American Thighs

Last updated
American Thighs
VerucaSalt-AmericanThighs.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 27, 1994 (1994-09-27)
Studio Idful, Chicago, Illinois
Genre
Length52:24
Label Minty Fresh
Producer Brad Wood
Veruca Salt chronology
American Thighs
(1994)
Blow It Out Your Ass It's Veruca Salt
(1996)
Singles from American Thighs
  1. "Seether" / "All Hail Me"
    Released: October 11, 1994
  2. "Number One Blind"
    Released: June 23, 1995
  3. "Victrola"
    Released: July 25, 1995

American Thighs is the 1994 debut studio album by American alternative rock band Veruca Salt. [3] The album features the single "Seether".

Contents

Background and release

Singer-guitarists Nina Gordon and Louise Post started working together in 1992. [4] They eventually formed Veruca Salt with bassist Steve Lack and drummer Jim Shapiro, and the four had been a full band less than a year when they signed with the independent label Minty Fresh. [5] In 1994, they released the single "Seether"/"All Hail Me". "Seether" became a hit on college and alternative radio stations, and the band recorded the album American Thighs with producer Brad Wood. [4] [5] The album was released through Minty Fresh on September 27, 1994, the title a reference to a line from the AC/DC song "You Shook Me All Night Long". [6] [7]

Veruca Salt then signed with the major label Geffen Records, which re-released the album. "Seether" became a hit on MTV. Two more singles, "Number One Blind" and "Victrola", were released from the album, but neither matched the success of "Seether". American Thighs was eventually certified gold. [4] [8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [10]
MusicHound Rock Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
NME 7/10 [12]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [14]
The Village Voice A− [15]

American Thighs received generally positive reviews from critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave the album 4 stars out of 5, calling it "a pure pop album masquerading as the next big thing." [9] Nick Kelly of Hot Press said, "Given that this is their first record, you can't help asking yourself how a band so young can sing songs so good." [16] Eric Gladstone of CMJ New Music Monthly wrote that "the album works an infectious formula: thick harmonies layered over attack-formation guitars and drums, with lyrics shifting from childlike innocence to guiltless brutality." [5]

Spin ranked it number 8 on its list of the 20 best albums of 1994. [17] In 2014, Rolling Stone ranked it number 21 on its list of the 40 best alternative rock albums of 1994. [18]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Get Back" Nina Gordon 3:12
2."All Hail Me" Louise Post 3:05
3."Seether"Gordon3:16
4."Spiderman '79"Post5:16
5."Forsythia"Gordon4:45
6."Wolf"Post4:19
7."Celebrate You"Post4:20
8."Fly"Post3:38
9."Number One Blind"
3:43
10."Victrola"Post2:19
11."Twinstar"Gordon3:16
12."25"Gordon7:56
13."Sleeping Where I Want" (CD release only)Gordon3:19
Total length:52:24

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

Veruca Salt

Additional musicians

Production

Charts

Chart (1994–95)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [19] 26
UK Albums (OCC) [20] 47
US Billboard 200 [21] 69
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) [22] 1

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