Weak

Album review

Combining the bottom-heavy throb that would epitomize the Northwest in the wake of Nirvana (Nevermind was released just months before the recording of this album) with a punchy, melodic power punk sound, Seaweed is Tacoma's answer to Superchunk. Wade Neal and Clint Werner wind crunchy riffs around a melodic core recalling early Orange County punk (Descendents, Adolescents), grounded by a pounding beat. The occasionally riff-heavy throb is leavened by Aaron Stauffer's impassioned lead vocals, which rise to the front of the mix and pour out the standard indie rock blues of frustration ("Stagger"), alienation ("Taxing," "Bill"), and lost youth ("Recall," "New Tools"). But the easy categorization doesn't diminish the power of the band. Producer Jack Endino gets a tough, live sound with great separation that allows the energy to envelop the listener in the soaring bridge of "New Tools," the machine gun drum-punch of "Stagger," or the effusive sunny bounce of "Squint," which epitomizes their open-hearted punk attitude when Stauffer sings, "When you place the blame/try to look past all their badges/If you squint hard/you'll find some beauty in it all."

© Chris Parker /TiVo