Misanthropy

'S funny, but when this came out, back in '88, boy, did it sound retro.
Now it sounds current!
Strange how things go.

To release a punk album - for that is certainly what this is - as a new band, when grunge had already begun, Aceed was in the house, and indie sounds seemed the most plausible alternative, was quite a brave move; it's surprising the Lemonheads got noticed at all.

Within the near relentless delivery, there is the odd suggestion of a bit of shoegazing - it was the late-eighties, after all - but Dando and co were yet to find their affinity with Dinosaur Jr et al, and were more interested in the past than they were finding inspiration in their contemporaries.
[Good for them!]
And in the true nature of punk rock, there isn't a song on here longer than three minutes, ten; and the shortest just passes fifty seconds.
And like most old punks: I like short songs!

As for 'Amazing Grace' (yes, it is that one), well, it's a comical filler I guess; if you can have a filler on an album twenty-four minutes long.
Or perhaps the Lemonheads were carrying forward the baton of a great tradition; continuing something begun by Judy Collins, Joan Baez and, er, Nana Mouskouri (although I've got a feeling it may be a little older than that...).

Aah, don't they look sweet.

Lemonheads - Hate Your Friends (1988)

I Don't Wanna
394
Nothing True
Second Chance
Sneakyville
Amazing Grace
Belt
Hate Your Friends
Don't Tell Yourself It's OK
Uhhh
Fed Up
Rat Velvet
Fucked Up

Decent vinyl rip @320kbs
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