A Welcome Return
Back in the late 80s and into the 90s a new musical wave was sweeping the world, a genre that would go on to influence numerous artists and mould the path for music's future. It was of course grunge, a genre that seemed to encompass the elitist independence of indie with the rawness of garage rock, all interwoven with a sense of self-loathing and despair. This was a genre that would embrace Kurt Cobain as its iconic poster boy, which would see bands like Pearl Jam and Nirvana cross over into the mainstream selling millions of records and even influencing fashion.
Amidst all this though certain underground groups that had been at the forefront of this musical revolution were swept to one side, never gaining the mass attention their contempory did but still creating the type of music that defined a generation. Step forward one such band - Sebadoh, a band who could not only boast the skills of ex-Dinosaur Jr. Lou Barlow on bass but who would go on to make records that would in turn influence the next wave of musicians. It is therefore fitting, if arguably overdue, that fifteen years after it was first released Seadoh's 'III' album is remastered and re-released in all its glory with the added bonus of a second disc that includes demos and the 'Gimmie Indie Rock' EP in all its splendour.
Brandishing blatantly honest lyrics, 'III' lays bare the soul of Sebadoh for all to enjoy from opener 'Freed Pig' that deals with Barlow's departure from Dinosaur Jr. to the sombrely mellow 'Truly Great Things', Sebadoh literally takes you from one emotion to the next; from giggle ensuing hysteria to heartwretchingly teary eyed, nothing is overlooked. Throughout 'III's clings to Sebadoh's lo-fi humble beginnings, retaining the personal intimacy that defined their genre as a whole whilst simultaneously creating a sound that seems so much bigger.
'Black Haired Gurls' for instance sees Sebadoh going country, complete with lilting guitar riffs and Texan twang; in fact the only thing missing is a cowboy hat. But this is the joy of Sebadoh. On the one hand they could write lyrics that truly tapped into the feelings of self loathing and confusion of the youths of the time but they could then poke fun at themselves and indeed those who they deemed as having sold out, as is the case with the sarcastically titled 'Gimmie Indie Rock' that even name checks the likes of Sonic Youth and Pussy Galore. 'III' embraces all the qualities Splendour had to offer, it was the album that captured the essence of the band, a fact that is conveyed through every track, be it a frenzied punk rage, a painfully honest plea or a drug-trip narrative ('Showtape 91'), 'III' shows Sebadoh for what they were; unpredictable, influential and endearing.
Shamefully overlooked, Sebadoh have remained a secret of the underground, never gaining the recognition that others did and yet they created music that was just, if not more influential. Lyrically they could hold their own with Cobain, musically they were in a class of their own and as such it would be nothing less then a tragedy to overlook 'III' again. If you want to behold the true essence of the underground grunge movement then there is no better place to begin your education then with Sebadoh's 'III' and their tales of girls, pot and rock 'n' roll. Grunge may have crossed into the mainstream but with Sebadoh it retained an underground theme that many applauded, making the re-release of 'III' a welcome sight.