The first time I heard Jawbox, was when Maximum Rock 'n' Roll put out the "They Don't Get Paid, They Don't Get Laid, But Boy Do They Work Hard!" compilation(which was chock-full of amazing goodness that I'm sure I'll riff about at some point). Bullet Park was a great introduction to the sound of a band that would end up being one of the most under-rated and under-appreciated groups of the 1990s.
Immediately following their appearance on that compilation, Dischord Records released their full length debut, Grippe - an amazingly melodic record, full of lyrical self-flagellation and introspection.
I was an instant fan. This shit was right up my alley - smart, discordant yet melodic, challenging guitar parts, a rhythm section that pushed air - way beyond the rest of the post-hardcore stuff I was hearing at the time.
Fast forward to 1993, and the major labels were sniffing the blood on the floor in their post-Nirvana feeding frenzy. Jawbox had been touring nonstop, playing every nook and cranny of North America spreading their angular gospel. They ended up signing with Atlantic Records, to the dismay of the punk rock community - along with label(and tour) mates Shudder To Think.
Figuring they could do with an influx of cash, it seemed at the time to be the right move for Jawbox. The resulting album, For Your Own Special Sweetheart is their masterpiece.
Everything about this album just fucking smokes. The guitar sounds are wiry and clean, with just enough distortion tagged onto them to make every song abrasive. J Robbins' literature-laden lyrics still need a decoder ring(as others have often stated), but it's not too hard to realize the theme of the record is salvation - something that seems so fucking emo, but really is integral to all of us who love music with heart.
The album starts off with the roaring FF=66, and doesn't have a single track that will make you want to stop. They made videos for the singles Savory & Cooling Card, toured nonstop as usual, and probably inspired thousands of kids with guitars to read JG Ballard & William Carlos Williams. They went on to record one more album, and then disbanded. J Robbins is now a producer who has worked with a myriad of your favorite bands, and also played in Burning Airlines & Channels. I suggest you dig in to everything he's ever done - you'll thank me for it.
My favorite cuts: Chicago Piano, Breathe, Jackpot Plus!, Cruel Swing.
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