I know it's been on the market for a few months but this newest Sebadoh album, Act Surprised, out now on Dangerbird Records in the U.S., is so good that I'd feel bad if I didn't review it. The three-piece sound positively rejuvenated here, with lots of this record feeling surprisingly bright and full of purpose.
"Phantom" and "See-Saw" certainly roar, but the sound here is so clear, and credit to that is likely down to not only the band members, but producer/sound engineer Justin Pizzoferatto. And for an act so famous for being lo-fi, it's almost surprising how invigorating nearly all of Act Surprised is. "Celebrate the Void" is, despite that title, gently melodic, the sort of thing that sounds a very tiny bit like Nirvana's stabs at the mainstream, while "Follow the Breath" is punchy and precise. As good as those two songs are, far better is "Medicate", a roiling bit of business that's weighted down with the heft of real musical power, as well as a whole lot of big melodic hooks. "Fool" feels similar, with Barlow riding one of his very best melodies ever into the sun.
Still, for those of you who want 21st century spins on the old stuff, "Battery" and "Act Surprised" should be exactly what you'd want from this band in 2019. Still, for all the power behind so many of these riffs, it's on numbers like the catchy "Leap Year" and "Belief" that something slightly new seems to be finding its way into the material from Barlow and crew, something lighter, more hopeful in tone, perhaps. I mean, I know the credentials of this crew, and what their reputation is based upon, but I really love how light the tunes feel here, even as I acknowledge how deliberately pummeling the riffs remain.
Act Surprised is out now via Dangerbird Records.
More details on Sebadoh via the band's Facebook page, or their official website.
[Photo: Dangerbird Records / Facebook page]