In 1988 the Screaming Trees released their third album, Invisible
Lantern. Opener Ivy immediately sets the
tone for the album, it’s muddier, heavier and more unhinged than their previous
2 albums. A rough and ready, downward spiraling
riff is the bedrock for Mark Lanegan to roar his vocals over, and roar he does
with a gloriously messy performance.
Walk Through To This Side, is more psychedelic, with jangly, 60s
sounding guitars, before following track Lines & Circles kicks up a fine
racket with a bludgeoning riff right out of Gary Lee Conner’s book of monster
riffs. After the noise of She Knows and
Shadow Song, Grey Diamond Desert slows things down, turning the fuzz down a
shade and heightening the doom in Lanegan’s voice.
Some of the rest of the tracks are a little interchangeable, but
Even If (presumable held over from 1987’s Even If and Especially When) has a
fine gallop and a strong melody. The album is quite far removed from the band’s 90s material, more
like a punky, garage band than the classic rockers they would become.
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