Writing a review of a Melvin’s record should really only consist of a few words. Go buy it. They have never disappointed and they have never been predictable. While they are most often cited as influential in metal circles their discography is a genre jumping odyssey of carefully constructed albums. Sometimes deadly serious, sometimes side splitting hilarious, usually both. The one thing that all of their releases have in common is quality. This newest album, made up of cover songs, Everybody Loves Sausages is a glimpse inside a few of their influences and in an odd way serves as a bridge that spans their nearly 30 year career.
Covers records are always a challenge to listen to initially. It’s hard not to compare the cover version with the original. If you aren’t familiar with the original version seeking it out can often lead to disappointment. What the Melvins have accomplished with this record is made even more remarkable because it works just like a Melvins record. Even familiar songs such as their take on Queen’s ‘Best Friend’ would not seem out of place on any Melvins record. Fans will be happy for a return of some of the pop-inflected weirdness of Stag or The Bootlicker and newcomers may be prepared for the weirder side of the Melvins when they stumble across stranger entries in their catalogue.
One of the most endearing features of the Melvins is their unpredictability. ‘In Every Dream Home A Heartache’ a Roxy Music cover with Jello Biafra on vocals, retains all of the ominous creepiness of the original, complete with the heavily effected fade out in the middle. Having a legendary punk rock icon sing a legendary art/glam rock song would seem either out of place or even tongue in cheek anywhere else. Here it makes perfect sense. Genre is irrelevant the only thing that matters is if it’s good.
Other standout tracks include a lively version of ‘Black Betty' that goes by entirely too fast. ‘Warhead’ (Venom) features Scott Kelly of Neurosis and thunders along just like you would want that collaboration to. The incredibly catchy ‘Carpe Diem’ (The Fugs) and its anachronistic lyrics about death will likely be stuck in the back of your head for days. You wont even realize its there until you start humming it. ‘Female Trouble’ (Divine) is performed by the Melvins Lite and Trevor Dunn’s upright bass snakes around trashy drums and an almost Tom Waits like vocals.
One particularly satisfying aspect of this record is how the Melvins make each song their own but capture the feel of the originals so well. Even down to the production for each song. The punk rock songs sound nice and raunchy, like they should. 'Station to Station' (David Bowie) retains all of the layered, experimental swagger of the original but adds the Melvins weight. Little production touches throughout show both a respect for he source material and a willingness to push for new directions.
This may be a covers album but it is still very much a Melvins record full of all of the weird, abrasive catchiness we have all come to expect from them. Everybody Loves Sausages serves as a bit of insight into what made influenced the Melvins and made them one of the most compelling and interesting bands of the last several decades. This record fits perfectly alongside the rest of the Melvins long and varied discography. At this point in their career they could probably even get away with a Christmas album. I would buy that too.
