Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. 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. Rock Star
16. Downmind
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 Grew Bigger

Disc 2:

1. Gimme Indie Rock
2. Ride The Darker Wave
3. Red Riding Hood
4. New King
5. Calling Yog Soggoth
6. Stored Up Wonder
7. Melting Wall
8. Design
9. Attention
10. Stars For Eyes
11. Unseen Waste
12. Violet Execution
13. As The World Turns
14. Cranberry Bog
15. Devils Reggae
16. Freed Pig
17. Never Jealous
18. Showtape '91

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25380 in Music
• Released on: 2006-07-10
• Number of discs: 2

Customer Reviews

A Treat From Start to Finish
If Lo-Fi American Indie rock is your thing then Sebadoh's `III' really ought to be one of your favourite albums of all time, because this record is at the very top of its genre.

Twenty-three tracks are clear evidence of the wealth of ideas and creativity on display. `The Freed Pig' is an obvious highlight with its blistering guitar work and amusingly caustic (and in places self-critical) account of Lou Barlow's bust-up with J. Mascis, but many other boxes are ticked: heartfelt and beautiful acoustic songs like `Total Peace' and `Spoiled' sit happily alongside experimental (with the emphasis on mental) rock wig-outs like ` Limb By Limb', `Supernatural Force' and the insane closing track `As The World Dies...'.

In between, musical styles and production values vary greatly but one thing which stays consistent is the quality of the song-writing. This is one of the very few Sebadoh records where the listener is not waiting with varying degrees of impatience for the next Lou Barlow song to come along. On `III', Eric and Jason's songs, although different, are the equal of Lou's. This is music played for the love of it and is a treat from start to finish.

Expanded reissue of classic 1991 album
Originally released on Homestead records in 1991, Sebadoh III was an instant classic and an LP that has now been reissued in a definitive two disc version by Domino (very much in the style of the similar expanded Pavement reissues released over the last few years). In it's wake comes the news that the original line-up of Sebadoh have reformed - Lou Barlow, Jason Loewenstein and Eric Gaffney; while more recently Domino have released the 52 track precursor The Freed Man (1988/1989).

Lou Barlow is probably more famous for his role as bassist in Dinosaur Jr, from their formation in 1985 through to his acrimonious sacking in 1989. Barlow surprised many a few years ago by rejoining J Mascis and Murph in Dinosaur Jr, and may have surprised many more by releasing a new record 'Beyond' with D Jr earlier this year. It was odd, since his solo LP released a year or so before the Dinosaur Jr pointed to other climes, especially since Sebadoh were on hiatus and both the Folk Implosion and the New Folk Implosion had ceased to exist. Listening to both The Freed Man and Sebadoh III, a lot of Barlow's lyrics seem to be directed at his former partner in Dinosaur Jr, notably 'The Freed Pig', which is as sublime as 'Freak Scene' (& a song that Gaffney refused to play on, though he does appear on the demo version on the second disc).

Sebadoh were actually formed prior to Barlow's exit from Dinosaur Jr, and despite later records, were actually Gaffney's band - Loewenstein would become more of an equal partner in songwriting later on, though his contributions here are fine. Sebadoh III is the product of three songwriters and not just the Barlow show, which some think Sebadoh were. A major part of this album was recorded in the style they call 'lo-fi', home recordings of a 4 track variety that influenced many records to come, notably One Foot in the Grave by Beck and parts of In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel (say 'Oh Comely' or 'Two Headed Boy, Part 1'). Several of the tracks were recorded with Sean Slade at the Fort Apache studios, Slade would later work with many other acts at this studio, including Buffalo Tom (whose debut was produced by J Mascis!).

The 23 tracks of Sebadoh III remain a joy and also transmit across a slightly melacholic vibe, which might have been informed by illicit substances, a lack of money, the war in Iraq, that mid-20s thing, or Barlow's exit from Dinosaur Jr...probably all those? Loewenstein's 'Hoppin' Up and Down' is a definite highlight, and Nirvana Unplugged before Nirvana Unplugged and did I say how wonderful 'The Freed Pig' is, despite the aggressive subject matter? The part where Barlow intones for the second time "tapping 'til I drive you insane" is wonderful and the guitar climax is as potent as that on 'Freak Scene.'

There are cover versions, from Minutemen's 'Sickles and Hammers' to, er, Johnny Mathis' 'Wonderful, Wonderful' - all part of the trip that is Sebadoh III, one of those albums like Daydream Nation, Double Nickels on the Dime, Wowee Zowee and Zen Arcade, that feels complete. All the tracks in one go, even if you want to play 'The Freed Pig' over and over!! It's all great though, from the quirky 'Violet Execution', to the charming 'Kath' (a prediction of Barlow's solo LP 'Em Oh'), to mellotron assisted 'Spoiled', and the bizarre closing track 'As the World Dies, the Eyes of God Get Bigger' (even stranger is the Butthole Surfers-style 'Showtape 91' found on the bonus disc!).

The bonus disc contains many a curio, some more arcane/completist by nature, though the amusing 'Gimme Indie Rock' remains a joy, as does 'Ride the Darker Wave', which appears to have been a vast influence on Blur's Britpop anthem 'Park Life'!!! I would say the LP as a whole was pioneering, the Sebadoh sound being of influence, borrowed and imitated (sometimes diluted) by acts such as Beck, Foo Fighters, The Lemonheads, & Snow Patrol (really - check out that Spitting song by SP, it's Sebadoh-lite!!). Sebadoh III is a definite indie/alternative landmark, one of those great albums - though I liked pretty much every Sebadoh record that followed, especially Bakesale and Harmacy. & I guess Sebadoh are partly to blame for the EMO-thing? An expanded and definitive reissue of a cult classic and one of those albums no one should be without...