the album, but it was educational to hear Steve Albini's music — which I would have sworn I had heard before but probably haven't — knowing he's produced some big names (PJ Harvey's "Rid of Me" and Nirvana's "In Utero" for two) and often gets criticism for the rawness of his production. So raw and frenetic and noisy... Big Black has all of that in doses that are a little more than I prefer. But it's all very deliberate, and the production is massive, and I found myself sinking in to the songs as the album progressed. I tried working on Thursday while listening to this, and that didn't go well. I'd label it "not great music to write to." But, out walking the dog on a lovely morning, and I was digging it. One thing, I don't typically read up on these albums before listening and reviewing, but I was searching a couple of things after listening and learned that this was recorded to a drum machine. I didn't realize that. I did key in on how precise and consistent the drums were, the bass drum hits in particular, and thought that the drummer was tight. I also liked the overuse of delay and effects that gave the drums (and bass and everything) such a signature beef. But to make the drums not stand out as a machine is a feat.

Really good album. I liked the aggressive guitar sounds, fast-paced drumming and overall production. Maybe a little bit too one-dimensional to give it full marks, though.

Frantic

Bon vieux punk !

I bought a copy of this in high school and it left a deep impression on me. It paints an ugly picture of middle America, showing you all the horrible things people do when no one else is looking. This is not a pleasant album on any level. It's harsh and abrasive and claustrophobic, and its subject matter is upsetting, ugly, and depressing. And yet, it's undeniably powerful and evocative. (I don't know how Albini is getting those insanely amazing guitar sounds, but it's like razor blades slicing up my brain and I love it.) I am attracted and repulsed. And forever changed.

A little too long for what it is, but what it is is fucking rad.

Pretty cool, unique vibe. High energy. Grows on you as it goes.

Finally something original and unusual. Very specific sound, like a compilation of electronic music from 80s, a bit of shoegazing, quite a lot of punk rock. At moments it sounds like an early attempt at industrial music, for some reason it reminded me early White Zombie, even though they provably have nothing to do with each other. "Jordan, Minnesota" and "Kerosene" are certified bangers, the question is, how come I've never heard of this band before? It goes on my "to listen" list straight away. Only issue - maybe it's too experimental at times, only for purists of new and chaotic music.

You can hear so much of Albini's influence – whether it be the song structure, sound, or production – on grunge/alternative/punk/HC. Collectively, the songs work well together. Definitely will revisit in the future.

Big Black doing what Big Black does best. Not as wild as Black Midi, but still a lot of fun.

You have to listen to this loud to match the vocals with the instruments or else you’ll hear more instruments than the vocals. Which is either brilliant for a punk band or just because I listened on YouTube

Politically-charged proto-noise? Sign me up. This fucks.

Coool

Kerosene, Bazooka Joe