This album is decent but suffers from the fact that the first track is the best on the album - once you've heard it you may as well turn it off! Pearl Jam make an ample contribution, though you can't help but think it would've been way better with Crazy Horse. Was Neil trying to be 'down' with the mid-90s kids here?

Probably Nirvana's finest achievement. It's much less glitzy sounding than Nevermind was - and could have been even less so as Steve Albini's original, rougher sounding recordings were remixed by Scott Litt of REM (production) fame. It'd be wonderful to hear these original recordings as a re-release (like the Beatles did with Let it be [Naked]). It'll probably never happen - but that's major labels for you. According to Kurt's diaries, the original idea was to release the Albini version on vinyl and 8-track(!) only through Touch and Go recordings, and the radio friendly version on CD through Geffen. Nice idea but i'm sure Geffen didn't fancy licensing one of their biggest selling artists ever to some trendy label just so the cool kids could have the Albini version on vinyl. You never know though - they've already released about as many rarities as they can in the With The Lights Out box set, sure they'll try and milk the legacy a bit more in the next few years...

Beautiful record. There's a shoegazey side to this - think My Bloody Valentine crossed with Low (two members of whom feature here). It also has lovely packaging made of tracing paper. One of my favourite releases on this label.

One of the best live performers i've seen in recent times. He has an amazing voice and energy about him but also builds tracks live using delay pedals and loops. This is especially effective as layer upon layer of vocals are added.

Lidell is simulataneously techno boffin and motown pop genius. He's Aphex twin crossed with Phil Spector.

Ok that's over the top. He's very good live.

I would say that this is as seminal as Skam's 'Skampler' comp. I've gone on to buy records by every single artist on it without exception. In some cases these are the best tracks i've heard by the artists.

This release also got me into several other labels (merck, onrecords, etc).

You really should buy this release if you have any interest in electronic music.

Fantastic release. Straddles the line between Louisvillian post-rock (is that a genre?) and dischord hardcore. First track is probably the best. Vocals are,at times, shouted from a way off the mic, which works brilliantly. Check out Rodan if you like this.

The title track on this record has literally moved me to tears in the past. Johnny Cash's version (featuring Will Oldham) is possibly (and somehow impossibly) even better.

This sounds like something a serial killer would listen to. Last track repeats the same idiot riff for pretty much the whole long-haul. Genius. Better than Zeni Geva

This is pretty tough to find these days but is worth searching for. It's similar in many ways to Slint's 'Tweez' and featured David Grubbs (who was apparently in Slint prior to any released recordings). It definitely has a kind of proto-postrock feel - particularly in the mumbled vocal department!

Slowcore, postrock, grunge, sadcore, whatever you want to call it - this is a phenomenal album. Easily as good as anything Low, Slint, Bitch Magnet, et al ever produced. Shame they split up. Would love to know which other bands the members went on to be in. Doug Scharin i know was in Rex, HIM, Directions in Music, and June of 44 - but the others?