Archive
MUDHONEY
Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge: 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Seattle veterans’ fuzz-addled 1991 classic with added goodies
SUB POP
8/10
Playing The Damned to Nirvana and Pearl Jam’s Sex Pistols/The Clash, Mudhoney were the dishevelled self-mocking flagbearers of grunge, staying faithful to Sub Pop and the underground spirit that defined the scene while their friends and rivals struck big. Released in the year of Ten and Nevermind, songs like EGBDF’s “Good Enough” and “Check-Out Time” showed Mudhoney had melodies and musical chops, but their adherence to lo-fi production ensured they would never go mainstream. You can get a sense of what might have been on this anniversary edition, which features five tracks – four previously unreleased – recorded at a 24-track studio by “Superfuzz Bigmuff ”/Mudhoney producer Jack Endino. They have pep and clarity but Mudhoney wanted grit and fuzz, so retreated to an 8-track studio, using the 24-track recordings as demos and turning their back on MTVapproved stardom in the process. Further rarities – B-sides, demos and non-album singles – round out the picture. Mudhoney continue to release superb albums, but this remains the best place to start.