Sebadoh: C/D?

hm https://www.joyfulnoiserecordings.com/blogs/news/our-disheartening-sebadoh-story

Geez that record is 20? I saw them when it came out opening for the Flaming Lips, and even back then Lou was lamenting that everybody hated the record.

I never saw sebadoh perform. Was at a show but lou jumped off the stage and walked out before performing. I remember walking home from that show and just smiling. Lol

I saw them a few times, but the best (by far) was in the mid-2000s — just Lou & Jason, plus a tape recorder with drum tracks for some songs. They were excellent, the crowd was way into it... it was just “one of those shows.” (I remember a tough-looking guy with a ponytail standing next to me, looking up at the stage and shouting along to every word of one of the songs from “Oven Is My Friend.”)

Btw — that new song isn’t bad (just watched the video). I found some of the my-side-of-the-story divorced-dad content of Defend Yourself to be a little cringeworthy (think I actually preferred Jason’s songs on that one); but I’m always up for a new Sebadoh LP, no matter how corny Lou’s soul-bearing may become with age.

I loved Bob D'Amico's song on Defend Yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHRlfSxe6q4

...so much so I posted the wrong song completely. It's this one:
https://sebadoh.bandcamp.com/track/once

I forgot about the “Secret EP” from 2013; that was a good one:

https://sebadoh.bandcamp.com/album/secret-ep

Too Pure is brilliant.

Another new single from the upcoming album (a Jason tune):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8CU1T7Y-vg

So what do y'all think of Act Surprised? I think it's good, though the sound's a little muddy, and Lou's lyrics are somewhat cringe-y (as they tend to be lately).

Saw Lou on his recent solo tour and it was a dream come true for a mega-fan like me. Nearly 3 hours of requests in a yoga studio to a knowledgeable crowd of 25. Have only heard the 2 singles from Act Surprised and it's not for me. I wish them boundless success though. Would love to hear others' thoughts on the album.

on first listen, new Lou solo is really nice

I was relistening to some old sh*t (per the other thread)... check out this performance of "Downmind," it slays on every level. I forgot just how great this bootleg is (7th Street Entry).

Absolutely classic for the run from III to Harmacy, but I kind of quit keeping up beyond that.

the first album of those silly cassette recordings is very quotable, i always wished i had a friend i could riff of it with, like inside jokes... some quite touching songs in there, too.

Just came across this (from 2019) - https://www.vice.com/en/article/evea3a/sebadohs-the-sebadoh-20-years-later

morris I thought your comment on the other thread about how the "whole" early Sebadoh-as-band picture was scattered across a bunch of different releases was very accurate, speaking as someone who was a big fan at the time they were putting that stuff out. and all those Vertical 7"s were such limited collector scum nonsense that you could only get those as tape trades. and yeah, I treasure my Magic Ribbons box, especially for the great Unrest song "Headringer" that (I think) is still not reissued in any form.

so many times back then, you'd see an indie single in the new bins and if you didn't get it then you never saw it again

(looking at you, "Oven Is My Friend" 7")

I still have not heard the last LP, I don't think. I did see the reunion tour which I was psyched about at the time but cannot remember a single thing about now.

xxp “Headringer” is on Twister! I don’t know offhand if it’s the same version, though… Knowing Unrest, it may not be!

ha I was wondering about that! I have the CDR reissue of that, will check

These guys were one of the 'big (ha)' indie rock bands I never saw live back in the day. Heard it was usually a mix bag. Only time they played B-ton back when I was going to lots of shows, I was out of town. I heard they switched instruments a couple times.

Sebadoh III and Smash Yr Head always get a smile out of me when I put them on half crocked on whisky and beer about once every 2-3 years or so.

Red Red Meat were cool as heck live the couple times I saw them though. And Railroad Jerk too!

All those bands the better the production got, they got all SERIOUS on their songwriting. They were ALL generally better when they were just stoned noisy weirdos. Kind of the rocknroll equivalent of people getting better looking as the series went on on sitcoms as they finally got dough and a stylist or something.

Barlow was def more “careerist” than many in terms of gamely cleaning up his sound / polishing his songwriting; but Sebadoh never made it onto a major (he did with Folk Implosion though).

(I need to read that article about the 1999 Sebadoh album; that was released under some awkward partnership Sub Pop had with Sire at the time.)

The Grifters > Pavement/Sebadoh

At least to me...

ok, reading the piece now, it sounds like they were actually on Sire