Album – Generic Flipper
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''Album – Generic Flipper'' is the debut studio album by the
noise rock Noise rock (sometimes called noise punk) is a noise music, noise-oriented style of experimental rock that spun off from punk rock in the 1980s. Drawing on movements such as minimal music, minimalism, industrial music, and New York hardcore, a ...
band Flipper. It was released in April 1982 through
Subterranean Records Subterranean Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco. Founded by Steve Tupper and a then partner, Michael Fox in 1979, it focused on that city's underground punk rock, punk and industrial music scene. Subterranean and fellow ...
. It is also referred to as ''Album'', ''Album: Generic'', ''Generic Flipper'' and just ''Generic''. It was issued on CD for the first time by American Recordings (formerly Def American) in 1992 and later deleted. In 2008, the rights reverted to Flipper, and the album was reissued on December 9, 2008, by Water Records. Former
Nirvana Nirvana, in the Indian religions (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism), is the concept of an individual's passions being extinguished as the ultimate state of salvation, release, or liberation from suffering ('' duḥkha'') and from the ...
bassist
Krist Novoselic Krist Anthony Novoselic (; ; born May 16, 1965) is an American musician, politician and activist. Novoselic co-founded and played bass on every album for the rock music, rock band Nirvana (band), Nirvana. Novoselic and Kurt Cobain formed the ban ...
, who joined Flipper in 2006, contributed liner notes to the new reissue.


Reception

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became a ...
praised the album, describing the music as "crude ("Everybody start at the same time, ready"), unremitting ("Sex Bomb" has seven words and lasts close to eight minutes), and immensely charitable and good-humored ( Iggy with Jerry's soul, I'm not kidding)." He described the lyrics as "existential resignation at its most enthusiastic." "If great rock & roll is supposed to be about breaking the rules," wrote Mark Deming of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
, "then Flipper's still-astonishing debut, ''Album -- Generic Flipper'', confirms their status as one of the great rock bands of their day." He described the "brilliant" "Sex Bomb" as "the closest thing '80s punk ever created to the beer-fueled genius of the Kingsmen's "
Louie Louie "Louie Louie" is a rhythm and blues song written and composed by American musician Richard Berry in 1955, recorded in 1956, and released in 1957. It is best known for the 1963 hit version by the Kingsmen and has become a Standard (music), stand ...
," and a song with a great beat that you just can't dance to." He also noted that despite their "sincere" misanthropy and cynicism, " on "Life" they dared to express a tres-unhip benevolence, declaring "Life is the only thing worth living for." He concludes by writing that the band "plays
noise rock Noise rock (sometimes called noise punk) is a noise music, noise-oriented style of experimental rock that spun off from punk rock in the 1980s. Drawing on movements such as minimal music, minimalism, industrial music, and New York hardcore, a ...
with none of the pretension that later bands brought to the form, proving that music doesn't have to be fast to be punk (a lesson that gave the Melvins a reason to live), and creating a funny, harrowing, and surprisingly engaging masterwork that profoundly influenced dozens of later bands without sounding any less individual two decades later." Another reviewer described the band's performance on the album as " awing upon the same brand of frustrated nihilism one associates with such SoCal contemporaries as Fear and the Germs" and argues that "Flipper broods where their peers seethe, slowing tempos and moaning rather than spitting their despairing lyrics." Elsewhere, in Noel Gardner's review for ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...
'', he described the band as one "who made a punishing virtue out of being sloppy, offbeat and imprecise. Flipper existed at the epicentre of the Californian punk scene in the early ’80s, but as their hardcore peers sped up, they slowed down. A simple concept that helped to create a remarkable, incomparable signature sound, one which trickled down into the musical visions of, most famously, Black Flag and
Nirvana Nirvana, in the Indian religions (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism), is the concept of an individual's passions being extinguished as the ultimate state of salvation, release, or liberation from suffering ('' duḥkha'') and from the ...
." He calls the album "their definitive statement ..Lyrically a bipolar flip between ugly negativity and lightbulb-moment optimism (“Life is the only thing worth living for!”), musically, ''Generic'' turns almost unrelated layers of free expression into a blackened mass of enduring power."


Accolades

It was ranked 12th in ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...
s annual
Pazz & Jop Pazz & Jop was an annual poll of top musical releases, compiled by American newspaper ''The Village Voice'' and created by music critic Robert Christgau. It published lists of the year's top releases for 1971 and, after Christgau's two-year abse ...
poll. In November 2007, '' Blender'' magazine ranked it No. 86 on their list of the 100 greatest "
indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...
" albums of all time."The 100 Greatest Indie-Rock Albums Ever" — #90 to #81
. ''Blender''. 9 November 2007. Retrieved on 19 December 2008.
In 1995, '' Spin'' ranked it 79th on their list "100 Alternative Albums". In March 2004, '' Mojo'' included it on their list "Lost Albums You Must Own". ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' ranked it 26th on their list "40 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time" in 2016. In 2018, ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...
'' included it at no. 193 on "The 200 Best Albums of the 1980s".
Buzz Osborne Roger "Buzz" Osborne (born March 25, 1964), also known as King Buzzo, is an American guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and golfer. He is a founding member of the rock band Melvins, as well as Fantômas (band), Fantômas and Venomous Concept. Biog ...
of
Melvins Melvins (sometimes the Melvins) are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Primarily a trio, they have also performed as a quartet, with eith ...
has said "This would be in my top five albums of all time." Donita Sparks of L7 listed it as one of her favorite grunge albums.
Kurt Cobain Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – ) was an American musician. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter, and a founding member of the grunge band Nirvana (band), Nirvana. Through his angsty songwriting and anti-establis ...
listed it in his top 50 albums of all time.


Covers

Melvins Melvins (sometimes the Melvins) are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Primarily a trio, they have also performed as a quartet, with eith ...
covered "Way of the World", appearing on their collection '' Singles 1–12''. Unto Ashes covered "Way of the World" on their 2005 album ''Grave Blessings''.Grave Blessings 5/10 2008
R.E.M. covered "Sex Bomb" on their 1994 fan club Christmas single. L7 has covered the song by mashing it with " Sweet Leaf" by
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. After adopting the Black Sabbath name in 1969 (the band ...
, calling the resulting song "Sweet Sex." Astral Jets, featuring Dez Cadena and Paul Roessler, recorded "Way of the World" on their debut album ''First Thought''.


Track listing


Personnel

*Will Shatter – bass (1, 2, 5, 7, 8), lead vocals (3, 4, 6, 9), backup vocals (8) *Bruce Loose – bass (3, 4, 6, 9), lead vocals (1, 2, 5, 7, 8), backup vocals (6), special effects and bass feedback (7) *Ted Falconi – guitars *Steve DePace – drums, Synare (4, 9), tympani and extra percussion (7) *Flipper – hand clapping (1), percussion (7)


Additional personnel

*Bobby – saxophone (9) *Ward – saxophone (9) *Curtis – percussion (7) *Die Ant – percussion (7) *Johnnie – percussion (7) *"others" – percussion (7)


Production

*Chris: Producer *Flipper: Producer *Garry Creiman: Engineer


Charts


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Album - Generic Flipper 1982 debut albums Flipper (band) albums American Recordings (record label) albums Subterranean Records albums Domino Recording Company albums