For Yours Truly, Mudhoney was a group where the hype never matched up with the actual product, but then again, I could say the same about a ton of grunge and alternative rock bands. Maybe it was because, this is the music I was most familiar with from listening to the radio, and I got sick of it real fast. Whatever the case, the band you know as Mudhoney was formed from the ashes of an earlier band called Green River, and the initial "indie" period which was highlighted by the infamous Superfuzz Bigmuff EP was a bit of a turn-off. However...like other Seattle-area groups, eventually Mudhoney was signed to a major label, and even though they never really compromised their sound, the extra resources certainly broadened their approach, and their major debut on Reprise - Piece of Cake - is a good example of this. For the most part, we are confronted with the classic garage-noise which put the band and grunge on the map, but there are added frills and touches which grab your attention, like the Untitled interludes, an introductory track which sounds like techno music played on a hockey-style organ, and an overall knack for integrating some odd instrumentation throughout. Beyond that, even the material has much improved since the sloppy Superfuzz days. "Make It Now" has long been my go-to Mudhoney track, and it's the finest example of what makes the album work - fiery, high-energetic technicial work which contrasts with the band's aloof, uncaring attitude. The album ends on a horrifying, "can't look away" note thanks to the enveloping folk ballad "Acetone". If you want a good grunge record that goes beyond the known quantities I highly suggest this one.

Wizzard's run in the public eye crashed on the rocks of indifference and record company intrigue behind the scenes as Wood and his merry band had the intent of recording a double album - one side dedicated to a fictional 1950's rock and roll band, and the other given over to extended jazz-rock material. Long story short, Wood's record company was not fond of the idea, and only allowed the group to record the 50's tribute album as one studio record. When the time came to record the jazz-rock album (Main Street), they were not enamored with the result and shelved it for nearly 25 years, until a re-issue label called Edsel re-released it with Wood's blessing. The one thing both albums lacked was the excitement and volatility from Wizzard Brew or the early singles. There are residuals to be heard from the Eddy and the Falcons project, but it dissapates as you make your way through the album. Main Street is on a whole other wave length altogether. This is not jazz-rock of the Steely Dan or even the 1970's fusion variety - rather, like his earlier works, Wood delves back into his influences, and the end result has more affinity with the big band music of the 40's and 50's than anything else. All of this is fairly interesting - especially if you are a Roy Wood fan - but to the average listener, it tends to go over one's head, so overall, tread lightly.

Wizzard's run in the public eye crashed on the rocks of indifference and record company intrigue behind the scenes as Wood and his merry band had the intent of recording a double album - one side dedicated to a fictional 1950's rock and roll band, and the other given over to extended jazz-rock material. Long story short, Wood's record company was not fond of the idea, and only allowed the group to record the 50's tribute album as one studio record. When the time came to record the jazz-rock album (Main Street), they were not enamored with the result and shelved it for nearly 25 years, until a re-issue label called Edsel re-released it with Wood's blessing. The one thing both albums lacked was the excitement and volatility from Wizzard Brew or the early singles. There are residuals to be heard from the Eddy and the Falcons project, but it dissapates as you make your way through the album. Main Street is on a whole other wave length altogether. This is not jazz-rock of the Steely Dan or even the 1970's fusion variety - rather, like his earlier works, Wood delves back into his influences, and the end result has more affinity with the big band music of the 40's and 50's than anything else. All of this is fairly interesting - especially if you are a Roy Wood fan - but to the average listener, it tends to go over one's head, so overall, tread lightly.

This 2-disc set nicely stitches together the more accessible version of Sly from the late 60's with the complicated misfit who struggled with stardom in the early 70's. Nowhere is this more evident than midway through the second disc, where you encounter "Thank You For Talkin' To Me Africa", Stone's painfully biting and forlorn mockery of his 1970 hit "Thank You Fallettin Be Mice Elf Agin", complete with backing vocals and moans straight from a haunted house. Arguably the most compelling artist who emerged from the late 60's - simply because there was so much momentum behind him - Essential accurately documents the rapid rise and fall of the group, and Sly.

One thing is for certain - unlike the first few albums, there is not much lovin' in this spoonful of a record. Rather, it's a melancholy affair which goes some way to keep up with the spirit of the times, but also has enough sense to know the attempt is futile. The end result is an album which is the most sophisticated of the four studio efforts thus far, but one that is very uneven - ranging from full-on psych-pop pieces like "Old Folks", "Close Your Eyes", the instrumental "Forever", and "Oh Pretty, What a Pity", all the way down to minimalistic statements like "Younger Generation" and "Priscilla Millionaira" (sung by Steve Boone). The album lives up to the title because this is one of those where it takes a few listens to get down the actual flow of the album in your head. The moderate hit from it was "Six O'Clock", which was definitely psychedelic in nature - Sebastian sings the hook in a strange, deadpan manner - and the rest of the band gets in songwriting credits this time around, contributing to the democratic feel. I call this one an underrated gem in the Spoonful catalog.