''God's Balls'' is the debut studio album by the American rock band
Tad, released in 1989 by
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is an independent 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 (band), Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the gru ...
. The band promoted the album by undertaking a European tour with labelmates
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 ...
. The album was re-released as a deluxe edition in 2016 by Sub Pop.
Production
The album was produced by
Jack Endino
Jack Endino (born Michael M. Giacondino; 1964) is an American producer and musician based in Seattle, Washington. Long associated with Seattle label Sub Pop and the grunge movement, Endino worked on seminal albums from bands including Mudhoney, ...
. The band's goal was to create an album lacking harmony and melody.
Critical reception
''
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 ...
'' called the album "impressively punishing," writing that "the riff-heavy 'Behemoth', 'Satan’s Chainsaw' and especially the Ed Gein-inspired 'Nipple Belt' hit like a succession of knees to the groin, with Doyle’s rugged, sneering vocals adding insult to injury." ''
PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...
'' wrote: "Relying on legendary Seattle producer Jack Endino to help translate their monolithic live sound to record, the band set about doing what they do best -- namely channeling ‘70s
heavy metal into something even heavier and more oppressive than any of their forebears could’ve imagined."
Track listing
Personnel
Tad
* Tad Doyle – vocals, guitar
* Gary Thorstensen – guitar
* Kurt Danielson – bass
* Steve Wied – drums
Production
*
Jack Endino
Jack Endino (born Michael M. Giacondino; 1964) is an American producer and musician based in Seattle, Washington. Long associated with Seattle label Sub Pop and the grunge movement, Endino worked on seminal albums from bands including Mudhoney, ...
– production, engineering, mastering
*
Charles Peterson – photography
Charts
References
{{Authority control
1989 debut albums
Tad (band) albums
Albums produced by Jack Endino
Sub Pop albums