I voted Sweet Oblivion. "Dollar Bill" is such a great song. They were great at that folk rock acoustic opening turning into a rock snarl down pretty well. The closer "Julie Paradise" pulls something similar, but the end is just wah-wah heaven.
I should pick up copies of those last three albums again; I sold mine in the great grunge purge in the mid 90s.
― dulce est desipere in loco (Euler), Tuesday, 5 May 2009 01:33 (fifteen years ago) link
yes you should!
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Tuesday, 5 May 2009 12:35 (fifteen years ago) link
last hour to vote
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Tuesday, 5 May 2009 22:04 (fifteen years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Tuesday, 5 May 2009 23:01 (fifteen years ago) link
whoa! Dust should be no2! Did everyone think others would vote for it?
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Tuesday, 5 May 2009 23:04 (fifteen years ago) link
You do know you vote for your favorite, right? This isn't "Rank'em Top To Bottom." I laugh every time I see that reaction - "My second/third/nth favorite should have done better! But I, like everyone else, voted for my absolute favorite!"
Sorry, you don't deserve that pissy response. Just think it is funny that it happens every time. Dust is a great album, but obviously not too many people's #1 pick.
I'm just glad to see that all have partisans.
― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 5 May 2009 23:34 (fifteen years ago) link
It's not that at all, it's just Dust got the most mentions by people in the thread AND most fans reckon it's their best album, and critics also agree with that, so I'm surprised it wasnt first or second.
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 11:20 (fifteen years ago) link
there's different schools of trees fans though, aren't there? and for those who love the Epic-era, I think SweetOblivion is their most substantial, their best album. The SST era is more scattered, so SST acolytes chose around the catalogue. To be honest, I'm amazed as many voted as did. Glady so, though.
― Neither have you tasted my Jesus (stevie), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 11:57 (fifteen years ago) link
I'm amazed that Sweet Oblivion got so many votes; it must be a zeitgeist thing because to me it's their most boring album. Yeah it's got Nearly Lost You on it, but for the life of me I can't remember any other tune (aside from Dollar Bill, which I'm not a big fan of).
― MacDara, Wednesday, 6 May 2009 12:40 (fifteen years ago) link
i have a soft spot for dust mainly because i recall how it really seemed to fall under the radar on its release, despite overwhelmingly positive reviews. i loved it from the day i picked it up all those years ago, and even though it's perhaps a little tame and underpowered in parts, i think it really holds together well.
that said, sweet oblivion will always be my favourite. i listened to this constantly along with other seminal seattle records released around the same time, and i'll always associate it with the singular expressions of its era.
― Charlie Howard, Wednesday, 6 May 2009 13:03 (fifteen years ago) link
Went with Sweet Oblivion, best (singalong)songs + epic Connertronics + sweet nostalgia.
Coincidentally, the debut is today's album of the day at allmusic.
― willem, Thursday, 7 May 2009 12:26 (fifteen years ago) link
"epic Connertronics" is right! Listening to "Julie Paradise" again and at about 2:50 in: what's the name of that effect, the one that could be called a wah-wah but also sounds like it has some chorus going on? Is this a standard pedal or something the band put together? Because it sounds great, that swirling roar.
― deep olives (Euler), Friday, 7 August 2009 14:58 (fifteen years ago) link
Julie Paradise is my go-to track on this disc
― WARS OF ARMAGEDDON (Karaoke Version) (Sparkle Motion), Friday, 7 August 2009 17:26 (fifteen years ago) link
i has a bitchen 10 minute version from a bootleg somewhere...
― Stoked for DinoWaco! (stevie), Friday, 7 August 2009 19:44 (fifteen years ago) link
Their final recordings (1998-1999) will be released in August. No reunion.
http://easystreetonline.com/blog/5268/new-screaming-trees-album-out-in-august
― StanM, Tuesday, 28 June 2011 15:13 (thirteen years ago) link
pretty fuckin excited to hear this.
― his name was rony. rony from my cage. (stevie), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 15:24 (thirteen years ago) link
weird. i'm surprised by the amount of enthusiasm and expertise on display itt, though i don't know why i should be. 75 responses to this poll, which must make the screaming trees something of a minor ILM favorite, though seldom discussed.
have mixed feelings about the trees cuz i was at one time something of a fan, despite lanegan reservations and the fact that they never made a record i 100% loved all the way through. i guess they suffered in my mind for being better than das damen, but 2nd to the likes of the meat puppets and dino jr, damned with not-so-faint praise. even if and especially when is my favorite (or was, haven't heard it in ages), with buzz factory a good close second, both more for certain songs than front-to-back perfection. was a sucker for the tough punk edge and spaceflower hippie lyrics on shit like "straight out to anyplace" and "the pathway":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RelQCJmssHk
this was (and still is!) my favorite tho:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLWLLrjaAzw
― And the piano, it sounds like a carnivore (contenderizer), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 15:55 (thirteen years ago) link
Even If And Especially When is such an SST title that when someone namechecks it, I usually assume that it's by Black Flag or the Minutemen.
― kkvgz, Tuesday, 28 June 2011 16:00 (thirteen years ago) link
or fIREHOSE
― And the piano, it sounds like a carnivore (contenderizer), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 16:02 (thirteen years ago) link
^
― kkvgz, Tuesday, 28 June 2011 16:03 (thirteen years ago) link
What it reminds me most of is "I won't stick any of you unless and until I can stick all of you."
― kkvgz, Tuesday, 28 June 2011 16:05 (thirteen years ago) link
Enjoying the Last Words: The Final Recordings. However, back in the 90s, I could have sworn I heard they recorded an album before Dust that was rejected by the label, and that was the "lost album." Was I confused, and it's only these later sessions?
― Fastnbulbous, Friday, 5 August 2011 19:47 (thirteen years ago) link
these are the sessions from the album they intended to make after dust, but yeah, i think you're right and there was another album rejected between sweet ovlivion and dust.
― i'm not a lawyer, but i play one on a messageboard (stevie), Saturday, 6 August 2011 08:29 (thirteen years ago) link
would purchase the penultimate recordings, if they released it.
How did Dust poll so low?! Although to be fair I don't know much of their other work, and came to them via Dust.
― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 20:09 (thirteen years ago) link
bizarrely low
― Armand Schaubroeck Ratfucker, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 20:13 (thirteen years ago) link
i love their SST output, bought Anthology as a teen from mailorder SST catalog that came with i think You're Living All Over Me. Only recently have I been trying to track down all the originals on vinyl. I think Invisible Lantern is my fav. Not such a fan of the 90s stuff, kinda like Sonic Youth 90's vs. 80's where the 90's major label stuff seems less murky/mysterious/lo-fi/intangible to me but that's probably down to my not being old enough/around when the early stuff was new.
― bluelips, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 20:22 (thirteen years ago) link
"new" album is fuckin awesome.
― low content wine racing (stevie), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 20:39 (thirteen years ago) link
sweey obliv remains my favourite, love the sst stuff, but have always been cold on uncle anaesthesia
Surprised that "Dust" polled so low.
I am super gay for Lanegan.
― thirdalternative, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 21:10 (thirteen years ago) link
Commute this morning was fueled by Invisible Lantern. what a great album, song after song of good material...even the terrible production job sounded good. Still love these dudes.
― WARS OF ARMAGEDDON (Karaoke Version) (Sparkle Motion), Wednesday, 21 November 2012 18:55 (eleven years ago) link
their SST stuff is so so rad.
― "Hahahaha, nice one, Punchy," I said. (stevie), Thursday, 22 November 2012 09:09 (eleven years ago) link
Man. I fucking missed out on this band like crazy the first time around; recently bought Invisible Lantern (on SST) and it's so fucking good. Like you can hear that Pacific Northwest pre-grunge thing but they have such a cool sound, integrating 60s psych/garage influences so well.
― Arch Godliness of Purplefull Magic (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Saturday, 7 May 2016 21:26 (eight years ago) link
yeah, amazing record. no fluke neither. even if and especially when & buzz factory are right up there with it. never liked the epic albums anywhere near so much as those 3.
great (& kinda silly) track from the beat happening split:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnZXEAGTA9I
― Francis Ford Cupola (contenderizer), Saturday, 7 May 2016 22:46 (eight years ago) link
lol i posted the exact same track 4 years ago. listen with new ears!
― Francis Ford Cupola (contenderizer), Saturday, 7 May 2016 22:47 (eight years ago) link
Awesome, kind of a 13th Floor Elevators pastiche (until the chorus).
― Arch Godliness of Purplefull Magic (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Saturday, 7 May 2016 22:58 (eight years ago) link
troo. and i recant of what i said 4 years back: they suffered in my mind for being better than das damen, but 2nd to the likes of the meat puppets and dino jr.
bosh. they don't suffer at all in that comparison.
― Francis Ford Cupola (contenderizer), Sunday, 8 May 2016 00:13 (eight years ago) link
That entire Beat Happening/Screaming Trees EP is pretty great, though Polly is my favorite track from it. What a weird idea for a record.
― dlp9001, Sunday, 8 May 2016 01:41 (eight years ago) link
I don't think they're anywhere near as idiosyncratic and as interesting as the Meat Puppets (80s)...Black Flag, maybe
90s Meat Pups maybe better...but not the 80s stuff
― Master of Treacle, Sunday, 8 May 2016 01:41 (eight years ago) link
... Maybe a better comparison I mean xp
Change Has Come EP (1989) is an important record too, and how do you all rate Last Words, recorded around '98? I'm surprised the other lost album never surfaced. I'd be much more excited for a reunion of this band than say, Soundgarden.
― Fastnbulbous, Sunday, 8 May 2016 02:15 (eight years ago) link
Find it v weird that they couldn't get a deal after Dust tbh
― Master of Treacle, Sunday, 8 May 2016 02:26 (eight years ago) link
Soundgarden are apparently recording a new album atm, news to me too
― albvivertine, Sunday, 8 May 2016 05:39 (eight years ago) link
It seems really weird that Lanegan working with Queens of the Stone Age never seemed to bring people around to this band, cause a reunion, etc.
― Arch Godliness of Purplefull Magic (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Sunday, 8 May 2016 07:13 (eight years ago) link
I think the no-reunion thing is down to them all finding it really hard to be in a band together without wanting to beat the crap out of each other. They did finally release the post-Dust recordings, though, and they were pretty ace.
There's a great radio session of early Trees out there where they cover The Doors' The End, The Stooges' No Fun and Cream's Tales Of Great Ulysses.
― Elvis Santana (stevie), Sunday, 8 May 2016 10:59 (eight years ago) link
I've been trying to find that radio session and only found some dead links from 2007... anyone know where I can get it?
― You say tomato, Isao Tomita (RIP) (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Wednesday, 1 June 2016 07:19 (eight years ago) link
Whoa! That sounds cool. I hope someone turns it up.
― how's life, Wednesday, 1 June 2016 09:16 (eight years ago) link
Found it on soulseek. What a blast. ilx mail me if interested
― willem, Wednesday, 1 June 2016 21:04 (eight years ago) link
Hey, willem, thanks for that radio stuff, it's great!
I just realized that Screaming Trees' first major label album came out like 7 months before Nevermind. Which kind of makes me wonder, yet more, why the hell Epic would've signed them.
― On this timescale, all matter is liquid. (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Sunday, 12 June 2016 00:10 (eight years ago) link
Like I get that the majors were trying to suck up everything grungey and Seattitalian in the post-Nevermind rush, it's just weird that they'd hear this ragged, psychedelic rock band that clearly weren't going to engage with 99.97% of Americans and think, yeah, those guys are for us.
― On this timescale, all matter is liquid. (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Sunday, 12 June 2016 00:12 (eight years ago) link