Puddle Of Mudd - Abrasive (1997) (9/10)

Three years after the stunning "Stuck," Neo-Grunge band PUDDLE OF MUDD is around with a new record entitled „Abrasive“ that features eleven songs that many people should know. The record features the same line-up as the first release minus Jimmy Allen. The band is working as a trio on this record. It features original versions of later successes "Nobody Told Me," "Said," "Piss It All Away" as well as the later b-side and title track "Abrasive." "All I Ask For" has also been rerecorded and its demo version made it as a rather unkown b-side on a later single.

Compared to the new editions, almost all originals are more atmospheric and laid back and this sinister but somewhat stoned atmosphere is the guiding line of this release as it is sung on "Said" --  "Everyone around me's smoking crack..." That's the way it sounds and this blurry atmosphere makes this record something special. Only "Nobody Told Me" pleases me more in its later version because it's longer and builds up more atmosphere and energy.

Most of the songs on here are surprisingly calm, profound and psychedelic. Many songs are immediately catchy but most of them are atmospheric and musically complex enough to grow on you as time goes by. The psychedelic melody, the effect orientated short guitar solo and the catchy, psychedelic and already highly variable vocals by Scantlin on "Hour Glass Man" are extraordinary for example and this song is better than many of the more famous PUDDLE OF MUDD hits. The dirtier and simplistically instrumentalized, more bass guitar and heavy riff driven "Migraine" remembers many classic Grunge and Punk songs of the late eighties and early 90s without copying them. The weird and perfectly imperfect "All I Ask For" and especially its beginning sounds a little bit as if it came from a private demo tape of Kurt Cobain or JOHN FRUSCIANTE and as if there were loads of drugs around when this haunting and unique piece of music was banned on tape. This song is a quite unique experience that may not be very beautiful to listen to but that's what makes its confusing beauty after all. I let you discover this song to make up your own mind about it.

With a bigger promotion and an earlier release date, this record could have really struck hard. The band has tried out a few new things for this second release and that's great because a band has to keep on developing. Maybe there are a few less straight tracks on here than on the first record that I slightly prefer and especially the second half of "Abrasive" is maybe a little bit too calm and psychedelic for some people but this album also has a special atmosphere and its reason to exist. You really have to be in the right mood to fully appreciate this release while "Stuck" struck faster and was more accessible after all.

Any Grunge fan should know this record that has nothing to envy from the bigger names and reminds me of a slightly more laid back alternative to NIRVANA's "In Utero" for example. Grab this out of print rarity if you can get your hands on it and let's hope that the band is smart enough to rerelease this forgotten pearl one day.

(Online July 10, 2013)