Melvins - Nude With Boots [Ipecac - 2008]After the huge Success of The Melvin’s last album(a) Senile Animal which was praised in places high and low gaining loads of new fans, myself been one of them. I was eager and excited to hear what they had to offer this time around. For starters Nude with Boots is a step on from the memorable rock grooves of (a) Senile Animal, it's grown from the same plant but not as instant or hummable, but never the less enjoyble. There’s also the return of the very rhythmic/ double drum edge to the material too with the Big Business duo returning once more. The rhythmic elements are being used in a lot more creative and arty manner this time around, really gelling to starterling effect in places. This also the more quirky and bizarre side of the Melvin’s surfacing too, As I’ve learnt working my way through some of their back catalogue you’ve got to be ready to expect anything and everything and exactly that’s what happens as you get deeper into this- it’s pitted like a teens greasy face with odd-ness. We go from; the guitar and percussion re-imaging of the opening credits music for the shinning with the track Dies Iraea making a sort of doom rock, modern classical, soundtrack mix. The weird ambient alien guitar landscapes of Flush. To the demonic guitar purrs and growl, weird buried tape record vocals and stuck vocal chants of It Tastes Better than the Truth. But the weirdness is kept in check to a certain extent so you’re never too far away from another riffed up monster of a track Really I guess Naked with Boots is best described as (a) Senile animal’s stranger less memorable cousin. So if you dug (a) Senile animal you’ll get on like a house on fire with 'Boots'- if you’re still to taste the Melvin’s Way buy (a) Senile animal first then work back to this puppy and get naked with it ;-) Roger Batty
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