The Melvins - Nude with Boots Review

Posted by Steven Kubitz on 07.17.2008

The Melvins? Aren’t they that band Kurt Cobain really liked? The answer to that question is definitely a yes, but The Melvins have proved over the years that they are much more than a Kurt Cobain influence. They have released a plethora of albums over the years, and their latest release might be their best work yet.

It would be easy to dismiss the influence the Melvins had on the rock scene of the early 90’s, but consider this; Kurt Cobain cited The Melvins as one of his biggest influences, and one of the reasons he wanted to start a rock band. So it would easy to say if not for The Melvins, there would be no Nirvana. The Melvins first formed in 1982 with members Buzz Osborne aka “King Buzzo” and Dale Crover. Though the line up has changed many times over the years, Osborne and Crover remain the only constant members. They have released 16 studio albums and their most recent Nude with Boots is a return to their previous methodic melodic sound of the 80’s. The album which was released July 8, 2008 is a 42 minute thrill ride that grabs your attention from the opening track and doesn’t let go until the last note.

Nude with Boots opens with the track “The Kicking Machine” it is a great opening that really grabs your attention with some great drum work from Dale Crover. It is a commanding song that demands your attention, and as you listen to it you know The Melvins are officially back, and quite possibly better than ever. The next track, “Billy Fish” is 4 minute song opens up with 2 minute and 20 seconds of instrumental opening, and really shows off the talent of Osborne and Crover as musicians. As a fan of instrumentals, this is a really great song and to me it drives home the fact even though the Melvins have some downright funny lyrics, they can still bring it melodically. Track number three is called “Dog Island”, playing just over 7 ½ minutes which makes it the longest track on Nude with Boots. Many songs of this length suffer from being repetitive and you usually become very aware of how long they are; The Melvins however, do a very good job with this song and even though it’s over 7 minutes long, it never drags and by the time it ends you have no idea 7 minutes have passed. This track is my favorite on the album, and considering the quality of the record that is saying something.

The next track “Dies Iraea” is perhaps the weakest track on the album. It isn’t a bad song in any way, but the placement hurts it. This song is sandwiched between a great song and a very good song, and as a result it gets lost in the shuffle. There are no lyrics in the song, and even though I am a fan of instrumentals this song pretty much is a bridge between track 3 and 5. It’s very much so a filler song, and as far as filler songs go it isn’t too bad, but because of the quality of tracks 3 and 5, it just feels like it doesn’t belong. Track 5, “Suicide in Progress” is another intense song that shows off the skills of The Melvins. They once again start with nearly 2 ½ minutes of instrumental to open the song, but when the lyrics kick in this song really shines. “The Smiling Cobra” is the next song on the album, and if “Dog Island” wasn’t on this album this in my opinion would be the best track. However, there is nothing wrong with a silver medal and in this case the silver is pretty damn good. I found myself really getting into this song, but upon listening to this and “Dog Island” back-to-back, I couldn’t put this over as the best song.

The next track is the title track aptly named “Nude with Boots.” This is probably the only song that has the pop-feeling in the track on the album, though that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. This track follows the previous ones by starting off with a great instrumental, and even though this isn’t as heavy as some of the other tracks it’s a wonderful song that will probably end up stuck in your head. This is another song that could very well be the best of the record, but it just comes up a little short in comparison to some of the other songs though it really does help to show off the diversity of The Melvins. The next song “Flush” is another instrumental, and really is nothing more than an intro to “The Stupid Creep.” It’s only about 1 minute long, and is just a series of sounds with music playing in the background. “The Stupid Creep” is another short track, and it sounds more akin to classic rock than the rest of the tracks. It’s a bit too short for my tastes and though it still is a good song, it doesn’t even rate close to the best. The next track is called “The Savage Hippy.” We once again open with an instrumental, and the lyrics sort of play in the background. At first it sounds very creepy, and that is most definitely a good thing. In between the singing you hear some almost inaudible screaming which really gives this song some amazing ambiance and flair. The last song on Nude with Boots is called “It Tastes Better than the Truth” This song opens up with talking in the background, and once again builds atmosphere until the singing begins. It is a great ending song as it is slow and methodic, though it does a good job at making the listener come back down from this musical journey. This song also does some creepy thing in the track, as towards the end you hear some blood curling screams along with a bit more almost background talking before the song ends with the screaming finally dying down. This song works at the end because it almost overloads you, and anymore would probably be a bit much though as it stands this is the perfect end to this album.

Nude with Boots is really a fantastic album, and it really shows just how talented The Melvins really are. This is probably their best work since 1994’s Stoner Witch. If you like semi-experimental rock then this is a great buy for you, and you will not be disappointed. The Melvins really prove that they are a great band, and that they can stand the test of time. They may have been around since the 80’s, but they really can adapt with the times and evolve their sound. This album is a great return back to their roots, and is one of the summer’s best.

1. "The Kicking Machine" 8.5/10
2. "Billy Fish" 8/10
3. "Dog Island" 9.5/10
4. "Dies Iraea" 5.5/10
5. "Suicide in Progress" 9/10
6. "The Smiling Cobra" 8/10
7. "Nude with Boots" 8/10
8. "Flush" 6/10
9. "The Stupid Creep" 6.5/10
10. "The Savage Hippy" 8.5/10
11. "It Tastes Better Than the Truth" 8.5/10

The 411: Nude with Boots is a return to the more harmonious experimental rock that The Melvins were known for in the late 1980’s. This album might not be as flashy as some of their previous works, but it does a great job of standing on its’ own. This isn’t just a CD for Melvins fans. I would recommend this album to anyone. If you have yet to listen to The Melvins this CD is a good start, and hopefully you end up listening to their past works because The Melvins have released a lot of quality music.

Final Score:  8.5   [ Very Good ]