33 1/3 is a series of books about famous albums, usually seminal works in their respective genres. Albums that the book series has covered range from Radiohead's OK Computer to Reign in Blood by Slayer. Slint's Spiderland is the latest addition to the 33 1/3 books, "A thorough history of Slint, and the Louisville scene that surrounded the band, leading up to and focusing on the creation of their masterpiece, Spiderland."
Yes.
Spiderland is one of those rare records that just stops you in your tracks after your first listen, and you know life is going to be just a little different thereafter. I remember the first time I listened to it a couple of years ago it just kind of froze me...What the hell is this? Spiny, skeletal guitars teeter around the bleak, dry drum lines, sucking you in only to spit you back out in an uproar of pawnshop distortion pedals howling. Scary. Spiderland changed my notion of what an album could be, challenged my understanding of rock composition, and completely transformed my understanding of how to use a guitar in that composition. Equally compelling is the lore surrounding the album--not duly appreciated (or even noticed) until 15-20 years after it was released, there is much legend surrounding the making of Spiderland. Slint's members came from various niches in the gritty Louisville punk scene at the time. It is said that some of them were institutionalized during different stages of the making of Spiderland. The black and white photo of four kids' heads hovering above a lake was taken by none other than Will Oldham. Anyway, Scott Tennent did the research and he knows a lot more than I about it all. Get the book, I know I'm going to.
Here is the last track (probably one of my favorite songs of all time), "Good Morning Captain." Never heard a guitar sound like that...It will give you chills.
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