For Your Own Special Sweetheart

Last updated
For Your Own Special Sweetheart
Special sweetheart.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedFebruary 8, 1994
RecordedAugustSeptember 1993
StudioOZ Studio (Baltimore, Maryland)
Genre Post-hardcore [1]
Length41:42
Label Atlantic
Producer Ted Niceley, Jawbox
Jawbox chronology
Novelty
(1992)
For Your Own Special Sweetheart
(1994)
Jawbox
(1996)
Singles from For Your Own Special Sweetheart
  1. "Savory"
    Released: 1994
  2. "Cooling Card"
    Released: 1994

For Your Own Special Sweetheart is the third album by Washington D.C. post-hardcore band, Jawbox. It was produced by Ted Niceley, best known for his work with Fugazi. This would be the band's major label debut, as they had left Dischord Records to sign with Atlantic Records. It is also the first album to feature Zachary Barocas on drums, as he replaced original drummer Adam Wade two years prior. The album was not much of a commercial success, despite being well received by critics.

Contents

"Savory" was the album's first single, followed by "Cooling Card". "Motorist" and "Jackpot Plus!" had previously been released on a Dischord single and were newly recorded for this album. The album was remastered and reissued by DeSoto in 2009 with three bonus tracks (b-sides from the "Savory" single) and new cover art.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]
The A.V. Club A [3]
Chicago Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [4]
Drowned in Sound 9/10 [5]
Entertainment Weekly B+ [6]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
NME 7/10 [8]
Pitchfork 9.3/10 [9]
Record Collector Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Spin 7/10 [11]

The album received very positive reviews upon release. Greg Kot called the album "the quartet's punchiest record yet, surpassing in blowtorch clarity the group's earlier releases on Fugazi's Dischord label." He praised Ted Niceley's production, writing that it "puts a vicious gleam on Jawbox's rhythm section, particularly Kim Coletta's power-tool bass." He concluded by calling it "music of intelligence and intensity, superbly recorded." [4]

Retrospective reviews (published mostly upon the album's reissue) have been even more positive. Jason Heller called it "the group’s crowning achievement" and "one of that decade’s most lasting, magnificent discs." [3] Andy Kellman called the album "their peak, a thrilling collision of vibrant guitar-generated noise and off-center melodic hooks over a rhythm section that swings as easily as it pummels." "Inside or outside its D.C. epicenter," he writes, "this is one of post-hardcore’s most exceptional releases, second to whatever Fugazi album gives you the biggest charge." [12] Matt LeMay wrote that the album "has aged exceedingly well [...] precisely because it did not pander to the aesthetic fads of its time-- mainstream or underground. Instead, Jawbox honed their sound, maximized the resources at their disposal, and made a record that hides behind no extraneous instruments, sounds, or ideologies." [9]

"Savory" was covered by Sacramento rock band Deftones with alternative rock group Far on Deftones' B-Sides and Rarities album.

Accolades

PublicationAccoladeRank
Alternative Press The 90 Greatest Albums of the '90s38 [13]
Pitchfork Top 100 Favorite Records of the 1990s (1999)19 [14]
Top 100 Favorite Records of the 1990s (2003)70 [15]
LAS Magazine90 Albums of the 90s15[ citation needed ]
Magnet Top 60 Albums 1993-200349[ citation needed ]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."FF=66"2:41
2."Savory"4:39
3."Breathe"2:47
4."Motorist"3:43
5."LS/MFT"2:50
6."Cooling Card"2:51
7."Green Glass"3:26
8."Cruel Swing"2:16
9."Jackpot Plus!"2:34
10."Chicago Piano"3:30
11."Reel"3:39
12."U-Trau"3:10/3:01
13."Whitney Walks"3:57
2009 Reissue Bonus Tracks
No.TitleLength
14."Lil' Shaver"2:10
15."68"3:17
16."Sound on Sound" (Big Boys cover)4:06
Total length:51:15

Personnel

All personnel as per AllMusic. [12]

Jawbox
Production

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian MacKaye</span> American singer and record label owner

Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye is an American musician. Active since 1979, he is best known as the co-founder and owner of Dischord Records, a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label, and the frontman of hardcore punk band Minor Threat and post-hardcore band Fugazi. MacKaye was also the bassist for the short-lived band the Teen Idles, and frontman for Embrace, and Pailhead, a collaboration with the band Ministry. MacKaye is a member of The Evens, a two-piece indie rock group he formed with his wife Amy Farina in 2001 and in 2018 formed the band Coriky with Farina and his Fugazi band mate Joe Lally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fugazi</span> American punk band

Fugazi was an American punk rock band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1986. The band consisted of guitarists and vocalists Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto, bassist Joe Lally, and drummer Brendan Canty. They were noted for their style-transcending music, DIY ethical stance, manner of business practice, and contempt for the music industry.

<i>13 Songs</i> (Fugazi album) 1989 compilation album by Fugazi

13 Songs is a compilation album by the American post-hardcore band Fugazi, released on September 1, 1989 by Dischord Records. The album consists of all the songs from the band's first two EPs, Fugazi and Margin Walker.

<i>The Argument</i> 2001 studio album by Fugazi

The Argument is the sixth and most recent studio album from the post-hardcore band Fugazi released on October 16, 2001, through Dischord Records. It was recorded at Don Zientara's Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, VA and the Dischord House between January and April 2001. It was the band's last release before going on hiatus in 2003, until the release of First Demo over thirteen years later.

Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. Like the term "post-punk", the term "post-hardcore" has been applied to a broad constellation of groups. Initially taking inspiration from post-punk and noise rock, post-hardcore began in the 1980s with bands like Hüsker Dü and Minutemen. The genre expanded in the 1980s and 1990s with releases by bands from cities that had established hardcore scenes, such as Fugazi from Washington, D.C. as well as groups such as Big Black, Jawbox, Quicksand, and Shellac that stuck closer to post-hardcore's noise rock roots. Dischord Records became a major nexus of post-hardcore during this period. The genre also began to incorporate more dense, complex, and atmospheric instrumentals with bands like Slint and Unwound, and also experienced some crossover from indie rock with bands like The Dismemberment Plan. In the early- and mid-2000s, post-hardcore achieved mainstream success with the popularity of bands like At the Drive-In, My Chemical Romance, Dance Gavin Dance, AFI, Underoath, Hawthorne Heights, Silverstein, the Used, Saosin, Alexisonfire, and Senses Fail. In the 2010s, bands like Sleeping with Sirens and Pierce the Veil achieved mainstream success under the post-hardcore label. Meanwhile, bands like Title Fight and La Dispute experienced underground popularity playing music that bore a closer resemblance to the post-hardcore bands of the 1980s and 1990s.

<i>Repeater</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Fugazi

Repeater is the full-length debut studio album by the American post-hardcore band Fugazi. It was released on April 19, 1990, as Repeater on LP, and in May 1990 on CD bundled with the 3 Songs EP as Repeater + 3 Songs. It was recorded at Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, Virginia, and produced and engineered by Don Zientara and Ted Niceley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jawbox</span> American post-hardcore band

Jawbox is an American post-hardcore band from Washington, D.C., formed in 1989 by J. Robbins (vocals/guitar), Kim Coletta (bass), and Adam Wade (drums). After the trio released the album Grippe in 1991, Bill Barbot (guitar/vocals) joined as the fourth member. Jawbox released their second album Novelty in 1992, followed by Wade being replaced by Zach Barocas that same year. Jawbox signed to the major label Atlantic Records and released their third album For Your Own Special Sweetheart in 1994, which spawned the band's most recognizable song "Savory". After the release of their fourth album Jawbox in 1996, the band departed from Atlantic, and subsequently disbanded in 1997. They reunited for a brief one-off show in 2009, followed by a full-time reunion in 2019. Barbot left the band in 2021 and he was replaced by Brooks Harlan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington, D.C., hardcore</span> Hardcore punk scene of Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., hardcore, commonly referred to as D.C. hardcore, sometimes styled in writing as harDCore, is the hardcore punk scene of Washington, D.C. Emerging in late 1979, it is considered one of the first and most influential punk scenes in the United States.

<i>In on the Kill Taker</i> 1993 studio album by Fugazi

In on the Kill Taker is the third full-length studio album by the American post-hardcore band Fugazi. It was released on June 30, 1993, through Dischord Records and was recorded at Inner Ear Studios and produced by Ted Niceley and Don Zientara. In on the Kill Taker captured the aggressiveness of the band's earlier releases while displaying a more diverse range of influences.

<i>Red Medicine</i> 1995 studio album by Fugazi

Red Medicine is the fourth studio album by the American post-hardcore band Fugazi, released on June 12, 1995, by Dischord Records. It is the band's most commercially successful album, peaking at number 126 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and number 18 on the UK Albums Chart.

<i>Novelty</i> (album) 1992 studio album by Jawbox

Novelty is the second studio album by the American post-hardcore band Jawbox, released by Dischord Records in May 1992. The songs "Tongues" and "Ones and Zeros" were previously released as a single, and "Static" was featured on a split 7-inch with Tar. A video was produced for the track "Cutoff."

<i>Fugazi</i> (EP) 1988 EP by Fugazi

Fugazi, also known as the EP 7 Songs, is the debut eponymous release by the American post-hardcore band Fugazi. As with subsequent release Margin Walker, Guy Picciotto did not contribute guitar to this record; all guitar was performed by Ian MacKaye. It was originally recorded in June 1988 and released in November 1988 on vinyl and again in 1989 on the compilation release 13 Songs along with the following EP Margin Walker. The photo used for the album cover was taken on June 30, 1988 at Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey.

<i>Margin Walker</i> 1989 EP by Fugazi

Margin Walker is the second EP by the American post-hardcore band Fugazi. It was originally released in June 1989 on vinyl and again in the same year on the compilation release 13 Songs along with the debut EP Fugazi. The 12" vinyl went out of print, but was remastered and reissued by Dischord Records in October 2009.

DeSoto Records is an American record label based in Washington, D.C.

<i>Grippe</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Jawbox

Grippe is the first album by the post-hardcore band, Jawbox. It was released in May 1991 on Dischord Records.

<i>Jawbox</i> (album) 1996 studio album by Jawbox

Jawbox is the fourth and most recent album by American post-hardcore band Jawbox. The album was released by TAG Recordings, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records. In the months following the album's release, the band was dropped from TAG and thus from Atlantic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Savory (song)</span> 1994 single by Jawbox

"Savory" is the first single released by Jawbox from their 1994 major label debut, For Your Own Special Sweetheart. The song is a description of the female body, according to AllMusic, but in a very cryptic form. The three other songs from the single were later included as bonus tracks for the 2009 reissue of For Your Own Special Sweetheart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Your Choice Records</span> German independent record label

Your Choice Records was a German independent record label that was founded in 1988 by producer Tobby Holzinger. The label specialized in independent punk music, including live releases of German and other international acts. Holzinger provided a share of the record sale profit to various animal rights organisations.

Don Zientara is an American record producer and musician. He owns and runs Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, Virginia, located just outside Washington D.C., and is most widely known for his production work with Fugazi, Minor Threat and various other Dischord Records artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Niceley</span> American record producer

Ted Niceley is an American record producer. He is most known for his production work with Fugazi, Girls Against Boys, Jawbox, Tripping Daisy, and others.

References

  1. Jeff Terich. August 30, 2012. 10 Essential ’90s Post-Hardcore Albums. treblezine.com
  2. Kellman, Andy. "For Your Own Special Sweetheart – Jawbox". AllMusic . Retrieved September 24, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Heller, Jason (November 24, 2009). "Jawbox: For Your Own Special Sweetheart". The A.V. Club . Retrieved September 24, 2013.
  4. 1 2 Kot, Greg (March 10, 1994). "Aural Feast". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  5. Perry, Tom (March 29, 2010). "Album Review: Jawbox – For Your Own Special Sweetheart (reissue)". Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on December 28, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2013.
  6. Brod, Doug (March 11, 1994). "For Your Own Special Sweetheart". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  7. Levine, Robert (February 13, 1994). "Jawbox, 'For Your Own Special Sweetheart,' Atlantic". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  8. "Jawbox: For Your Own Special Sweetheart". NME . April 9, 1994. p. 41.
  9. 1 2 LeMay, Matt (November 24, 2009). "Jawbox: For Your Own Special Sweetheart". Pitchfork . Retrieved September 24, 2013.
  10. Pearlman, Mischa (May 2010). "Jawbox – For Your Own Special Sweetheart". Record Collector . No. 375. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  11. Hultkrans, Andrew (December 2009). "Reissues". Spin . Vol. 25, no. 12. p. 82. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  12. 1 2 "For Your Own Special Sweetheart – Jawbox (Credits)". AllMusic . Retrieved September 24, 2013.
  13. "Rocklist.net..Alternative Press." www.rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
  14. Heard, Jaron (2018-11-05). "Pitchfork's Best Albums of the 1990s: changes from 1999 to 2003". Medium. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
  15. "Top 100 Albums of the 1990s". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2019-03-12.