"I first heard the song 'Brave Captain' on a Santa Cruz skateboard video in 1989. I scoured the credits to find the name of the band and spent a good month hunting down this album. The entire recording is simply inspired and one of my favorite albums of all-time. Ed, Mike and George are amazing musicians in their own right and each contribute accordingly on this album, giving a very full, unified sense of arrangement. They really take their jazz, punk and folk influences to heart and create something beautiful and lasting - and not to mention that they freakin' rock. This album kicks. Chemical Wire and Brave Captain will stick with you forever."
Fantastic music that deserves recognition
MacDara Conroy | Dublin, Ireland | 04/23/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Having been a major fan of the Minutemen, and in particular the bass of Mike Watt, I thought I'd give fIREHOSE a try - and boy, was I far from disappointed. The opener 'Brave Captain' gripped me in an instant with it's infectious jazz groove and held me in for a tour through the grassroots musical influences driving the band. ed fROMOHIO surprised me with his impressive voice - very different from D. Boon but just as awe-inspiring. Both Watt and Hurley play at their best here, even on songs such as 'The Candle And The Flame' and 'Things Could Turn Around' - a far cry from the Minutemen but probably two of the best songs I've ever heard. If you even like one of the songs on this record, you're bound to love everything else they've made - even the jazzier Minutemen stuff that came before. This record is a must-listen for any serious rock fan - don't be afraid to take a chance and get something that you didn't see on MTV."
The best cd from one of the best bands.... ever
bosstang | mangrape | 12/30/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"yep. truly creative and intense, excellent musicianship, truly memorable songs. d,boon dies, minutemen write songs longer than a minute and add melody. furkin' RAD. if you like amazing drumming, thumping basslines, or quirky guitar stuff and you don't own this album, then you suck. BUY IT."
This is just a ridiculously good record.
Stargrazer | deep in the heart of Michigan | 09/03/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"From the ashes of the Minutemen came this unexpected salvo of tiny, rhythmically complex pop songs. There is a folky element hanging like a spectre in the clarity of the guitars (and explicitly present in the elegaic acoustic number "This..."). The density and headlong pace of "Under The Influence Of Meat Puppets" gives way to the hushed yet equally intense "Candle and The Flame," turning on it's heel to plunge back into the aptly named "Caroms" and the irresistable punk-funk groove of "Relatin' Dudes To Jazz." While the sonics bear that slightly dated SST sound, the fact that such a musically accomplished record is under-polished is just one more reason to love this classic."