Spiderland

Spiderland is the second and final studio album by the American rock band Slint. It was released on March 27, 1991, through Touch and Go Records. Featuring dramatically alternating dynamics and vocals ranging from spoken word to shouting, the album contains narrative lyrics that emphasize alienation. Spiderland was Slint's first release on Touch and Go, and the group's only album to feature Todd Brashear.

Although Spiderland was not widely recognized on its initial release, it eventually sold more than 50,000 copies and became a landmark album in underground music after Slint broke up. The album has been highly influential on the styles of many bands in the post-rock and math rock genres, including Mogwai and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and has been named a favorite of several indie rock musicians. In 2007, Slint reunited for a tour consisting of performances of Spiderland in its entirety.

Context

Slint formed in 1987 in Louisville, Kentucky, from the remnants of the punk rock band Squirrel Bait; the founding members included Brian McMahan (guitar, vocals), David Pajo (guitar), Britt Walford (drums) and Ethan Buckler (bass guitar). The band's debut album, the Steve Albini-produced Tweez, was released on the group's self-owned label Jennifer Hartman Records and Tapes. The album's sound has been described as a combination of "scratchy guitars, thumping bass lines and hard hitting drums". Buckler promptly left the band out of dissatisfaction with Albini's production, and was replaced with Todd Brashear. The band's second recording was for the instrumental extended play Slint, which included a new version of "Rhoda" from Tweez. The EP, which would not be released until 1994, was a departure from Tweez's sound and reflected the band's new musical direction.

Slint

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Slint is an American rock band consisting of Brian McMahan (guitar and vocals), David Pajo (guitar), Britt Walford (drums and vocals), Todd Brashear (bass on Spiderland), and Ethan Buckler (bass on Tweez). They formed in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, in 1986 and disbanded following the recording of their second album, Spiderland, in 1991.

They have reunited sporadically since 2005.

History

Pre-Slint

Walford and McMahan began performing music together at an early age, forming Languid and Flaccid with Ned Oldham (later of The Anomoanoan) while still in middle school. Walford and McMahan later played together in the seminal Louisville punk band Squirrel Bait, though Walford left the band following their first recording session. Prior to Slint, Pajo and Walford (and, briefly, McMahan) were also in the band Maurice with future members of Kinghorse. Walford, Pajo, and Buckler played their first show together in 1985 under the name Small Tight Dirty Tufts of Hair.

Untitled Slint EP

The untitled EP is the final release by the American band Slint. It was released in 1994, through record label Touch and Go.

Background

Released after the band had already broken up, it includes two songs that were recorded in 1989. It was first intended to be released as a 12" single on Jennifer Hartman Records, as original copies of the Tweez LP included a flyer advertisement for the 12" as an insert. However, Slint signed to Touch and Go Records before it was sent to press and the master tapes were shelved. In 1994, Touch and Go released the EP in 10" and CD formats. It contained a previously unreleased track, "Glenn", and a reinterpretation of "Rhoda" from Tweez.

On the 10" vinyl edition, the sides of the record are labelled with illustrations of a triangle and an octopus, rather than A/B, one/two or track titles.

In the documentary Breadcrumb Trail, it is stated the songs were recorded before Spiderland by Steve Albini when he had some open studio time and was asking bands around to record, with Slint ultimately taking the studio time.