Sunday, November 8, 2009

Squirrel Bait - Squirrel Bait

Squirrel Bait – Squirrel Bait
Homestead, 1985
Acquired: Love Garden, Used, 2007
Price: $8

Fuck, this record is great, and I'm pretty sure it's the reason there's a music scene in Louisville, KY. Though Squirrel Bait are best known for the bands they spawned (namely Slint, who in turn spawned a whole fleet of bands in addition to an army of followers/imitators. Also Bitch Magnet, Bastro, and Gastr Del Sol). Think Slint elemental, although there's no hint of the moody post-rock to come. Mostly this is just a stellar post-hardcore record with its hand in the pocket of Husker Du and the Replacements, but not too far in. This came out the same year as Dinosaur Jr.'s debut LP, and they sound remarkably similar. It's just that Squirrel Bait sounds like what Dinosaur Jr. sounded like a couple years down the line. There's not really any of the math-rock that Slint would later carve out, but it's a pretty damn good punk rock record! And that album cover among the best. I thought this was a reprint but I'm pretty sure it's an original, which I like.

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