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25 Years Of Local H
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| | HAM FISTED. Nearly five years after our first show, comes our first full length and major label debut. We pick Steve Haigler to produce because of his work on Quicksand's Slip and Doolittle by The Pixies. He suggests Reflection Studios in Charlotte, North Carolina and we are totally down with that because REM recorded their first two records there. The record is raw, grainy and gets written off as a Nirvana rip. And while it's true that we have yet to fully digest our influences — any record that starts off with a song like Feed is practically begging to be compared to Bleach - there are reasons to be hopeful. The previously recorded Strict-9 and Cynic lay the groundwork for every record to come. Named by Joe after Scott's affinity for poppy Matador bands like Pavement, Guided By Voices, Bettie Serveert and Teenage Fanclub, Scott-Rock is a welcome step forward in embracing our pop roots and has a vocal recorded in the same stairwell that Michael Stipe sang So. Central Rain. And so is the third version of Mayonnaise And Malaise, now set to a Pavement influenced riff that was laughed out of the practice spot of the 3-piece Local H. And speaking of Pavement, there would probably be no Skid Marks if it weren't for Conduit For Sale off of Slanted And Enchanted - of course, that song wouldn't exist without The Classical by The Fall, so whatever. Capping off our Matador obsession is the track Chicago Fanphair '93, written immediately after seeing a show by Liz Phair and Red Red Meat at The Metro. The tension between the Drive Like Jehuesque hardcore of the verse and the REM jangle of the chorus make Chicago Fanphair, possibly, the most interesting song on the album. And while it ends with the gentle ode to Kathleen Hanna, Grrrlfriend, for the most part our pop instincts are kept in check and we opt for bludgeoning power. We get by on the energy of the performances, but in the end, the record comes off as a bit monochromatic - just like the cover. But it's where we chose to start — by saying no. One final note: While mixing the record in Stamford, Connecticut, Scott hears an advance tape of Shudder To Think's Pony Express Record and is overwhelmed with feelings of inadequacy and depression. The next record will be different. |
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