Reviews (page 2 of 7)
-this is a perfect album (EP actually, I listened to the original release, only those 6 tracks, not the others that the latter release has, keep in mind) -this is grunge before Nirvana (or any of the big 4) came around (even Kurt loved this album) -it's energetic -I FUCKING LOVE THE ALBUM COVER RAHHH! It matches the sound this album is going for and I love this type of punk rock energy -lyrics are pretty sarcastic I'd say -it's noisy at times (and I love that when its done well, here is definitely the case) -favorite songs: all of them (again, the 6 tracks the EP has) -least favorite song: N/A
Listened to the original 6 song EP first. This shit rips. Album name does not disappoint. Fuzzy, grungy and absolutely filthy guitar sound. I wish all of the albums on this list had half the distortion that these tracks have. I get it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I can't think of a better way to sweeten my morning beverage than with some Mudhoney.
Fuck yes. Sadly, I had never heard of this band before today. Forget Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. Mudhoney is the shit. Just kidding, never forget about them. I don’t have very much to say about this masterpiece besides that it fucking rocks. Songs like “Need”, “Sweet Young Thing Ain’t Sweet No More”, and “Hate the Police” make me want to burn it down. Not anything in particular, just everything. Although I’d probably get arrested pretty quick. After all, you can’t find justice, it’ll find you.
Lovely combination of purposefully unpolished and competent musicianship.
Wonderful album from an oft-overlooked great of the grunge scene. Saw them live a couple of times and the deluxe edition reminds me of just how good they were
I was so happy to get this on a Friday
Yep. Should be here and is pretty great. If I named my album like this it’d be Wah bluesdriver delay. This is how you do noise. And rock.
On my first attempt at Sydney University, I was not a good student. Tuesdays, in particular, I would go to my 11am English literature lecture with my mate Grant, and then we would trundle off to Manning Bar when it opened at noon, because Tuesday was band day. Every lunchtime there would be a band playing, usually some local alternative band. But hard to argue with free, right? One week in March of 1990, we ambled up to the bar, where they were lugging in very large, but incredibly beaten up, amplifiers. "Who's playing?" I enquired of Ian, the Activities Officer. "Mudhoney" he replied. "Cool", I thought. The chance to see an overseas band was a special treat, and I knew the name, even if I wasn't familiar with their music. At 1pm, they shambled out and ripped through a cacophonous and powerful set, largely based on Superfuzz Bigmuff and their self-titled record. They were a revelation. They were loud and fast and angsty and funny and drunk as hell (at lunchtime!). This was music as I wanted it to be. Proper dangerous punk rock that didn't take itself _too_ seriously. As I recall, lots of people thought it was a terrible racket and left, but it sure made a mark on me. It is one of the greatest gigs I have ever seen. As soon as the set finished, I hiked up to Scratches Records at Newtown and bought a copy of Superfuzz Bigmuff, which is one of my all-time favourite records. I have bought at least four copies over the last 30 years: my original black vinyl, which I wore out (literally wore it out, I played it so much), followed by an orange AuGoGo pressing to replace it, then a CD copy with the extra early singles (which I also already had on vinyl, but it's handy to have on a single CD, you know?), then the deluxe CD edition with the demos and live disc. My wife looks askance at me when I mention I own four copies of the same album, but it is all worth it, I tell you, worth it! I went to see them a few times that tour, and on their next Australian tour, which was in December of the same year if I remember correctly. I saw them at the Lansdowne Hotel, the Phoenician Club, the Paddington RSL, and then a few years later at the Big Day Out. I love, love, love, their stuff. I had been hanging around on the Sydney alternative live scene for a couple of years, so this made a lot of sense to me. Australian alternative had a lot of the elements of grunge (that noisy, punky garage rock thing, leavened with a piss-take attitude), but this was the first American band that I had seen doing what became known as grunge, which was about to take off. I love the fuzzy, terrible recording quality, the sloppy playing, the punk energy, the heady combination of angst and humour, the sense of being out of control. Mudhoney were my band. I bought their records, I wore the t-shirts, I saw them live as often as I could. It helped codify my musical taste and also heavily influenced the terrible band I was in for most of the 90s. I ended up working at Scratches Records not long after that, so I had a front row seat for the explosion of grunge in 1991. Oh, to be 20 years old again, working in a little record shop and seeing bands three or four nights a week at a time when there was so much exciting music happening. While the explosion of underground music into the mainstream was exciting at the time, in the long term, it didn't really turn out well for many people (including independent alternative record stores like Scratches). But that's a story for another day... My infatuation with Mudhoney did influence me in one way that I regret. When Nirvana's Nevermind exploded, I was pretty lukewarm on it. Everyone I knew who worked in alternative record stores got thoroughly sick of how overplayed it was. I distinctly recall being at a barbecue on Boxing Day with a bunch of alternative music store and band scene people, when my mate Tim tried to put Nevermind on the stereo. There were cries of "no, no, no, anything but this" from the record store contingent. I mean, good record, but you can't listen to it all day every day, and it's not Mudhoney now is it? And so, with a combination of being tired of Nevermind and generally being broke, I didn't buy tickets to the first Big Day Out or to see Nirvana when they played the Phoenician. I really regret that now. But I don't regret ever listening to Mudhoney. They are still my band. I really love this record. It is an all-time, top ten classic, desert island disc record for me, but maybe not for everyone. Five stars
Very much enjoyed it
Mudhoney's first EP carries on its brief runtime more energy than most of the grunge scene together. A high that was hit once and rarely achieved again in all of the genre's run.
If primus was punk and less weird lol. I liked it!
Dude, I think your guitar is broken. But man it sounds kewl. Punk into grunge. Pretty music is out. Crooked sounds. Energetic tempos. Off-kilter is the new normal. I'm sick (but don't you wish you were too). Subversiveness is required. Irony. Incorrectness. Society might want to cast us out but we've already left. Attitude must be expressed at all times. This is where we stop making electric guitars try to sound like acoustic ones. Fuzz, wah, feedback, elctronic fracturings are part of the desired sound and being used as core music components. Disaffection as a way of being in the world. The ultimate in dropout from "standard culture." Get drunk. Get wasted. Get fucked.
Magnífico de principio a fin.
I really dug this album. I listened to it all the way through twice. It felt somewhere in between the glam metal of the 80s and the grunge of the 90s. Right up my alley.
Sounding very similar to Bleach era Nirvana, this is a propulsive album full of passionate back of the throat vocals, distorted fuzzy guitars, throbbing bass lines and machine gun drums. That late 80s early 90s grunge scene was an awesome period in rock and this is a perfect example.
Had heard of them but never listened big angry sound. Loved it.
I'd heard of Mudhoney, mostly for "Touch Me I'm Sick", but hadn't listened to anything else. I was a bit bothered about the 2 hour runtime of this album, then found it was a re-release with a bunch of other stuff, and the Spotify one was the deluxe album, so even more. The 1001 book entry on this was about the original 6 track version, so I listened to those tracks first, then had the deluxe one on in the background. I really enjoyed it, will listen again. I can see how they may have inspired the more popular 90s grunge scene. Probably should be a 4, but yesterday it's a 5 for the raw punky energy.
Big, *dumb* riffs. But god, are they fucking good. You can easily hear what was emerging from the Pacific Northwest on this, especially shades of the likes of Soundgarden. I hesitate to use the word "bro-y", but I do get, for lack of better description, party vibes off this. It's the evolution of punk rock, *soaked* in beer. It's fun, it's dumb. Bang your head. Favorite tracks: "Mudride", "If I Think", "In 'n' Out of Grace"
Era exatamente o que eu precisava, guitarras que moldaram o grunge.
4.5 YAY screamy noise! some of these songs sound very soundgarden, which makes sense as i'm sure mudhoney were very musically inspring to them. i really like this, it's inspired me to make a fun grungy playlist. some songs felt a little samey, but this is a genre in which i don't particularly mind - if/when i listen through this album more times i'm sure i'll be able to distinguish between songs more easily. favourite(s): halloween or you got it, although the first track was such a strong opener as well. very good stuff.
Wasn't really into grunge back in the day, but that was more due to high school clique biz than anything else. Yeah, this slaps! Was gonna say 4.5 but due to its influence on a lot of stuff I now like, and the fact that more listens will surely deepen my affection, I'll round up. This entry makes me want to stick Robert Dimery with TWO pins. Firstly for picking an EP (or a compilation, either is annoying) for the list, and secondly because it's made me realize there's no Melvins on the list, and arguably they were even more crucial to the birth of grunge. Fave tracks - "In 'n' Out of Grace" from the original EP, with honorable mentions to "Need" and "Mudride" - "Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More" if we open it up to the 1990 compilation, and "Here Comes the Sickness" if we're using the 2008 compilation!
Oh yeah, great album. Obviously the album that influenced nirvana, pearl jam, all the grunge bands.
Wow, did I need this today. "Superfuzz Bigmuff" is the debut EP and first major release by Seattle grunge band Mudhoney. The album was recorded in Seattle on the Subpop label with producer Jack Endino. The album title was named after the band's two favorite guitar effects: the Univox Super-fuzz and Electro-Harmonix Bigmuff. It initially sold poorly but was later acknowledged as a seminal record in the Seattle grunge scene. Guitar strumming as band kicks in opening "Need." Mark Arm's throttled vocals. A dirty sound with the guitar and music sounding very Stooges' like. Nirvana was in the room. There's so much he needs, he bleeds. The band goes punk on "Chain That Door." Fast-paced thrashy drums. A churning guitar. "Mudride" is slower, grungier. Steve Turner stretches those guitar strings. Here's the grunge and heavy feel. A wah-wah and distorted guitar layering: still my beating heart. There's no place to hide as he takes you on a mudride, baby. "No One Has" is back to fast paced. Great drumming and off-key guitar chord notes. "If I Think" starts off slow. It takes off and we got that soft-loud-soft thang goin.' It ends in Southern rock fashion. Why not? The last song "In 'n' Out of Grace" is just straight thrash metal basically. A Peter Fonda eulogy open from "The Wild Angels." More wah-wah and distorted guitar layering. This a pounding, great album. No halfway on this. They fuse the Stooges, Jimi Hendrix, punk and early-to-mid eighties thrash metal into something their own. Great guitar. Arm's lyrics and vocals are edgy (hell, the whole band is edgy), chaotic and strained. He's lived a rugged life and his plans are not to change. Put this record on now and wake your neighbors the fuck up. Tremendous album cover too.
Slightly aggravating to figure out how to listen to this. Originally released as an EP in 1988, then re-released as an album length compilation including the songs on this EP (although in a different order) and early singles from the band. The only thing available on streaming services is a 2+ hour deluxe edition which has yet a different track listing order than either of the first two releases. Reading interviews and such, it seems like Mudhoney has been asked about it a bunch as they seem pretty adamant that they consider this their first album, and that they consider the designation between EP and LP to be pretty arbitrary. With that in mind I chose to listen to the 6 song 22 minute original "EP" release for this. This album definitely rules and rocks. Mudhoney were the best grunge band in that scene, and that should not come as shocking or surprising to anyone anymore. And like most bands from that scene, their first release was their best. It's the most urgent, raw and true to live representation for them. Just a great recording as well to capture that spirit.
Seminal album in my youth.
Hammer (Mini-) Album der Grunge-Ära. Rotziger Garage Rock/Grunge, aber trotzdem melodiös. Zwischen 4-5. Ich gebe 5, weil es einfach herausragt.
The time of some of the albums that come on this list is just evil sometimes. Mudhoney are playing their First show in Sydney in 9 years tonight. I decided not to go months ago but bam, this comes up and I regretting the fact I'm not going. Seeing them at the Bondi Pavilion at the tail end of 1990 was one of the best thing to happen to me at stage of my life. Most of what they played is from this album which to me is still as blistering, and fresh as on that day standing just behind a sun burnt drunken mosh
Great energy
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.
32 BRANI!
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
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
groooovy
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.
Awesome. Raw guitar tone, high energy.
A two hour and 15 minute ep? Really good! 4.5!
Banging debut from one of the best bands to emerge from the Grunge period.
When this was first released it changed everything (well, musically). It's still awesome
Bad ass album! Truly ahead of its time. The birth of grunge?
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)..
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.
I really enjoyed this album. Really grungy.
fuck yeah
THIS IS AMAZING
!!! amaze. Definitely see where nirvana got some of its inspiration from!
80
Yummy yummy yummy I’ve got fuzz in my tummy. Delightful. About 20 years ago I saw their singer Mark Arm perform with three fifths of MC5, which was great.
Some nice grungy grunge. And with a few bonus tracks pretty much the perfect length.
Pretty fun and cool. Did quite get to the 5 for me, but it was great.
Enjoyed this more than i thought. proto nirvana !
This is the most 1988 album ever. You can tell it's grunge before Nirvana, punk but not quite, a smidge of 80's hair metal. Really indicative of the time. 7/10
ok like this isn't an album its an ep. but that aside.... yeah this fucks. its that sludgy shit i keep talkin about and the weathers hot again so its needed desperately. "mudride" is the dirtiest sounding thing here so that's obviously my favourite but i love the sound in all the forms it takes on the ep. the drums go hard and the distorted guitars live up to the name "superfuzz bigmuff"..... really my only complaint is that its so short. but like, it is an ep i guess. and not an album, i gotta go check if these guys ever had a track on a thps game. i'd be amazed if they didn't cos this sound is like a distillation of what i associate with that series' soundtracks lmao
for a long time i didn't get grunge. i used to download mega playlists published by Sub Pop from the zune marketplace but i usually passed on mudhoney and other grunge acts. a little bit of me felt guilty as a born and raised washingtonian, but i think i appreciate it better now after catching on to shoegaze. anyway, the album. i can see the deluxe version losing people, but i think the original 6 track is slick, raw, and other innuendos. definite 5/5. however, the cold open to the first live track on disc 2 is really good. HOWDY! they sound great and energetic live. i guess if i'm going to rate it based on the deluxe first disc 14 tracks, minus the demos, it's a 4.3
Classic EP. This here is the true sound of grunge.
The raw noise and scuzzed out riffs of the Stooges but slowed down and dirtied up even more - thick sludge but full of energy. A masterpeice of making a fucking racket.
It's been a while since I last listened to this record. It's not as good as Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge or their later records on Warner Brothers, but its pretty good. The single, Touch Me, I'm Sick, which only appeared on the later extended version of this album is probably the best song on the album, but everything is listenable. The kind of sludgy, hard rock sound that borrows from the late 60's-early 70's stands out a lot more on this album and it feels a bit tossed off. That being said, Mudhoney definitely already has a distinct sound at this point and is a record that I will listen to again. It's a fun record.
Proto grunge is for expiriencing and about feeling the music, nothing more. That's why it was so powerful back in its time. And still is!
aaaaahhh waaaaaahhhhhhh albertos thesis graaaaaaaaaaa
Not sure which version I'm supposed to be reviewing. The original E.P (1988, six tracks) gets 3/5 from me. The 1990 re-release (12 tracks) is a solid 4/5. However, the Spotify link leads to the 32-track Deluxe Edition? I ain't about that life, dawg. I'm gonna pretend this submission is "Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles (1990)" because "Touch me I'm sick" slappps.
Okay so I left this one really late but superfuzz bigmuff by mudhoney was pretty good. It has two versions one with six songs an another with 14 and I listened to the one with six tracks since I’m short on time. It was quite good and can definitely hear how this music influenced nirvana. Overall quite good. Top three: Need, In ‘N’ Out of Grace and Mudride
interesting that an EP made it onto a 1001 ALBUMS list, but whatever. hope it's good my rating is based on the OG tracklist. i'm not listening to all that extra shit in the deluxe edition on spotify Need - 4/5 Chain That Door - 3/5 Mudride - 4/5 No One Has - 4/5 If I Think - 4/5 In 'n' Out of Grace - 4/5 Average score: 3.8/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ interesting, this is like proto-grunge. i don't think i necessarily like this more than the later groups that would come after them (like Nirvana), but it's cool to hear where some of their inspiration came from
Я снова попал в ловушку ожиданий. А альбом оказался просто великолепным. If I Think 🫠
Listened to the version with Touch Me I'm Sick on. That and In N Out Of Grace are brilliant. When they sound like The Stooges it's incredible. When they sound like Soundgarden, less so.
Very good rock/punk
Have not listened to this in a long time. Oddly, liked it more on this listen. Only based on the actually EP not the extra tracks. 3.5 rounded up Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes : 73/292 (25%) Will I get: Already have
Never listened to Mudhoney but love this kind of music, really does sound like a prototype before Nirvana
Dug this a lot more than I thought I would. Don't judge a book by it's cover, or an album by it's off-putting name
Shouldn't be naming albums stuff like Superfuzz Bigmuff but if you do, it should sound like this.
Actually not bad at all. Some really high-energy stuff that sounds like it's gonna come barrelling down at any moment, because no way they can keep up the energy and musicianship going at the same time for too long, but they make it work on the EP.
Good album, TOUCH ME I'M SICKKK (literally right now)
Really enjoyed this, you can hear its influence on later bands like Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr., etc. Pretty simple approach but it works really well. What grunge sounded like before it got commodified and overdone.
I haven't gone deep into some grunge acts because I think as the 90s wore on a lot of them sounded really samey and kinda dull. Not the case with this one though - has the kinetic energy of Bleach-era Nirvana or Pixies even. Love the thrashing, metal-like percussion and their use of distortion. Gotta check out more, just listened to the original EP
It sounded like a demo of a nirvana album but the dirt was very enjoyable.
Mudhoney end up positing a kind of interesting question on this EP; "If you're one of the most influential bands for one of the most influential bands ever, are you one of the most influential bands ever?". I think the answer ends up being kind of, but probably not. But regardless, if it's any consolation, this was one of Kurt Cobain's favorite albums, and it is, in it's original, 6 song form (*a lot* of reissues on this thing), basically a perfect grunge release. I will also say that while Superfuzz Bigmuff may not be the first grunge album, it does feel like the first real "before and after" moment for the genre since Melvins, Green River and others kind of melded into grunge a couple years prior. Superfuzz Bigmuff is pretty much everything that grunge would really become in the '90s. It is the genre's punk energy and ethos, pop songwriting and alternative sound. With occasional detours into twangy and even sludgey places too. This was probably the most solidly definitional example of what grunge is. It's also grunge's last minor breakout before Nirvana happened and kind of changed the ballgame. All that being said, the 23 minutes on the original release here are fun, chaotic and as surprisingly well written as the genre's hits. The fuzz tone is filthy and electrifying, and the performances are edge of your seat. There's hardly a thing to complain about here, although I may save the 5 star. The length here is really a blessing and a curse here. But I am hopeful for Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge.
Seminal album in the ushering in of the grunge era. Hard to call this an "album" with all the bolt ons over the years, but there's plenty (and more) to enjoy here even if it's been grown since it's original printing.
Never heard of this band and still know next to nothing about them but this was noisy, grungy, and fun.
rating the original ep only, fond memories of seeing them live
80s garage rock giving birth to grunge
You can really hear the Nirvana inspiration here.
Sounds exactly how the album cover suggests it should. "You Got It (Keep It Outta My Face)": How I feel about Google and Microsoft's forced AI features.
3.5 stars
Right so I pulled the 1990 version tracklist off of the Wiki because the original is like 20 minutes and the version on Spotify is over 2 hours. Overall a very nice punk record. Guitar melodies a bit lack maybe but at least it’s high octane. Reminds of Queens of the Stone Age a bit, which is a compliment. 4/5
3.5
3.5
I actually like this compilation album a good bit , especially the sludgeier parts. I can't say this is in the realm of the classics the big four, but I really love the raw energy throughout most of the album. And though I can see why the EP was overlooked in 88, it is definitely a signpost of the grunge to come. In some of the tracks, I can even hear some of the vocal cracking that Kurt Cobain would perfect in Nirvana. Three outstanding bits outside of the classic "Sick" track. "Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More", the B-side of "Touch Me I'm Sick", and "In 'N' Out of Grace" and "Need", both from the original EP. I actually preferred more added non EP tracks more, and the less we talk about "Chain The Door" the better. It's a solid four mainly for the sludge factor (8.5) ★★★★
Wow didnt know about this band. Love that it was overshadowed by the big ones in grunge but its rlly cool!
It took me a little time to get into this one but as soon as "in n out" came on I was hooked. Brilliant. Loads of energy, loads of noise. Loads of fun. I'd probably prefer a little more polished production wise, but that would likely take away from what they're doing here. I'll put a 4, but I reckon on a few more listens this could become a 5, although I've no idea which version it would be since there are like 3 track listings around.
Raw sound, liked it
The beginning of grunge that just sounds dirty with a touch of punk. Classic album. Second loudest concert I have ever been to.
Some really great stuff for me in here, I'll have to listen again
This is pretty dope. Creeps into the Four Star Club.
For satan jeg elsker alt ved det her. Rammer den helt rigtige grunge-klang, jeg så godt kan lide. Fuld jonna
messy guitars, fun. messy vocals, not so much. very high energy, drummer is getting quite the workout.
that was some grunge
vocal me irritou mas gostei, strong 3.5 favs: need, mudride
Like the missing link between The Stooges and Bleach. Lacks a little in the hooks department, that even the gnarly riffs and crunchy guitar sound can’t fully compensate. Could, and probably will, listen again
Draw a straight line from the stooges to Nirvana and it passes straight through this. More tuneful than Iggy but with a similar growl and ethos. Not quite the quality of Kurts songwriting, but Nirvana borrows so heavily from this, especially the drums. A great listen.
3.8
You’re all cowards. I wish it were 5 hours long
Classic grunge! This is more like it after so many narcoleptic "classic rock" albums! Not as good as Nirvana's contemporaneous Bleach, but still up there with the rest of the best of late 80s Effects Pedal Rock. They blew Soundgarden off the stage when I saw them play together during their first UK tour. Fuck me I'm sick!
Shoutout to the fact that the second the drums kicked in I recognized them from Bleach by Nirvana (which was also produced by Jack Endino and recorded at the same studio). Anyways, surprisingly, I've never listened to Mudhoney before! But this is some good, grungy, garage rock, and I do have a soft spot for that. Love the energy here, love the riffs, and love how pivotal this was for grunge music. Definitely sounds a bit like a band still finding their sound, but that can happen when you're doing something no one's done before. Favorites: Need, If I Think
Didn't think I'd like this as much as I did. Dig their vibe
I fuck with the nirvana-ish sound
I grew up in western Washington and am honestly amazed a bit at some of the bands from the area that became massively popular. Mudhoney is one of those. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed seeing them at the King Kat Theatre in downtown Seattle, I think tickets were $8 and beers were 25 cents, but it seems downright odd for a band like that to make records and that the records sell and people who never saw them live or engaged in the scene at the time can have a connection with the music. Frankly, the music isn't all that great! The energy is the thing.
Very punk epic cool I like big time!
Oh I loved this. I hadn’t listened to Mudhoney since being a Nirvana obsessed teen and literally just listening to whatever an already long dead Kurt Cobain thought was cool, but this was great. Particularly liked ‘In ‘n’ Out of grace’, ‘Hate the Police’ and the cover of ‘The Rose’ .
I'm only going to review the original 23 minute album as the addition of the "...plus early singles" drags it down, and I have no interest whatsoever in the live tracks added to the "deluxe" version so I'm not ever going to bother with that. Raw, punky, grungy and a great listen. I respect the band's choice of releasing just 6 tracks originally - because these are by far the best sounding and best produced. I would guess it was the record company who decided to add the "early singles" to fill up a CD release? It was the wrong decision.
Not sure if I was supposed to listen to the EP or the LP version but in the end I just had to go with pressing Stop midway through the Deluxe Edition, which technically doesn't match either. But I really like this earlier, punkier incarnation of the band, and dug the album a lot more than 1991's Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge. Pretty sweet grunge forebearer that I'm sure was a real kick up the ass on its original 80s release.
Really liked it. Would definitely listen again.
Wild and crazy, a bit rough, very indie/underground. This band and this record are influences to some of my favourite music from the 90's. I have listened to this many times and will listen again. Not an all time fave and def harder to listen to then anything I have given a 5, but still a good record IMHO.
Raw and chaotic bliss
Even though the EP was only just over 20 minutes long, Spotify played me 2 hours and 15 minutes of album, adding in singles, B-sides, and live performances. I kept listening because it was good, but it never got quite great enough for five stars, so four it is.
The source❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Solid old grunge/punk
I always like them more in theory than I do in practice, but some undeniably killer guitar work. 3.5/5
The book does not intend for one to listen to the deluxe edition, but rather the EP, which was seminal in genre and its influence. Indeed, the deluxe edition would be a whole lot for anyone to listen to, in one sitting, much less someone who is not familiar with the band. That said, I compiled the tracks from the original EP and listened to those as intended. This album honestly hits... and obviously they paved the way for Nirvana, et al. There was a lot of new stuff along these lines fermenting at this time, and other releases by other bands in this time frame prior to Nirvana's "Nevermind" really breaking things open, but this album was the first significant crack in the dike. This would find itself in my rotation, maybe even significantly so, but not front and center on the queue. I'd give a a 4.25, which rounds down to a 4. Not all partial stars can get rounded up.
q nome é esse mds FAVS (top 3): touch me im sick, mudride, in n out of grace mençoes honrosas: twenty four, need, no one has, if i think, burn it clean gente um rockzinho bem bom meio classico e simples, eu curti eu love gente (nao ouvi as versoes live KKKKKKK mas deve ser bom tbm) nota final: 4/5
#26/1001 🇺🇸 Its a long time since i've listened to this and its been a blast hearing it again. I didn't realise that it was an EP and the copied cassette that i had was more a compilation. The band obviously share a lot of DNA with Nirvana and the influence of Black Flag and The Stooges can also be heard. I've always loved Mark Arm's vocal style (and his name too). I used to enjoy throwing myself around to Touch Me I'm Sick, but thats not strictly on the original record. Need is a great tune and i love the complete wig-out that is In 'n' Out Of Grace. Best Tracks: Need, In 'n' Out Of Grace.
An album that meant a hell of a lot to me in high school. It brought some interesting memories, and it was interesting to see which songs resonate with me 17 years later. 8/10
3.7
As a Gen Xer I am famous and truly appreciate this band an album. The cornerstone of a lot of music I love.
Love early, early grunge. Such a collision of styles. Not my favorite from the era, but it's really good.
It's definitely Grunge: melancholy punk rock in a minor key.
Really good.
Mother of grunge
I couldn’t tell if this was punk or metal. I’d lean more towards punk. It was solid.
Tuned in expecting “early Nirvana,” and got more of a Stooges vibe instead. I’m 100% ok with that.
At 23 minutes (songs 4-9 on the deluxe version), this album left me wanting more - something a lot of bands of the cd era could learn from.
Didn't love the singer, but the original EP is decently good! Mudhoney might grow on me. 3.5*, rounding up.
Right off the top like how dirty and distorted it is. Sounds more like some rock today than 80s. Oh hey the song from The World's End!
I can see this album inspiring the album "Bleach" by Nirvana which is my favorite Nirvana album. The album was consistent throughout and even the live tracks were really good.
4.5.
in hindsight, a p embarrassing blind spot. i went for just the original ep tracklist for brevity's sake but somehow even tho none of the individual songs are super long, there was a strangely grueling quality to this listen regardless...while its recognizably grunge, and its hard not to make a game of picking out shades of future genre titans, its a pretty vivid record all its own with a genuinely confrontational quality that perhaps gets a bit diluted as grunge became a commercial powerhouse. it almost reminds me more of the electric excesses of the stooges than nirvana or soundgarden. the remains of punk snottiness rly get buried under the Storm quality of it all...a pretty cool document, and great music ofc
C'était vraiment pas mal je ne m'attendais pas à ça ! je valide
Superfuzz bigmuff means something else in the UK. I took the 1988 version, since the other is 2 hours long and I want to hear it as it was. The tracks are decent, I do like the grunge sound, but prefer other singers to this guy. Switch him out and this is banging. 6 tracks is a nice length - it's too short if anything - which is better than taking the 32 track option and getting absolutely fed up of hearing it. In 'N' Out of Grace is how the whole thing should sound. Hell yeah that's a tune.
First time listening to Mudhoney and it’s so clear how much Kurt loved these guys. Initially I only listened to the original 6 song tracklist, but after those I listened to the the rest of the deluxe edition.
Blind album, know this artist. A LOT of good tracks. I wish I could give it a 5 because it sounds so good overall, but this is just barely on the edge and I can't.
Dirty garage punk is the best.
I hear why Nirvana was influenced
Scuzzy perfection
Great album, I really enjoyed the pace energy and creativity
Lots to like in here. Tunes that grab your attention and make you listen. Just not quite the finesse / overall songwriting of songs to come from Seattle in future years.
Some super fuzzy grunge. Nice.
Great early grunge album
The original six songs on this ep were a pretty big change from what was coming out at the time. Sure, there was punk/hardcore punk, and metal, but that's not what this was. This had that level of aggression, but with a taste for some melody that was missing, and wider range of emotions. It's a pretty cool ep and deserves to be remembered.
The foundation of the sounds of my youth. Excellent sludgy guitars.
Loved how raucous this sounded. Still feels absolutely electric.
I had heard most of this album in pieces over the years, but I had never listened from start to finish. It's pretty good. Great guitar work, catchy rhythms and excellent vocals, appropriate to the mood of the album. I can see why so many bands copied the style. It's a bit raw at times and there is one dud track (Mudride), but it works well. Not an all time classic, but I enjoyed it and would recommend to rock fans.
Note: I’m reviewing the original six-track EP here not the rerelease album with the singles on it. This band are often credited with the invention of grunge, though that honour might properly belong to the predecessor band Green River. The success, especially in the UK and the deep influence of this album made Nirvana possible. The band didn’t go on to enjoy commercial success to match the critical adulation. For a fan of 70s punk it’s more nostalgic than progressive. Fun fact: the Big Muff of the title is the name of a guitar effects pedal.
I’ll admit up front that I’ve never spent much time listening to Mudhoney, but for as long as I can remember people have always said they were one of the bands that really helped shape Seattle grunge, and I definitely agree with that. What’s cool is that you can still hear the punk and hardcore influences in their music. The production gives the whole album that live in the room feel, which really brings out those sludgy, fuzzed out guitars and gives everything so much raw energy.
I was pondering if I should give this 3 stars instead, because some of the songs felt a bit forgettable to me. Then again the sounds and songwriting on other songs really resonated with me and made me want to learn to play these, so I guess that takes it to 4.
I really loved this. Wah wah, fuzz, grunge, punk. All the good things. Fun to hear how this influenced grunge.
This was great. I love this shit so much. Its undeniable the influence this band had on Nirvana. There's one of 2 songs that Nirvana straight ripped off or at least homaged. This kind of heavy, dirty, punk, grunge is so fun. I love the rhythms, the distortion, the heavy drums and wild vocals. This rocks.
Vibes: 5/5 Instruments: 4/5 Production: 4/5 Emotional Value: 3/5 Storytelling: 2/5 Album Cover: +0.5 Stand Outs: Mudride, In 'n' Out of Grace Overall Rating: 3.7
genre- grunge/ garage punk It was released on October 20, 1988 Superfuzz Bigmuff is the debut EP and first major release Over all8 /10 Long album Love the vibe Fav songs- touch me im sick, need mudride Heat drumming Guitar is fire First song is a great opener Upbeat Vocals good slightly muffled at spots it's hard to understand driving All the openers to songs get you hooked The guitar bass and drums lowk carry. Drummer- Dan Peters active member also drummed for nirvana and screaming trees 2 Guitarists- Steve turner on lead and mark arm on rhythmic and singer singer- Mark arm, also guitarist. bassist- Guy Maddison he took over for Matt lukin Tempo is crazy all over but in good way on chain that door mudride has great instruments but earlier vocals bad but came back to good. No one Has- underrated, best vocals so far. Bass is popping which is nice to hear.
Good energy. Not much more though.
I was kind of meh on this one until the final track
Solid grunge album.
Pretty solid and angry
4/5
Turns out Nirvana didn't invent grunge, it was these guys, and they fuckin rock!
Great album that sets the scence for what was to come.
This missing puzzle piece is teaching me that grunge is one of my favorite genres. It just feels to me like what rock should be. Gritty, dirty, tastefully screamed and yelled. This project is fun and deep and cohesive, and it's just an EP. I love a well produced EP. If you're into prog-punk, I recommend Crackman - Campo-Formio as another example of the EP as it's own solid project. The debut ends with a bang, In 'n' Out of Grace is the perfect outro to keep thinking about the energy after the audio finishes. Then I heard the extended version, and you know, after becoming a fan three or four listens in, the long playing format is great just to keep shoving a similar sound down your earholes. To appreciate the project as it's own thing, I'd stick to the initial 20-something minute experience. You don't need more than the original six tracks to understand the message. 3.8/5
Despite being a big fan of grunge (nirvana, pearl jam, soundgarden etc etc) I never listened to these guys before. Loved it. Very Iggy and The Stooges but can tell they’re from Seattle. Certain tracks on here could pass as early Nirvana demos. Which is a nice way of saying Nirvana did it better a year later but I still really enjoyed this. I wanna be your Halloween dog.
Pioneers of the Seattle sound from the 80s and 90s. Hard, guitar driven rock
Always happy to find new content for my “Whiny Men Who Sing” playlist
Early grunge, neat. I liked the guitar tone
Banger. Rough and grindy and satisfying as hell. First few tracks stick in my head for weeks.
I thought this was class. You can clearly tell where Nirvana got their influences. Some ripping guitar.
I saw these guys open for Pearl Jam in Montana one time, then ended up on the same flight to Seattle with them afterwards. They were really cool to folks at the airport and the other passengers.
A classic proto-grunge album that kicks ass and takes names \m/
guitar hero vibes. me gusto, ya dsp de la 7tima seguida me harte un poco, favs mudride y if I think
Dull hum of the reverb miss that in today's music but not this music.
The original version of this album was so short - every tack was a bop. It was a good call adding in some of the later songs. Impressive early grunge. 4/5
7/10 Favourite: In 'n Out of Grace Least Favourite: Need
I agree with the reviewer who said “the best 90s music was in the 80s,” at least as far as grunge goes. This was hidden from my view when I was busy with R.E.M. and Fishbone and Julian Cope and Siouxie and the Banshees… but I would’ve loved it. Can’t be a teen again but I can recognize that this album deserves its place on the list. One warning: Spotify (at least) doesn’t offer the original version of this album (actually an EP) or the normal length rerelease that appeared a couple years later. I am stuck with 2+ hours of music and you have to build your own playlist to get the right order. Big flaw in the system.
Garunge at its best. Love the raw, edgy, feel of this album, and from my perspective does more to define the genre than some of the more polished bands.
Blueprinted på Grunge og det kan man sagtens høre. man er slet ikke i tvivl om at det var en stor inspirationskilde for nirvana. Jeg kan godt lide riffs'ne og den rå simple og beskidte lyd som jo kommer af distortion-pedalerne og deraf navnet på albummet (fuzz, big muff) osv. det har også sådan lidt garage rock/college rock over sig synes jeg. Noise-rock på grund af man kan høre den der distorted lyd. God kombi som jeg rigtig godt kan lide
Love me some grunge
Another for the ‘used to love this record’ pile! I got into these through my pal who noticed Kurt Cobain had a Mudhoney t shirt on, and being the Nirvana obsessive easily influenced teens we were, quickly got onto these! It’s stood the test of time too, a lot of bands from that era in my life tend to fade or not have the same punch, but this still comes out fighting. Scuzzy, punky, grungey. Its a lot more timeless than some of its peers, and it’s clear this record was a huge influence of late 00 bands like PABH, Dinosaur Pileup, etc. Strong 4.5
Never listened to mudhoney but heard a lot about them. Should have checked them out earlier, they were great. Pulled apart by horses must be big fans, definitely a lot of similarities. I listened to extended version and I think the original 20 minute one would have been punchier but there were some good songs in the extra ones. I don't think it's different enough to be a 5 even if they were the ones who kicked this sound off but a strong 4.
Love the distortion on Touch Me I'm Sick. Favourite track was Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet Enough, Chain That Door a close second. Angry.
I knew Nirvana was “inspired” by them… but damn 😂
4.5?
Good
This is great! Very late to it.
This album was badass. I’d never listened to Mudhoney or this album before but I very much enjoyed this debut album from them. This album was pure grunge and punk and I loved the raw and unfiltered sound of it. I would definitely check out this album again in the future!
Woah! Pre-Nirvana grunge! I love this! Everyone always talks about the "Big Four of Grunge," myself included. Of course, those bands are all amazing. Some of their albums are among my favorites of all time. But there's a valuable place in the grunge conversation for some of the earlier bands in the genre that helped pioneer the sound that bands like Nirvana would polish and make popular. One such band is the focus of this review, Mudhoney. Mudhoney is one of a number of Seattle grunge bands to have come from the demise of what many consider to be one of the first grunge bands, Green River, along with other pioneers like Mother Love Bone, Temple of the Dog, and, eventually, Pearl Jam. This EP of theirs, Superfuzz Bigmuff, is seen by many as their defining release. And yes, it is an EP, so this kind of breaks the rules of this list a little, but I digress. This is super cool! Despite this releasing in the same month as the first debut album of the big 4, that being Soundgarden's debut, Ultramega OK, as well as being multiple years before the genre took off with Nevermind, this definitely has all of the elements that make grunge "a thing." Distorted guitars, lyrics that have emotion but are also a little vague, the presence of punk and metal influences, it's all here. The album's less polished than something like Nevermind or Ten, but that just makes it feel all the more innovative. Songs like "Need" and "If I Think" fit right in with their eventual contemporaries. Mark Arm's vocals have the angst you'd look for in an album like this. Steve Turner's guitar lines are awesome. And you know what? I might as well give compliments to Matt Lukin and Dan Peters just to say something about every member. Good job guys! I will say that I only listened to the 6 original EP tracks, but I kind of want to check these guys out more! Fortunately, they have another album on here, so I'll be looking forward to that! This isn't quite as good as albums that would followup, but Superfuzz Bigmuff is a great look into the foundations of what would become grunge. I think it's really cool. 4/5.
I am torn between a 3 and 4 here. I think this could get another listen, im a suckered for grunge
The pioneers of a Grunge music
Vorläufer von Nirvana, da stimme ich vielen anderen zu
This was a good merge from punk into grunge. It was raw and rough so it wasn't completely mainstream but it was moving in that direction. There were a couple of songs I really enjoyed. It also was a sound that was a little different and how it influenced some major bands of the 90's grunge era.
The guitarwork is phenomenal. The lyrics don't especially move me but most of the songs have great rock energy and those guitar lines keep me coming back for more listens.
No Nirvana or Soundgarden without Mudhoney. Iconic opening track. Rock and roll throughout.
Grungey grunge to grunge to. Doomy in parts, super interesting album
83% Best: Need; Mudride; No One Has; In 'n' Out of Grace Must-Hear? Sure
Like a lot of people who weren’t there in the 80s, I just knew Mudhoney ad one of the bands that influenced Cobain. I was surprised with how direct the influence comes off, especially compared to Bleach. Need sounds like it could be straight off that record. Loved this, will return to it.
сохранил. понравилась обложка, современно выглядит. альбик слишком долгий, но прикольный, надо будет заценить какой-то лайв.
Mudhoney: Superfuzz Bigmuff: Honestly rather good. The vocals aren't amazing, but they are solid, and the guitars are sludgy and really good. Just a lot of fun though not groundbreaking. 8/10
This sounds like a band of high school kids you'd go see in a basement venue. High energy, rough sound. Pretty good album.
It's good. The vocals are sometimes unmixed tho. 8/10
Great sounding band
Crazy how much nirvana was lifted from this band and this album specifically. Just listening going “there’s the intro for breed” “there’s the verse for rape me” etc, not even in a complaining way just cool that this band is so proto-the biggest band of the 90s. Clear example of right place wrong time.
This shit is sludgy af. I love how loosey goosey and heavy this is; however, I don't really see myself coming back frequently. Surprised that this came out of the late 80s. It feels like it should've come out a decade later. I'm really struggling between a 3 and 4. Gimme a minute. Alright I'm giving this the weakest 4 you can possibly give just because Halloween was a total vibe and "Superfuzz Bigmuff" is a hilarious album name.
Wait I thought I didn't like Mudhoney, am I thinking of the Melvins? This is great and slimy rock. Appropriately named. This must be what grunge is supposed to sound like. Trying to find the original tracklist for this was pretty difficult so I listened to everything on the deluxe that didn't have demo next to it. Feeling a strong 4/5
Jeg kan meget bedre lide punket grunge end 90'er altrocket grunge
23 hårde minutter! Gad godt have hørt dem i en svedig kælder i 1988!
Great energy! Short, just how I like it.
wow this is such a heavy album like most of grunge albums. i like the distorted guitar fuzz. i can hear some nirvana and soundgarden in this which proved the fact that this can be considered proto-grunge. 4/5
Pretty good if you don't listen to all the extra stuff
Ikke helt for mæ, altså, og hørte ikke hele, men ut fra det æ leste mæ til hørtes det omtrent ut som forventa, såeh.
drei bis vier
Never heard of this. Really interesting bridge between punk hard Rock and grunge. Worth a listen. Adding to rotation.
Loud and energized. I love grunge for its rawness. Definitely hear the influence on Nirvana.
Superfuzz Bigmuff 👍
A very pleasant surprise. Both raw and accomplished.
Easy 4
Good album, I already like grunge so it hit well with me. It has the edgier sound of a group that screams garage band over something highly produced. The Rose was a good pace break and a solid song all on its own as a standout.
The range of music that got called grunge is incredible.
Superb
There are a lot of boring things a person could say about this record. And you can bet they’ve all been said, ad nauseum across magazines, message boards and subreddits for almost 30 years, too. So I’ll try to avoid the obvious pitfalls associated with talking about “a big influence on one of the 20th century’s biggest influencers” and focus on this album purely for what it is. And that is: the essential link between Nirvana and Bunbury, Western Australia. That’s right. The lineage is clear. Kim Salmon’s Scientists write and record a clutch of early 80s “punk blues”, which somehow finds its way to the other WA, and plants something like the blueprint to grunge in the heads of a few angry young Seattlites. They run The Scientist’s “Swampland” back through The Stooges and Sabbath, release Superfuzz – and bang, the rest is Nevermind. “Superfuzz Bigmuff” fkn rocks, man. It’s sludgy, ugly, primordial; a coelacanth of a record. “Sweet young thing”, “Mudride”, “No one has”; songs seemingly regurgitated by a bottom-dwelling living fossil rigged with a reinforced bite force (and an appetite for stray fingers). And just like our lobe-finned friend, what’s most vital about Mudhoney seems to exist outside of the usual parameters of evolutionary continuity. Lineage, legacy, whatever – here and now, this still feels like mud, grunge’s true currency, slung at mottled, bare skin. It’s abandon, really. An abandonment that doesn’t worry about getting fixed to a particular point in time – and accidentally transcend it entirely.
Early Seattle grunge! I’m here for it. High energy, nice hooks, and clearly influential. They are the bridge between the Stooges and the grunge scene.
I think that this album/EP is such a statement of intent. I resonant so much to how lost/angry Mudhoney sound. I like their punk routes clearly coming through, and can definitely see their influence on so many bands (grunge or otherwise) that came so soon after. I can hear The Replacements, The Lemonheads, Pearl Jam... But this is so short and sweet (and I a HUGE sucker for an excellent EP), so I will definitely be listening again. Also OH FUCK DID PRIMAL SCREAM STEAL THE WILD ANGELS INTRO FROM THIS??? However, guitars slightly too noodley for me so it sticks to a 4. Great fun though!
Great little slicy of raucous proto-grunge from the late 80s. Noisy, biting, everything you expect from that sound. Dunno why there's a 23-minute EP on this list of albums, but that's hardly the music's fault.
Perfectly unhinged, dirty and fuzzy. This is great stuff.
Beautiful scuzzy garage grunge. I’ll fight anyone who doesn’t agree that ‘Touch me I’m sick’ and ‘In ‘n’ out of grace’, aren’t two of the finest songs of the era. That being said I will also concur that Mark Arm is one of the least blessed vocal wise of a generation. But then that’s kind of the point, none of this was meant to be polished. This is not serious stuff, just pure loud fun on tape. As a side note, this is also the best name for an album there has ever been. It was my pub quiz team name for a while.
Solid rock music I would have gone nuts for in someone's basement. Brief and assertive. I can dig it.
Je vais y revenir. C'est un goût qui s'acquiert.
Understated to say that this is influential and ahead of its time. It literally birthed bands and genres
sounds like nirvana lost their virginity!
zarpado, buenas distorciones, el cantante la rompe y el batero mas.
Classic early grunge.
Riffy grunge with plenty of fuzz. What more can you want?
ógeðslega hrátt og ljótt. Fílaða.
Great
Always enjoy a mudhoney album
Always fun to listen Mudhoney, still think they do Grunge better than the big 4. This album isn't that cohensive since it isn't really an album to begin with. Not every song is great on here but there are many that are and they're Grunge classics. Don't know why Mudhoney has 2 albums on this list though, especially when one isn't even really an album.
Драйвово и местами очень даже ничего, только последняя песня какая-то слишком дикая на мой вкус. 6,5 из 10.
Lighthearted fuzzed out fun. Not my cup of tea, but good for what it is.
Sludgy, grungey fat songs. You can pratically smell the weed and damp. Poor selling when originally released, this pretty much the blueprint for all the grunge bands that were about to explode - changing music forever. Best Tracks: Need; If I Think; In 'N' Out of Grace
So good. And very of a time right before grunge broke so it doesn't seem dated at all.
Some absolute BANGERS on this
For some reason I thought Mudhoney was, like, a jam band, like Phish or something, so I was NOT excited for this. But when I saw they're from Seattle, my eyebrows raised, and indeed - This is protogrunge! A lot hardcore, a bit of grime, a little early emo...Really right up my alley. I listened to the expanded edition of this album even because I wanted more. I will definitely keep this in my rotation because I really loved what I heard!
I knew the obvious one from an infinite number of indie clubs in the early '90s. The rest is in a similar vein but is highly enjoyable; spaced-out and turbo-charged Stooges. Neat that both Nirvana and Primal Scream found inspiration here.
Awesome grunge rock. I've heard the band's name before but I've never listened to them. Really eye-opening.
3 stars for the Nirvana influence. Not a bad listen though, so 4 stars.
"Touch Me I’m Sick" is of course, a raw, aggressive anthem that became one of the defining songs of grunge. The whole EP is still a very punk-infused grunge before a lot of it turned metal. Fun album
how have I not listened to this yet! It’s so fun and exhilarating. Way ahead of its time.
This dropped off toward the end for me which is the only reason I’m giving a 4 instead of a 5, really loved the energy here
You can smell the grunge on this one.
Finally, the fuzz pioneers of the Seattle Sound get their due. Goddamn, I haven’t listened to this one in a long time and kicks like a boot to put it on again. It’s nasty, loud, raw, rude and funny as hell. God bless you Mark Arm and your little dog.
My brother had this EP right after it was released, so it was my first exposure to Mudhoney. I always preferred Mudhoney to the other big Seattle grunge bands (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden...), though they never gained the fame, popularity and riches of the other groups, Mudhoney stuck to their style and didn't smoothen out or compromise their sound for commercial glory. This first EP was heavy, closer to late 60's/early 70's hard rock than grunge, buzzing with loud guitars and a booming bass sound. Raw and full of energy, unfortunately Mudhoney never made a record as great as Superfuzz. I still like the band, but if they didn't release such an impactful, impressive debut I might not have cared.
I’m sure the direct influence that this album had on nirvana, and the Seattle grunge scene in general has been beaten to death already, but I’ve always found it really interesting to hear the aspects of this record that Kurt Cobain clearly resonated with. There’s other direct influences to find here too, the vocal performance on “No One Has” clearly inspired guys like Layne Staley and Chris Cornell. It’s also neat to consider what influenced the guys in Mudhoney, I get the distinct impression that they listened to a lot of Iggy and the Stooges while writing this record. This is definitely a pivotal and important album in the evolution of punk rock into grunge in the late 80’s and early 90’s, and it’s definitely been a while since I last listened to Mudhoney. I like this album a lot as is, but when you consider just how culturally important this record is, I think it makes it that much more special to me. Fun listen, but definitely not for everyone. 4*
interessante
Like this one a lot more than Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge. 3.5/5
You can hear the influence this band had on the early Seattle grunge scene, definitely a precursor to Nirvana.
Mudhoney was the band that created the Seattle sound and grunge, before it was called grunge and before any of the more famous Seattle bands started. Superfuzz Bigmuff is the band's debut album, originally released as an EP. It didn't sell well, at first, but after the band's successful European tour, the album started selling. It has come to be regarded as one of the seminal records of grunge. Mudhoney made aggressive, edgy rock songs, with intentionally sloppy mechanics, adding to their punk-like swagger.
This never seemed to end, but I didn't mind at all. Love them.
I can see myself revisiting this pretty frequently Best Song: All Along the Watchtower Rating: 7/10 Solid Stars: 4/5
I'm a lifelong Seattle native so I'm probably biased, but I really enjoy this album as a progenitor of the grunge movement and 90s alternative rock.
My old college roommate was a huge fan of Mudhoney, but for some reason, I never gave them a listen. And that’s a shame, because I think if I had listened to this when I was 19, I would be a lot more into it than I am today, even if I do still really like it. When it leans more punk, I find myself loving this record: “Need,” “No One Has,” and even on the extended version, “Touch Me I’m Sick” and “Burn It Clean.” Yet when it leans more into what grunge would become– very Seattle, with an aura of cow tipping and shotgunning beers, with these long-winded, sludge metal in a major key songs– that’s when it starts to lose me. I’m not against these, and actually, for songs like, “In ’n’ Out of Grace,” I really like that sonic approach, but generally, this more depressant energy is exactly why I never latched on to grunge the same way I did hardcore punk or even sludge metal. I think Mudhoney are essential BECAUSE they rode the line between the punk scene and what would come to be known as grunge music. When they strike that balance, I’m very into it. Yet, because they ride a line, sometimes they cross it, one way or the other, and, depending on which direction they go, I’m either all the way in, or all the way out. Having listened to both the original EP and the deluxe version, I feel the same way about both. For the most part, this is good, sometimes even great. But both versions have moments that are too subdued for me. But again, had I encountered this in my younger years, those moments would have sounded more impressive. Nowadays, though, I have a hard time being excited by punk bands who want to mellow things out, and I think at its weakest points, that’s what it feels like Superfuzz Bigmuff is trying to do. Thankfully, those weak points are far less frequent than the exciting, balls-to-wall, high-energy moments, some of which truly are mind-blowing.
It’s always interesting to listen to an artist that influenced an artist you love. As a big Nirvana fan, I can hear so much of where their sound came from in Mudhoney, especially given Kurt listed this as one of his favourite albums. It was a really good listen and I may have to check out more of Mudhoney!
du punk mais bien
pleasant surprise considering my preconceived notions about mudhoney. rough, raucous, hooky
25 minutes of molasses. Given the Melvins aren't on the list I guess this is as good as its going to get for sludge. Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More is starts us off with woozy guitar drowned in fuzz. Chain that Door speeds us up a bit, sounding like a lo-fi (if that is even possible) Sonic Youth. Mudride is back to slowed down punk chuggers. A little more bluesy and a little less fuzzy but still heavy as. Sabbath inflections in the vocals. Side B opens with No One Has, Irish twins with Cross the Breeze, driving guitars and a motoric beat but maybe a little too close to Sonic Youth. If I Think I Think Of You shows where the quiet-loud-quiet thing that Seattle people loved so much comes from. A bit boring but the loud bits rock hard I guess. In 'N' Out Of Grace closes out the album in fine form, sounding slower than it actually is thanks to the fuzz and sludge. Maybe its just because I'm coming to it later than their influences but I feel a bit like Mudhoney isn't bringing anything new to the table? Every track I'm just kind of drawing similarities to other bands. They kind of bridge the gap between the Melvins/Sonic Youth proto-grunge and Nirvana's more refined stuff. At least it doesn't sound like Pearl Jam I guess. Definitely my thing though. Glad I listened. PS I started with the Deluxe Edition (always a mistake) and it was full of punk tracks. Useful to calibrate where these guys were coming from but lots of filler. Stick to the original.
This super phun. Great energy. Many feelings here, but not many emotions. It’s certainly good, but six songs at twenty minutes just isn’t long enough. Enjoyed it immensely though, wish they could have expanded. 4/5
I like Grunge. Back in the mid 90s my friends and I would sit and listen to Nirvana and Pearl Jam no matter whose house we ended up at. I know of Mudhoney, maybe a few tracks, but never really bothered to give them a proper try. It seems they paved the way for the bigger bands. This is a great album. It’s not phenomenal, don’t get me wrong, but it’s definitely influential. I enjoyed it, I’ll try some other albums.
Mudhoney is probably most famous for being one of, if not Nirvana’s biggest influences. It’s definitely obvious on Superfuzz Bigmuff, which btw is named after a guitar pedal, which is sick Almost certainly the first real grunge album, somehow it doesn’t sound like created one of the biggest genres of all time, but it did. I think it’s best on the 2nd side where it becomes more melodic, less punky and more of what’s familiar on Nevermind. This is one of the most important albums ever created 8.4/10
Awesome album cover. Pretty good album.
I liked it! Pretty excellent sound and some nice, gruff vocals.
I thought this was pretty good fun as an album, though the only version my streaming service had was an extended 2CD version. I'm not sure how influential it was, but I definitely enjoyed it.
This album is called Superfuzz Bigmuff. Those are two of the most legendary guitar fuzz pedals of all time and boy do you hear them. The guitar tone on this album is FILTHY! I'm not sure about timelines here but my gut says that these guys paved the way for Nirvana in shaping the Seattle sound of the early 90s. Also, if you look closely at this album cover Mark Arm is playing a Hagstrom guitar. Hagstroms are Swedish. Vikings were Swedish. Vikings were metal. Therefore Mark Arm is metal. It's science.
Nice one
Love the energy. Good stuff.
Grungey goodness
Never heard of this, sounds so ahead of its time, feel like this deserves a lot more recognition.
I haven't heard of Mudhoney before, and I need to hear more. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5
32 Songs!! At first, I thought no f'n way. But started it and loved it all the way. To say you hear their influence on Nirvana and Butthole Surfers types is a gross understatement. This is a recipe book used by every band that got famous in the 90s era.
i did the original not the one with all the extra shit in it. i was surprised that i liked it as much as i did. i liked the really heavy sound of it.
Ahead of its time, arrives full formed and still holds up. Great album worth multiple listens
Great album. I loved the sound and rawness of it.
Good rock music that I enjoy, but don’t love. Also on Spotify the deluxe is stupid - for those who don’t want to listen to the whole thing, the original album is tracks 4-9.
Grunge is great, this is great, Touch Me I'm Sick is an all-timer.
This shit rips. The guitar tone is great. For the purpose of the list I only listened to the original tracklist from the 6 track EP. I think Chain That Door is a little too close to falling apart, but everything else here rocks so much it makes up for it. You can definitely hear some of The Stooges here as well as where music would go for the next decade.
The birth of grunge
Pretty solid proto-grunge/punk. I liked it!
pretty good fun
This is fun. First time I heard a Grunge Surf Punk artist. Gonna round up a solid 3.5 to a 4.
It’s got so many hooks, you’d think it was a fisherman’s hat. It makes sense that it sold poorly when it came out. No one knew what the hell to make of grunge in 1988. There’s the curse of the trailblazer - no one knows where you’re going. I mean, when Cobain names it as one of his 50 desert island discs, you don’t need much more approbation. I’m sure Mark Arm would’ve liked more money for his trouble, though.
I've never listened to Mudhoney, so I was hoping this would be more in the vain of Soundgarden grunge than Pearl Jam. Pretty simple and punky, the range is pretty limited but they're good at this style. A lot of people seem to compare this to The Stooges but I don't really hear it, it reminds me more of early 80s hardcore and early Nirvana. Good either way, surprised at the quite low average score (I listened to the 1988 track listing which is only 23 minutes) Highlights: Chain That Door, In 'n' Out Of Grace
Important, noisy, and cool.
fuun album. Reminded me a lot of Nirvana hmmmm Still I enjoyed it big time, so low 4 for me
I didn't listen to this album in the 80's/90's, but I really wish I had, because it would have been right up my alley. I dug this a lot, will definitely be playing again soon.
Liked this one. I had heard of this band but never really listened. They should be bigger! 3.75/5
I’d give this a full 5 for the Early Singles combo, but it’s still a landmark LP on its own. Early grunge at its finest. A-
Pretty competently made music, has all the parts there to be something great but it just didn’t go the extra mile for me. Still enjoyed it and would probably throw a couple of these songs into a garage/grunge mix to avoid putting in Pearl Jam filler. The highs here were very high but a lot of this felt same and despite its length it did drag. Special shoutout to If I Think, best song on this album. I was going to give this a 3 but I think I listened to the entire deluxe version of this on Spotify and then went back and listened to just the EP a few times so on second thought this is a 4 for me. Last song on this album shares a sample with Loaded by Primal Scream, that song rocks too. Highlights: Touch Me I’m Sick, Mudride, If I Think
Raucous punk rock in the style of the Stooges. Guitars have this nice stoner fuzz to them. A
I enjoyed it. It hits a sweet spot between punk and grunge. Through this project I’ve learned that I don’t like grunge as much as I thought I did, but this early version is more appealing to me. I think part of it is that the vocals sound more angry than ambivalent or bored. Probably closer to a 3 if I’m being honest, but I was pleasantly surprised and feeling charitable, so I’ll round it up. Favorite track: Halloween
it was ok.
Man, Mudhoney are cool. The early grunge output really stays true to the punk rock roots, and even though the rest of the tracks doesn't quite live up to 'Need', it's still an immensely enjoyable record.