Spiderland * by Slint (CD, Apr-1991, Touch & Go)

Yes, everything you have heard about this near-legendary album is true. Fifteen years have passed since “Spiderland’ was recorded but the passage of time has not diminished its brilliance.

Completely eschewing the traditional verse-chorus-verse song structure, the band create multi-layered compositions of dense, atmospheric music, but also manage to be accessible at the same time. Guitars are the foremost instrument but they are teased, coaxed and, when occasionally let loose, carry power around the hushed, almost spoken vocals. The highlight of the album is ‘Good Morning Captain’ and yes, the famous scream is that chilling.

The influence on the ‘post-rock’ generation is obvious; it is particularly hard to imagine Mogwai’s ‘Come on Die Young’ without this record.

The back of the album advises us ‘This recording is meant to be listened to on vinyl’. I am not about to enter into the vinyl versus CD debate here, but one clear advantage of this album being recorded in the vinyl era is its brevity. Too many post-rock CDs outstay their welcome but Spiderland clocks in at 40 minutes and will leave you gasping for more.

I have heard Slint described as being ‘so far ahead of their time that they are standing behind you’. This album lives up to the hype and is a genuine five-star must-own disc for any serious rock fan.