Review: Melvins Prove They Still Have Something Unique to Say on Tarantula Heart

Forty-one
years
and
over
30
records
in,
most
bands
have
a
hard
time
sticking
around
that
long,
so
right
off
the
bat
it’s
hard
to
even
make
a
comparison
to
the
prolific

Melvins.
But
while
their
longevity
is
incredibly
impressive,
the
most
amazing
thing
about
them
is
that
they
still
manage
to
have
something
to
say
while
still
being
as
unique
and
interesting
as
they
ever
were.

It
also
stands
to
reason
that
after
so
much
time
and
music,
the
band
feel
the
need
to
do
things
a
bit
differently.
So,
on
this
record
they
wrote
the
songs
after
the
music
was
recorded.
You
may
need
to
read
that
sentence
several
times
for
the
meaning
to
sink
in,
but
I
promise
you,
that’s
not
a
typo.
That’s
really
what
I
mean
and
what
they
did.

The
entire
record
was
based
around
the
first
track,
a
whopping,
19-minute
doozy
“Pain
Equals
Funny,”
and
then
the
heavy
noise
track
“Working
the
Ditch.”
According
to
the
band,
the
music
was
recorded
and
THEN
the
band
went
through
and
figured
out
where
drum
parts,
riffs,
etc.
fit.
In
other
words,
the
album
was
almost
written
like
an
EDM
record,
where
producers
take
existing
sounds
and
build
into
a
song
structure
either
with
computer
software
or
analog
equipment.
Because
of
that
method,
there’s
some
seriously
weird
stuff
going
on
this
record.

As
such,
it’s
a
bit
hard
to
break
this
album
down
the
way
we
usually
do,
but
we’re
giving
it
the
ol’
college
try.
Obviously
a
good
piece
of
the
record
is
taken
up
by
opener
“Pain
Equals
Funny,”
which
feels
the
most
structured
and
doom/psych-influenced
on
the
record.
It
could
also
pretty
much
stand
alone
as
its
own
work.
And
it
makes
sense
that
“Working
the
Ditch”
is
next,
since
what
it
lacks
in
melody,
it
at
least
makes
up
for
in
structure
and
follows
the
general
“rules”
of
a
rock
song.

The
rest
of
the
album
descends
into
chaos
with
“She’s
Got
Weird
Arms,”
which
is
probably
the
best
song
title
ever,
and
one
that
immediately
made
me
think
of

Seinfeld
(but
Jerry,
she’s
got

weird
arms!)
this
is
when
the
album
might
start
to
lose
you,
as
this
sounds
more
like
heavy
chorus
and
wall
of
beats
than
a
song.
“Allergic
to
Food”
(another
great
title)
and
“Smiler”
are
much
the
same
way.

The
long
and
short
of
it
is,
this
album
is
definitely
not
going
to
be
everyone’s
cup
of
tea.
If
you
just
love
Melvins
and
what
they
do,
and/or
if
you’re
a
noise
fan
and
like
experimentation,
I
would
say
don’t
miss
this
one.
But
if
you’re
someone
who
can
take
or
leave
Melvins
and
try
and
catch
their
greatest
hits,
or
someone
who
generally
does
not
want
their
music
super
wonky,
you’ll
want
to
skip
this
record.

Tarantula Heart was
recorded,
mixed,
and
produced
by
long
time Melvins’
collaborator
Toshi
Kasai
at
The
Sound
of
Sirens
Studio
in
Los
Angeles.
Cover
art
was
created
by
Mackie
Osborne.

Melvins’ Tarantula
Heart will
be
available
next
Friday,
April
19,
via
Ipecac
Recordings. Preorder
your
copy
today.