Many moons ago, 1983 to be exact, there was a point when Dale Crover wasn’t a member of Melvins. When the group first coalesced round Buzz Osborne in Montesano, Washington, there was a drummer called Mike Dillard and now he’s rejoined the sludge rock unit freeing Dale up to play bass (the original bassist Matt Lukin will not be getting the call it seems).
The new/old trio recorded an EP for venerable noise rock label Amphetamine Reptile last year called, aptly, 1983 and now they’re back with an album. And guess what? It’s great… as pretty much anything that contains the word ‘Melvins’ tends to be. _ _
Dogs And Cattle Prods is heavy Texan psych reminiscent of 13 Floor Elevators (perhaps this is because their current touring bassist is Jeff Pinkus of Butthole Surfers) and there are plenty of motor oil-chugging riff bastards like Psycho-delic Haze to sink your teeth into as well as typical jaunts into zaniness (Tie My Pecker To A Tree and 99 Bottles Of Beer). Age refuses to wither the awesome Melvins.
