Fromohio

I’m there firehose. Incredible cow punky sound and super unique. Lots of eighties records don’t sound like this so I adore it for that.

This was GREAT. But I’m not walking away with a real favorite song to add to the playlist ya know? Maybe it’s a grower like that teenage fan club album… but idk. Love the sound though seriously reminds me of gift shop. Gonna give it a light 4 so that I revisit it in the future.

Another band with “hardcore” roots, another odd representative album choice. fIREHOSE formed after the incredible Minutemen had dissolved after the tragic death of singer/guitarist D. Boon. Fan of the band and guitarist, Ed Crawford of Ohio (as referenced in the album title) convinced bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley to start playing music again. On a personal note, I was very excited about fIREHOSE because I was such a big fan of Minutemen. I was a teenager at the time and although I listened to a lot of punk, outside of a handful of bands, I never really connected to the hardcore scene. A lot of those bands I liked were on the SST label, but unlike a lot of those bands, Minutemen were different. More musical, minimalist drawing from a broader range of influences funk, jazz, r&b and punk, but not like anyone else. fIREHOSE kept the same blueprint but formed an identity of their own. I, personally would have gone with Ragin’ Full On or Flyin The Flannel, but Fromohio is very good. Listen to fIREHOSE.Listen to Minutemen. 4.5

Realising these guys are the scraps of The Minutemen makes a lot of sense why I found this so catchy. Overall a pretty sweet listen, lots of great guitar/basswork on display. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Light and fresh!

Decent alt rock, but it's not something I'd go crate digging for, you know?

The ghost of D. Boon hovers over everything this band ever did, which is both unfair and completely understandable given that this is the two remaining members of the Minutemen plus Ed Crawford, a superfan of the band who talked his way into Boon's former spot. I say "unfair" because it's difficult, even on this third album, to set aside the sadness of Boon's untimely death; it colors everything here at least a little bit, from the quickly played, quickly abandoned opening riff on "Riddle of the Eighties" to, really, any time the tempo or intensity lays off a bit - which. among other things, undersells Boon's own penchant for softer, more contemplative moments. Yet especially on the back half of this album, as the dynamics and tempos let up a bit and settle into a more easygoing groove, Crawford isn't trying to be Boon so much as he's trying to make the sort of thing somebody would make who was influenced by the same stuff that influenced Boon (Sixties psychedelic folk, Krautrock, punk, funk). The difference is subtle but important; Crawford is a better technical singer, for one thing, so he's at his best when he leans into his tunefulness. And of course I haven't even mentioned Watt's bass playing (excellent as usual) and Hurley's drums (right there with him). On "If'n" and "Some Things" in particular the three musicians blend together beautifully, fusing into something like surf-punk as Crawford grows wistful. "Dreams break chains," he sings - including chains of grief, it turns out.

I didn't appreciate this band at the time. The Minutemen and fIREHOSE were the Rush of the post-punk/alt-music scene. And despite the greatness of D Boon, I prefer fIREHOSE over The Minutemen.

Their album "Flyin the Flannel" is so much better. I'll listen to this again but with some difficulty

Folk-punk-funk-whatever in short bursts. Never heard them before but I liked it.

Strong album. I’ve always been a fan of fIREHOSE and the Minutemen before them.

oooooo this bassist! Yummy. I get a real heart on for any band that places the rhythm section front and center. The bass and drums are indeed front and center here. I like it.

This was pretty fun-sort of post pop/punk art noise, reminds me a bit of The Make Up but with more delightful vocals. What I’d want out of a 10 dollar show with cheap beers and a fun hand printed band tee shirt.

I did not realize there was a Primus-->Uncle Tupelo axis of late 80s music. But these guys are on it, and I dig it. The creative explosion that happened from 1988-1990 and incubated the grunge era does not get enough credit.

8/10

This felt familiar without ever hearing of them before, and reminds me of many other groups here and there without sounding exactly like anything else.. it’s weird. Enjoyed this quite a bit, perfect short length to not overstay their welcome, overall 4/5 I’ll be looking into their catalog more

This is the first out there album on this list (doesn't have great professional ratings, wasn't a hit, wasn't all that influential) that I find interesting enough that I kinda get it. This album feels like it was made having fun with friends whilst throwing everything against the wall, and what you get is an imperfect mess that, on occasion, lines up just right for it all to somehow work. Stuff like "Riddle of the Eighties" and "Understanding" really worked for me and "What Gets Heard" is weird but kinda great? On the other hand Mas Cojones, the TWO drum solos that seem to be there as a kind of joke, didn't work for me.

Wait I liked this a lot

3.5

3.75

Really good album. The only thing holding this back from a 5 rating is that I don’t the vocals are mixed well. Sounds like a home recording.

This album was good. I’m doing this review at 1:30 AM and I listened to it a couple hours ago so I don’t remember what my favorites were. I remember it sounding like a combination of Flogging Molly and Modest Mouse. Overall, I would give it a 3.7/5! 🫤👍

I like this record. Is it an all time classic album? That's not a hill I want to die on, but I really do like it.

Never heard of them before, but enjoyed it a lot.

Overall interesting, I think I can go for a 4 here. Kind of a rock/punk REM sort of sound

Pretty sure I'd heard of fIREHOSE but never listened. They hit that pre-90's I just missed for being a little too young. I really liked it and think I'd have been a fan back in the day. Pretty funny album too. They have a song called "Let the Drummer Have Some" that's just a 1.5 min drum solo. Later in the album there's another drum solo song aptly called "'Nuf that Shit, George," haha. Very enjoyable and fIREHOSE is cool in my book.

This was really cool. Little bit punk, folk, and slightly proggy. Felt very DIY. 4/5

Never heard of these guys. It's pretty raw sounding, just the essential band pieces. But it's not bad, mostly pretty quick little rock tracks. I really liked the guitar work on the album, and some of the vocal melodies were super solid. I was skeptical at first but by the end there were quite a few songs that I liked! Standouts on this listen were "In My Mind" "Time With You" "If'n" "Some Things" and "The Softest Hammer" This was a surprise album for me, I think it's a definite 4. Really cool sound that I think will only grow on me with more listens.

Nuf that shit George is just Animal drumming and it's a delightful interim. More albums should do fun dumb stuff.

Never heard of firehose Never heard from Ohio Never heard any of the singles. Something caught my ear the first time I played it. Every repeat it connected more. They don't really fit into any genre of the era and that's not a bad thing.

Pretty solid

Surprisingly interesting

wouldn't say it's my favorite of theirs but this album really grew on me this time around. firehose are a real special band, man. 'time with you' will always be one of my favorite firehose songs.

Went in with no expectations but really liked it somehow? Cool vibes

Not too shabby for being a band called fIREHOSE

Not too much of a deviation from Minutemen— just a bit more “pop” (accessible) in the melodies and vocals. Still doodley-doodley-doo, though! 😀

Surprised by how much I liked it

At first I hated this, but really enjoyed it as I got into it. What Gets Heard is my favorite track

Was not familiar with them…really liked it! I was surprised this was late 80s.

Feels like watching an episode of Pete & Pete.

Loose and mostly fun, or mostly high-energy at least.

Funky 90s music cool sound

Alternative rock.

Being a fan of Minutemen this was a great surprise.

Yayyyyy San Pedro California I love it. This album I don't love but I think it's pretty interesting compared to a lot of stuff on here.

Sounds much older than it is on the surface but sounds like it belongs with what came after it in the 90s on closer listen. I enjoyed the first listen of this and will listen again.

Fromohio has this little RHCP vibe going on, especially in the bass lines — Mike Watt really drives the songs with that funky, percussive groove. But honestly, the record feels like it never fully takes off. It hints at something bigger, like it’s warming up for a blast of energy, but then it pulls back and stays halfway. There are cool moments, sure, and the band’s chemistry is undeniable, but overall it feels more like a sketch of what could’ve been rather than the full picture. It’s solid, but you’re left thinking it had the potential to hit harder than it actually does

3.5 rounded up to correct the low global average. Would've benefitted from more direction but it's like being part of a fun jam session with some very talented friends.

Ik vind dit eigenlijk best aanstekelijk. Het klinkt als hobbymuziek uit een garage, maar dan van het betere soort. In een half uur knallen ze een stel energieke songs op de plaat. Soms hoef je niet megabekend te zijn of er een berg bombast tegenaan te gooien, gewoon even je best doen en je bent er.

I knew the name fIREHOSE but didn't realise their connection with Minutemen. This is a bit stop-start at times but I definitely enjoyed it

This was very much a band on the cusp of grunge form the 80s transition. They feel like a better version of The Minutemen, almost cooler. Not bad at all. Good pick.

Ray of sunlight on a cold winter day. Very much enjoyed this listen

This was cool. Never heard of them, wasn't sure about this one off the rip but this was great. They sound great, love the feel to the songs, love the baselines and guitar overtop. Love that they gave the drummer two songs to himself found that really amusing. Overall thought they sounded really good. Maybe not great territory but definitely really solid.

This is pretty cool. I never listened to fIREHOSE before but knew that they existed. I will definitely listen to it again.

Never heard of them but loved it! Great mix of different moods/tempos.

Enjoyed more than I thought I would

Didn't expect this sound from an 80s album.

Fro mo he oh

The 2nd best use of a firehouse in 1989. It would take a lot to dethrone Joel Miller getting to drink from the firehouse for finding the marble in the oatmeal on Stanley Spadowski’s Clubhouse.

4.5

I messed heavy with this album, especially Understanding.

I love when Albums just sound like a bunch of friends having fun with music and this falls solidly in that bracket. Every track feels different with two of them literally just being tracks with just drums to have the drummer have some fun. I highly enjoyed my time.

4/5 Very fun album, you can tell that they had fun making this. The songs all stand out individually and none of them struck me as "samesy". The basslines went hard. Underrated AF.

Really great blend of indie, punk and art influences on this album. Just edgy enough to be edgy, just standard enough to be easy to listen too. Feels like a mix of the Clash, Pixies and Violent Femmes. Can really hear the influence on modern indie / folk punk too. Enjoyed this one!

Hell yes, this is why I’m doing this project! So far two of my best discoveries have been the Violent Femmes and the Minutemen. Both were bands I’d been aware of, but had never really explored. Firehose on the other hand, I’d never even heard of, but they sound like a mix of the Violent Femmes and Minutemen. Great album!

I love these types of albums, when you just have no idea what to expect but end up really enjoying it. If someone asked me to put a genre to this album I wouldn't be able to. I could hear punk, funk, rock, blues, folk influences, to name just a few.

Excellent, jazzy, need to listen again.

Favorite tracks: Whisperin' While Hollerin', Time With You, Let the Drummer Have Some What a fun album! I love the energy, but it felt like it dropped off as the album went on. The band seems to be genuinely having a good time and I'm sure they would be a blast to see live. (Also yay Ohio!)

Surprisingly fun! Added one song to my liked list

This was hard for me to nail down. It’s eccentric and energetic but there were times where I felt like they could’ve brought in a bigger sound. I don’t know if it’s worth coming back to, but I had a good time listening to it.

I like 80s alternative music, this is good 80s alternative music, and it sounds messy but charming. High three point something!

Favorite tracks: In My Mind, Time With You, If'n, Some Things, Understanding Liked this on first listen, liked it even more on repeat listens. Really just the kind of vibe I like. Fun, interesting, catchy alt music.

This was much better than I expected and probably something I would have listened to if I had been a teen or young adult at the time. Low-key, but with some solid skills.

Fine midwest indie rock circa 1989, very inspired and influenced by REM. Not that familiar with the Minutemen, which sired this band, but I really enjoyed this. Some of the songs seem a little unformed/unfinished but there's a strong melodic sensibility throughout. Love Mike Watt's bass playing and the guitarist also has a unique style. This made me want to listen to more of them.

This is actually great. I thought it was ok but I would probably move on quite quickly but I liked it more as it went, especially with the vocals, which I wasn't particularly fond of but they grew on me. I'm not keen on the opener, I don't think it introduces the album very well The guitar playing is cool, I like the frenetic yet tight style. Mike Watt's bass playing really brings this sound together. He does a lot of different styles, sometimes kind of Primusy on Mas Cajones and What Gets Heard I'm sure I've heard Time With You before This album is another reminder of what makes this challenge enjoyable Highlights: Whisperin' While Hollerin', Let The Drummer Have Some

springt beetje alle kanten op... maar voor het overgrote deel de goeie kanten

Good album. I liked it. I was also impressed that it was recorded at Suma Recording Studio, right here in Northeast Ohio.

Liked the music thought it was very catchy

Really good. I don't think I've heard of them before. I should listen to more of them.

Alt rock, with a little folky lean

Had never heard of this group before so after enjoying my first listen, I did some reading up on them. Turns out Mike Watt and George Hurley formed the band after their bandmate D. Boon from Minutemen tragically passed away in a car crash. What a sad story that was. Anyways, this was an interesting listen. 80’s indie rock, a touch of funk here and there with their punk roots shining thru. It’s a genre bender of an album that does some really daring stuff here, we even get some jazz drumming, followed up by a folky Celtic track. It’s gritty but the musicianship on display is really tight with a wide range of flavours that works well as a cohesive album. It’s from 1989 but it still sounds fairly fresh to my ears in 2025. Really cool stuff. 4 stars

Combining folk/country licks with punk ethos and a funky bass, there’s heaps packed into half an hour here, and I’m already on a third listen by midday. Hook me up for more.

Cool record, hadn't heard it before. somehow exactly what I expected from post minutemen Mike Watt but also not at all.

One of the more coinflip albums I’ve gotten in recent memory, parts of it felt truly forgettable or middling, and other parts I really grooved with. Depending on the day, and how I’m feeling this could’ve been anywhere from a 2 to a 4, today it caught me on a good day, so it gets a 4.

Thought this was pretty good - felt it started stronger than it finished

This flies in the face of what I usually like, but lo and behold it grew on me. The back half I found a lot more listenable, and it made the experience fairly enjoyable. Time With You strikes that weird spot of a rock classic but alternative enough to stand on its own. This album gave me memories of driving to small towns as a kid to play hockey, falling asleep in the backseat while this kind of music played through a rough quality AM radio broadcast.

Este álbum se va en un respiro, lo recomiendo en una tarde donde planes beber un par de cervezas mientras esperas al atardecer, aunque cualquier bebida está perfecta.

It’s a cool album that gives classic college rock vibes. The cover of “Vastopol” was totally unexpected but nonetheless awesome.

3.75 When I saw this was basically a Minutemen extension project, I wasn’t looking forward to it, since I had the Minutemen album just last week and ended up pretty disappointed with it. But I liked this a lot more! The song writing was more complex, there was more variety in the type of music they played. Reminded me of great 80s college radio rock.

Really liked this. Definitely worth another listen

This is the most brown album I’ve heard on this list so far, and I mean that in the best way possible. IYKYK. Several of these tracks went straight to my playlist immediately, I was pleasantly surprised and I’ll be digging further into their whole discography soon.

totally unknown to me, a good discovery

Funky, stage, good.

Where's this one been hiding? Not often you come across an album you've never heard of, by a band you've never heard of, and quite like it. Some great musicianship and very listenable tracks. Definitely going on the metaphorical turntable again.

Completely out of left field. A pretty darn tidy rock record, and one I'll probably listen to a lot more. Maybe not the most musically incredible, but damn it I liked it. "The Softest Hammer" kind of sends this album out like a fart in the wind, but otherwise I think it's darn strong.

Interessante como as batidas são um pouco quebradas, me parece que os músicos estão reunidos improvisando um som. Just vibin'. Parecem estar se divertindo. Os solos de bateria são daora. Gostei. Achei legalzin e divertido!

This was such a great surprise! I misunderstood that it was the band Firehouse and delayed listening to it for a few weeks. I really liked the light punk sensibiliities and compact delivery.

Loved it. Slightly more mature and polished than Watt and Hurley's previous band, Minutemen, but still rough and garage band-esque.

Another new album for me, and a great find. The late 80's was so busy with new music and styles forming. Often things passed you by. This is a wonderful US take on English angular indie. It's sharp, and jabs away at you. Also funky as shit. Which always helps.

I’m from Ohio. I can vouch that this album captures what our state is like; quirky, fun, weird, doesn’t take long to get through. Also, Mike Watt is a phenomenal talent.

This is what im here for. A good album id never come across before. The first two songs hooked me in with their low fi attitude but good songwriting. I went off to read the wiki to discover their link to the minutemen which delighted me as they were one of my earliest and favourite discoveries a few hundred albums back. This isnt the white album but i enjoyed it immensely and will be back.

This is exceptionally well mixed and produced. In the beginning it felt like an album that would sound flat and underdeveloped, but I was pleasantly surprised by the musicianship: drums, bass, guitar, and even vocals are carved out and fit well with the total package. The music doesn’t always resonate, however it is thoughtful in its approach and easy to listen to. Worth a revisit!

This was surprisingly enjoyable. Lots of energy. Crazy good bassline. Raw punk energy.

Solid indie rock album. I never heard of this band before so i was pleasantly surprised by the guitar work on this project. Worth a listen, i will go back and listen to couple of the tracks later.

- very fun - the first half was just alright kind of boring, had a indie british feel with american folk influence - the second half was great, i felt like it really came into its own, it was more like folk rock this time - the vocals fit very well - the drums the second half were fun, creative, and fit the song very well

Came about this band through Mike Watt's solo stuff. Great album that feels like high school.

If I met the devil at the crossroads I'd make a deal to be able to play the base like Mike Watt.

great album

I don’t know fIREHOSE, but I do like the Minutemen. This feels like a classic rock tinged post punk album, like the Dead meets Gang of Four. Good stuff, in other words.

This was so very good. I’m going to go listen to more from them.

Interesting indie rock album. It's a little generic vocally, but great bass and guitars and sick riffs.

Really Dadtastic album!

i liked!!

this gave me solid television vibes, i enjoyed this record a lot, very energetic band

good to dance to. loved the drumming breaks and the funny titles

This is was a good one not a bad track in the lot I particularly liked the opener

Pretty amazing follow-up of the post-Boone Minutemen.

This band is pretty sweet, I've never heard of anything they've made, but this album is pretty cool. I wouldn't say this is a "diamond in the rough", but it's at least a garnet or some other minor gem. The guitar riffs in this are super groovy, and the bass line absolutely rocks, and comes across super clearly as it's own distinctive harmony rather than just the base notes of the melody. As somebody who likes some early punk but gets turned off by obnoxious or shitty vocals, this band really delivered, playing some easier listening rock/punk with decisively inoffensive vocals. I wouldn't say they're great, but they certainly don't hurt. This isn't an album I would tell anybody they have to check out, but I'll probably save a couple songs to my playlists and vibe out to them once in a while.

Excellent

Killer stuff

Totally new to me, very cool album - folky, grungy, proggy and noisy. Great playing and unique vocals bridge retro country rock and cutting edge alt. Favourite tracks: Vastopol, Some Things, Understanding

Talking Heads if they were REM

185/1089 - Don't know what this is but I kinda liked it. Seems underdeveloped at times.

Light alt-work with a slight tone of great big sea. Not bad

I had heard Minutemen before but this album led me down a rabbithole of their history and associated acts. Really enjoyable album, reminds me of REM, RHCP, one of those songs sounded like a Paul Simon joint. A tight 30 minutes, very happy to have been exposed to this album.

For some reason I wasn't expecting much from this one. But it's great. Three excllent instrumentalists are what make this album stand out. I want to give special praise to drummer George Hurley, who's particularly talented. Perhaps to highlight this fact, he gets two songs all to to himself to dick around on. And they're good! Some of the songs here have a jam band vibe, others a jazzy one. Not every song is a winner, but the good ones are great. My favourites were In My Mind and Whisperin' While Hollerin'.

Kinda cool. Interesting guitar work and drums. A nice mix between punk and indie or folk or something. It doesn't sound like anything else.

Fromohio blends jazz, punk, and funk into a tight, punchy ride. It's offbeat but never abrasive — just the right length to keep things interesting without wearing thin. A bold, genre-hopping album that hits hard and wraps up before it overstays its welcome.

Blind album and artist. I actually liked this style a decent amount, more than other albums on the list. Could've been my mood but I like.

a gem out of left field. never heard of these guys before and it’s extremely my shit. what this is all about!

I knew I had listened to this album just before (because of it showing up on this list) or at some point during our long reviewing hiatus, but I didn’t have any recollection of it which didn’t make me particularly excited about listening to it again to be able to actually review it. But I found myself enjoying this album basically from the first track. Genre-wise I’d say it’s somewhere under the broad and nebulous post-punk umbrella but there are small moments that variously give tinges of jazz or folk or new wave. It’s a very interesting record but manages to be interesting in a way that’s not at all pretentious, academic or boring. 8/10 would listen again. I had never heard of this band before.

Despite being punk-ish, there's a distinct lightness or sparseness to the songs.

I went in thinking "Haven't I had this one already?" It looked like a fairly forgettable indie rock album. I'm happy to confirm that it was new and much more interesting than I expected. It feels like really pulling from early punk as well as 80s indie rock, with heavy Minutemen vibes. Oh, half the band were formerly in the Minutemen? Well that absolutely tracks and fills a nice void if you ever get bored with "Double Nickels on the Dime". Definitely a pleasant surprise.

Pretty good!

Nice variety of sounds. Some great bass work. Feels a little sparse at times, but I think that’s what they were going for.

I would probably follow Mike Watt anywhere.

Very solid and playful, if imperfect, musicians who said, “Fuck it, we’ll do it live.” DIY done right.

4 out of 5. A very pleasant surprise, this is why I'm working my way through this silly list.

Day515 - i’ll be putting this one on my library

Catching up … (another positive one) Firehose - Fromohio Never heard of this band, or listened to Minutemen beyond singles Veering from post punk to Rock n Roll - track by track feels like a different band (replacements, Big Star, pixies, wipers, fugazi). It isn’t perfect, the skipping around (even within tracks) making it hard to latch on to. It also sounds like it was recorded in someone’s back garden (which is also part of the charm). The DIY ethos / lack of polish and production is ultimately what makes it sounds fresh. This makes me want to find time to dig into this scene. Bands I’ve heard of but never listened to properly like Mission of Burma and Husker Du. 7/10 (I’m rounding up to 4/5 , because i keep sticking it on , and I think it’s a grower)

Didn't really have hits on it, but it was nice to listen to. I tend to like the fIREHOSE albums more than those made by the Minutemen. I generally like Punk more than Indie Rock, but this just clicks more for me. Time really flew by with this listen. Sounds like it was a real precursor to all the 90's Indie music that came on the scene later on.

Ret godt. Har hørt det det gennem min Jackass periode, ikke noget jeg havde et kært forhold til, men alt der kunne negles på nettet, og som lugtede at Jackass skulle jeg lytte til. Jeg kan godt lytte igen en anden dag. Men det er en lille 4er som jeg ikke aktivt vil opsøge.

Total ukendt album og band. Det var faktisk ret godt. En fin blanding af DIY punk og melodisk rock

I loved this album the second I heard it. But I’ve had to play it ~5 times to understand what on earth I’m listening to. Is it a sort of early REM thing but with more of a freestyle jamming style? Or does it sound like a more laid back Pere Ubu? Or are they like a sort of slightly unhinged country band like The Colorblind James Experiment? Comparing bands with other bands is boring but I just can’t yet properly catorgarise the gentle magic behind what fIRHOSE is doing. I’m going to have to do lots more listening.

Put this on when I wasn't really paying attention and it was good enough to make my listen properly. Then I find out it's the guitarist from minutemen, which makes a lot of sense. It's definitely more cohesive than a minutemen album, a normal number of songs of normal length. Not quite as good I'd say but still great. Some things in particular is class. Even quickly listening back now it's grown on me so could be a 5 soon.

Never heard of these guys but I read a few of the reviews and it sounded up my street. Was good! Couldn't help but hear rem and minutemen after seeing that in a review. Pretty good description of the sound I think. Probably wouldn't have put this as from the 80s. Overall pretty good. Might be back 3.5 but closer to 4

This is the first album I listened to twice in one day. The first time I listened I thought it was nice, later in the day I wondered, what did I actually hear. In each case completely new to me

fora album koji na vokalnoj i tekstovnoj razini ne obara s nogu, ali zato zaraznim bas-dionicama. mjestimičnom zaigranošću i još nekim cakama itekako pobuđuje volju za naknadnim preslušavanjima

A brilliant mix of folk and post punk ideas. Will be returning to this album and band.

This was surprisingly really good, after seeing it was a group formed by members of the minutemen I was skeptical as nickels by the dime was quite mid, butt I can say after listening this is much better than that. The guitar and bass is so much better on this album in my opinion, the drums are good in both but the actual songs I thought were so much more enjoyable. Unlike nickels, this album is very short with longer songs rather than the rather messy many short song style nickels used. I liked many songs on this album but my favourites were the first 2 mostly because of the jangly guitar, the drums solos were a cool edition (my favourite being the second one). I wasn’t a massive fan of some songs though like the third track and what gets heard despite its cool bass line, the vocals just didn’t really do it for even though I think the vocals are consistently good elsewhere on this album. Overall 8/10.

Pretty fun listen

Actually pretty great. Alternative creative rock living room style! Pleasant voices and great drumming!

American alternative rock from the late ’80s and early ’90s usually isn’t my scene, and I’d never even heard of fIREHOSE—or their album Fromohio—before this. Honestly, the quirky way they spell their name didn’t give me high hopes going in. That said, Fromohio turned out to be a pleasant surprise. It’s a genuinely easy listen, with a sound that’s both warm and stripped-back. The production is clean but unpolished in a good way—there’s a rawness that adds charm. The band jumps between blues, acoustic, and rock influences, and each track is anchored by standout drumming that really pulls everything together. The lyrics are solid too—nothing overly poetic, but they suit the vibe perfectly. Favorite track: In My Mind – laid-back and catchy. Least favorite track: Honestly, nothing here falls flat. The album is short, sweet, and full of variety. Album artwork: The cover is chaotic in a cool way—there’s a lot going on, and it matches the band’s eclectic sound.

Funkier, more alt-rock sounding Minutemen? I mean, yeah, it's not Double Nickels On The Dime, but this is more than worth a listen! Strong 3.5*

Quite liked it!

Was not familiar with this band but was surprised at how much I liked it. Great early alt rock. Good guitar work.

Just a bunch of fun, tight indie with playful drums

There is lots of cool stuff going on here that I really enjoyed. I like my indie rock to cover a fair bit of ground stylistically and I feel fIREHOSE do that well. I’d not previously heard of this project and based on other reviews I’m in for a treat if there are any Minutemen records on the list. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I like jazzy punk it seems

I love fIREHOSE, but this is not their best album. If'n and Flying the Flannel are better picks for this list, IMHO.

Nice basslines

Trains! I have not listened to a second of fIREHOSE (though I understand they are descended from the Minutemen), but the album cover already strikes a chord (see also: Diamond Jubilee by Cindy Lee) HL: “Riddle of the Eighties”, “In My Mind”, “Vastopol”, “Liberty For Our Friend”, “Time With You” My main takeaway is that I probably undervalued the musicianship of Double Nickels on the Dime (1984), since the performances here are top-notch (that bass in “Mas Cojones”). Fromohio is somewhat inconsistent, and I haven’t yet read why exactly this is in the 1001, but- credit where credit is due. It’s a little hard to go into an album with no preconceptions this late into the journey (just over 10 albums left), but I tried my best and was rewarded with this kooky slice of altrock. 4*, Would listen again

I liked the longer songs, the ones that got to breathe more than the interludes. I liked this album a lot, really. The shifting of styles was very refreshing (and 30 minutes doesn't hurt, either :). It's funny because I kept thinking the band was like Fishbone (names being so close), but they are different in a few ways. Biggest thing is there are no horns. But both bands do like to shake up and change genres throughout the album. This is definitely a band i should listen to more. Good stuff. Top tracks: "Riddle Of The Eighties," "Mas Cojones," "Libery For Our Friend," "Underdstanding," "The Softest Hammer"

im at a great disadvantage here only having minimal experience with the minutemen discog, considering this is a sequel band consisting of the minutemen rhythm section and a fan who didnt want them to quit music. i can see the obvious connective tissue even with my minimal experience...it is a Great rhythm section, and the songs are short and zippy and varied and definitely meant to be assimilated and picked out over many more listens than the one im giving it this morning. i will say tho, in lieu of any commentary on an individual song (not that i do that very often anyway lol im too Cumulative Effectpilled) that this does strike me as excellently paced...or at the very least, this spread of songs has been very carefully ordered. theres never too much of anything at once...sometimes its riffier, sometimes funkier, sometimes more melodic, sometimes electric sometimes acoustic, tempos and rhythms and other base musical ideas all spread out in a v nice way. even the drum solo track comes in at exactly the right time!

I am fROMOHIO, so I gotta say, I’m honored that the album named after our “great” state is this good. Helps that I love 80s alternative and good bass licks.

3.5 - Good

This will do. It's no Minutemen, but it's 1000% better than the tripe I've been getting lately.

I started off annoyed because of the stupid capitalisation, but they won me over. The bass runs are slick AF and the whole album flows nicely. Nothing shouts 'look at me' but overall I'll come back and listen to this again. New band on the list, which is why I'm here. 3.5/5

What a surprise! This is like a rock and roll version of Vampire Weekend. The band just seems to be having fun and what they are creating. I am not sure about their greatness level longterm, but they intrigue me enough to make me smile... which means, I will probably listen again. Always a plus.

Weird concept album by an 80s alt rock band? Sign me up! So, this maybe isn't the best album out there. But it's actually pretty neat. Vocals are meh at best but instruments are pretty top notch.

First gig was opening up for these guys while I was still in high school. So great to listen to this again, brings back memories. Also a Minutemen fan as well. Talking to Mike Watt in his red flannel back then in 1990 was pretty cool looking back.

What a surprise! This is like a rock and roll version of Vampire Weekend. The band just seems to be having fun and what they are creating. I am not sure about their greatness level longterm, but they intrigue me enough to make me smile... which means, I will probably listen again. Always a plus.

Don’t judge an album by its cover, I guess. Expected hardcore and got something more alternative, witty, political, and engaging. You sense the influences of the best post-punk and new wave here, and you can hear the talent. Short, engaging album. Favorite songs: In My Mind, What Gets Heard, Understanding, and all the others.

fIREHOSE always manages to be a band with songs that make me wonder why they aren’t a bigger deal, followed by songs that remind me exactly why they aren’t. This is probably their most consistent record though

Wow, I'm surprised this was never on my radar, because it's kind of right up my alley. Kinda finds the middle ground between something like Minutemen and REM. Looking them up after, I see why they remind me of Minutemen! Enjoyed this in general, but it's not exactly sticking with me. 7/10

Very surprised by this one. Going off the album cover, name of the band and album, I would have put money on it being a loud, fast, noisy, shouty garage rock album. To my surprise, from the first track all the way to the end, it was filled with nice little riffs, jangly guitar, really pleasant vocals. No one track in particular stands out as the best one after only one listen, but it all flows nicely together and it was such a nice surprise of an album which I enjoyed throughout its short half an hour run time, I can't give it less than a four.

Never heard of them, yet right up my street.

So this was a first for me. I played the wrong album. I played If’n. Loved it so much I then went and played the right album. I really enjoyed my morning with fIREHOSE. I’ve often enjoyed Mike Watt’s various bands. I like the blend of band members on these records. Will give some more of their stuff a listen.

Criminal rating here. This is just 31min of fun interesting music that you will not find elsewhere.

Two guys from the Minutemen. Good late 80's punk.

This was a new one to me. Will definitely be listening again

Big surprise on this one. Never heard of them, but being Mike Watts band I am not shocked I enjoyed it as well as I did. 4/5

good rock sound, overall enjoyed it more than I thought. Will listen again.

This is a fantastic album from a band i have never heard of. I enjoyed the eclectic sounds and guitar hooks. I also enjoy that it still sounds like the 80s. One of my new favorites.

A fun listen, and not the screamy post-hardcore I was expecting - much more new wave and prog in the mix. It does seem a bit front loaded. Or, hmmm, maybe there's just a lull in the middle. The drum solo tracks are very short, what are people complaining about! 😆 Fave tracks - "Riddle of the Eighties" -> "In My Mind" -> "Whisperin' While Hollerin'" was a solid kick off. Also, "If'n" was cool.

very pleasant surprise

I really dig the college rock groove on most of the track, and over all a great listen. My only real gripe is the lack of cohesiveness amongst some of the tracks that just seem way out of place. But it always seems like right after that song it would pop back into what I really enjoy about the album. I will give it a light but solid four. (8.3) ★★★★

Really good punk music without just being loud

Muy interesante todo, a ratos un tono jazz que me ha recordado al del videojuego Ape Out (esto es una nota mental mía). Viendo el año de lanzamiento veo muchas influencias no confesadas en los grupos de los noventa. Me guardo: "Riddle of the Eighties", "What Gets Heard", "Liberty for Our Friend", "Time With You", "If’n", "Some Things" y "Understanding". Muy bueno. Descubrimiento.

Groovy

War die perfekte Musik fürs auf Kopfhörer packen und putzen. Gerne wieder

Phwoaar! Yes please. This was really good, like a slightly less polished REM or something. I like their commitment to accidentally leaving capslock on and then pressing shift too.

3.8 - Interesting, didnt really know what it was trying to be. But quite liked that

Strange little album, I liked the back half more than the front. 3.7/5

I’m probably being a little more generous to this album than it deserves, because I’ve been dying for anything even remotely resembling punk on this list. This isn’t quite it, but it’ll do for today. 4/5 Highlights: Riddle of the Eighties Vastopol The Softest Hammer

Pretty fun, not what I expected

🎧This is good! Lead singer kinda sound like Paul Westerberg

Really good. Light punky folk

Why are all the tracks on Tidal (apart from the instrumentals/drum solos) marked with an “E”? I caught one shit and one fuck in the whole album.

Wow. Never even heard of Firehose! The name is off-putting…But I really enjoyed a lot of it.

Hard not to like the DIY spirit of this and its direct, stripped down sort of cleverness,. Best cuts are proabably the best known: "Riddle of the Eighties" "Liberty for Our Friend" and "Time with You" and "Understanding." One only half-liked this in real time of release (right in the heart of one's indie rock radio days), but it has aged surprisingly well, perhaps because of its organic instrumentation, authentic thrust and balance of hooky electric edges and folkie/melodic sweetness.

"Fromohio" is, for me, the culmination of the creative collaboration between ex-Minutemen members Mike Watt (bass) and George Hurley (drums), and long-time fan Ed Crawford on guitar and vocals. The loops, chords, accents, rhythms, interplay, crystal clear sound, and inventive compositions make this album a timeless and enjoyable listen. Even after 35 years, it still sounds fresh, and you can discover something new with each listen. While it may not be considered a classic, it's definitely a fun album.

It's moments like this that I love this list. Being presented with a band that I've never heard of and discovering something great. There's a wide array of influences meshed together here to create an enjoyable album.

Great album Very creative All songs diferent A lot of generes Pretty surprising Only thing I didnt like was the lead singers voice. Bit thos album rocks and its very well produced

Det är när sådana här album dyker upp som man uppskattar detta "arbete". Aldrig hört talas om men diggar omedelbart. Har tom lyssnat flera gånger. Det är piggt. Påminner lite om REM ibland. Men nästan varje låt är mycket bra, skön gitarr, sång och rytm. Man blir lite glad också. Definitivt en fyra!

Time with you - grrrrrreat song Good album. Really enjoyable, bounces from one thing to another in a really great way. Safe 4

Great. Hints of REM here as well as foreshadowing The Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Funky with great lyrics, melodies and harmonies.

It's a good album, even if it doesn't have any really stand-out parts. I will probably return to this one in the future.

I enjoyed this more than I expected. I've heard of this band, and maybe listened to them at some point, but it's been a long, long time. Fun, energetic, interesting decisions here and there for sure.

sick

Albums like this are what this generator is really for, in my opinion. Gems hidden in the rubble of the greater rock canon. This is a fun, surprisingly tidy and tight, and concise album--and I never would have listened to it. For lack of something more specific and articulate to say, it sounds like this band loves music and loves making music. Perhaps a low bar to clear, but it's nice to hear something that isn't so labored be this good. Highlights: In My Mind, Vastopol, What Gets Heard, Time With You, Some Things, Understanding

Oh okay, I see what's happening here. I like it. Quite a lot. Yeah, this is good stuff. I'd never heard of this band before, but this is right up my alley. It's cool breezy alt rock with some playful lyricism. I've given it 5 back to back rotations now and it's just a cool album. I really do dig it!

On the surface, I hadn't heard of fIREHOSE before. But I ran a quick search and found out that this band was formed by bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley after their previous band Minutemen abruptly ended with the death of their frontman D. Boon. They ended up recruiting a Minutemen fan Ed Crawford as their new frontman and guitarist after he persistently wanted to join. I already heard Minutemen's well-known album "Double Nickels on the Dime" before this journey, so I figured we would get the instrumental precision of that group with a different vocalist. While we end up with touches of the styles they usually mix with like jazz and funk, this album is not in the ballpark of hardcore punk that Minutemen were. If anything, it's more in the vein of the early experimental alternative rock that was prevalent in the underground of the late 1980s. Not only do Watt and Hurley continue to shine in the rhythm section, with Hurley getting two excellent drum solo tracks, but I was impressed by Crawford's guitar work and vocal delivery on songs like "Time With You", "Some Things" and "Understanding" where he feels in tune with everyone else especially when he gets to solo off as well. The only drawbacks to be had here stem from the experimental nature of this album where not everything works. I enjoyed parts of "If'n" but the stop-and-go nature of that song prevented any meaningful buildup. Also, I don't feel I got much of a lasting impression from the closer "The Softest Hammer" even when they were trying for a more ethereal vibe. Still, I'm genuinely amazed by fROMOHIO as this niche experimental alternative album that maintained some accessibility. This was such a good find on this list, check it out!

just a quick, fun listen

Idgaf what they’re because the instrumentation is just that damn good

Solid if unspectacular. Felt like I was listening to a band playing a local bar, the kind of music you can semi tune out while talking to friends, but occasionally catches your attention in a good way. If they didn’t have such a silly name I might have picked this up a long time ago.

Having never heard of this band (yet somehow knowing Mike Watt?), I didn't know what to expect, but I generally liked it a lot. The parts with the more typically rock, less funk bass worked better for me, but the album clipped along and the singer sounded great.

I really really enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Short, varied songs from a band I've never heard of. I loved the tone of the bass guitar. I'd for sure listen again.

Sometimes a little messy, but overall just a vibe. I especially enjoyed their bass.

**In-Depth Review of "Fromohio" by fIREHOSE** **Overview:** "Fromohio," released in 1989, is the third studio album by the American alternative rock band fIREHOSE. Comprising Mike Watt on bass, Ed Crawford (Ed fROMOHIO) on guitar and vocals, and George Hurley on drums, the band continued to build on the legacy of their previous band, Minutemen, while carving out their distinct identity. **Lyrics:** The lyrics of "Fromohio" blend a mix of personal introspection, social commentary, and abstract storytelling, a hallmark of fIREHOSE's style. Mike Watt's writing, characterized by its raw, honest, and often cryptic nature, stands out in tracks like "Riddle of the Eighties" and "Understanding." Ed Crawford's contributions, notably in "What Gets Heard" and "If'n," bring a more direct and melodic sensibility, complementing Watt's more esoteric approach. - **Pros:** The lyrics are thought-provoking and diverse, offering a rich tapestry of themes that range from existential musings to reflections on everyday life. The interplay between Watt's and Crawford's lyrical styles provides a dynamic and engaging listening experience. - **Cons:** The abstract nature of some lyrics can be challenging for listeners seeking straightforward narratives, potentially alienating those less familiar with fIREHOSE's or Minutemen's lyrical traditions. **Music:** Musically, "Fromohio" showcases fIREHOSE's versatility, blending punk, funk, jazz, and folk influences into a cohesive sound. The album opens with "Riddle of the Eighties," a track that sets the tone with its tight rhythm section and jangly guitar work. "Time with You" and "What Gets Heard" exemplify the band's ability to craft catchy, hook-laden tunes, while "Liberty for Our Friend" and "Understanding" highlight their more experimental side. - **Pros:** The musicianship on "Fromohio" is impeccable. Mike Watt's bass lines are inventive and driving, George Hurley's drumming is precise and dynamic, and Ed Crawford's guitar work is both melodic and gritty. The band's ability to fuse different genres creates a unique and compelling sound. - **Cons:** The eclectic mix of styles, while a strength, may also be seen as a lack of cohesion by some listeners. The album's diversity can make it feel disjointed at times, potentially detracting from a unified listening experience. **Production:** "Fromohio" was produced by Ed Crawford and Ethan James, and the production quality reflects a balance between rawness and polish. The album maintains a live, organic feel, capturing the energy and spontaneity of the band's performances. The production values are clean enough to highlight the intricacies of the musicianship without losing the gritty edge that defines fIREHOSE's sound. - **Pros:** The production effectively balances clarity and rawness, ensuring that each instrument is well-defined while retaining the band's energetic, live feel. The mix is well-balanced, allowing the complex interplay between bass, drums, and guitar to shine through. - **Cons:** Some listeners might find the production too raw compared to more polished contemporary releases. The live feel, while authentic, can occasionally come across as rough around the edges. **Themes:** Thematically, "Fromohio" explores a wide range of subjects. Tracks like "Riddle of the Eighties" delve into reflections on the past and the complexities of modern life, while "Understanding" tackles themes of communication and connection. "What Gets Heard" and "If'n" address the nature of artistic expression and the struggles of being understood. The album also touches on political and social issues, as seen in "Liberty for Our Friend." - **Pros:** The thematic diversity provides a rich listening experience, offering multiple layers of meaning and interpretation. The band's willingness to tackle both personal and societal topics adds depth to the album. - **Cons:** The broad range of themes can make the album feel scattered, and the abstract nature of some tracks may make it difficult for listeners to grasp the underlying messages without repeated listens. **Influence:** "Fromohio" stands as an influential album in the alternative rock scene. fIREHOSE's blend of punk ethos with diverse musical influences paved the way for many alternative and indie rock bands in the 1990s and beyond. The band's DIY attitude and commitment to artistic integrity resonated with a generation of musicians and fans alike. - **Pros:** The album's influence is evident in its pioneering blend of genres and its impact on the alternative rock movement. fIREHOSE's approach to music-making, characterized by innovation and authenticity, has inspired countless artists. - **Cons:** Despite its influence, "Fromohio" remains somewhat of an underground classic, potentially overlooked by mainstream audiences. The band's esoteric style may limit its appeal to a broader audience. **Pros of "Fromohio":** 1. **Inventive Musicianship:** The album showcases exceptional instrumental prowess, particularly Watt's bass lines and Hurley's drumming. 2. **Diverse Musical Styles:** The fusion of punk, funk, jazz, and folk creates a unique and engaging sound. 3. **Thought-Provoking Lyrics:** The lyrics offer a rich mix of introspection, social commentary, and abstract storytelling. 4. **Authentic Production:** The live, organic feel of the production captures the band's energy and spontaneity. 5. **Influence:** The album has had a significant impact on the alternative rock genre, inspiring numerous artists. **Cons of "Fromohio":** 1. **Abstract Lyrics:** The cryptic nature of some lyrics can be challenging for listeners seeking straightforward narratives. 2. **Disjointed Feel:** The eclectic mix of styles may make the album feel less cohesive to some listeners. 3. **Raw Production:** The rawness of the production might be perceived as rough compared to more polished releases. 4. **Limited Mainstream Appeal:** The band's esoteric style and underground status may limit the album's reach to a broader audience. 5. **Scattered Themes:** The wide range of themes can make the album feel scattered, potentially confusing listeners. **Conclusion:** "Fromohio" by fIREHOSE is a testament to the band's innovative spirit and musical prowess. The album's blend of diverse musical styles, thought-provoking lyrics, and authentic production creates a unique and compelling listening experience. While its abstract nature and eclectic mix may present challenges for some listeners, the album's influence on the alternative rock genre and its showcase of exceptional musicianship make it a noteworthy entry in the annals of rock music. For those willing to delve into its depths, "Fromohio" offers a rich and rewarding journey through the mind and soul of fIREHOSE.

I can hear some influences for jam bands like OAR?

Some great music, some almost throwaway, but all of a piece, which is pleasing. Interesting to hear really disparate elements being pulled together, often in the same song. It makes the music on fROMOHIO difficult to pin down, a curious hybrid of punk, folk, FM rock and funk. Mike Watt is a cool guy.

I never heard of this band before but I liked it. Added to my music.

Well thAt was an awesome discovery! Didn't know the surviving band members from Minutemen started another band!?

For some reason I was not expecting to dig this, but Fromohio is a tight, adventurous record that does not at all sound dated.

Surprised by this, usually the unknown bands are shit but this was good. Guitar work on this is killer!

Some varied styles. Kinda like clean punk. Sounds like it came from Ohio.

Not what I was expecting. Pretty decent jam band playing a variety of styles well.

I can't really tell how much I like this record. It has all the ingredients of something I should love, but for some reason I feel something is missing. The playing is all really spectacular throughout and I love the drum solos sprinkled through. Not something that I would probably seek out to listen to, but all good stuff

The album cover for some reason made me nervous I was going to really dislike this one for some reason. I ended up enjoying it a lot though! Part of me feels like rating a 4 is a little high but somehow a 3 feels too low. Others have said similar but it really gives the impression of good musicians having a jam session/having some fun. Somehow reminds me of when my dad, uncle, and grandfather used to go down to the basement in my childhood home and just play music. They are much more skilled than my family (though they definitely were not bad) but it has the same "feel". Can definitely see me returning to this. The only downside was I did majorly struggle to understand the lyrics on first listen. Depending on those I could see this being bumped down to a 3 but going with my gut here.

Bra folk rock. Dette er dyktige musikere som gjør bra ting. Jeg har prøvd å definere 4er-album som album det definitivt er verdt å høre på en gang, og siden dette er noe såpass annerledesog dyktig at jeg synes det kvalifiserer til en 4er. Personlig smak gjør at det ikke havner høyere. Jeg liker spesielt godt at det er en dyktige musikere som lager en crossover mellom rock og country. På grensa til prog, som jo er en personlig favoritt. Personlig så synes jeg at sangene blir noe korte, og at albumet blir noe oppstykket på grunn av det. Hadde de utvidet en del av sangene med 2-3 minutter, kunne de utforsket mer av hva som gjør hver sang god, mens dette blir mer som fingermat for ørene. Album som dette er noe av det morsomste med prosjektet, å finne band som jeg absolutt aldri har hørt om, men som allikevel tilfører noe nytt.

I really like this. I had listened to the Minutemen a little bit years ago and really like them, but never really listen to firehouse at all. Some really great instrumentals just straight ahead rock ‘n’ roll.

Całkiem przyjemne. Szybko mijają piosenki. Ciężko jakąś bardziej zapamiętać, ale ogólny wydźwięk dobry. 4/5

Understanding, in my mind are my favs on the album. Actually really enjoyed this lol. I listened twice through.

Rate this album.

I really like finding albums like this through this list. Maybe that's the point, but there is part of me that wonders how it got on here--seems like an indie or local band feel. If this is on here, where's Head of Femur? Anyway, it's a:

I had never heard of fIREHOSE but I really dug this album. It didn't outstay it's welcome, coming in at under 32 minutes, but also had a lot of different feels throughout the album. There was some cool drum work and you could hear each of the four instruments doing their full work on the album

The remaining Minutemen regrouped as fIREHOSE following the death of D. Boon, with the addition of Ed ‘fROMOHIO’ Crawford. I can certainly hear the Minutemen in there, but the songs are in general less terse and more melodic than the usual M’s fare.

I love this album!

I liked this one

Not sure why this is rated so low. Fun punk, folk mash up.

This sounds like Against Me before Against Me existed. Its rad.

When the Minutemen disbanded after the death of D. Boon, the remaining members, George Hurley and Mike Watt joined up with a fan of the Minutemen, Ed (from Ohio) Crawford to form Firehose. This union turned out quite good, as Crawford's enthusiasm and passion for the music pushed their sound forward for a more melodic rock sound, yet maintaining the rhythm section sound of the Minutemen. By the third album, Fromohio, the band had evolved their jazzy, fusion, funky sound to a more accessible and acoustic, folky sound, but had still had the energy of a straightforward rock band. A somewhat underrated record that I still listen to a lot and wished that music could still be this good all the time.

This is not FireHOUSE - despite what I expected to hear when I hit play. But - very pleasantly surprised by this one. It seems ahead of its time - perhaps helping to usher in that in stream 90s “rock” sound. It’s has fun lyrics, sweet ass baselines, and was just all around fun. Loved it.

Kinda feel totally blindsided by this. Didn’t know what to expect. Loved it. Real varied album. Can’t wait to listen again. 4.3

Solid album that I enjoyed listening to. I was working and didn't give it the complete focus that I wanted to so I will add this to my library and relisten to it again.

This is a really special vintage by an all but forgotten small producer. I get undertones of Television and Meat Puppets with gorgeous notes of Steven Stills, the Feelies and maybe just a pinch of Primus! This would pair really well with mid-length mindless activities like airplane travel and interior re-painting!

no me esperaba que estuviera bien.

Pleasant to listen to.

Ok

Solid. Each song is so fun and different. I bet I could listen to this again

This is the kind of album that makes me grateful for this list (and app of course). Never would have heard this in my life. Really enjoyed it, seems like the middle ground between rock and the rage against the machine/grunge movement to come. Love it

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: In my mind, Riddle of the eighties

delightfully funky

Feel like The Minutemen is more influential and this is a continuation of their (and Mike Watt’s) legacy. Definitely hear how much of an inspiration to 90s alternative and even to some of the early 00s indie bands

Cool band, Cool sound. Don’t know how i never heard of them before. I listened to a few of their other albums and actually prefer their older stuff. But this was good.

This was a lot of fun to listen to as it took me back to my roots.

Mike Watt can do no wrong? Maybe?

A pleasant surprise of an album, and one I definitely wouldn't have listened to without this site. Always appreciate solid technique from a punk group. Will need to re-listen to figure out what tracks stand out by themselves.

Good 80s indie. Great little funk bass lines and Wire-like guitar. Totally new to me, but a good find.

sometimes does some jazzier / experimental instrumentals that i really appreciate and then quickly quits for some reason. Riddle of the Eighties being the clearest example. otherwise it's a pretty good rocky album with neat vocals

i love love love the energy, it does feel kind of unfinished in certain places but it has charm

Wasn't sure how I felt about this at the start. Was mostly indifferent. However the instrumentation just kept me really intrigued. And I ended up really enjoying it. Not sure if I'll go back or check out any more of their stuff so in that case 4 stars.

Led me down a fun rabbit hole yesterday. This album had a solid radio station to follow it up

Decent rock music that I think holds some potential. First time listening to anything by them.

I enjoyed this one!

Something different! I like it

8/10

I liked it! I missed this when it came out, but I enjoyed it a lot!

Actually like, pretty good. Color me surprised. An easy listen in a good way.

Really liked this.

Rock à la fois familier, qui coule de source, et original. M’a bien accrochée

I've heard of Mike Watt, and been aware of his status in the 80s indie music scene, but was never acquainted with his work. Then we listened to the MINUTEMEN 300 albums ago, and I was pleasantly surprised. At least, that's what my review says. I unfortunately don't remember it. 655 albums in, there are a growing number of 4-star reviews of discovered music I thought I might go back to, but haven't found the chance to or remembered to. fIREHOSE is likely to wind up in exactly the same place in my library of forgottens. I was worried at the very start, but wound up really enjoying it. Watt's base grooves carry many of the songs, and most tracks savvily hit the sweet spot of unpolished and intentionally crafted. But since I whine and moan about modern bands with ridiculous spellings or capitalization (or lack thereof), I would be remiss if I didn't call out the MINUTEMEN and fIREHOSE for possibly being the forerunners of this goofy trend.

And interesting and somewhat diverse post-punk entry from the late eighties in middle America. Mike Watt (bass, vocals), Ed Crawford (guitar, vocals) and George Hurley (drums) built a brisk (30 minutes!) and catchy one here. In particular, the rhythm section of Watt and Hurley keep things both steady and infectious. I hear things in this album that were clearly still resonating when I was actively consuming my local punk, jam and rock scenes in the early 2000s. Don't sleep on the vocals or the melodies, either. Good album. For sure worth at least a full listen.

Good stuff. I was a big Mike Watt fan in high school when I was first learning to play the bass, though I haven't listened to either Firehose or the Minutemen in a long time. I still love how effective he is at making simple bass lines ground a tune.

Good album. I liked it and it's very much like Minutemen, which is not surprising. I prefer Double Nickels on the Dime though. 3.5/5

That was pretty good! I’ve heard the name before, not really the music, but I like the variety of influences they have and the guitar tone. I could have seen this blow me away as a teen. B

fIREHOSE From USA Genre: Alternative Rock 1989 3rd Listen: 2.5, 3 Standouts: Liberty for Our Friends, If'n Others: Riddle of the eighties, In My Mind, Whisperin' White Hollerin', What Gets Heard, Some Things, Understanding 14 fairly short alt rock songs. All are fairly good. Liberty For Our Friends really stands out as a great track. Of the list of the top 10 to 15 Firehose songs, none of these songs typically make the cut. But, as a whole...the album works. 4/5

Amazing, never heard of them. Always up for unexpected funk.

Nice little rock album that gets you into some work. Some highlights missing but another listen might change that.

Very solid alt-rock album with a couple of standout tracks like "In My Mind", "What Gets Heard", "Time With You", "Some Things" and "Understanding". The only songs I did not like on this album were the two drum solos not because they were bad but because I felt that they broke of the flow the album had. Overall though very solid album but I do wonder if I would have included it given my previous criticism of the list including too many alt-rock and new wave acts. That being said I have no clue how influential this album was or how important it is to the genre since it is not a genre I am super knowledgeable about. Either way it still was very enjoyable and was an 8-8.5/10. Also side note, I was looking at the list and realized that he included no Whitney Houston album. I know she did not have the strongest albums but to not include a single album from one of the greatest singers of all time and one who I think has an argument for the greatest vocalist of all time. You include 6 Elvis Costello albums and can't include one Whitney. I recognize the fact I don't love Elvis Costello but 6 albums is ridiculous.

Listening to this album was a weird experience - when fIREHOSE first hit the scene in 1986, I heard the song Brave Captain on one of the local college stations and liked it. The next week I saw their debut album Ragin' Full On in a used bin at the record store and, remembering that I liked the one song, picked it up on a whim. I wore that album out, loving every bit of it. Went to see them live, where it was so loud it nearly deafened me for life - easily the loudest show I've ever been to. When they came out with their second album If'n, I was disappointed. It was okay, but did not have the energy of the first album. I kind of stopped listening to them after that, so when I saw this one pop up in the music generator, I knew this was their last SST release before moving to a major label and thought - "this will be fun - I never listened to this one." Well, I put it on and quickly realized as I recognized the songs as they played that I actually had owned this album 30 years ago but had completely forgotten about it! I sold the CD many years ago. Listening again this many years later, I realized I liked it better than I had back then. I still think their debut Ragin' Full On would have been a better choice for the album generator, but I think I will end up returning to this one again.

An album and an artist I've never heard of. I have no idea what to expect. I'm halfway through the first track and I still don't know what to expect. It is very left-channel. The stereo balance does even out through the rest of the album. "What gets heard" had quite the a-ha vibe, doesn't it? Following on from that appears to be a drum solo. Which is pretty cool. In fact, "pretty cool" is the overriding impression one gets from this album, full stop.

While for the life of me I can't see why this might be a must-hear before dieing, it was a pretty nice album and I enjoyed it, especially the guitars.

Really didn't expect this sound from the title, but it was really good! It's sorta like REM, but way better. Cool lyrics sometimes. A fall-y album. BT - In My Mind - What Gets Heard - Understanding - Liberty For Our Friend - If'n - Time With You

Was listening to this while running some wiring in the house. Made for solid background music. As I understand it this is one of Mike Watt's projects post-Minutemen. Love his bass sound, though I think Minutemen built better songs around it. That said, I really enjoyed this album. Had some jams that stood out (e.g., Time With You). Had a lot of others that were fine, but not so memorable. I'm a soft 4/5

dAMN tHIS iS a gOOD aLBUM. Guitar, bass, and vocals are all great together. Short and sweet. Doesn't have the gravitas that a 5 star album would normally have, but everything else is there. I would give this a 4.5, but I'm rounding down because it's just hard to call this a 5 star. Really enjoyable listen though!

I love going into an album having no idea at all what to expect. Luckily this album came out on the good side of me liking it. Each song sounded so scattered yet so organized at the same time. I love how every instrument is highlighted at some point with their own moment to shine. Time With You is my favorite song on this one Think im going to spell my name jAMES from now on

Going to give it a light 4. Really enjoyed the post rock sound with the classic rock song writing and structure. Enjoyed the second half of the album way more than the first half. Will definitely be listening to it more in the coming days and weeks.

Great alt-rock carrying on the unique Minutemen flavour.

Solid alternative rock album. The bass lines were pretty nice throughout.

This reaaaally impressed me

I expected to hate it but this was shockingly really cool! I love the free flowing nature of all the songs, and the variation of genres throughout. 8/10

This album is funkier than you'd expect from a 'forefather of grunge' type of album. The mix of funk, folk and punk is really a joy throughout most of the album. It's really only the final track that lets it down, a sort of precursor to the bland dirges of Pearl Jam and their ilk. For the rest of the album it skitters about in lovely ways. It's so close to five starts - I will definitely add this to my collection

I thoroughly enjoyed this! I didn’t know that there was a post-Minutemen project and this took all the bits I really like about their sound and condensed it to a much more palatable project than the 80+ Double Nickels on the Dime (which is still a great record, it just loses my attention a bit towards the end). This on the other hand was a really exciting and enjoyable blend of punk stylings with those trademark killer grooves throughout

Never heard of these guys before - but I was intrigued right from the get go with the funky guitar riff intro. The instrumentation is great, a wonderful mix of acoustic and electric guitars, super funky bass and a variety of percussion that all come together into a playful treat for the ears. Having two entire tracks dedicate to just drum solos seems like a bit of a bold choice, but maybe that was the guy's requirement to feature. Fav Tracks: In My Mind, Liberty For Our Friend, Understanding

Very great proggy HC 4.2

As always, I was disappointed to receive another post punk 80s Brit-Pop album, but this one was very refreshing compared to others I've gotten. Experimental and original content that expanded the genre instead of just playing in it. In my opinion, the album was a little slow, but had a surprising amount of range I appreciate the effort and risk on some of these tracks. I enjoyed this album a lot more than others of the same genre on this list. 4/5

My partner didn't like this album very much, but I think it's quite alright. Definitely has an interesting style to it. Nice and short too. I will say, the first twenty seconds of the album are probably the best part of the whole thing. My favourite song was Time With You.

- Great guitar and bass work - Folky but not too folky; blends different genres well - Short and very enjoyable listen - Favorite songs: If'n, In My Mind

- Big fan of the funk elements - Mas Cajones was super funky - Jazz influenced for sure