7 inch single collection: L7 - Shove

Here comes some grunge...


L7


A: Shove
B: Fast
(Sub Pop 1990)


Grunge...Grunge...Grunge - what a word - it's so evocative. It's a messy, sludgy kind of word, all rough and ready, noisy, no airs and graces, just plaid shirts and old jeans. This single word encapsulates a style of music , so completely, that even people who've never heard this music know exactly what'll it'll sound like from the name. Part punk, part metal, and all attitude.

Seattle based label Sub Pop were the prime purveyors of top quality grunge, being home to Mudhoney, and the nascent Nirvana amongst others. L7's early career, as seen on this record, also had them spend some time with this cult label.

L7 were (maybe still are - not sure of their current status) an all female grunge band, who had some minor success in the charts. They had a very memorable appearance on "The Word" performing Pretend We're Dead - look it up on YouTube. That was a little after this record though, and when they'd moved to a more rock/metal sound and had reduced some the punk elements (the sound, if not the attitude!)

Shove is loud and heavy. The music has a viscous lava-like quality - it's hot, sludgy thing that rolls inevitably forward, anything in the way is just going to get rolled over. The lyrics match this feeling, going beyond the assertive, and well into the aggressive, and because of that it's feminist without pushing the political cause, by which I mean these women making this record stands as feminist statement without actually anyone saying this is what it is. Very much action rather than words - impressive. In it's own way it's prototype for the riot grrrl movement which would emerging from grunge around this time.

One the other side of the record is Fast (apparently slightly different to the LP version, called "Fast and Frightening"). Yes, it faster than the a-side, it's got a raucous fluidity of sound, still powering hard onwards, and with nothing to stop it. Whereas Shove announces its presence as it lumbers scarily towards you, Fast is upon you before you know it. It's as 'in your face', with maybe a little less aggression than the a-side.

I was going to say that this is a great grunge record, but actually it's a great record full stop. Melodically and lyrically it's strong and bold statement that sticks around in your head for a long while after.

Next time the archetypal indie miserablists...