Superfuzz Bigmuff
Mudhoney
1988
Album Summary
Superfuzz Bigmuff is the debut EP and first major release by the Seattle grunge band Mudhoney. It was released on October 20, 1988 through record label Sub Pop. The album was later re-released in 1990 in the form of Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles.
WikipediaNirvana similarities. Like Nirvana, The Stooges and early californian punk all rolled into one. These guys were just before Nirvana too, so seems like they paved the way but then Nirvana did it much better. This feels like a 4 just because it clearly was paving the way and I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
Listened to quite a lot of Mudhoney (and other roots grunge like Screaming Trees, Dinosaur Jr. etc) back in the mid 90s. It deserves points for the energy, the consistency of execution, and how foundational it was to the development of this particular sound... Though it’s a sound I’m not all that interested in listening to anymore.
Everything about this is perfect. The cover. The opening guitar. My slightly unreliable memory of seeing them live in Wolverhampton around this time
80's grunge always hits the spot for me, so raw and gritty and fun. This formative release was a perfect little snack to start the morning.
Great driving hardcore-punk infused, proto-grunge, garage/noise rock. Can obviously hear the influence on nirvana, soundgarden and grunge. Had some of these songs on mixtapes as a teenager, love the riff in "In n Out of Grace". To be picky, they are missing the catchy choruses of the more successful grunge bands, and I don't love the singer's nasal tone. Generally feels really visceral and angry, and would have been great live.
Much better than expected. Never heard of these guys before, but glad I got a chance to hear their music. 2/5
There's a lot of noise and shrieking on this album. I suppose I understand why some people would think it's great, but I'm not one of those people. I wouldn't listen to this again if given the choice. 1 star.
Survived 5 tracks. That’s quite enough to know this scream fest is not for me.
!!! amaze. Definitely see where nirvana got some of its inspiration from!
mi primer correo era mudhoney arroba algo punto com. es una obra maestra de estupidez post-adolescente como el mejor rock and roll siempre lo es.
Lekker!!! Vroeger toen ik nog het idee had om gitarist te worden wilde in een superfuzz en een bigmuff als effecten. Wat een geluid. Uiteindelijk werd het een “Power-rat” pedaaltje (om het verhaaltje compleet te maken)..
When this was first released it changed everything (well, musically). It's still awesome
Banging debut from one of the best bands to emerge from the Grunge period.
Grunge before they even had a word for it. This EP is a mind blowing revelation that will pave the road for the next big rock and cultural movement of the 90's. It will inspire some really great bands for sure.
Abrasive, the kind of music you need when you're pissed off. The production fits perfectly. I listened to the EP + the singles. If I Think is fucking genius. 5/5
When I first saw this album was over two hours long I thought fucking hell these guys have some ego on them then I started listening and saw it was Punkrock and then I loved every moment of it
Regardless of the mutations that the structure of Superfuzz Bigmuff has gone through (six track EP to 14 track full length to two disc deluxe edition with live shows and radio sessions), one thing remains consistent: this fucking rips. With this release, Mudhoney set off something massive and ultimately set that stone for what the next several years were going to be for not just their label but for their hometown and the genre they've birthed. Without this, it is quite impossible to fathom what the landscape would be like and it looks very bleak indeed. Probably bad, perhaps worse. Thankfully, it's not the case. In any way, whether an EP or an LP or a 2 CD set, Superfuzz Bigmuff is required listening for the starting point for grunge.
Ich finds geil und liebe den Sound, die Hits und die Attitüde. Dreckpunk, Proberaum, Heroin, Power, Amerika. Sehr ambitioniert ist das natürlich nicht, aber wer Touch Me I'm Sick und Mudride an zwei Enden einer Platte packt, darf dazwischen gern auch mal bisschen stoppeln. Und schon aus Prinzip kann ich hier nicht weniger geben als für Pearl Jams Ten.
Не, саундом пропёрся. Сразу прям захотелось уши через звуковуху подключить. Покачивает, покачивает. Вики бы не написала - я бы даже не особо выкупил, шо цэ гранж. При оценке альбома возникает вопрос занимательный. Не "А судьи кто?", а "А судить то что?". В оригинальном EP всего 6 треков, в итоге 22,5 мин. А в современном издании эти 6 треки помещены внутрь дополнительных. Ещё и второй диск присобачен. Я угарну, если кто-то в рамках этого движа вместо 6 треков будет 32 слушать, лол.
ну во-первых как постоянный юзер биг маффа хочу заявить, что строить весь альбом на этом звуке — максимально хуёвая затея. Его для ритма и не используют почти, он же ватный сильно, да и для соляков звук как-то недокрутили. Если уж делать звук с ним, то используя какую-нибудь грелку, меня например тащит подрубать его через боссовский турбо дисторшн. Но ладно, цэ всё лирика. Во-вторых — песни на этом альбоме просто на пять голов выше всего, что я слышал от мадхани до этого. хз, может они так скатились в будущем, но ожидал я вообще другого. Это-то ну. норм. даже очень. Как для пост-хардкора — вощще конфетка. Как для гранжа — ну чутка хаотично и мелодики не хватает порой, но влияние на того же Кобейна очевидно. Как для 88 года — передовая нахуй музыка. Вокалист просто зверюга, тащит энергетикой через эти фуззовые стены и долбящие ударные. Трек Hate the Police — вообще один из самых впечатляющих вокальных перфомансов, что я когда-либо слышал. Mudride тоже где-то близко валяется. Композиционно не откровение, конечно, но определенные треки радуют. Для меня небольшой проблемой стала так называемая Ear Fatigue — «ушная усталость», когда под конец альбома уже так много этого фузза и однообразного звука, что физически устаешь это слушать (я гонял полную версию, ясен хуй). В общем для своего времени — ништяк, для нашего — детский доктор, группа когда-то была горяча, 8/10.
May have been the template for grunge, but it's possible to make poppier, hookier songs without selling out.
Yet another surprise for me. This one grabs me immediately with big noise. It follows up with fast and medium hard sound that really keeps me interested. For '88 this seems like a really groundbreaking album.
This dirty, messy garage punk makes me want to buy another Big Muff pedal. This album was fun, and short enough that it didn't outstay its welcome like some bands like this
Punk-rock en estado puro. Buen disco, buen estilo, un imprescindible de esta lista.
definitely grew on me. some songs were too similar and repetitive but the screaming and guitar were kinda additive. cool name x
Another solid album that rocks hard. Early grunge. A few great songs, especially toward the end but not consistent throughout. A 3.5 but will listen again so I'll bump to 4
Nice proto-grunge. Grunge is my favorite genre and this is one of the early trendsetters. I can totally hear Nirvana and Soundgarden here. Good album.
Really enjoyable, liked it more than most grunge i've heard due to the great energy and dirty sound.
I liked the later mudhoney better, but this was a solid angsty garage rock EP. 7/10
I believe that this is the pure definition of a very historical album that sounds "simple" or "old" because of so many things it influenced after its release. The songs are great and the spirit is pure 90's grunge.
Straightforward, short, but oh so tight. The closer clinches it, stretching out without losing the edge that has been honed by the other five tracks.
The 1990 version includes some awesome songs, but I decided for the purposes of this review I'm just looking at the 6 songs on the 1988 release. I wasn't big on grunge when it first broke through, so I think really listened around bands like Mudhoney at the time. I suppose that's fine, as I don't think I would have much appreciated them at the time. But man, these guys are great. They're the only band I can think of that consistently embodies the raw energy of groups like the Stooges and the MC5. This is some stellar proto-grunge that burns with a ramshackle energy, with some furious guitar work and hard driving drums. The vocals by Mark Arm are some of the most blistering and I have heard. I like the contrast between slow burn and straight up rage he does in “If I Think.” Following it up and closing it out with the high energy “In 'n' Out of Grace,” and that’s a pretty compelling group of songs. It makes me want to hear more. Fave Songs (1988 version): In 'n' Out of Grace, No One Has, If I Think
Quality feels like it’s recorded right off the floor. I’m a clean sounding kinda guy but this is gritty and I dig it. Loved Rape Me.... I mean Need. (Oof another lifted riff for Cobain & Co.) Fave tracks: “in n’ out of grace” “need”
Some classic tracks from my youth on here. Always worth a listen even though some tracks take it down slightly from a 5.
I love how RAW this album was, but God it was rough to listen to for long. Overall good experience though.
2/6/2022 Today's Album: "Superfuzz Bigmuff" by Mudhoney - I think this is one of the most influential albums for the 90s. Coming out in 1988 and predating the entire grunge movement, this band shows off a lot of talent and innovation. The groany vocals and and slightly detuned guitars that would define the grunge rock takeover in the 90s are all over this record and are well executed. This album is messy, but controlled and there are a lot of diverse ideas on the record, even if the instrumentation stays pretty similar throughout. Some songs sound like they're made for the mosh pit and some just fit that crying-alone-in-your-bedroom vibe and I think if you look at Nirvana and Pearl Jam, which to me are the closest in comparison to this group, you'll find a very similar aesthetic. It seems that the movement sort of took off without these guys, which is really a damn shame since they were such pioneers of the genre. I don't really know if I am totally on board with grunge music, but I have to say that if you're even just tolerant of hard-rock and metal, you'll appreciate this album or at least enjoy listening to it while it's on. It sounds like the exact transition point between the hair metal that ruled the 80s and more subtle grunge rock, with plenty of chugging 80s guitar and bass lines on tracks like No One Has, but also slowed down grunge beats on tracks like Need and If I Think, both of which sound like Nirvana songs before Nirvana existed. In 'N' Out of Grace and You Got It are absolutely crazy tracks and I like them a lot. I think there are a lot of songs on here that are just sort of forgettable or just don't leave a big impact, but the good parts are really great and there weren't really moments where I didn't at least half-like what I was hearing. I think it's definitely worth it for those who like music with an edge. Score: 7.5 Angsty and Grungy Highlights: Touch Me I'm Sick, Need, If I Think, In 'N' Out of Grace, You Got It (Keep It Outta My Face)
Grimy as hell and I love it. Rougher than the big 4 grunge bands. 8/10
The linear progression of punk to grunge and everything outside and in between is demonstrated well by this list
A ton of exciting tracks with plenty of energy held back by some strangely lifeless ones.
So today we're reviewing... *checks random word generator* ...superfuzz bigmuff. Giving this 4 stars just like the other Mudhoney album we got. They're both super decent, hard-hitting, fun & dirty grunge albums. They might not be quite as catchy as Nirvana, but otherwise not all that far behind.
I tried getting into Mudhoney several years ago before seeing them open for Pearl Jam. It was a little too raw for me then. But now I have a better appreciation for heavier and rougher stuff, so this was good.
Large, dirty guitar sounds. The relentless in-your-face fuzziness strikes me as ahead of its time.
Not normally a grunge fan but actually quite enjoyed this. Somehow it seemed a bit bouncier and playful than, say, Nirvana. I liked it in the same way that I like early Sabbath - the band revelling in the noise they can make. The lyrics weren’t terrible either, from what I could make out. I think the original 22 minute version of this is probably enough for one sitting, but I left the Deluxe edition running just to hear their version of Halloween. Good stuff.
If you lookup 'grunge' music you'll likely be presented with the usual suspects - Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and so on, and in many cases struggle to hear what they meant by 'grunge' sounding - however, stick this on and Touch Me I'm Sick leaves you in no doubt what they meant. This is a great album that makes no apologies about being rough around the edges, gnarly sounding, and even the album artwork you can imagine being stuck together using glue sticks and Sharpie pens.
Big influence on the alternative scene. Honed yum sounds and a loose style to make a pretty good album
While the band name looked familiar, I wasn't at all familiar with their music. Overall this was a rocking album and I will be going back and checking out more of their catalog. Also sweet album title!
The guitar riffs are sick. It may be an issue with the spotify album but 2 hours of many of the same songs was a bit too long. The core songs are phenomenal, though.
The deluxe version was the only version on Spotify and the 2:15 hour runtime definitely scared me so I only listened to the original 22 minutes at first. It was an interesting mix of post punk and pre grunge that definitely captures a weird grey area of rock like this in the late 80s. Regardless, this was a 3/5 but once the original tracks ended I wanted to keep listening to the whole deluxe thing so I suppose that bumps it up to a 4
The album that defined early grunge. It's hardcore punk with a strong emphasis on a dirty, heavily distorted (often doom-like) guitar and slowed-down, almost evil sounding vocals. It's loud and energetic, and some songs have a surf rock influence that aligns with contemporaries like the Pixies and Sonic Youth. I know this isn't the original album, but I loved almost all the songs, especially the collaboration with Sonic Youth on "Halloween." Favorites: Touch Me I'm Sick, Sweet Young Thing, Need, Mudride, If I Think, In n Out of Grace, Halloween
Gripping, grungey, engaging, gets in, gets out, leaves you breathless and wanting for more.
This sounds like early Nirvana which I like. If I have my dates straight, this was released before Nirvana’s first album which gives them OG status for the Seattle scene.
Raw and raucous. Can hear what inspired the like of Curt Cobain etc. Love it.
Sludgy, thick, heavy guitar coupled with frenetic vocals and energy is a perfect combination in my book. Any album named after a fuzz pedal (much less two!) probably rocks, and this LP does so in spades. Things are fairly homogenous in the track length/tempo department, but when the sound is this good you gotta let the little things slide and let it wash over you.
Shocked that I had missed this, right up my street, really liked it and will be listening to more of them
This is an important release in the early days of grunge. But, it is only an EP and I would not include on the list for that reason. It is solid, however.
I understand why this was there, as it is very influential for the grunge movement. This was pretty good, but less good than some other similar things in that genre. 7,4/10
Spotify only has the Deluxe Edition so I'm listening to that release. Nailing down what grunge bands sound like isn't easy but this album sounds more grunge than most. The guitars sound so good!
Grunge sounds more like Mudhoney than Nirvana or Pearl Jam. Pretty important record/EP and it holds up pretty well today. The deluxe version runs a little long in the tooth, especially since I can't tell much difference between the final versions and the alternative recordings.
Pretty cool one. Songs I Already Knew: None Songs I Really Liked: Need, Mudride, No One Has, If I Think, In 'n' Out of Grace
I like the tone and sound of the album but the vocalist gets really annoying after over half an hour.The songs are all layered in distortion and fuzz with giant sounding Choruses.It gets exhausting after a while.Even the slow songs sound gigantic.Really liked some of the songs though