The sole full-length record from
Steve Albini's
razor-honed thrash trio (rounded out by
Scratch Acid's
David Wm. Sims
and
Rey Washam
) varies in its attack in ways
Albini's
old trio
Big Black
never did; the demented rhythms constantly threaten to veer out of control, and
guitar screeches like something rabid and bloodthirsty. Lyrically, the group displays the same warmth and compassion so evident in their choice of a name (taken, by the way, from a Japanese comic book character); songs tackle sex (
"Trouser Minnow"
), ethnicity ("Hated Chinee"), and classic rock ("Radar Love Lizard"); there's even a
Sonic Youth
'homage' called "
Kim Gordon's
Panties." ~ Jason Ankeny