Search - Bassholes :: Long Way Blues 1996-1998

An Odd Underrated Record

busotti | 10/14/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Amongst the wild, f***-ed records of the Bassholes catalog, this one is their oddest and most atypical, a brooding dark night of the soul. Haunted by a swampy, loner basement blues vibe, this record was unjustly ignored by those expecting more of the same (including their record label, who quickly dropped them). By 2005, when the "New Weird America" thing became currency for hipsters, the Bassholes had already carved themselves a similarly unique niche a over decade beforehand. As with other Bassholes records, pre-WW2 blues and folk influences are milled through lo-fi punk, but here there are also lowbrow tape experiments and oddly enough, a hip-hop inflected tune (which surprisingly works). There are a few filler cuts, but the whole thing still works well as a late night brew that feels tainted."

Their best album.

busotti | 10/16/1998

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Although I'd rate all of their albums worth owning, this one hits that neglected area in the back of your brain most often. For the first time on Basshole vinyl (or plastic, depending on your preference), you get not only the lo-fi rock splatters that characterize their other records but also more experimental records like the genuinely haunting "Joan Dark" and the spooky title track. This'll make you slit your wrists in both directions."

Scary

Jordan Krall | Noir Jersey, USA | 11/17/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Collection of tracks.. very scary. Cabooseman Blues is Twisted. The title track is eerie. True American music."