Sunday, April 14, 2024

Seaweed - Beasides

I've had a full week to get my act together and rip some new (or more accurately, used) vinyl...but alas, I never got around to it.  Which is why I had to scrounge something up from my hard drive, specifically a fan-made compilation of b-sides and rarities from Tacoma WA's finest sons, Seaweed.  Over the course of five albums Adam Stauffer and Co. were an integral staple of my '90s soundtrack, bearing a distinctive roar that was never quite punk or grunge, but easily appealed to both sensibilities.  Adroit masters of the two minute form, they parlayed the buzz built-up on Sub Pop concoctions Weak and Four, and miraculously, when they took the major plunge for 1995's Spanaway they delivered on said accumulated promise in a monstrous way.  Seaweed were one of those rare beasts that rarely if ever exuded a misstep. 

As far as this somewhat haphazard collection is concerned it is presented somewhat chronologically, and for better or worse is chockablock with covers.  Yes, they pursue Fleetwood Mac's most overplayed hit, but they compensate for it with excellent readings of songs that Beat Happening, The Fastbacks, Jonathan Richman, and even hardcore cult legends The DehumanizersWeak's "Squint" is subjected to a radical remix, while "Losing Skin" is massaged much more subtly, skewing closer to it's original incarnation. And there's plenty more gold to boot.  A big shout out to whomever curated this collection. 

01. Bewitched (Beat Happnening)
02. Foggy Eyes (Beat Happnening)
03. Measure
04. Turnout
05. Taxing (demo)
06. Baggage (demo)
07. Pumpkin (Wwax)
08. Squint - The Killerest Expression
09. Go Your Own Way
10. Losing Skin (remix)
11. She Cracked (Jonathan Richman)
12. Kid Candy (radio edit)
13. Sing Thorugh Me (The Dehumanizers)
14. Shephard's Pie
15. My Letters (The Fastbacks)
16. Brand New Order
17. Days Missed Dearly

3 comments:

Neal said...

haphazard?! why i oughta!
this is from my mostly defunct blog. i thought chronological would showcase their growth as artists. or some shit.
since then there's been the service deck 7" and there's a digital version of actions and indications that has 4 unreleased bonus tracks, but 3 didn't seem to get mastered fully.

spavid said...

Just saw your comments now Neal! Wow, thanks for putting that whole operation together, and yes, it made perfect sense to present it chronologically. I noticed that the tracks from the Service Deck 7" weren't on there, but it takes nothing away from it. Hoping for a reunion at some point. Cheers.

Mark H said...

Saw them in 1994 opening for Sponge and Candlebox of all bands. Roar is definitely the right word for their style. The cover of My Letters is aces.