Reviews (page 5 of 8)
I had no idea what to think about this album after my first listen. The songs all sounded similar and the sing/spoken thing that Cake does can be found here. I personally haven't enjoyed that method of singing. A lot of these songs sounded similar after my first listen. On second listen, it didn't change too much. "Washer" gave me Death Cab for Cutie vibes but "For Dinner..." and "Good Morning, Captain" had what sounded like similar guitar sounds. I am a bit surprised this is called Post-Punk because I don't know if I would characterize the music this way. There are loud post-punk parts but the majority of this album is quieter and more thoughtful. I don't know if I would ever listen to this again. Not bad but also not sure where it fits in. I found myself checking my watch as my attention would give this nothing but a feel of background music.
An interesting listen. Kind of yo la tengo x mbv x modest mouse ? Not very accessible and probably won’t listen again but it’s a vibe.
This was ok but not especially gripping on first listening. Listened another two times because it sounds like I should like a lot, but it’s still a bit meh.
I'm not sure about this..... It's pretty unique, maybe sounds a bit like pavement? The talking over the guitars reminded me of the track deep kick by rhcp. A whole album of this in unsure about though. I'm going to sit on the fence but I might come back to this. Had something about it
Is it good? Is it bad? I can't tell whether I love it or hate it. It's definitely punk and the songs definitely go on longer than they should
3.5/5
Its not bad. And I imagine so influential that it sounds old hat, but I'm pretty sure no one was doing this kind of stuff late 80s early 90s.
pretty vibey music, i enjoyed it
J'ai donné deux écoutes à cet album et j'aimerais tellement comprendre ce qui le rend si important dans la scène post-rock/hardcore. Trop souvent je le trouvais innofensif et pas assez abrasif. Même trop passif par moment. Je suis quand même curieux de lui redonner d'autres chances. 5/10
I think I always confuse this for an album I like more. This is fine?
Wow, so much work for an album cover, I'm impressed! (not) Jokes aside, the music was actually interesting. Some pretty dark vibes, but the mix is not good at all. I think it fits the genre though.
Not bad, but not fugazi.
Ok
An enjoyable listen
3.5, didn't quite do it for me
Sick album, oppressive soundscape. Really moody highs and lows that know when to rock and when to get really quiet and angsty.
If this were, like, my nephew's friend's band, I'd probably be like, wow, that's really good, they're really cool.
There's some good stuff here but not enough to generate 8+ minute long tracks.
As a 90's teen, kinda can't believe I didn't know this record already.
3+
Certainly an album too sophisticated for me. I get that what's here is good, but my disinterest for this type of music makes it hard for me to enjoy this. Not bad by any means, though.
Some of this has an eerie ominous effect that borders on unnerving at times, would work well in a horror movie minus the vocals
Man, this is a tough one. Listened a couple times last week and again today and I'm still unsure how I feel about this album. I feel like my level of excitement dropped with each listen as his taking/mumbling style of singing started to wear on me. Seemed like this had potential to very good to great, but it never kicked into that extra gear. Too much grunge meets goth. A little more grunge and this album scores higher for this listener. Can't say I would turn this off but can't say I would seek this out either. I did enjoy my listens and I did think decently good. Loved the songs my Spotify genre lead me into after the album was over....damn I'm still unsure what i think about this. 3
This is a 1 star album...... but I...... I kinda like it. I like the narrator singing style (even if it's too low for me to understand what's being said). I like the ominous melancholy tone throughout the album. The songs are long, but I couldn't hit skip halfway through because I wanted to see how they would change. This album probably had a big influence on the modern Midwest Emo scene that's been picking up over the years. Overall, I won't be going back to listen to this album again, but I will be thinking about it for some time to come.
I almost wish I could've heard this in a few different ways to pay attention to the mixing. The vocals are overpowered constantly but it's clearly a design choice and gives a good texture to it all. I liked hearing this but don't know if I'd come back much. Was more of an experience vs something that blew me away or seemed to be incredibly skilled. This is a strong two or weak three.
Never heard of the band or the album. This album has a doom metal vibe, slow discordant and gloomy. Not to say this is a bad thing. Stand out tracks: - Washer - Good Morning Captain
An interesting listen 3/5
Like a punk Explosions in the Sky with spoken word, dark lyrics. It doesn’t capture my attention but I recognize the objective.
Never heard of it! Enjoyed. Coulda been in the rotation back then.
Notable tracks: Breadcrumb Trail, Nosferatu Man, Don Aman, Washer, Good Morning Captain
litt cursed
Pretty cool.
Das Album, das oft als Meilenstein des Math-Rock-Genres ist spiegelt angesehen wir spiegelt die Komplexität und den anspruchsvollen Charakter des Genres wider. Es ist definitiv kein leicht zugängliches Werk und erfordert mehrere Durchläufe, um seine Tiefe und Nuancen vollständig zu erfassen. Spiderland zeichnet sich durch seine unkonventionellen Songstrukturen und komplexen Rhythmen aus. Die Band verwendet häufig ungerade Taktarten und abrupte Tempowechsel, was das Hörerlebnis herausfordernd, aber auch faszinierend macht. So schafft es eine düstere und intensive Atmosphäre. Die minimalistischen Arrangements und die oft gesprochenen, statt gesungenen, Texte tragen zu einem Gefühl der Beklemmung und Isolation bei. Diese emotionale Tiefe ist ein Markenzeichen des Albums und kann beim ersten Hören überwältigend wirken. “Washer” ist ein herausragender Track, der durch seine vergleichsweise zugängliche Melodie und Struktur hervorsticht. Es bietet einen emotionalen Höhepunkt und ist vielleicht der am leichtesten zu verdauende Song des Spiderland ist definitiv ein Album, das Zeit und Geduld erfordert. Es ist kein Werk, das man nebenbei hören kann; es verlangt nach Aufmerksamkeit und Reflexion. Wenn man bereit ist, sich auf die komplexen Strukturen und die emotionale Tiefe einzulassen, könnte es sich lohnen, erneut in die Welt des Math-Rock einzutauchen. Vielleicht entdeckt man bei jedem Hören neue Facetten und Details, die zuvor entgangen sind.
I don’t know. I liked the punk roots. It didn’t help that Apple Music immediately recommended Fugazi (who I prefer).
Post soft rock. Agradable de escuchar tranquilamente.
Slint's Spiderland is a challenging but rewarding listen. The slow-building, dissonant soundscapes and whispered vocals create a dark and atmospheric mood. While not for everyone, its influence on post-rock and its genre-bending experimentation have earned it a place as a cult classic.
Enjoyable! Never listened to it before. Love this genre. Thought this was a very good but not amazing option for the genre. Wish it was less talk singing.
There are elements I like - the odd rhythms and chords are fun, but I'm not a fan of the spoken word. It sounds ahead of its time, yet feels aimless and amateurish at the same time. It has potential and does something different than was common at the time, so I'll give them that. 3.6
I didn't even notice the album had finished, so I guess it was... unmemorable?
he thought he ate 😭 5/10
I think they are annunciatinf a bit too much and it’s throwing me off. Songs r long. Idk why I must listen to this before I die. Mid 5/10
Alright, kinda wacky… 6/10
Not sure how I feel about this one. It's interesting, but not compelling.
Iistened to: 13/06/25 AL: I thought this was an incredibly interesting and unique album. I loved the track “Washer”, but I found the overall aesthetic of the album difficult to get into. I can see the modern day influence in BC;NR and similar bands, however this is almost too raw for me. FT: “Washer” 3/5
Words are generally almost inaudible in songs, but I appreciate the sound of overdrive and other things in them. The album got better towards the end, 3/5
I dont crave it, but I don't hate it either. Father to all the grunge bands. 3?
Production on the first few tracks was incredible with the only drawback being the vocals. As the album continued the production value dropped, but this is still a very good album overall.
- pretty good vibe - I’m sure this was very influential on a lot of stuff that came after it, heard a lot of genres from grunge to emo - 3.5
- I appreciate this even know I wouldn’t usually listen to it - creates a sense of drama - feel like they were the super early version of the Deftones
I was somewhat distracted while listening to this, but I didn't find it particularly memorable. Not sure how I feel about post-rock. It was fine...I think?
It grew on me the second time around. This would usually be exactly what I’m looking for but most of the tracks left me overwhelmed. Rating: 3.4
Okay I kind of didn't like it at first but then the math rock of it all hit me. Feels like the beginning part of Tool without it ever getting really good. But I still kinda enjoyed it.
Never heard of this album. Mostly low key guitars and almost spoken lyrics. Quite enjoyable.
Good
cool
honestly it was good but a little dark for my liking. still a great album i love the guitar riffs and the lyrics. it’s really foggy out as i’m listening too so it set the vibes nicely!
This whole album has a Henry Rollins vibe and you are just expecting it to go off because there is so much tension. It doesn't. That is until the final track that REALLY seems like Rollins. I liked it. Overall. Particularly that last track.
I don’t exactly love math. But I think I kind of like math rock?
This is ok, pretty interesting. But kind of reminds me of the band Dada, who were contemporary. I liked the music more than the vocals. High 3, but not enough to round up. 3/5
6/10 Another band I’ve heard of but not knowingly heard Early post rock, clearly influential on a lot of stuff I have listened to in the past - big Arab Strap and Mogwai vibes Well played and layered production I wish the vocals were higher in the mix The shouty poetry doesn’t always work Major long-haired serious sad university guitar boy vibes here Best: Good Morning, Captain
I love what this tries to do, it just feels a bit unfinished. 4/5 if they retry this album
Dark and mysterious — didn’t quite fit my mood, but will revisit.
3 wouldn’t consider anything a song on this album, more like spoken word with dark dissonant backing track. Still worth it to listen to but nothing on the daily playlist
Decent album. Did not like it the first time I heard it. Second time now, it's getting better. Some standout moments that are really good, but a lot falls flat for me, or bores me out. 3/5
First impression (although there's some deja vu, i'm sure I've heard this album before) was/is that I really like the musical mood set here; foreboding post-rock dissonance with strains of beautiful melody that always portends something sinister around the corner. But the vocals ... they're something. Honestly the spoken-word vocals at first seem to be the right recipe for this, especially referring to the opening "Breadcrumb Trail" - seems to match the almost sinister dry mix of odd music (which doesn't get repetitive either). It just gets old fast. It's frustrating because the music is challenging and interesting. I quite obviously enjoy the long instrumental passages infinitely more than the mumbles-then-semishouting. ...ugh i don't know. by the time I'm listening to "Don, Aman" I don't know whether this is kind of cool - this low near-whispering vocals - or it's the most pretentious bullshit I've ever heard. Because it's pretty close to teetering on that edge. Related: this is exactly the kind of thing that critics love to praise while simultaneously shitting on more-popular music for being arrogant, pretentious, bombastic, and/or overwrought. Because what is *this* album if not all of that? It's absurd and absolutely pretentious and I want to hate it but damn there's still something very mysterious and cool about it. I've listened twice and haven't given up on it. Gimme an 80% instrumental version of this and we've got something. 6/10 3 stars.
feels like 90s
Interesting sound that reminds me a bit of Gruntruck and Helmet. A little more punk vibe to them tho.
I liked it musically. Broody. Vocals were not my thing.
Never heard of them.
This is definitely proto post hardcore. That's pretty cool.
Die Platte hatte aus meiner Sicht sehr viele gute Ansätze, leider haben sie es in keinem Song geschafft, mich durchgehend abzuholen. Ich fand alles dann doch etwas umdynamisch und etwas zu lang (habe per se nichts gegen lange Songs, denke nur, dass sie einen Grund brauchen, lang zu sein). Hier schlummert also für mich viel Potential, was definitiv nicht ausgeschöpft wurde.. für mich!
- Höre momentan durch Sunny immer mal wieder gerne Post-Rock und kann damit viel anfangen - Hier hatte ich solche und solche Momente: Mal dachte ich „geil, was für coole athmosphärische Momente“ und manchmal hab ich die Augen verdreht und gedacht „okay, dass ist jetzt ein bisschen sehr gewollt/erzwungen artsy“ - Ich sehe auf jeden Fall die Pionierleistung im Post-Rock - Also insgesamt auf jeden Fall spannend und hat mir all over auch echt irgendwie gut gefallen, weiß aber gleichzeitig nicht, ob ich nochmal wieder reinhören werde. Ich bleibe ein wenig unschlüssig zurück Rating: 3,5
- stellenweise echt richtig gut und launig - zum Ende raus etwas schwächer
I had to listen to this twice because I just didn't know what to make of it. Like another review said, I still don't know if I like it or not. The Lo-fi DIY esthetic isn't really my thing but it's kinda interesting. "Good morning Captain" is probably the best track even though I still don't know what the hell is going on. The howling of pain at the end is certainly one to haunt your dreams though
I liked one of these songs
wacky, but not bad
Breadcrumb Trail is one of the best songs I've heard this year if not an even longer time span, I probably have 2 hours of time listening to just that song already. It's just a shame that the rest of the album no matter how much I listen to doesnt manage to get my interest in the same way
My favorite of the ‘𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤’ style albums I’ve heard. Each song felt equally pleasing to listen to, no stand out tracks for me.
I thought this was kinda interesting.
This had some promising moments but overall I feel it is definitely not more than a 3 and that might even be a stretch
Super weird, musically interesting, depressing and strange lyrics. At least it was interesting
Spare and unsettling. Not for everyone, but worth a listen.
not bad but not for me
I'm honestly so angry at myself for not liking this album that much. I LOVE every genre this falls into: post-hardcore emo grungey math rock, that's a combination made in heaven. But Jesus Christ does this lose steam between songs 3-5. Those three songs feel like they're building up to something that never comes and just sizzle out at the end - it's like audio blue balls. "Don, Aman" and "Washer" are boring as hell, and then "For Dinner.." delivers the ultimate vibe-killing punch by doing nothing for 5 whole minutes. "Good Morning, Captain" saves it at the end, because it felt like we finally looped back into what the album was doing with the first two songs after getting sidetracked by a loose goblin in the studio. I've listened to this album about 5 times in hopes of it finally clicking, but I think I'm ready to throw in the towel. 3/5. Influential as hell and I love a lot of albums that cite this as an inspiration though.
My initial review was going to be "decidedly mediocre" but the album has been growing on me as I listen to it, particularly starting with Don, Aman. I like the softly rhythmic guitar and the whispered vocals. I can't hear what the vocalist is actually saying though so I can't comment on what the band is trying to impart. Could be creepy, could be subversive, could be wishing everyone happy thoughts, I have no way of knowing by listening alone.
This LP starts off somewhat weak, vocals mixed too low and not playing fully into the "quiet-to-loud" aesthetic; the second half pays this off, starting with the nasally but intense vocals on "Washer" and the roaring climax of "Good Morning, Captain". Tracks are long on this six-song LP and the mood is somber. Were it more consistent in the quality of sound, Spiderland would be a stronger showing.
This album is good and feels unique and original, but is so slow and takes forever to get to the point. It also isn’t a very fun album to listen to and, sincerely, fuck that final track. 3/5
Dark, atmospheric, low-fi-esc
I've never heard of this group. I'm not sure I'd listen again but it was okay.
Cool alternative/grunge sound, good listen.
The wikipedia about this album is so interesting. How the bandmembers had to be institutionalized during recording. The roominess of the guitars is a beautiful characteristic. The brother of a bandmember said the album sounded spidery, i def agree.
Definitely ahead of its time and you can clearly hear how this album became an early influence on Mogwai, God Speed You Black Emperor and others.
I really liked this... I heard the influence on so many 90s bands.
What? Not only an album I've never heard of, but an entire band I've never heard of? This is pure grunge. 1991 so very early, yet you can hear Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, even Brand New in here. I'll listen to this again at some point.
Would probably like this a lot if I was in the right mood. But TBH I'm already in a low mood and this isn't helping haha. So it's musically very good, but too dark for my tastes right now.
The time signatures and song structures are atypical and very fun to ponder over. On the flipside, the songs drag on, giving you plenty of time to understand the strange arrangements and musical choices, think them over, grow slightly bored of them, and then frown and check how much time is left in the track (barring the opening track, Breadcrumb Trail, which is fantastic throughout). The lyrics are great, but sometimes difficult to make out. The instruments demonstrate the band's punk roots, which I'm not a huge fan of, but they make it work to an extent. Like another reviewer commented, I listened to this whole album closely and I still can't decide whether I like it.
Kurzlebige Post-Rock-Pioniere. Sphärisch-schwerer Sound; gesprochenes Wort; Rhythmen und Stimmungen können sich plötzlich ändern.
Was ready for some 90s rock, but this went above expectations. First two songs are in 7/4 and 5/4 which was a nice surprise. The style is interesting with the lyrics usually being more of a story told in a speaking voice underneath the music. Loud soft dynamic is cool, and I can see how this would be influential. Definitely benefits from listening with headphones. The album doesn't overstay its welcome, but it does drag a bit at times, and it's bookended by the best tracks.
Pretty decent stoner rock.
The choice to use spoken word is interesting. The music is very subdued except in a few choice places where the tone gets really dirty.
Never heard of the band or album before. Enjoyed the sound of the album a lot, a lot of the darker sounds of the early 90s, but not really metal and not really grunge either.
Grungier than behind the deep fryer of a burger joint in the 90's. Sludge-like distorted guitar sounds, discordant at times, talking parts. Enjoyable and definitely represents the era well, but tough for an "active" listening session. Likely better with a J in hand.
A bit too fuzzy for me
Never heard of them. I like it.
Distinctly average
1991, Post-hardcore, post-rock, math rock Better than expected. Kind of mellow-metal. 3/5
I liked this album a lot better when I was in college. Still nice to revisit something I hadn't heard in years, though
2.9/5 Best Track: Good Morning, Captain
I've always heard about Slint, but never actually listened to them. This is good stuff. Very reminiscent of The Van Pelt and American Football, although I believe these guys are the OG. Favourite tracks: Breadcrumb Trail, Nosferatu Man, Don, Aman.
I think there is some potential here and I'd want to give this another listen or two and form a better opinion. But my initial listen is a 3/5.
Stuck between thinking this is a really good rock album and this is not the usual type of rock music I would choose and enjoy. Jury’s out…….
In another life I would fucking devour this album - not sure why but it’s just never really clicked with me. I appreciate what it’s doing and feel like I should like it but just don’t. My bad I guess
not really my style.
Interesting at least. 3.1.
I agree with that every song lasts a minute longer than it should but I actually enjoyed this. It has excellent moments
Kind of forgettable, if I'm being honest. Not bad, but not groundbreaking or outstanding. 3/5
Solid “speak your lyrics into a mic” alternative rock album. Had a good alt-grunge vibe going.
Moody post punk rhythmic noodling. Some cool song structure.
So I gave this two listens, and I liked it, but it didn't really rise to the level of being great or even particularly memorable. It reminds me of Wire, but not as good.
J'ai trop peu de temps disponible dans ma vie pour écouter des punks barboter pendant 40 minutes.
Je sui scertain d'avoir écouté cet album mais n'en ai pas le moindre souvenir.
Huh.
Post soft rock. Agradable de escuchar tranquilamente.
Not bad at all
An album I enjoyed much more in my teenage years than I do now. Still has moments of brilliance like the end of Washer and Captain but is largely pretty boring and abuses the idea of build up.
Tästä ei ysärimmäksi rock mene. Ihan jees.
Kohtuullisen monipuolinen levy, mut eipä nouse listalla yli verrokkiensa. 3/5
Not a fan of the loud distorted guitar at random times. Sounds like good moody atmosphere music. Lyrics are good. Don, Aman is relatable but the music is bleh.
washer, specifically the end.
Don’t know what to think about it
Not sur if i like it or not 6/10
This has some great elements to it.
Lots of spoken words over calmly trance'y rock backdrop
Nothing made me want to hit repeat but it keep me interested start to finish.
I primarily listen to math rock/post hardcore/midwest emo, but I can't tell if I like this or not.
Superhans from British TV phenomenon “Peep Show” said it best; “What we need to do is create a powerful sense of dread”.
Better than I thought it would be and stayed that way which is great!
Decent listen. Solid 3.5 here
Nokkuð gott. Áhugaverð tilraunastarfsemi m.v. tímasetningu.
interesting listen. different. every song is a patchwork of musical pieces. certainly willing to give it another listen.
Kuulee kyllä, että pian on Bright eyesin ja Death cab for cutien aika, eli edelläkävijä (?). Hyvin tarkkaa, välillä voisi irrotella tunteella enemmän.
Очень замысловато
Interesting in theory.
Hmmmm. Not awful. Not my thing. Some good stuff. Some self indulgent stuff. Play songs, not maths formulae.
What a great story; the unheard album that becomes a cult classic and effectively establishes a genre. Loving this album becomes a shibboleth of "you wouldn't have heard of them" coolness. I worked in an independent record store in Australia during 91/92 and was totally and completely unaware of this record. And it was my job to be across stuff like this. No reviews, no advertising, certainly no touring. I did not hear of this album until the early 2000s. I had dipped my toe into post-rock, but generally, I generally like a steady driving rock and roll beat (that I can bug out to), so the stop-start nature of post-rock gives me the irrits. I think that was always my problem with this record; the first song, Breadcrumb Trail, is particularly stop-start, changing time signature, far too clever-clogs for my taste. But listening to the rest of the album, I found much more tolerable as that aspect was much reduced. And by the time you get to the closer, Good Morning Captain, we are into driving two chord rock. The whispered, occasional screamed, lyrics are almost inaudible and completely devoid of tune, which makes hem seem a little superfluous. I think that, if I listened to this about 25 times, I would learn to love it (it sounds great; really immediate and un-fussy). But does it fill me with the desire to run out and form a band, or even just buy a copy of this album? Sadly, no. I am generally too old and settled to buy records just because they make me look cool and knowledgeable, and so, Slint, I will, with regret, walk past your record and purchase something else. PS- I do appreciate that CD copies of this album have "this recording is meant to be listened to on vinyl" printed on the back. Especially at a time when vinyl was basically wheezing its dying breath, this is a cool gesture. Also, the front cover photograph is pretty damn great.
I typed a whole essay for this joint, but it disappeared somehow, and I’m not redoing that shit the TLDR: sonically good, but structurally weird album
Enjoyable and somewhat interesting. I liked the spoken word and time signatures. Overall a strong 3. First track is a favorite.
Intrigued - always wanted to listen to this!
njds
I recently learned about this band, and was surprised that my son was a fan of their music. It was a way slower pace than I wanted out of them.
Meh...
I had never heard of this group or this album and was going to say something snide about obscurity begetting obscurity, but then I heard Good Morning, Captain and had an epiphany. This is the American shoegaze masterpiece. And no, I’ve no clue what ‘math rock’ is but I don’t mind it.
Starting to think that whoever put this album list together just REALLY likes grungy rock
Good album.
Interesting sounds!the more I hear it, the more Im interested. 3/5
Cool tim signatures, weird choice of lyric delivery
This is odd. Moody, jarring, dark, without really any singing but the creepy murmurings of a miserable man. It establishes that haunting mood really well, but I don't think it does enough with it to really deserve a top rating. 3/5 again, I'm back in a rut.
Interesting heavy music.
Interesante, pero exigente.
Foi realmente desolador perceber que o potencial apresentado pelo instrumental para se confirmar como um disco colossal de post rock se esvaiu pelo incômodo provocado pelo vocal.
3.75
I don't get it at all. Maybe it's too much high level for me. Good album
Thought this was a really solid raw album. Do like spoken lyrics, probably weakest track for me was Washer were there is singing but each track has decent guitar behind it.
Music ok, wierd talk-singing isn't my favorite
The album predates Nirvana, but it sounded a LOT like them to me, but without the screaming vocals. The vocals by themself are a lot quieter, more... directed. They're purposeful. Reading the wiki, they mention the band as math rock. I don't think I notice that as much the first pass-through, but it was more on specific songs, like "Don, Aman." I usually only give bands a once through, but this one was warranted. I felt I was missing something, so I had to give it another try. Kinda glad I did, I liked it more on the second listen. I still think there's times that the songs drift a bit into noodling, so I don't think it's like "yeah, man. Slint is da stuff!" But considering the album came out in the same time of grunge, and it still seems to be talked about, that's saying something. What it is, I can't say.
New band to me, I liked this but something held me back from a fourth star and nothing grabbed me enough to make me want to go back to find out why.
Like Bauhaus meets the Velvet Underground or Godspeed...
I can't tell if I liked this or not. There were points where I thought I did, but then got annoyed with the repetition and track length, and other parts where it felt pretty cool. 2.5
Interesting listen. I didn't particularly like it but I appreciate that this was an early influence on indie & post rock stuff.
eDgY. So far not bad (on washer), not afraid to change pace and throw random surprising sections in. But so far not blown away by the choices and sounds like an angsty teen a little too much. Just checked RYM, may have been a bit to critical, but I honestly have not been blown away yet. Also looks like they only had one proper album. Solid 3
Probably the first album on hear that I thought I was not gonna like from the beginning but actually started liking more and more further in. Kind of weird that it’s a whole album of songs that sound like it would be the one gloomy experimental song on an album. Not a fan of the whispery vocals. Very moody stuff but I’d say it captured the kind of emotions that I had as a teenager. Last tune is the best one I think. The guitar player went on to play on two Tortoise albums that I was pretty into in college. 2.5
I really like the darker vibe and riffs but it is quite redundant at times, I feel that it needs more ups and downs to keep me more interested through the album.
Generally speaking, I greatly appreciate both post-rock and math rock - so I would like to thank these guys for their contribution and for laying some groundwork. That said, the groundwork they laid was for vastly better bands. Knowing these vastly better bands, I really can't get into these album. Too jarring, too dissonant without any really interesting or rewarding parts, bad vocal performance.
Interesting. Liked it, but probably not going into my rotation. Kind of had some stoner rock vibes.
Veel herhaling. Gepraat is amper te horen.
Enjoyed.
Un peu emo, un peu sludge. Du spoken words, album très dark. Mérite une autre écoute, très lent.
I thought it was going to be better than what it turned out to be
Points for the uniqueness. A bit long and loud for parts though
One of my favourite genres is Post Rock / Math Rock and these guys were pioneers, influencing many groups that I love. This album is dissonant and experimental with many quiet passages. Kudos to them for influencing so much great music in the 90s
not bad, not so good
Rating: 6/10
This requires repeat playing but it has grown on me. Hypnotic guitar patterns, understated vocals. reminds me of someone but not quite sure who.
3/5. Very iconic riffs and drums that inspired other bands but the vocals and pace of the song aren't my cup of tea.
Enjoyable listen even if I had no idea what they were saying. I read that it would be strange time signatures so was expecting really out there music. Turns out, it was soft punk. Like a Suicide Tendencies that you can listen to with kids home—assuming that they too can’t make out any lyrics.
Litt meh, men heilt greit I guess
not sure what to think of it
I liked it. I didn't love it, but I did like it.
I liked this better than I expected to... after reading about the band I expected to hate it. The creepy murmuring vocals got old quick. Didn't find the rock all that math-y. It was all right.
What a great story; the unheard album that becomes a cult classic and effectively establishes a genre. Loving this album becomes a shibboleth of "you wouldn't have heard of them" coolness. I worked in an independent record store in Australia during 91/92 and was totally and completely unaware of this record. And it was my job to be across stuff like this. No reviews, no advertising, certainly no touring. I did not hear of this album until the early 2000s. I had dipped my toe into post-rock, but generally, I like a steady driving rock and roll beat (that I can bug out too), so the stop-start nature of post-rock gives me the irrits. I think that was always my problem with this record; the first song, Breadcrumb Trail, is particularly stop-start, changing time signature, far too clever-clogs for my taste. But listening to the rest of the album, I found much more tolerable as that aspect was much reduced. And by the time you get to the closer, Good Morning Captain, we are into driving two chord rock. The whispered, occasional screamed, lyrics are almost inaudible and completely devoid of tune, which makes hem seem a little superfluous. I think that, if I listened to this about 25 times, I would learn to love it (it sounds great; really immediate and un-fussy). But does it fill me with the desire to run out and form a band, or even just buy a copy of this album? Sadly, no. I am generally too old and settled to buy records just because they make me look cool and knowledgeable, and so, Slint, I will, with regret, walk past your record and purchase something else. PS- I do appreciate that CD copies of this album have "this recording is meant to be listened to on vinyl" printed on the back. Especially at a time when vinyl was basically wheezing its dying breath, this is a cool gesture.
Definitely one for listening with headphones and no distractions. Lyrically wonderful.
Zeker leuk om dit eens te luisteren!
Ik heb veel sympathie voor deze band, maar ik heb nog nooit een heel plaatje uitgezeten en nu weet ik waarom; Gewoon geen kut aan, behalve dat briljante geschreeuw van Goodmorning, Captain. Vandaar deze minzame 3 sterren.
Every once in awhile, some music theory nerds sneak in through a propped open studio door so they can make and release a record, and for some reason, every time that happens, a new entry is created on this list. It's creative, but is it interesting? The answer in this case is a huge meh. Best track: Nosferatu Man
I’ve listened to ‘Spiderland’ several times now, and I still can’t decide whether it’s sheer genius or utter rubbish.
I found it to be pretty interesting. The songs have a way to pull you in and keep you engaged, even with them being quite long. The instrumentals complement the themes of the songs as well, being harsh and mysterious at the same time. The mix of soft spoken and shouted vocals plays very well too. 6/10
6/10 had some interesting moments but overall pretty boring
5/10. Utterly forgettable. Fun cover art though.
Enjoyed this- especially love the rhythm section. Felt like a young, creative and free project. Quite an intense and direct listen as well- good!
Don’t get why you would close your album with a 16 minute ambient nothing track but otherwise a pleasant surprise. Love the long track run times.
Not a bad grunge album. Probably wouldn't listen again
I tried. I get the influential aspect, but it was a bit repetitious for me.
I came in completely cold on this one, no context or memory of hearing of this record before. Imagine my perplexitude as I waded into the first few minutes wondering if the sparse, detached yet rambling narrative was just setting up a cacophonous contrast, like the dissonance of an orchestra tuning and getting the jitters out, before settling into a congruous framework. In advance I envisioned this would be kind of an edgy indie act, somewhere between Cake and Nirvana, and prepared my ears for a downtempo, awkward setup, then some solid verse-chorus-verses. Instead the awkwardness stretched on with no end, a loquacious stream-of-consciousness, and meandering moody jamming, more like the no man's land between Underworld and Tool. I was intrigued as to whether there would ever be a coherent lyrical or melodic structure, but to the end I was kept in suspense. After listening again a couple of times it makes for great meditation and letting my own imagination wander. Now I realize this record is from over 30 years ago and there was not much of a follow up. Even perplexinger.
Very interesting album. Having been recorded in '91, sounds very influential for alt/post-rock to come. Not something I would listen to everyday, but I appreciate it's significance.
They seem into it
6/10
For me personally, Spiderland suffers from being the third album of its genre in the last four days--and not a favorite genre of mine. But I will learn what there is to learn, and appreciate what there is to appreciate. I thought the first song was a respectable representative of its ilk, and I liked enough the back and forth of spoken word with soft music to angry shouting with a hard rock backing. It does take a while to settle into this one, and I still struggle with 8-minute tracks, but I got into it a bit more as the day went on. Interesting vocals and lyrics pushed it up a notch.
Hmmm…I don’t know…I kind of appreciated the moodiness of the instrumental music, but the vocals did not capture me at all.
Better for listening to it.
Talking over hard riffs
It feels like an album of ambient strummy guitar "secret tracks" from 90s rock albums. Ok, not amazing
Good chunky punk.
Good instrumentals but just lacking the singing to make good rock sonvsz
Wasn't too impressed until one of the middle tracks that had a very tasty minor key hook. Vocally uninteresting
Certainly not an easy album to approach. Lots of spoken word... some strange bastard between a psychedelic Doors song and In Utero from Nirvana. It's best when it has it's dark noisy groove on... i particularly liked parts of Washer and the angry end of Good Morning, Captain.
This album influenced Pavement and the similarities are clear. Interestingly in the math rock genre. The band broke up before album became critically acclaimed. It’s moody, grungy - feels like Seattle scene music but they’re from Louisville. Good album.
I heard about this album on some music nerds tiktok. Not really my style
Punk and grunge and asmr
na koncercie ich bawiłabym się przednio to na pewno. niektóre dźwięki bolą w uszy. w don, aman i washer początek ładny, ogólnie fajny koncept takiego mówienia. troszkę ciężko się słucha, niektóre piosenki tak na słuchawkach, ale na koncercie super by było. i okładka fajen.
Very cool! Had not heard of them before (kind of the point of the whole 1001 albums project, I know, which is why I love this). Intriguing sound, can hear the punk and post-rock style, and I like their mix of styles (e.g., some spoken-word stuff that sounds kind of Beatnik and art-rock-y). Not something I'd listen to often, but I definitely appreciate the work.
Spiderland is a solid emo rock album. Very intense vocals paired with intense change of dynamics throughout each track. A lot of really beautiful instrumental sections. Lots of really nice guitar work.
Decent. Some very good bits, am always surprised by amount of talking / singing. Doesn't sound 30 years old.
Interesting but all a bit samey.
That first track hits different. Have listened to this before and didn't fully get it. I still don't, but I'd listen to this again
Tämä onkin hankala arvioida, sen verran taiteellista tavaraa. Läpi levyn oli tehokeinona tarinan kerronta hiljaisella äänellä, kuin runoa lausuen. Se alkoi kyllästyttää jo toisessa biisissä, mutta toisaalta se pakotti kuuntelemaan myös soittimia tarkkaan. Unenomainen, painostava tunnelma säilyi läpi levyn. Vaihtoehtoina arvosanaksi oli 2, 3 tai 4, mennään peruskolmosella!
Not feeling it. Sounds very moody
HOWEVER! I like the album better than Joy Division's _Closer_ from yesterday. _Spiderland_ is a pretty good early 90's...music like what my friends played in the mid 90's. It probably did deserve more recognition than it got when it got released, but that's kinda what happens when you don't tour and barely sell. I don't think it is any more impressive than a whole host of music released around the same time though, it is definitely only here because it was a "hidden gem" that only the people "in the know" are aware of.
Reckon it would go up to a 4 with more listens. Can see how it's influential for Mogwai and others
I remember being very excited to get a copy of this in college. I was a huge post-rock fan and this kept coming up as a foundational album. I didn't dislike it, but it seemed overhyped and not that connected to the post-rock scene I was so into. Feel the same after a relisten. Not a bad album, but feels more like a decent indie bank and a post rock milestone.
This was OK. Not my favorite music style consistently. Some songs were better than others
Midwest grunge
Un bon album rock, les tounes sont bien cosntruites et le son est bon. C’est plus une experiemce d’ecoute qu’un album rock a ecoute dan 7ne soriee. 3.5
No notes, a fine listen.
Not entirely sure what to think of this. Wasn't easy listening, and have heard this album before actually. Not sure it grew on me either. Certain aspects of the songs reminded me of Jeff Buckley, nice motifs and certain chord progressions but then a whole load of intense dissonance I couldn't get on board with
Didn’t get it at first, but after reading some context, it does capture the feeling of “emptiness” quite well.
As partes de guitarra são interessantes mas não gostei do vocalista, só fala, não canta
esquisito, gostei mas é bem médio
Instrumentally I like all that's going on, but vocally is where it breaks for me. Spoken word parts are fine but some of the singing is... not great. Very dynamic though. I can see why other bands were influenced.
Better on a second listen - most of the songs here are slow burns but worth the wait.
Seit 7 Alben habe ich keine 3 Sterne oder mehr vergeben. Das Gespreche auf dieser Platte nervt leicht. Dafür hat die Musik aber auch was zu sagen. Musik, die mit elektrischen Gitarren gemacht wird, sollte häufiger so klingen. Und nicht wie 'The Fall'… Die Platte wird im Nachhinein - für mich unverdient - mythisch verklärt und über den grünen Klee gelobt. Ob es wirklich wegweisend ist oder folgende Bands nicht auch ohne dieses Album zu neuen Wegen gefunden hätten, sei mal dahingestellt.
Not bad but not great. Some really good guitar and overall instrumentals, but not too engrossing.
Eh
I liked the more melodic songs like the first or the fourth one. The other songs were not really it for me. I also thought that the album was missing some variation and some of the songs were sounding quite similar. Overall I liked the vibe of the album but 1-2 songs would be enough for me.
Interesting album. Didnt grab my attention but it's not bad at all.
Imogen: "I appreciate it as a good post-rock experimental album, and I like the song Good Morning, Captain, but it’s not something I’d personally listen to that regularly"
Another album I "get" more than anything. Does a great job of creating a listless mood. The drumming is impressive. Favorite tracks: "Nosferatau Man" and "Good Morning, Captain".
This was ok, not great. I won’t be returning to this one anytime soon
Not really for me.
Correcto
How on earth did this make the list? This was painful to listen to, virtually no enjoyment here.
Realmente no me gustó tanto.
American miserablism. Rather enjoyable. A little Nick Cave-esque.
Emo dinner party music....I am not sure I really fit in here and everyone is just sad and just pushing their food around their plates
It was a cool album, however I didn’t enjoy the lyrical content in it :/. This is a shame because I enjoy the genre, emo/math rock/ indie rock. No songs listed as my favourite. Rating: 2.5/5 GEMV (18.06.2026)
dull, dull, dull
I liked the pink parts of this, but not the math rock parts. Just too long and too boring Favorite Song: Breadcrumb Trail
This was long and boring and felt like it would never end.
so unmemorable that I only remember that I didn't enjoy it
This feels a bit like hanging out in a friend's basement in high school. It's the early 90s... and you're pretty sure this is the coolest place you can be right now. And, luckily, without cell phones and social media, you aren't comparing your experience with others.
I guess some post-rock and math-rock groups have a bit to owe to this group. Doesn't necessarily make it that enjoyable, however. The overall moodiness and spoken word vocals for most of the tracks aren't exactly inviting. There isn't much of a payoff for a lot of these meandering tracks too, which sullies the listening experience a bit. I guess there is a crowd for this and while I do see the merit of the artistic choices that were made here (dynamic shifts, strange time signatures, overall noisiness, etc.) it simply isn't really for me.
Kinda funky. Didn't hate it but it's weird
Viel Krach und Lärm, nicht mein Fall, hab aber schon Schlimmeres gehört. Teilweise Nirvana für Arme.
Ich versteh kein Wort. You have to speak louder son
Cult following normally means great but undiscovered… not in this case Interesting shoe gaze adjacent like a 90s version of the velvet underground and about as good.
So maudlin
I like what they were trying to do but felt like I need to saint my ears to hear it
Noiseniks, ok but not scintillating.
It's interesting and a completely new musical experience. They formula seems to be: - cool riff - poetry slam - bit of jamming - noise I like it and hate it at the same time. Odd.
Garage rock for art school grunge kids...and it's...*whispering...not good!
You know what? I’m just glad these guys got to have a nice day out swimming when they took the picture for the album cover. They looked like they were having a good time.
Some kids put a band together and recorded some shit in their garage. 2
Nah. If I were to die tomorrow I wouldn't want to spend today listening to this. Didn't finish.
The vocals were too soft: he wants to draw you in but it just feels like he's whispering so he doesn't wake anyone up. It was OK, but were there multiple songs or was it just one long one? Moody, but didn't engage enough to hold me.
No one NEEDS to hear this any time.
Debating giving this an extra star because I do like "Good Morning, Captain", but honestly I didn't really like the rest of the album so I don't think I can give it more than a 2. Maybe it improves on re-listens.
The first time I listened to this album, I remember thinking it was meh...and since I fell asleep, I listened to the whole album again. I'm still not impressed with it although I did think the songs went on too long...ugh! I liked part of "Washer" but again it just went on too long. This album did reaffirm my newest thought that what some would call music is not what others would call music. I can't imagine people buying tickets to see this album performed in concert, but apparently in 2005 there were three international tours. Who knew? I do know I wouldn't be one of the people at the concert.
Fernando Mendoza was a two star - but I wouldn’t draft Fernando Mendoza
I immediately disliked the first song, then enjoyed the second song and thought I’d judged too quickly. And then every other song followed that one and I found out I was right to judge too quickly.
album un po' noioso, buoni suoni ma vocalità totalmente assente, più parlato che cantato
Nothing stood out to me.
Mid
I knew nothing of this band. I found the music somewhat mesmerizing at times, and would have enjoyed this more as an instrumental record. But I am not a fan of “talk singing “, or whatever it is called, and I liked their actual musical singing even less. I’ll give it two stars, and I don’t need to hear it again.
If Slint had caught me at 15, maybe. But today, no.
Surprisingly, I didn’t completely hate this. I liked the athmosphere they tried to create and the lyrics were interesting (when they were understandable). Not keen on the spoken word and the “vocals” in general.
182/1001 That’s it. I’m done with this list. I quit. That was the final straw. This list is absolute garbage, to me anyway. I hate to be a quitter but also I should have done my research. Why should I care what some randos think I need to hear? Looking now at the complete list, I see so many amazing bands missing and others with only one album and yet Dexys midnight runners has 3?! Bowie with 9? I’m dodging a bullet missing out on that 3 hour album by magnetic fields at least. I rate today’s album just like 80% of my ratings, yet another 2 stars. Good luck to you all who persevere and may whatever God you believe in have mercy on your soul.
Secind time ever listening to this. Enjoyed it more but still not really a fan of this album. The weird speaking/ whispering didn't really do it for me. 4/10
I didn’t enjoy listening to this. Oddly paced. Long tracks. Not as bad as country music though.
Idk kind of noisy and just not pleasant at times. I liked a few of the riffs.
La verdad no lo entendí pero está bueno que se yo, lo pondría para tener algo de fondo
No thank you
Not my kind of music.
Overall not for me. Some moments that were decent, but by and large not a fan at all. 2 stars
I like Washer and For Dinner… but that’s about it, and i don’t love them either, i will forget about them by the time the next album comes out. songs are too long for an album where less than half are worth listening to. if i had to rename this album it would be called “guy softly talks over mediocre guitar for 8 minutes”
Saved? ❌ Would listen again? ❌ Would recommend to anyone? ❌ Would buy on Vinyl? ❌
Washer Fav- 2/5
Nope.
They sound like an opening band at a dive bar. Even though the album was only 30 minutes long it felt like every song was an hour long. Hard to believe they are so highly acclaimed.
when noone told some young earnest people that what they were doing wasnt deep and experimental, it was boring and shit, then they kept doing it so long other people started believing it too.
Quite boring alt grunge not my cuppa
Pretentious. Just fucking sing already. This mumbly grumbly spoken word is so annoying. The music is good but so repetitive. It all blended together for me and it was just not pleasant.