Although they were inevitably tied into the brief grunge explosion of the early ‘90s, through a combination of geography and face-melting fuzz, Mudhoney have carved out a respectably long and varied career.
Much like many of their scuzzier Seattle peers, Mudhoney don’t actually sound like Nirvana or Soundgarden. It’s better to view them as a garage-rock act, one possessing unique charisma and gently experimental tendencies.
The key word there is ‘gently’. Mudhoney’s 11th studio album ‘Plastic Eternity’ once again delicately plays around with new styles, never straying far from the band’s established sound, instead just probing its edges.
Almost Everything rides a moody, bongo-infused groove, as if The Stooges were jamming with Happy Mondays, while Flush The Fascists matches a simple synth line with lyrical anger that thrills in spite of its limitations.
‘Plastic Eternity’ is rife with political frustrations, with Here Comes The Flood the sharpest cut. Taking aim at anti-vax conspiracy culture, frontman Mark Arm’s wail of “I’m a man/I’m a horse” is hilarious and overflows with sarcastic venom.
Multiple tracks reference Covid and socio-political angst. For those worn down by the prospect of another pandemic album, this might be a turn-off. But Mudhoney pull it off with charm and fervour, making ‘Plastic Eternity’ another lowkey triumph in a discography full of them.
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