Down The Jesus Lizard Artist

While it was regarded as something of a disappointment when it was first released in 1994, in retrospect, {|Down|} stands as the last really vital album from {|the Jesus Lizard|}. It lacks the same degree of bone-crushing force and sweaty psychosis t... Read more

While it was regarded as something of a disappointment when it was first released in 1994, in retrospect, {|Down|} stands as the last really vital album from {|the Jesus Lizard|}. It lacks the same degree of bone-crushing force and sweaty psychosis that made {|Goat|} and {|Liar|} instant classics (the band seems to be aiming for a slightly more subtle approach this time out), and most of the songs take a bit longer to sink in. But bassist {|David Sims|} and drummer {|Mac McNeilly|} were still capable of connecting like {|Mike Tyson|} against a speed bag on the heavy tunes, {|Duane Denison|}'s sheets of chrome-plated guitar are as gloriously fragmented as ever, and there's never been a rock vocalist before or since quite like {|David Yow|}. It was also the last {|Jesus Lizard|} album to benefit from {|Steve Albini|}'s spare, dry recording; if ever there was a band that didn't take to a more hands-on, user-friendly production, it was {|the Jesus Lizard|}, and between {|Albini|}'s decision not to work with the group again after they signed to {|Capitol Records|} and the departure of drummer {|McNeilly|}, this group was never the same in the studio again. {|Liar|} was the greatest recorded moment for {|the Jesus Lizard|}, but {|Down|} captured one of the most powerful American bands of the 1990s in their last gasp of twisted glory. ~ Mark Deming Less