Review Summary: Melvins show off their darker side
One of only two albums released on Amphetamine records, Honky sees Melvins continuing the experimentation they began with Stag and turning it up a few notches. The result showcases a band setting a precedent for themselves. At times sounding unrecognizable, and also hinting at the breadth of material that would/could be treaded through on future releases.
The album opener They all must be slaughtered; a creepy, low key drawl that features vocalist Katherine Bjelland (Babes in Toyland) sounds like the mantra that would drill itself into the head of every schizoid antisocial who’s on the brink of insanity. But of course in Melvins fashion it’s not all super serious. An immediate change of pace follows with Mombius Hibachi, which plays heavily on the loud/soft dynamic with pounding drums and King Buzzo singing in an odd, barely decipherable high pitched voice.
Air breather deep in the arms of morphius is the crux of the album and in my opinion, one of the best songs in the Melvins catalogue. I could spend a few paragraphs on it, but in the interest of brevity I’d describe it as ethereal and haunting with excellent payoff in the middle section and a delicious ending.
The album slumps only on two brief little ditties midway through. Laughing with Lucifer At Satan’s Sideshow; the lyrics of which are a stab at Atlantic records who had dropped the band from their label that year, after making only three albums. And How--++-- , a jangly filler track that offers nothing other than dissonance over a beat that gets increasingly faster and leads to nowhere.
In The Freaktose the bugs are dying closes out the album in frenetic rock-out fashion (think Honey Bucket except better). Besides Lovely Butterfly it’s the only song on here that resembles anything off of their previous releases. It concludes with an unnecessary 25+ minutes of silence (no secret track). Worth noting is the pace at which this album plays. Most of the tracks are either heavily down tempo or slightly up tempo with very little in between. On Harry Lauders walking stick tree the band sounds almost as if they’re playing in slow motion. Despite this unevenness the songs end up flowing together fairly well.
In summation, this is arguably the Melvins most experimental and daring work and maybe their most underrated. Anyone new to their catalogue should know that this might not be the album/s to start with (Gluey Porch Treatments, Houdini, Stoner Witch), but if you want to know what they’re capable of as a band definitely check this one out.
Recommended Tracks
They all must be slaughtered
Lovely Butterfly
Air breather deep in the arms of morphius
In the freaktose the bugs are dying
