Shellac 1000 Volts of Power

The first time I heard Shellac it was the summer of 1999. I did not know really what to think. They were loud and brash, but on the other hand it was something that I really liked. I did not know much of them, but of the loud and brash I had a few songs on various mix CD's. When I went back to college in the Fall of 2000 I heard my first full Shellac album. I quickly put it on a tape and listened to going back and forth to class. The music was great and the dis-junked music fit the mood I was in.

I was told about this band from a guy who worked at the record store. He told me about how Steve Albini likes things rough and has a warm spot for analog recording. This guy at the store told me about how Steve Albini produced some real musical classics. "He produced Nirvana's In Utero." I was told. The same person also told me when he produces a record certain magic happens that does not happen anywhere else. He handed me another CD and I listened with such intent that I knew there was magic even made by him and his band.

Over the next couple months I realized that he should be played on my radio show. I liked what him and the rest of the band were doing. It was not quite the way I thought a power trio should be, but I loved it. The crunching guitar parts and the heavy rumble of the bass and of course who could miss those really interesting beats from the drum. I would fit in anyway I could to put a Shellac song on my shows. It was always a given that I would play one song and I would get a phone call from one of my friends to play another Shellac song. I was always up for that.

To the one true God above:
here is my prayer -
not the first you've heard, but the first I wrote.
(not the first, but the others were a long time ago).
There are two people here, and I want you to kill them.
Her - she can go quietly, by disease or a blow
to the base of her neck, 
where her necklaces close,
where her garments come together,
where I used to lay my face...
That's where you oughta kill her,
in that particular place.
Him - just fucking kill him, I don't care if it hurts.
Yes I do, I want it to,
fucking kill him but first
make him cry like a woman,
(no particular woman),
let him hold out, hold back 
(someone or other might come and fucking kill him).
Fucking kill him.
Kill him already, kill him.
Fucking kill him, fucking kill him,
Kill him already, kill him,
Just fucking kill him!
In the spring of 2002 I stopped to see a friend at the record store I went to and he handed me tickets to see Shellac. For a cheap eight dollars four of us piled into a car and saw Shellac. This was (I know for a fact) going to be one kick ass show. I was more impressed with their live performance then anything in the world. The music loud on the CD was even louder in live performance. It was and still is one of the best shows I have ever seen. On the way back we all tried to figure out how Steve Albini and Bob Weston get that sound out of their instruments. We also tried to figure out the awkwardness of Todd Trainers drumming.

What I thought was great the lyrics of Steve Albini and the tongue and cheek feel of the whole band. It was a great impression on how great music is created. Now comes the hard part, what album to pick. I like them all, but I decided to choose an album that got me on the kick of Shellac. I chose 1000 Hurts because each song on here is so underrated musically. To one of my favorites called "Watch Song" to the song called "Prayer to God." The latter is about is a no plea for forgiveness or well-wishing; he asks his lord to kill an ex-girlfriend and her accomplice.

It is all in all some of the best loud rock you have ever heard. I suggest you take a chance this might be a keeper and if you have a great stereo. Crank up and stand back this might get a bit messy! Enjoy!!