''Massachusetts'' is the third studio album by American

alternative country Alternative country, or alternative country rock (sometimes alt-country, insurgent country, Americana, or y'allternative), is a loosely defined subgenre of country music and/or country rock that includes acts that differ significantly in style ...

group

Scud Mountain Boys Scud Mountain Boys are an United States, American alternative country band. Formed in 1991 in Northampton, Massachusetts, it comprised Joe Pernice, Stephen Desaulniers, Bruce Tull and Tom Shea. Stephen Desaulniers left the band and was replaced b ...

. Released in 1996 on

Sub Pop Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are often ...

, ''Massachusetts'' was recorded and mixed at Studio .45 in

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

, except for the track "Grudge ****", which was recorded on a four track at home.

Critical reception

The Encyclopedia of Popular Music ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' is an encyclopedia created in 1989 by Colin Larkin. It is the "modern man's" equivalent of the '' Grove Dictionary of Music'', which Larkin describes in less than flattering terms.''The Times'', ''The Know ...

'' called the album an "excellent alternative country epic." ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'' wrote: "With songs of drunken regret and clear-eyed desperation that are closer to John Cheever than George Jones, the album’s slyly beautiful melodies and parched entreaties have the bracing chill of a Nor’east wind." ''

Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...

'' called it an "all-depression alt-country gem." ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference to ...

'' deemed it "an atmospheric marvel — fully arranged, languidly delivered and occasionally branded by artful lead-guitar electricity."

Track listing

Personnel

* Mike Deming - Engineer, Mastering, Organ, Producer * Stephen Desaulniers - Bass, Bass (Acoustic), Composer, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Rhythm), Piano, Producer, Vocals, Vocals (Background) * Thom Monahan - Drums, Engineer, Overdubs, Producer * Bob Pernice - Guitar *

Joe Pernice Joseph T. Pernice (born July 17, 1967) is an American indie rock musician and writer, who has fronted several bands, including the Scud Mountain Boys, Chappaquiddick Skyline, The New Mendicants and the Pernice Brothers. Originally from Holbrook ...

- Composer, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Producer, Vocals * Paul Rocha - Piano * Tom Shea - Drums, Guitar (Electric), Mandolin, Producer * Bruce Tull - Guitar (Electric), Pedal Steel, Photography, Producer * Steve Wytas - Mastering

References

{{Authority control 1996 albums Sub Pop albums