Bakesale

Last updated

Bakesale
Sebadoh-Bakesale.jpg
Studio album by
Sebadoh
ReleasedAugust 23, 1994
Recorded1993/1994
Genre Indie rock
Length41:51
Label
Producer Tim O'Heir
Sebadoh chronology
Bubble & Scrape
(1993)		Bakesale
(1994)		 Harmacy
(1996)

Bakesale is the fifth album by American indie rock band Sebadoh, released by Sub Pop in 1994. It was the first Sebadoh album released following the departure of founding member, Eric Gaffney, though he did drum on four of the album's tracks from a session engineered by Bob Weston. Tara Jane O'Neil contributed drums to three tracks. Bob Fay, who had previously filled in for Gaffney, officially joined the band for this record. The cover is a photograph of Lou Barlow, aged one-year-old, taken by his mother.

Contents

Recording

Initial sessions for the album were done at Steve Albini's home in Chicago, Illinois with Bob Weston, though the band didn't work with Albini. Four songs were recorded with Gaffney, which became his final recordings with the band. Further sessions were held at Fort Apache Studios in Boston, Massachusetts after Gaffney had quit and been replaced by Fay. [1]

Music

As a result of Gaffney's departure, the songwriting on Bakesale was handled primarily by Barlow and Loewenstein, with Fay contributing the lone track, "Temptation Tide". The album continues the band's departure from the largely acoustic, lo-fi sound and shorter song structures that characterized their first three albums, and boasts a more polished production value than previous Sebadoh albums. This helped the band not only expand its underground following but flirt with mainstream success, [2] and several singles and even a few music videos were released from the album.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [3]
The Austin Chronicle Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
The A.V. Club A− [5]
Christgau's Consumer Guide A [6]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Pitchfork 8.5/10 [8]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Spin Alternative Record Guide 9/10 [12]

Bakesale was initially well received by critics. It was included in a number of year-end lists in 1994, including Spin's "20 Best Albums of '94" (#16), the Village Voice 's "1994 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll" (#20), the NME 's "25 Best Albums of 1994" (#27), and Mojo's "25 Best Albums of 1994" (unranked).

In the years since its release, Bakesale has come to be regarded as Sebadoh's most accessible album, with a more polished production than previous Sebadoh albums, and consistent songwriting from Barlow and Loewenstein. [3] Upon its re-release in 2011, Jess Harvell of Pitchfork called it "their most focused and purely pleasurable record", and "a strong and lovable essay on 90s indie's charms". [8] Zachary Houle of PopMatters called it "a totemic touchstone of a record, one that is arguably as important to the development of indie-rock as a form as Guided by Voices' Bee Thousand and Pavement's Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain ." [13] In 2014, John Everhart of Stereogum wrote that the album "doesn't have the highs of Bubble & Scrape , nor the epochal status of Sebadoh III , but Bakesale is the [Sebadoh] record you'll find yourself captivated by most immediately, listening to from start to finish." [14]

Barlow himself wrote that Bakesale seems to be "the most fondly remembered and the most highly regarded" Sebadoh album, though he doesn't consider it the band's best, calling it less interesting than Sebadoh III, Bubble & Scrape and The Sebadoh . [15]

In July 2008, it was listed by Pitchfork as one of the publication's 20 favorite Sub Pop albums, with Stuart Berman writing that it represented "a long overdue document of the band's pop prowess" for many longtime fans. [16] In July 2014, Guitar World placed Bakesale at number 37 in their "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" list. [17]

Singles

"Rebound" was released as the album's first single in 1994, as a 7" vinyl record in the UK. The second single was for the song "Skull", released in 1994 as a 7" in the US and as a CD in the UK, both versions featuring the same three B-sides, but the US version featuring a remixed version of "Skull". The UK releases were handled by Domino, while the US release was put out by Sub Pop.

The following singles, both on CD, were for the songs "Careful", released in 1994 in Germany by City Slang, and "Magnet's Coil", released in 1995 in Australia by Shock. The final single was for the song "Not Too Amused", released in 1995 as a CD and 7" in the UK by Domino. A "Rebound" EP was released by Sub Pop in 1995, featuring different b-sides and cover art from the 1994 UK 7". [18]

Music videos

Music videos were released for the songs "Rebound" and "Skull".

Reissue

The album was reissued in 2011, featuring a second disc of bonus material and new liner notes.

Track listing

  1. "License to Confuse" (Barlow) – 1:45
  2. "Careful" (Loewenstein) – 2:44
  3. "Magnet's Coil" (Barlow) – 2:27
  4. "Not a Friend" (Barlow) – 3:40
  5. "Not Too Amused" (Loewenstein) – 4:15
  6. "Dreams" (Barlow) – 2:39
  7. "Skull" (Barlow) – 2:24
  8. "Got It" (Loewenstein) – 2:16
  9. "S. Soup" (Loewenstein) – 3:16
    • Short for "Shit Soup"
  10. "Give Up" (Barlow) – 2:27
  11. "Rebound" (Barlow) – 2:12
  12. "Mystery Man" (Barlow) – 3:08
  13. "Temptation Tide" (Fay) – 1:53
  14. "Drama Mine" (Loewenstein) – 2:42
  15. "Together or Alone" (Barlow) – 4:03

Extra disc (2011 reissue)

  1. "MOR Backlash"
  2. "Not a Friend" (4-track)
  3. "Foreground"
  4. "40203"
  5. "Mystery Man" (4-track)
  6. "Drumstick Jumble"
  7. "Lime Kiln"
  8. "Fancy-ass / Destitute"
  9. "Perfect Way" (4-track)
  10. "Give the Drummer Some"
  11. "Cementville"
  12. "Social Medicine"
  13. "On Fire" (acoustic)
  14. "Magnet's Coil" (acoustic)
  15. "Rebound" (acoustic)
  16. "Punching Myself in the Face Repeatedly, Publicly"
  17. "Sing Something / Plate of Hatred"
  18. "III Screams"
  19. "Monsoon"
  20. "Rainbow Farm"
  21. "Hank Williams"
  22. "Careful"
  23. "Dramamine"
  24. "Not Too Amused"
  25. "Shit Soup"

Personnel

Additional personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1994)Peak
position
UK Albums Chart [19] 40

Singles

YearSongChartPosition
1994"Skull" UK Singles Chart [19] 94

Related Research Articles

<i>Pisces Iscariot</i> 1994 compilation album by the Smashing Pumpkins

Pisces Iscariot is a compilation album by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released in 1994 through Virgin Records, consisting of B-sides and outtakes. Reaching number 4 in the US upon its 1994 release, Pisces Iscariot was certified platinum by the RIAA on November 23, 1994. The album was initially to be called Neptulius.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinosaur Jr.</span> American rock band

Dinosaur Jr. is an American rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1984. Originally called Dinosaur, the band was forced to change their name because of legal issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sebadoh</span> American indie rock band

Sebadoh is an American indie rock band formed in 1986 in Northampton, Massachusetts, by Eric Gaffney and Lou Barlow, with multi-instrumentalist Jason Loewenstein completing the line-up in 1989. Barlow co-created Sebadoh as an outlet for his songwriting when J. Mascis gradually took over creative control of Dinosaur Jr., in which Barlow plays bass guitar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lou Barlow</span> American musician

Louis Knox Barlow is an American alternative rock musician and songwriter. A founding member of the groups Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh and The Folk Implosion, Barlow is credited with helping to pioneer the lo-fi style of rock music in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His first band, which was formed in Amherst, Massachusetts, was Deep Wound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Loewenstein</span> American singer-songwriter

Jason Loewenstein is an American alternative rock singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and a member of the indie-rock bands Sebadoh, The Fiery Furnaces, and Circle of Buzzards. He grew up in Northampton, Massachusetts, where he attended Northampton High School, and now resides in Brooklyn, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J Mascis</span> American musician

Joseph Donald Mascis Jr., better known as J Mascis, is an American musician who is the singer, guitarist and main songwriter for the alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. He has also released several albums as a solo artist and played drums and guitar on other projects. He was ranked number 74 in a Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists", and number 5 in a similar list for Spin magazine in 2012.

<i>Harmacy</i> 1996 studio album by Sebadoh

Harmacy is the sixth album by American indie rock band Sebadoh. It was released by Sub Pop in 1996.

<i>Sebadoh III</i> 1991 studio album by Sebadoh

III is the third album by the American indie rock band Sebadoh. It was released by Homestead Records in 1991.

Eric Gaffney is an American songwriter and recording artist, and has been home recording on cassette since 1981. An active participant in the Western Mass hardcore scene, in 1983 he founded, wrote songs for, and drummed with Grey Matter, opening hall shows with Jerry's Kids, F.U.s, The Freeze, Big Boys, Raw Power, Adrenalin O.D., Siege, 7 Seconds, Outpatients, Pajama Slave Dancers, Da Stupids, and others.

<i>The Sebadoh</i> 1999 studio album by Sebadoh

The Sebadoh is the seventh studio album by the indie rock band Sebadoh. It was released in 1999 on Sire Records. The album is the group's first and only major label release to date.

<i>Bubble & Scrape</i> 1993 studio album by Sebadoh

Bubble & Scrape is the fourth album by American indie rock band Sebadoh. It was released by Sub Pop in April 1993.

<i>Sebadoh vs Helmet</i> 1992 EP by Sebadoh

Sebadoh vs Helmet is an EP by Sebadoh, released in 1992.

<i>Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock</i> 1992 compilation album by Sebadoh

Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock is a compilation album by the American indie rock band Sebadoh. It was released in 1992, and marked the band's debut on Sub Pop.

<i>Weed Forestin</i> 1990 studio album (home-recorded album) by Sebadoh

Weed Forestin is an album by the American indie rock band Sebadoh. It was originally self-released by Barlow on cassette in 1987, under the Sentridoh name, the solo home-recording project of American rock musician and Sebadoh member Lou Barlow, and sold at record stores in his native Massachusetts in an approximate run of 100.

<i>Wade Through the Boggs</i> 2007 compilation album by Sebadoh

Wade Through the Boggs is a compilation released by Sebadoh in 2007 and sold during its tour that year. It was limited to 1000 copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebound (Sebadoh song)</span> 1995 single by Sebadoh

"Rebound" is a song by American indie rock band Sebadoh, from their 1994 album Bakesale. It was released as a CD single and 7" vinyl record.

<i>Secret</i> (EP) 2012 EP by Sebadoh

Secret EP is an EP by the American indie rock band Sebadoh, released on July 23, 2012. The EP was not released on a label and was made available for digital download on the online music store Bandcamp. The EP was recorded from March to July 2012 at Indietopia in Glendale, California. Secret EP is Sebadoh's first new material in fourteen years since the band's previous album The Sebadoh (1999).

<i>Defend Yourself</i> 2013 studio album by Sebadoh

Defend Yourself is the eighth studio album by American indie rock band Sebadoh. It is the band's first album in fourteen years, since 1999's The Sebadoh.

"Brand New Love" is a 1986 song written by Lou Barlow. It was first released independently by Barlow under the moniker Sentridoh but has since come to be associated with Sebadoh, the band Barlow formed with Eric Gaffney.

<i>Act Surprised</i> 2019 studio album by Sebadoh

Act Surprised is the ninth studio album by American indie rock band Sebadoh. It is the band's first album in six years. The album was released on May 24, 2019.

References

  1. ↑ "The Making of Sebadoh's Bakesale | Wondering Sound". Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Sebadoh". AllMusic. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Deming, Mark. "Bakesale – Sebadoh". AllMusic . Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  4. ↑ Hernandez, Raoul (July 29, 2011). "Sebadoh: Bakesale: Deluxe Edition (Sub Pop)". The Austin Chronicle . Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  5. ↑ Hawthorne, Marc (June 14, 2011). "Sebadoh: Bakesale: Deluxe Edition". The A.V. Club . Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  6. ↑ Christgau, Robert (2000). "Sebadoh: Bakesale". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN   0-312-24560-2 . Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  7. ↑ Ali, Lorraine (September 18, 1994). "Sebadoh, 'Bakesale' (Sub Pop)". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  8. 1 2 Harvell, Jess (June 14, 2011). "Sebadoh: Bakesale [Deluxe Edition]". Pitchfork . Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Sebadoh: Bakesale". Q . No. 98. November 1994. p. 124.
  10. ↑ Eliscu, Jenny (June 21, 2011). "Bakesale Reissue". Rolling Stone . Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  11. ↑ Sheffield, Rob (2004). "Sebadoh". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp.  723–24. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  12. ↑ Tignor, Stephen (1995). "Sebadoh". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 345–46. ISBN   0-679-75574-8.
  13. ↑ Houle, Zachary (June 15, 2011). "Sebadoh: Bakesale (Deluxe Edition)". PopMatters . Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  14. ↑ Everhart, John (August 22, 2014). "Bakesale Turns 20". Stereogum . Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Sub Pop reissues Sebadoh's 1994 classic Bakesale". www.sandiego.com. June 27, 2011. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  16. ↑ Staff, Pitchfork (July 11, 2008). "Staff Lists: Sub Pop 20 | Features". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  17. ↑ "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994". GuitarWorld.com . July 14, 2014. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  18. ↑ "sebadoh – singles and eps". sebadoh and suchlike. Archived from the original on August 26, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  19. 1 2 "Sebadoh | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company . Retrieved September 9, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.