Seamonsters

SEAMONSTERS begins quietly enough with "Dalliance," as Wedding Present frontman David Gedge sings about a broken relationship in a near-whisper, over a light beat and chiming guitars. Then, almost three minutes into the song, distortion pedals are stomped on and an earthshaking torrent of noise is unleashed. This striking opener embodies both the record and the fierce Weddoes sound, marked by driving rhythms, furious six-string strums, and Gedge's signature flat vocals and lovelorn lyrics. One of the UK band's most formidable and consistent outings, SEAMONSTERS, fittingly produced by studio guru Steve Albini, includes fan favorites such as "Dare" (which ends in a swirling My Bloody Valentine-like squall), "Suck," the highly percussive "Corduroy," and the wonderfully bitter "Heather." Along with the first installment of the group's singles comp, HIT PARADE, this album is the high point of the Wedding Present's catalogue, and as an introduction to the utterly distinctive Weddoes aesthetic, there's no better disc than this one.