Friday 23 May 2008

Green River - Dry As A Bone/Rehab Doll (1986/1988)


Far more iconic than Nirvana, and cooler than Mudhoney, although fronted by the same guy, Mark Arm. Green River were THE definitive 'grunge' band, these releases pivotal moments for the scene (once known as Sub-Pop due to the label they bands were on), the band churning out monster Sabbath riffs laced with garage-fuzz courtesy of Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament who of course would go on to be part of Mother Love Bone and Pearl Jam. 'Dry As A Bone' offers the gloomy 'P.C.C.', the doomy 'baby Takes' with a riff that appears to have been riffed off by every 'grunge' band hereafter, and the more upbeat fuzz racket of 'Searchin' which sounds like some obscure '60s beat record. Try and pick the cd up as you'll get the exquisite 'Rehab Doll' also, the title cut an immense, dark and funereal dirge, the gothic 'Together We'll Never' which has a feel of Danzig's 'Possession' about it, somehow! Green River exude attitude, long before the scene truly bloomed, but I prefer the fact that this record remained in the yukky basement of sweat, where Sub-pop belonged and most certainly flourished at a more evil rate.

7.5/10

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