Sebadoh - Iii

  by Jon Rogers

published: 29 / 5 / 2006

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The problem with Sebadoh at times was that they dipped their toes too often in too many pools of water and their third album suffers more than most. One minute Lou Barlow and cohorts are indulging in some bubblegum pop (admittedly with the amps cranked up to breaking point), that will stand shoulder to shoulder with some acoustic whimsy. Then there's Barlow's tape experiments thrown in, a bit of stoner rock, hints of jazz. Although effectively Sebadoh's mission statement of intent, 'III' all too often seems like a young child on Christmas Day, surrounded by presents and, while dazzled by all that is on offer, just can't make it's mind up what exactly to play with. So while all the toys are picked up and played with, after a few minutes, the child's eye is caught by something else and off it goes into another direction. 'III' sees Barlow, drummer Eric Gaffney and bassist Jason Loewenstein all playing with their toys but not for long enough for it all to make sense. Experimentation is definitely to be welcomed, otherwise everyone would end up sounding like James Blunt but 'III' sounds like the trio trying too hard, almost wilfully chopping and changing. From the cut and thrust of 'Limb by Limb"'the band then settle down to the relaxed pace of 'Smoke a Bowl' which is in turn followed by the folk whimsy of 'Black Haired Gurl'. Then if you can take any more there´s now a whole extra disc of pretty much the same stuff - but of even lower quality. Apart from the wonderful tongue-in-cheek 'Gimme Indie Rock' (which should really be compulsory listening for any aspiring skinny-boy indie rocker before they become a living, breathing cliché) the rest is largely forgettable and should have been left on the studio shelf gathering dust. Only the most ardent Sebadoh fan will want to hear the likes of 'Red Riding Good' or the four-track version of 'The Freed Pig'.

Track Listing:-

1 The Freed Pig
2 Sickles And Hammers
3 Total Peace
4 Violet Execution
5 Scars, Four Eyes
6 Truly Great Thing
7 Kath
8 Perverted World
9 Wonderful, Wonderful
10 Limb By Limb
11 Smoke A Bowl
12 Black Haired Gurl
13 Hoppin' Up And Down
14 Supernatural Force
15 Rockstar
16 Dowmind
17 Renaissance Man
18 God Told Me
19 Holy Picture
20 Hassle
21 No Different
22 Spoiled
23 As The World Dies The Eyes Of God Grow Bigger
24 Gimmie Indie Rock
25 Ride The Darker Wave
26 Red Riding Good
27 New King
28 Calling Yog Soggoth
29 Stored Up Wonder (Supernatural Force)
30 Melting Wall (Holy Picture)
31 Design
32 Attention
33 Stars For Eyes
34 Unseen Waste
35 Violet Execution (Remix '04)
36 As the World Turns
37 Cranberry Bog
38 The Devils Reggae'
39 The Freed Pig (4-Track)
40 Never Jealous
41 Showtape '91

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