Saturday, March 16, 2013

Surgery - Shimmer



Label: Atlantic
Year: 1994

Ah yes, the "sellout" album. Like every card carrying member of the Church Of Tim Yohannon, I too was not willing to allow my heroes a chance at financial stability. So when Surgery decided to jump from Amphetamine Reptile to Atlantic Records...well, that just wouldn't do. It was an outrageous, treasonous act that surely marked the coming Apocalypse, and could not be tolerated. I called for an all-out boycott.
Until a copy of the album showed up at the radio station I was working in...
It wouldn't hurt to take it home and give it a covert listen under the cover of dark right? I mean, Steve Albini couldn't be everywhere at once could he? No one would be the wiser. And hey, it's not like I supported the corporate death machine by purchasing the record now did I (and no, the irony of it being posted here is not lost on me)?
So the bottom line...it sounded like Surgery 75% of the time, and sounded like 90's alternative rock the other 25%. I shelved it, and did not check back in on "Shimmer" for many years to come.
I am retarded.
This is a good record. Not great, but still really good. Surgery is a great band who had a knack for catchy songs that were heavy and dirty. This record is mostly that sound, in fact there's even a version of their classic jam "D-Nice" on here. I will say there are a couple songs that aren't too hot, but mostly, this is well worth your time. Especially if you ever liked Surgery in the first place. 
So at the risk of losing your entry to the Maximum Rocknroll Old Folks Home, give this one a shot.

*Originally posted 03-10-09, re-up'd 03-16-13

5 comments:

The Salvager said...

Hey, i'd love it if you could repost the first Surgery album!

MarsHottentot said...

I really like this record! I was never a fan, really, so I didn't boycott - I just didn't care. Man, I missed out - they sounded more like the scuzz blues that everyone (including my band - Rumford) started doing - well, from '95 until White Stripes broke out. But grimier and noisier - even on this record.

Georg Cracked said...

Well, the success of moving to a major label showed with their releases after Shimmer...

anyway, thanks for posting this

Darryl Whalen said...

thanks

love it

saw them around 93 or 94, never had even heard of them prior

they were great and i have been testifying to all open ears since - no one rally cares

fuck people

heave a beautiful day! i love you!

BenB said...

please re-up this

 
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