Jordan Owen: Writer, Musician, Blogger: Cool Music Monday: L7

1992 will forever be the year that Nirvana ruled the earth but in truth it was one of the most varied and diverse years for major releases and classic albums. Dream Theater put out Images and Words. Peter Gabriel released Us. Tom Waits put out Bone Machine. R.E.M had Automatic for the People. Then there was Rage Against the Machine with their self titled and Alice in Chains had Dirt. And that's only scratching the surface.

My only regret is that I was only 9 years old and couldn't fully appreciate it.

The diversity and innovation of the early 90's made the nu-metal decay of the decade's autumn years worth it. (And hey- even that era gave us Korn and Marilyn Manson.)

But one album that will probably never get its due is L7's Bricks Are Heavy. By 1992 there was a burgeoning separation between metal purists and the Nevermind-Come-Lately grunge heads. Grunge offered heaviness- enough to instantly silence the sprawling wasteland of glam rockers out there- but it can at the cost of musicianship and the result was often beautiful singer/songwriter songs juxtaposed over thick, droning distorted power chords (which is awesome in its own right, don't get me wrong.)

But even as grunge was in its infancy its pioneers were recognizing the limitations of the genre. As such some of the bands most closely associated with the sound (Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, The Smashing Pumpkins, etc.) were graduating into what the press quickly dubbed "alternative rock" so as to explore the drama-club geekiness of the new sound without sacrificing technique and melody. And don't forget that as grunge bands went Nirvana was pretty much the only listenable one out there. Like the heroin for which it is named, most grunge is almost completely unbearable in its purest form.

But L7 saw a potential few would catch- they tamed those droning power chords and tempered them with drop tuned metal riffs and some brighter high ends creating a sound that sounds- beautifully- like classic thrash played at slow RPM. The result is something that's tight enough to incur an passionate circle pit while their grungier drone sensibilities form a downtrodden undercurrent of contemplative darkness.

Bricks are Heavy showcases a band with an unsung penchant for innovation and a sound uniquely their own. It holds up with any groove metal record- you could put in on after Prong, Helmet, or Rob Zombie and the intensity would never drop. Or you could drop it into an early 90's alt-rock mix tape and no hipster would bat an eye. A rare feat indeed and one that deserves repeated listenings- preferably in your car with the volume cranked and your foot to the floor (figuratively.)

Robert Christgau even praised the record and he has a history of being hilariously wrong about good music.

Crank it up. You'll be glad you did.

-Jordan

p.s.- as I scan through that "best of" list linked above, it turns out that Bricks are Heavy ranks at 63, so they did get a little of the recognition they so greatly deserve.