I think Scrawl is a dramatically overlooked band, ripe for reevaluation now that we're around 25 years away from the Great Punk Buy-Up of the mid-90s. They had horrible luck with labels. Their first two full-lengths came out on Rough Trade, just as that label went tits up via bankruptcy. They recorded a killer EP, "Bloodsucker", with Steve Albini, only to have said EP quickly go out of print for nearly a year. They teamed up with Simple Machines (the little label that could!) to reissue "Bloodsucker" and put out a new full-length, which got them a deal with Elektra. Which brings us here.
"Travel On, Scrawl" is a promo-only EP released ahead of Scrawl's fifth LP, "Travel On, Rider". Half the EP was cut at Studio Black Box in western France with Albini; the other half with Jeff Powell in Memphis's Ardent Studios. There are two songs from "Rider" present, as well as a demo for "Everyone I Saw Tonight" (later to appear on 1998s "Nature Film). I'd be terribly remiss if I didn't mention the medley of "Stranglehold," "Cat Scratch Fever", and "Dog Eat Dog" also appearing here. The Nuge is a shitposter and sounds like a lunatic, but all three of those songs slap. In Scrawl's hands, they're even better.
Scrawl: they were better than most bands they played with. They were more than just "foxcore", or whatever unimaginative label that was slapped on women in bands back then. I'd love to see a reissue program. And if you want better words, I highly recommend reading Stephen Burt's piece on Scrawl at At Length.
Is that a monkey riding a dog on that cover? Who can say? I've already said too much to too little effect. This blog is over!
2 comments:
Thanks for this!!! I've got the first 2 LPs when they came out & seen them back in the '80s...glad there still is interest.
MH77
Scrawl's version of "Public Image" is one of my favorite covers of any song by anybody. Looking forward to hearing what they did with the Nooge. Thanks!
Post a Comment