This is a Random Album Generator.
One album a day.
From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Bubble And Scrape

Sebadoh

1993

Bubble And Scrape
Album Summary

Bubble & Scrape is the fourth album by American indie rock band Sebadoh. It was released by Sub Pop in April 1993. Bubble & Scrape was the final Sebadoh album to feature songs composed by founding member Eric Gaffney.

Wikipedia

Rating

2.67

Votes

6062
Genres
Rock
Indie

Reviews

Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!
Sort by: Top Date
View Author
Fri Sep 10 2021
3

Vaguely familiar with this band. Did not like the album at first, but it grew on me and I kind of liked it by the end. There is a charm within the dourness.

👍
View Author
Wed Mar 24 2021
4

Interesting, often atonal prog rock (?) wavered on it a lot. Cool at times and a chaotic at others

👍
View Author
Fri Jun 18 2021
4

the list has finally paid off! finally, after all of the thes and 70s glam shite it has spewed out something i've never heard of and that i am bonafide enjoying listening to and will almost certainly listen to again and knowing how much of a sweat i am probably listen to the entire back catalogue. bonus points for the last track being as long as the rest of the album. i imagine this is what it must feel like for Gerry Mccain knowing full well he got away with it.

👍
View Author
Thu May 06 2021
3

I thought I was all about 90s grunge, but I'd never heard of Sebadoh before. This album was one of the "low-fi" grunge records of the era that I missed. Was a neat album, but not something that will have the replay power of other grunge artists of the time. Definitely enjoyed it, but not enough to listen to over and over, thus the rating of 3.

👍
View Author
Fri Feb 19 2021
3

A lot of this album sounds out of tune with itself. I suspect that's the point and maybe goes hand in hand with being "lo-fi" but it's slightly jarring. Still, there were some good moments and in particular I liked the louder, rockier tracks which reminded me of Nirvana's "Bleach" album. I can hear similarities with other bands from the same era but it's hard to gauge how influential this album was and there isn't really much info about that on Wiki. Feels like the band might be more influential than any specific album, plus I'd say Dinosaur Jr were a more influential band than Sebadoh. 5.5/10

👍
View Author
Mon Jul 19 2021
4

Como álbum sí creo que es muy bueno, pero son de esos que tengo que escuchar muchas veces hasta sentir que me gustó de verdad. No hubo una canción en particular que me atrapara, pero sí está bien hecho el disco.

👍
View Author
Fri Sep 10 2021
4

I like a lot of these actually, some quite different moods between some songs. Never knew what to expect. I like the slightly off vocals, gives it that punk edge. Reminded me of Dinosaur Jr and surprise surprise, the person who produced their albums did this one afaik.

👍
View Author
Thu Jan 28 2021
3

It's very nice to listen to something that sounds "grunge" besides Nirvana or Pearl Jam, but also has many experimental songs with a kind of metal that is good even not understanding everything. In short, it was good to know this album, even not being the best one on this list until now. Probably, I will listen to it again someday...

👍
View Author
Wed May 05 2021
3

lo-fi was one of my favourite styles in the 90s, but Sebadoh was always somewhat eclipsed by Pavement. For me, Pavement are definitely the more essential of the two with the passage of time. Still. this album's a decent example of a great genre

👍
View Author
Fri Feb 05 2021
2

first song is the only good song.

👍
View Author
Mon Feb 01 2021
2

Production: 8/20 Songwriting: 7/20 Innovation: 15/20 Presence of pure bangers: 0/20 Emotional response: 6/20 =36

👍
View Author
Sun May 23 2021
2

Ok. Call me picky but grunge era has a sound to it that is a little, just a hair, out of tune. But when the whole band is out of tune it sucks. Especially when they aren’t even out of tune together. Anyways, this is a no for me. Not my jam.

👍
View Author
Wed Jul 14 2021
2

I had a hard time connecting with most of the songs on this album. Nothing carried a tune really and the lyrics just disappeared.

👍
View Author
Wed May 19 2021
1

Intentionally dissonant poverty tier indie rock. This is the sort of music that's easy to imagine someone creating, and even easier for me to make satire of. Shocked that people seem to like this. Is this really an example of best-in-class 90s indie rock? Grating and unpleasant.

👍
View Author
Thu Sep 30 2021
1

I listened to this once and had the weird feeling that there might be something here that I like but at the same time I couldn't point to anything good about what I was hearing. Listened to it again and the weird feeling that I might like it was gone. Completely gone.

👍
View Author
Wed Jan 06 2021
5

A masterpiece of the lo-fi sub-genre of 90’s indie rock.

👍
View Author
Mon May 23 2022
5

Cool stuff. Meat Puppets, Nirvana, Kurt Vile vibes

👍
View Author
Thu Sep 22 2022
5

Starts pretty good and just gets better and more interesting. This is perfect for fans of Polvo or the kind of obnoxious people who will tell you that the guitars in At The Drive In's Relationship of Command are out of tune with the air of someone who uncovered the hidden secrets of Rock'n'Roll. I am both of these people.

👍
View Author
Mon Dec 19 2022
5

Surprising choice (had expected Bakesale, one of the most popular records on 90s university campuses?) In the 90s Lou Barlow (as Sentridoh) and Prince were alike, releasing big selections of songs without proper quality control. However, as Sebadoh, on Sebadoh III - B&S - Bakesale ..certainly not the case. I like Bakesale (5) and Sebadoh III (5) a bit more, but rate B&S above Harmacy (4). Contributions of Gaffney and Loewenstein are as always uneven, but on B&S I would say things are generally fine. In fact, my favourite three songs are Soul and Fire (B), Happily Divided (L) and Think (B), but Bouquet for a Siren (G) and Sister (L) are also excellent. 4.5 (due to a couple of weak songs) -> 5

👍
View Author
Thu Apr 06 2023
5

I remember seeing them live with my dad (I didn’t know who they were), and they didn’t disappoint. Even today, I listen to this and remember why there even was a “post-punk” sound, how powerful it could be, and I wish it had been less-defined by not being something else than it’s own honest grit.

👍
View Author
Mon May 01 2023
5

Ace. Like Beck falling down the stairs, pursued by Sonic Youth and Pavement. But ragged and interesting in its own right. Homemade is bloody great. A band I was aware of back when I was heavily into this stuff but never investigated beyond Not Too Amused. Now I will.

👍
View Author
Fri Apr 23 2021
4

Skönt lo-fi sound. Ganska likt Dinosaur Jr vilket inte är så konstigt eftersom Lou Barlow därifrån är med även här. Det är lite för ojämnt med ett gäng usla låtar, men Sacred Attention och Bouquet for a Siren är otroligt bra.

👍
View Author
Thu May 06 2021
4

This was a pretty cool alt/grungy type thing

👍
View Author
Wed Jul 07 2021
4

Interesting, great indie rock feel, but I'm not sure any of the songs really hooked me.

👍
View Author
Thu Nov 25 2021
4

Pretty unique and interesting take on a classic 90s indie sound, artistic dissonance, all kinds of experimental guitar sounds, blending of genres. A little out there musically but solid as an experimental project

👍
View Author
Thu Feb 17 2022
4

An intriguingly eclectic batch of songs from the aftermath of the grunge boom in 1993. Sebadoh bring the goods as well as the strange and it should be appreciated for just how well-woven it can be. Favorites: Soul and Fire, Two Years Two Days, Happily Divided, Elixir is Zog, Homemade, Forced Love, No Way Out.

👍
View Author
Wed Mar 23 2022
4

Ja, punten voor sebadoh, niet het volle pond, ik bijt namelijk op mijn lip om niet te zeggen dat "andere albums...". Dan kom ik misschien wel als een zeurpiet over..

👍
View Author
Thu Apr 28 2022
4

a little too angsty for my taste but still really enjoyable regardless - 8/10

👍
View Author
Fri Jun 03 2022
4

If you had asked me a day ago who Lou Barlow is I could have told you he was in Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr. and Folk Implosion. Of the three, the only one of those bands I've never listened to though is Sebadoh. Not sure how that happened. What a weird experience this album is. There was more that one tune that had me smashing that skip button pretty quickly. And yet... AND YET! We gotta talk about "Homemade." Holy shit. Go back and listen to that one if you let it just pass over you without paying much attention to it. Because that might be the best 90s era emo song I've never remotely heard of before. Like hall of fame level. I've listened to it three times already and it's going on a playlist. So what I've concluded is that when this band is a little more restrained, a little more quiet, and a little sad... I am a Sebadoh fan. "Happily Divided" is great. "Sister" and "Cliche" I liked a lot. Gimme "Think" all day long. But "Elixir is Zog"? "No Way Out?" Hard pass. I can't with the lo-fi spazz out stuff. The songs that sound basically like Dinosaur Jr. without Mascis on guitar aren't cutting it, man. And that stinks. Once we finish this list twenty-four years from now if someone asks me to name a record from it that had the highest highs and lowest lows, all on the same album... my answer might be this one.

👍
View Author
Fri Jun 03 2022
4

Some of the heavier songs and the more punk-rock ones are good, but the rest of the album is generic alternative.

👍
View Author
Mon Jun 27 2022
4

First time hearing this band but thoroughly enjoyed it!

👍
View Author
Wed Jul 06 2022
4

Really enjoyed this, some of it sounds like early Biffy, or gentle Nirvana, but it is still entirely its own thing. A band I plan to seek out more from.

👍
View Author
Thu Jul 07 2022
4

Suprised me in a good way. I've listened quite a few 90's rock albums through here, but none of them had stand out like this one until now. fav track: Homemade

👍
View Author
Fri Jul 08 2022
4

I over looked this at the time. A lot of interesting material on here.

👍
View Author
Tue Jul 12 2022
4

A little bit of Bauhaus. Has that Boston - The Feelies - vibe. Fits in my wheelhouse

👍
View Author
Thu Aug 25 2022
4

This listener is a sucker for indie rock, and this album did not disappoint at all. Granted, after some time the search for indie rock tends to dwindle as a few indies grow up and join the so-called mainstream, but this one from 1993 is a very welcome throwback to the less complicated, the more intentional creation of independent rock. Warm instruments, restrained drums, melodic vocals, dare it be called 'emo', no, this was better than emo. It is what emo should have stayed being, good writing and enjoyable to listen and relate, not some whiney-complain-y mess. This was a neat surprise, a perfect album for less than energetic days, just a really good listen.

👍
View Author
Thu Sep 08 2022
4

If you only listen to mainstream, commercial music then this album would be easily dismissed. The sound is lo-fi, the instruments sound out of tune at times and the singing isn't strong. Lou Barlow (formerly of Dino Jr), isn't seeking commercial success or accolades for his music, instead he delivers some raw, heartfelt music that could be considered indie, alternative, or just plain weird, but it's the kind of music I've come to appreciate and I'm glad this list acknowledges musicians and bands from outside the "norm". Bubble And Scrape was actually recorded in a professional studio instead of "home-recorded", so this would be considered a more polished work compared to previous albums. I like it, we need more bands like Sebadoh and musicians like Lou Barlow that push the boundaries of quality music instead of the bland radio-friendly schlock we have to endure most of the time.

👍
View Author
Fri Sep 09 2022
4

It's like Dinosaur Jr. but it isn't

👍
View Author
Wed Sep 21 2022
4

Really like Sebadoh and have been listening to them for years. Soul and Fire is a banger and the rest of the album is a bit of a rollercoaster from mellow to frantic. I think I prefer Bakesale but still great album

👍
View Author
Mon Sep 26 2022
4

3-4 but I'm feeling generous today

👍
View Author
Wed Oct 05 2022
4

Album starts very weird and extremely disjointed, but it gets better. Those first few tracks I didn't really enjoy but in the end it's a yes from me and they've pulled through hah. At the end album gets weird again! Saved tracks: Fantastic Disaster, Happily Divided, Sister

👍
View Author
Fri Oct 21 2022
4

This shit should have been huge in 1993. My hunch is the rock press was too enamored with the Billy Corgans, Eddie Vedders and Kurt Cobains to even notice this album. I was working for a college radio station at the time and even I have no memory of this, the definition of flying under the radar.

👍
View Author
Wed Nov 23 2022
4

That was awesome. It's noisy, sludgy, gloopy and yucky. It's like somebody took a regular grunge band, trapped them in a steel shack in the middle of the desert and recorded them through a Speak&Spell toy. The musical equivalent of CCTV footage.

👍
View Author
Wed Dec 14 2022
4

I’ve always enjoyed the Barlow-led songs of Dinosaur Jr. I don’t enjoy him any less in Sebadoh. Bubble And Scrapes ranges from the frantic and hysterical, “Fantastic Disaster” and “No Way Out”, to absolute pieces of beauty like “Soul and Fire” and “Think (Let Tomorrow Bee”.

👍
View Author
Wed Dec 14 2022
4

Very enjoyable indie record which is not afraid to be gritty and dissonant. Barlow is great as always.

👍
View Author
Mon Dec 19 2022
4

I like Sebadoh a lot and generally in the order Barlow > Loewenstein > Gaffney (although the mix is definitely an added value). For that reason later albums are preferred, yet this one is much more than ok.

👍
View Author
Mon Jan 16 2023
4

- Girl Band by moment (noise rock with focus on voice ) - Duster by moment ( slacker rock ) - Some strong tracks but some really bland - Guitar is p cool ngl - 7.6

👍
View Author
Thu Feb 09 2023
4

I liked it a lot. Meat puppets esque

👍
View Author
Thu Feb 09 2023
4

Thing about this one, there are some really really great songs on here, but the bad ones are so bad.

👍
View Author
Thu Feb 16 2023
4

The first Sebadoh release recorded in a professional studio manages to maintain the lo-fi aesthetics with a higher caliber songwriting (divided among the three talented songwriters) and instrumentation. Songs are uniformly strong. Soul and Fire, Think (Let Tomorrow Bee), No Way Out and Happily Divided are standouts. I am not sure it makes my list, but well worth a listen..

👍
View Author
Thu Mar 02 2023
4

Ça parle à mon côté plus heavy. L'aspect dissonant et les deux chanteurs sont une belle touche.

👍
View Author
Mon Mar 20 2023
4

Good record! Never listened to it before but it’s good indie rock

👍
View Author
Sun Apr 09 2023
4

Some hits and misses, but I must come back

👍
View Author
Thu May 25 2023
4

"Bubble & Scrape" is the fourth album by American indie rock band Sebadoh. Sebadoh is a band composed of three members (Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr. fame), Eric Gaffney and Jason Lowenstein) who all each write, sing and are capable of playing all the rock band instruments. No division of labor here. So, on this album, all three members contribute songs which tend to sound unique to the writer. It was the first album recordered entirely profession in a studio away from their previous lo-fi homemade approach. Oh, there's still roughness to the edges here, though, as styles range from 60's garage to punk to grunge to power pop. Stoner rock too by the way. The album opens with Barlow's "Soul and Fire." Heavy, clear and melodic guitar. Sort of grungy. "Saying goodbye was never so much fun." A great 90's indie song. We get a sense of what Gaffney brings to the table in "Telecosmic Alchemy." Tinny drumming. 60's garage and punk. A chugging guitar. This is a combo of Sonic Youth and Mudhoney. And, Lowenstein gives us "Sister." Harder, dustorted guitar. Punk. Screaming. We've gone back to Hüsker Dü "New Day Rising." "Emma Gone Wild" brings some pyschedelia with a scratching-sounding and groovy guitar. The highlight might be Barlow's "Homemade." A song that builds slowly. A soft-loud-soft dynamic. A great guitar solo. A droning guitar puts this to me in the stoner rock genre. This is a sound that Chicago's Red Red Meat would use in a few years after that on two fantastic albums. The album ends with three songs from each of band members. Gaffney's "Bouquet for a Siren" is harder, has driving guitars and a faster beat. I'm hearing The Meat Puppets now (I name dropping way too much by the way). Barlow's "Think (Let Tomorrow Bee)" is the album's only acoustic song. A love song of sorts. The Swirlies' Sean Carmody on backing vocals. Finally, the band ends it with a bang in Lowenstein's "Flood." Screaming. Punk. 60's garage rock. "Yeah, get in the car. We're going to ride with the flood tonight. Sometimes this album comes off as a compilation album with the distinctive sounds of each songwriter. For me, it worked fine as a whole, probably, since I can't recall hearing influences of so many different bands all of which I like. If you're a fan of early Dinosaur Jr. (and who isn't?), you'll like this. Their next album "Bakesale" is also recommended.

👍
View Author
Fri Apr 23 2021
3

homemade och emma get wild gillade jag. Vissa låtar är helt usla. Svårt mellan en tvåa och en trea. Men generellt så har dom ett gött sound som gör att det får bli en trea.

👍
View Author
Mon May 17 2021
3

Uusi tuttavuus, ja levyn alku olikin lupauksia herättävää, Pearl Jam -tyyppistä grungefiilistelyä. Eteenpäin mennessä meno muuttui raskaammaksi ja sekavammaksi. Osa biiseistä oli oikein kelvollisia, osa vähemmän. Peruskolmonen.

👍
View Author
Wed Feb 03 2021
3

Fun Sub Pop sound. A little yelly for me. A little Elliott Smithy, though.

👍
View Author
Fri Feb 19 2021
3

Never heard of this band before but I don’t mind grudge. This album is decent so far

👍
View Author
Wed Apr 07 2021
3

I think I've listened to some other Sebadoh album previously that gave me the impression they were intolerably twee potheads, but this sounded like more straight ahead indie rock. Didn't leave much of an impression on me at first listen, so went back for a second listen to pick out a fave track ("Sacred Attention", I reckon) and perhaps it is actually pretty above average indie rock? Gonna give it 3 stars for now, but I suspect more listens would get me to bump it to 4...

👍
View Author
Mon May 24 2021
3

enjoyable but drags after a while, sounds like a made up band lol

👍
View Author
Mon Jan 25 2021
3

Bubble and Scrape was a great album. I have been looking to find a good indie rock album recently and this fit the bill perfectly. The instruments here were top-notch. The guitar in Sacred Attention was fantastic. I really enjoyed how different Elixir Is Zog was from the previous songs on the album. The softer tracks like Forced Love and Homemade are great and some of my favourites.

👍
View Author
Thu Feb 04 2021
3

No es mi disco preferido de ellos, sorprende un poco que este aqui. Pero es un buen disco con algunas canciones muy rompedoras. Otras bueno...son demasiada ida de olla.

👍
View Author
Fri Feb 19 2021
3

Good album with the influences it's had on bands that came after clear to hear.

👍
View Author
Mon May 17 2021
3

Vähän sekavaa meininkiä, välillä ihan hyvää pop-rockia, mutta sitten taas hetken kuluttua jotain sekoilua ja huutamista. Sekoiluista tuli mieleen Primus.

👍
View Author
Fri Feb 19 2021
3

Quite enjoyed this. Reminded me of several other brands such as Eels and Pixies.

👍
View Author
Thu Jun 24 2021
3

Decent lo-fi rock album. Flows pretty well, nice vibe, few good songs. Nothing outstanding tho, imo

👍
View Author
Fri May 21 2021
3

Solid little album. Never heard of this band so pleasantly surprised.

👍
View Author
Sun Jun 13 2021
3

A new band for me, and none of the music sounded familiar. The album squeaks in at an "okay" (3 stars). "Soul and Fire" and "Think (Let Tomorrow Bee)" might be worth a second list, while my least favorite was "Elixir is Zog"

👍
View Author
Fri May 28 2021
3

Enjoyed listening through. But no real memorable song.

👍
View Author
Mon Jun 14 2021
3

I was introduced to Sebadoh through III whichbI like a lot and Bakesale which I think is brilliant. So I was happy to see them included here and happy the album wasn't either of the two that I already know. Gives me a good excuse to delve deeper into their catalog. Well, Bubble & Scrape is nowhere near the brilliance of Bakesale and not as good as III either. There are some good songs here maybe one great one but too much Jason Lowenstein on this album and not enough Lou Barlow. I'll listen more but first impressions are that this is a 3 🌟 album

👍
View Author
Fri Jul 30 2021
3

An excessively experimental grunge album. Sometimes heavy experimentalization can lead to something amazing (Tom Waits) or something pointlessly tiresome (69 Love Songs). This falls in between. No great tracks, but you could tell they're having fun, taking influences from punk and grunge bands to create pieces that strike as peculiar. Not bad or annoying, but I wouldn't be eager to replay this album or recommend it to anyone anytime soon.

👍
View Author
Thu Aug 19 2021
3

Good album. Interesting band.

👍
View Author
Wed Aug 25 2021
3

I enjoyed the album, there were some strange and interesting sounds created. I would listen again.

👍
View Author
Wed Sep 22 2021
3

I listened to a fair bit of early Sebadoh but didn’t really get much past III. I Think the earlier material is stronger.

👍
View Author
Thu Sep 30 2021
3

I’m not a fan of grunge but their jangly, discordant sound appealed to me. After a first listen I liked it better than their peers eg Pavement, Dinosaur Jr. Very similar to the Eels too in their softer songs. I also like how they slow down/ speed up the tempo for some songs.

👍
View Author
Wed Oct 13 2021
3

seemed average sound for the era.

👍
View Author
Thu Nov 04 2021
3

Angry, punk rock early 90’s. Didn’t grab me.

👍
View Author
Sun Nov 07 2021
3

I don’t like every song on here but I do love enough of them to like this as an album

👍
Load more reviews