Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge

Sounds like a load of songs that didn’t quite make the Tony Hawks soundtrack.

On my first attempt at university, I was not a good student. Tuesdays, in particular, I would go to my 11am English lit lecture with my mate Grant, and then we would trundle off to Manning Bar when it opened at noon, because Tuesday was band day. Every lunchtime there would be a free band, usually some local alternative band. But hard to argue with free, right? One week in March of 1990, we ambled up to the bar, where they were lugging in very large, but incredibly beaten up, amplifiers. "Whose playing?" I enquired of Ian, the Activities Officer. "Mudhoney" he replied. "Cool", I thought. The chance to see an overseas band was a special treat, and I knew the name, even if I wasn't familiar with their music. At 1pm, they shambled out and ripped through a cacophonous and powerful set, largely based on Superfuzz Bigmuff and their self-titled record. They were a revelation. they were loud and fast and angsty and funny and drunk as hell (at lunchtime!). This was music as I wanted it to be. Proper dangerous punk rock that didn't take itself too seriously. As I recall, lots of people thought it was a terrible racket and left, but it sure made a mark on me. As soon as the set finished, I hiked up to Scratches Records at Newtown and bought a copy of Superfuzz Bigmuff, which is one of my all-time favourite records. I went to see them a few times that tour, and on their next tour, which was in December of the same year if I remember correctly. I saw them at the Lansdowne Hotel, the Phoenician Club, the Paddington RSL, and then a few years later at the Big Day Out. I love, love, love, their stuff. I had been hanging around on the Sydney alternative live scene for a couple of years, so this made a lot of sense to me. Australian alternative had a lot of the elements of grunge (that noisy, punky garage rock thing, leavened with a piss-take attitude), but this was the first American band that I had seen doing what became known as grunge, which was about to take off. This is generally regarded as their best album, and it is pretty damn great. Personally, I would go Superfuzz (the CD versions with the extra singles on it for a real taste, but this a terrific album. I love the fuzzy, terrible recording quality, the sloppy playing, the punk energy, the humour, the sense of being out of control. It helped codify my musical taste (and also heavily influenced the terrible and I was in for most of the 90s). Mudhoney were my band. I bought their records, I wore the t-shirts, I saw them live as often as I could. I ended up working at Scratches not long after that, so I had a front row seat for the explosion of grunge in 1991. Oh to be 20 years old again, working in a little record shop and seeing bands three or four nights a week at a time when there was something so exciting happening in music. While the explosion of underground music into the mainstream, was exciting at the time, in the long term, it didn't really turn out well for many people (including independent alternative record stores). But that's a story for another day... My infatuation with Mudhoney did influence me in one way that I regret. When Nirvana's Nevermind exploded, I was pretty lukewarm on it. everyone I knew who worked in alternative record stores got thoroughly sick of how overplayed it was. I mean, good record, but it's not Mudhoney now is it? And so I didn't buy tickets to see Nirvana when they played the Phoenician. I really regret that. But I don't regret ever listening to Mudhoney. They are still my band. I really love this record, but is it really a must hear? It is for me, but maybe not for everyone. Four stars

Turgid pish

This album has had my dick hanging out the back of it since day one. It still gets me hard, unlike your mum.

I love grunge but Mudhoney is at the crappy end of it imo. Yeah I know they were practically the first grunge band, but they lean too heavily into the alternative art rock DIY garage band stuff where I prefer my grunge to sound like AIC and Soundgarden. I've heard this album a few times, it kinda just exists. It's not horrible, but it's not actually good and I wouldn't listen to it for fun. Seems to be propelled by reputation alone. 2/5.

I tried to like it. I really did. And any one of those songs is fine. Good, even. But, man that album felt like a slog to me. There’s just so much of it. And every song is not as [adjective] as [contemporary reference band].

Sounds like 1992 and I love it.

Not being very familiar with the genre, I find it hard to review classic grunge in any other way than through the lens set up by Nirvana. In a direct comparison, Mudhoney lack Nirvana's catchy choruses and Kurt's iconic delivery thereof. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought I would. It has some pretty good hooks and isn't too chaotic and certainly not mindless (my usual complaints regarding grunge and punk-inspired genres in general). The album length was perfect too, as I stayed engaged throughout. Good album.

I'd seen the name of this band before but never listened. I liked it!

They get labeled as grunge because they're a Seattle band using heavy distortion in 1991, but there are more punk elements here than anything: an abundance of two-minute songs, shouty repetitive choruses, a lead singer who can't carry a tune, and purposefully mediocre production quality (because using low quality tape totally owned those studios, man). I vacillated between being impressed by the balls on these guys and annoyed by this album's existence, which was probably the point. Best track: Good Enough

Some pretty passable Seattle grunge, but someone else did it better

I had never heard of this album or band before this, but was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed listening. Big fan of the guitar work on this record - there's something magical about fuzzy sounding guitars. Lowkey inspiring me to whip out my electric again and mess around with my effect pedals. The guitar is definitely what stood out to me the most and what I enjoyed the most, but I also liked the vocals. Album was chaotic in a way that I thoroughly enjoyed. Might check out more by this band!

Exceptional Grunge Band Destroys Faces

Nice grunge album with better vocals than I typically expect from the genre!! 8/10

Very listenable except for one song with snoring sounds in the middle. Sound is more late 90s indie, although can hear more classic early 90s seattle grunge too.

Been meaning to listen to them for years. Scrappy, garage punk version of grunge. Cool guitar shit. I dig it!

Early influential grunge, but not overly impresive nowadays. Nothing stands out as exceptional or as terrible. A recording of its time

Grunge. No está mal, pero no me ha encantado del todo.

A pretty good grunge rock album. Apparently one of the first. Didn't quite have that hopeless edge that grunge excels at

Opening instrumental Generational Genocide sets me up for an off-kilter carnival. Mudhoney sold me the world, inviting me to something truly spectacular and never-before seen. I went along for the ride, had some fun, but left feeling slightly disappointed. Like true carneys.

Nope.

sehr gut

Very important album in my teenage years. Incredible!

I have loved this album since it came out!

HELL YEAH GRUNGE LET'S GOOOOOOOOO

Such a good album, easy 5 star

okay

yaaas lawd, YES!

A little dark and gloomy, but good bit of energy and chaos in this. It's dirty, gritty, drone-y and perfect. Listened to this nonstop for about two hours before settling on a five. Would def. listen to this againif I didn't have such a mountain of unfinished reviews to write.

Ooh, this was a very good grunge and punk album, which I'd never heard before. All these tracks were amazing in my opinion, and I have to admit I was kinda into the harmonica in one or two of these tracks. Favourite: Move Out

Now that's more like it

Really good grunge album! Hadn't heard of these guys before. A couple really cool tracks. Highly recommend.

Real grunge for real people.

amazing

started a reluctant wednesday with this and really enjoyed it. hell yes to never being too professional

Okay, this isn’t universal, but it’s a classic to me (even if you never heard it, you heard Nirvana and Pearl Jam after Mudhoney’s influence).

Awesome grunge with personality.

This is like if In the Aeroplane over the sea was a punk album. Maybe that comparison is stupid but it makes sense to me at this particular moment in time. Either way, this is quite good for my punk-loving soul, unlike anything I've ever heard.

One of my favorite bands... hell, at times they are my absolute favorite. Great band to see live. This is a classic in my book, just got the 30th anniversary version of this on vinyl. Glad to see it here on the list. These guys are still cranking out great stuff. I'd argue their last 3 records (The Lucky Ones, Vanishing Point, Digital Garbage) are as good as (and maybe better than) anything they've ever put out. Check them out too.

I recall being sniffy about this album at the time, it didn't seem to have the youthful swagger & snarl of earlier releases. Listening to it now ... sounds amazing!

Whenever I hear this album I hear the distant thunder of a revolution. This is grunge! Everything else (except for the Melvins) are also rans. Released a full two months ahead of Nevermind this was touted as the album that would break through. But overall it wasn't. Too dirty sounding, having used an 8 track to do the recording, this wasn't a radio friendly album. That is why it is important. As it flew against the expectation and in a way Mudhoney took a step back so they could keep having fun. And that is what it is all about - having fun. I still hate the cover though but treasure my limited pressing on Fudge coloured vinyl

neat punk with some great variation. saved.

Some of the best out of the Grunge movement. Perfect, tight, dissonant, clever album. More, plz.

Loved the metal grunge vibe!

I don't always listen to garage punk and proto grunge but when I do, I'll now make sure it's Mudhoney. Really now. My 5 stars often reflect how much I enjoyed an album within this 1001AYMHBYD challenge and this is the shit. Certainly one of the shits. Also, best harmonica I've heard so far. Looking at you, Bob.

Yeah this is still a near-perfect grunge record with fast, catchy songs all over - had not listened to Mudhoney for many years and thought the album may have that outdated grunge sound, but it still sounded fresh, and I like it very much.

Something new, surprised I hadn’t heard of them before

Punchy. I want some fudge now.

Liked the sound, really like the guitars of the grunge era, something so clear was fave song on this one, will check out more by the artist whilst prob not putting this on again anytime soon

Нечего не могу сказать

It was loud but I enjoyed the eclectic rock sound over a lot of other grunge I’ve heard. 7

Good

I had vaguely been aware of Mudhoney's existence, but never listened to an actual song by them, never mind a whole album. This turned out to be an enjoyable experience. They sounded like a mix of Nirvana, the Pixies, with a bit of Neutral Milk Hotel thrown in for good measure. The vocals were great, the guitar was fantastic, nothing irritated me or felt off. This was very close to being a 5 star album, but not quite there.

Mudhoney is, of course, essential grunge from the earliest days of the genre. Masters of the fuzz, Mudhoney brings much of the same energy from their breakout Superfuzz Bigmuff, but with more matured songwriting. Much of EGBDF is solid and clearly delivers on the punk-inspired grunge sound that they're so well-known for.

Mmm...Grungie.

Personal preference is why I give this four stars

Really liked this. Guitars are mud but that’s okay with me 😎

Enjoyable fudge packing. If I was to describe this as a footballer, it would be Marco Reus.

buenazo.

With its groove and high distortion and overdrive, I can hear the transition from fuzzy alt rock of Dinosaur Jr or Fugazi to grunge of the following year. It's groovy at times but often fast, wild, fun, and even humorous. Compared to Superfuzz Bigmuff, it's much more consistent and polished with better deep cuts. Only a few forgettable tracks.

I don't really have much to say about this album besides it is a really good grunge album. If you like grunge you will like it. A solid 9/10

Mudhoney’s best effort

fudge you

Very underrated band and album. Excellent.

I thought of this as the non-grunge grunge album when I bought this in the 90s and was a tad disappointed. Listening to it now, I realize that I was a tad harsh and Mudhoney's return to the garage and away from the traditional grunge was an important "moving on" statement that is powerful today. Today I am a sucker for the great farfisa sound.

Starts of pretty in the weeds but really opens up from Broken Hands onward. Fuzz Gun '91 is a no brainer addition to Fat Riff Friday.

Does Mudhoney need two albums on this list? No. But I found this album much better and more accessible than their previous entry here. The solo in Broken hands was sick. A lot of gave me Dinosaur Jr vibes. Seems like they were contemporaries. A solid rock album.

The recording quality on this leaves a lot to be desired, but no complaints here. This record rips. Mudhoney is a behemoth in the Grunge scene and Mark Arm already saw the wriring on the wall. This is a classic album, one of the best of the era and the genre.

Every Good Boy Does Fine Every Good Boy Deserves Favour Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge Every Good Boy Deserves Food Every Girl Buys Designer Fashions Every Good Bear Deserves Fish Every Good Boy Deserves Fruit Every Good Boy Deserves Fun Every Good Bird Does Fly Every Good Boy Deserves Football Empty Garbage Before Dad Flips Elvis Goes Belly Dancing Fridays Every Green Bus Drives Fast Elephants Get Big Dirty Feet Every Good Burger Deserves Fries Elvis's Guitar Broke Down Friday Even George Bush Drives Fast Every Girl Buys Designer Flip Flops Every Girl Bakes Delicious Fudge Eat Good Bread Dear Father Ernie Gave Bert Dead Frogs Elephants Go Bouncing Down Freeways Apparently no one can agree on one mnemonic for the lines of the treble clef, as all of the above (and probably more) exist. Nice to see that they don't all offer nice things only to good boys. But girls can just buy and bake things? I won't hold the sexism of treble clef mnemonics against Mudhoney.

Torn between a 3 and a 4 on this one cuz nothing stuck out as great but I liked the rough and noisy vibe of the album a lot. Other grunge bands seemed a little clean and whiny while this one still has the rawness and energy of an underground band. The guitar playing is never off but has a loose vibe that feels like it’s about to fall off the rails but never does. Broken hands goes hard and the beat on pokin around is a lot of fun. Gonna rate a 4 cuz I think this would be sick to see at a show and I like that they tried to keep that feel. 👍:poking around, broken hands, good enough

So glad to have listened to this album.

Made me wanna go surf then slam some cold beers

1st half fucking banger 2nd residentsleeper zzzzzzzzz

i like

Pretty great grunge album.

Amaai weer een goede week

nirvana vibezzzz

rocking grungey goodness. 4 stars.

oh deze vind ik leuk!

Grungy sound. New fave

I feel like this one isn't as interesting as previous Mudhoney albums, but the influence on Nirvana is undeniable. There is such a raw energy here, the shift in tone between songs is really enjoyable and overall I have definitely enjoyed the experience of listening to it.

Solid album, this feels more like Dinosaur Jr or other noisy indie rock than grunge to me, but I suppose grunge has always been a weird fuzzy boundary in that respect. In any case, I liked this, will probably go check out their other albums soon!

There is something to be said for a band revered amongst the Seattle grunge scene, opting to stick with 8-track mixes and holding firm to their sub pop label. In an amongst the grunge power-chord tropes like 'Shoot The Moon', there are tracks like 'Something So Clear', 'Thorn', and 'Fuzz Gun '91' that show this group had a lot more to say and do. Kudos to them for going after that vision and kudos to this list for recognizing the value of it.

I really enjoyed this album! Most of the songs kind of blended together for me, but there were none I disliked and overall I loved the general sound of the album. Fav songs: Let It Slide, Check-Out Time

I'd like to hear this remastered. Full-blown heavy metal (am I right?) with this late 80s sound. Maybe a bit too monotonous, I'd like to hear more space between the sounds

Great record. I was never that much into Mudhoney until I bought this record. A very good decision

Great grunge/punk album. I loved most of the songs on the album. It was so close to a 5/5 but it is not perfect so I can’t give it a 5/5. My favorite song was “Something so Clear”.

Great stuff. Would listen again

Not a bad grunge-like album. Enjoyed the two play throughs. No song really caught my ear, but I might give it another listen

Didn't feel like there was a chance I didn't like this one. Mudhoney are mainstays of a scene that I've always had an affinity for. Oh, and if you haven't read Our Band Could Be Your Life and you're even remotely interested in American underground and/or DIY music, go buy it and read it immediately. Standouts: Let It Slide, Something So Clear, Broken Hands, Shoot The Moon

Cracking early nineties slice of grunge

Grunge rock, pretty standard sound for the genre/era. Solid but nothing caught my ear

90’s grunge but with a 60’s rock spirit. Some tracks sound like something The Doors might have done if The Doors formed thirty years later than they did. “Generation Genocide” has a psychedelic feel and “Something So Clear” could almost be a grunge-ified “Break On Through (To the Other Side).” Hearing harmonica on a few songs was a surprise! The album has a fiery punk energy and strong songwriting. An excellent album overall.

This album is far better than I gave it credit for when I was a teenager in the 90s! Some really great songs on here, and an important foundation for the sounds to come after.

Early grunge before the genre gets too into itself. They're not afraid to mix things up a bit and you can definitely still hear the punk influence

Very energetic album that in the right mood is perfect to keep your head bopping. A lot of fun songs without any that really stood out, just a solid and consistent album.

Really solid stuff

Another band i missed when I was listening to music from the early 90's. This is a good one for sure.

LO AME QUEEEEE

Not heard them before. I was probably just a few years too young. Enjoyed this - some good grooves.