Search - Foetus :: Ache

Raw, Unrefined Genius... But Genius Nonetheless

altbauten | São Paulo, Brasil | 03/06/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone familiar with Jim Thirlwell's more "accomplished" work, whether it be the intellectual savagery of HOLE, the carefully crafted yet tremendously grim nature of NAIL, or the pure dementia of THAW, might find this record a bit lacking in terms of sheer power and intensity. Absent here is the refined musicianship and powerful vocal deliveries that made the above mentioned albums such landmarks in modern western music. Still, ACHE is definitely Foetus, and although not fully germinated, it is quite an impressive seed. I know that the term "embryonic Foetus" might be a bit redundant, but it is the best way I could find to describe this mad little album. Recorded in 1982 (which makes its inventive use of tape loops and pitch-shifting all the more impressive), it contains 10 exceptionally entertaining songs (entertaining in that slightly sick manner which Mr. Ruin's fans are so fond of), and is jam-packed with clever musical quotations (track number 8, "Wholesome Town, Wholesome City", immediately springs to mind, with "Oh Susanna" and "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain" layered on top of the song's melody, creating a pleasant cacophony that is surprisingly catchy) and thought-stimulating lyrics. It is also interesting to notice young Thirlwell's voice, how peculiar it sounds in its original form, before the exorbitant amounts of alcohol and cigarettes and the constant screaming and grunting on stage turned it into the endearing Tom Waits-esque growl it is these days. All in all, this is an excellent record, and recommended for old Foetus fans and newcomers alike (even though I would not recommend this as a starting record to anyone by a longshot - try the three albums mentioned at the beginning of this review first). To quote the man himself "Buy, buy, BUY and TELL YOUR FRIENDS"."

YES!

BARBARA E NORTON | the United States of America | 12/28/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Though many say that "Nail" was Foetus's best album I believe that this album is equaly good. It may not be as "refined" as Nail, but this album can be listened to over and over, and you'll never get tired of listening to it. Its impossible for me to describe WHY this album is so amazing, but I love it. Give it a chance, the more you listen to it the better it gets."

Fun!

I X Key | tomorrow | 04/19/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I think this is the most upbeat, fun album Foetus has ever made. With the context of the album before this & the album after, respectively Deaf & Hole, it does feel like it fits in a fairly regular arc. On Ache Jim Thirlwell has a lot of very interesting music ideas & idiosyncratic directions he goes in. It's not as rhythmically complex as more recent work of his such as Steroid Maximus's Ectopia & Manorexia's Radiolarian Ooze, but you can bouce right along behind him with this cd. I hope my review has been helpful to you."