WHO ARE THEY? The Seattle indie-rock stalwarts fronted by singer-guitarist (and longtime Sub Pop Records warehouse manager) Mark Arm — also the man who accidentally coined the term grunge back in the day, much to his continued chagrin.
WHAT IS THIS? An EP featuring seven songs that were recorded during the sessions for their topical 2018 protest album Digital Garbage, but didn’t make the cut for one reason or another.
WHAT DOES IT SOUND LIKE? Mudhoney doing precisely what they do best: Cranking out short, sharp shots of Stooges-style rawk and punk laced with Arm’s sardonic lyrics and Iggy-like yowl.
WHAT WOULD BE A BETTER TITLE FOR THIS ALBUM? Digital Recycling.
HOW SHOULD I LISTEN TO IT? Loud and on repeat.
WHAT 10 WORDS DESCRIBE IT? Rambunctious, snide, volatile, political, rebellious, reckless, irreverent, confrontational, audacious, fiery.
WHAT ARE THE BEST SONGS? The riffy Creeps Are Everywhere is as cool as its title; opener Vortex of Lies and One Bad Actor raise a solid racket; the anthemic state-of-the-union title cut makes a fine thematic and literal centrepiece.
WHAT WILL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY SAY? ‘For a bunch of old guys, these guys never get old.’
HOW OFTEN WILL I LISTEN TO THIS? Often enough to put it on a playlist with Digital Garbage.
IF THIS ALBUM WERE A MENTAL ILLNESS, WHAT ILLNESS WOULD IT BE? Paranoia fueled by manic depression. Or vice versa.
SHOULD I BUY, STREAM OR STEAL IT? If anybody deserves your cash — and can use it — it’s a bunch of indie-rock icons who still work day jobs.
