Search - Slint :: Tweez

The fun before the funeral

moriarty | nottingham, UK | 02/23/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I don't know, this album always seemed like a group of extremely talented musicians fresh from Hardcore University trying to work out what to do, left in a studio for a week with Steve Albini eating a sandwich next to the microphones. The first song manages the clever trick of sounding like absolutely nothing else you've ever heard, and at the time I first heard it I was caught between laughing and turning it off. The song starts with one of the band complaining about his headphones not working before being swept away by the music, and culminates not long after with what sounds like someone smacking hell out of a radiator with an industrial spring, joyously shouting 'Oh man!'.



I guess that for a one word review you can interchange 'playful' and 'perplexing', as the band sweeps between styles without worrying too much about choruses, structure, or sense. About half of it is very heavily flanged jazz guitar, which I found (by half way through side two) did my head in, just complexity for the sake of it. They then jump straight into two minutes of death metal, only, y'know, good. Weirdly, even then Slint managed to worm something into your head, even if you're not paying attention. I haven't listened to this album in years (although I'm already thinking I should) and yet I can still remember the garbled words '...that's where the river bends, that's where the silo stands, that's where they paint their houses...'. Slint in a nutshell...you always have the profound feeling, even in their most throwaway moments, that something really bad is about to happen.



Despite that, what I was left with from this album was an infectious sense of fun (albeit with something really bad about to happen). Even if I didn't get with all of the music. Like some bands that came after them, the worst offender being Shellac, occasionally the joke's so studied you wonder if it's on you.



The closer 'Rhoda' is the most interesting song, I have absolutely no idea how they make the sounds they do. A longer version was later included on the split single which, if you're reading this review, I imagine you already know about. Fantastically original, striking music, bordering on the symphonic.



If you buy one Slint album, buy Spiderland, but this album is worth your money if you have an open mind and are prepared to smile along. Maybe the best thing is not to give it your full attention. And then five years later you'll be thinking to yourself, 'my god, I still know the lyrics'. And start looking over your shoulder.



"

Slint-O-Rama

Thee Inspector | Seattle, WA | 06/19/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What can you really say about Slint other than they are masters of their genre. This album is heavy, dense and atmospheric; it moves with a grace all it's own. Tweez contains some of the finest playing around. It's built on pure instinct. This ones a masterpiece."

Tweez takes you in the opposite direction of Spiderland.

turtley | Planet Claire | 01/14/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I don't think it is really accurate to say that Spiderland is a *better* album than Tweez. They are just completely different. I agree with the other review that you hear a lot of Big Black influence on Tweez. Not so much on Spiderland. Spiderland's production is tighter than Tweez, yes. And the lyrics are stories, not anecdotes - it's more melodic, more experimental.
Spiderland takes you on a journey. Tweez is more of an angsty album, it's raw and aggressive. Lots of noise. It's great! It gets your adrenaline going. I heard Spiderland first, instantly fell in love with it. I would have liked more albums ala Spiderland. But I was just as happy to have found their first album, Tweez. I do admitt that I don't have the same connection with Tweez as I do Spiderland (hence minus a star). It is pretty much the opposite of Spiderland but equally enjoyable, for a different mood/mind set. You have to decide for yourself if that is a good thing. I think it's great when you have a band that can take you in two completely different directions like that. We are also talking about Tweeze being released in 1989 and Spiderland following it up in 1991. I know this is not the right genre for this, so please don't flame me - but since someone else brought up Nirvana *hides*.. To say that Spiderland is better than Tweez is like saying "Nevermind" is better than "Bleach". (ummn I liked Bleach much better, but that has nothing to do with _this_ review!) When it's obvious, to me at least, that the musicians were still developing where they wanted to go with their sound(s). Music grows and changes, that is what it is supposed to do. However, out of the two albums, I would say that Spiderland is my favorite and if I were introducing someone to Slint - I'd give them Spiderland. But that really depends on the person. If they were really into Big Black, I'd give them Tweez first. It depends on if you're feeling "grrrr" or "swoony". For lack of better terms. yeah, real punk rock of me. ; >I really get into listening to Tweez not only for it's own merits, but also to experience what Spiderland did eventually grow out of. I think every fan can appreciate that. If you like Slint, you should also check out Aerial M (multi-instrumentalist David Pajo, formerly of Tortoise, Slint, Stereolab & others, is Aerial M.). If you haven't already, go pick up Tortoise: "Millions Now Living Will Never Die". And Big Black fans should give a listen to Babyland - "A Total Let Down" &/or "Who's Sorry Now". If you like Slint, you should buy this album. You can never have enough Slint, and there isn't much to begin with. I also recommend grabbing any/all Slint singles you can find."