Caustic Resin Albums (6)
What The Critics Say
The Neil Young influence is apparent throughout The Caustic Resin's set. With their heavy use of reverb, feedback and guitar solos, The Afterbirth features a unique mixture of noisy indie rock that's topped off with a mellow inspiration of grunge. But at the same time, The Caustic Resin's lengthy jam solos and slow moving attempts at pop wear thin. Although the aforementioned Neil Young aspirations could easily compare this band to Built To Spill -front man Doug Martsch did play guitar in Caustic at one point- The Afterbirth still lacks in the charm and catchiness that their fellow Boise natives have. ~ Mike DaRonco, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Most people know Caustic Resin only through their collaboration with Built to Spill or through frontman Brett Netson's work on several Built to Spill releases. While the assumption that Caustic Resin is only Built to Spill's lesser sibling is certainly unfair, its also understandable. With the exception of Netson's voice, Caustic Resin sounds like Built to Spill's less adventurous side. But the vocal will probably be enough to turn most people off to the Idaho natives. Netson's voice is scratchy, straining, and angry -- a less charismatic Axl Rose. When compared to Doug Marstch's voice, its easy to see why Built to Spill is in the indie rock elite and Caustic Resin is on the fringe; when faced with a choice between a vulnerable, sugary, high-pitched strain or a deep gravelly yell, it becomes obvious. With Trick Question, Netson does his best to leap from Martsch's shadow into the limelight. The styling of the record is extremely eclectic. Influences range from Dinosaur Jr., Nick Cave, to even Can. The recording process for Trick Question is a good indicator for how so many sounds emerged on one record. Instead of sitting down in the studio and writing together, each band member went off and wrote his own stuff, each member allotted a certain number of songs. Each then brought the songs back to the group, where they laid it down on the spot. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. "Nice Wings" uses a collage of found sounds -- clipping shears and a shotgun blast -- to form a marching beat. It is easily the most accomplished and inventive song on the record, a cross between Roxy Music and David Bowie. Unfortunately, the majority of the songs are forgettable, but the two or three standouts should be enough to attract new fans to another of Idaho's treasures. ~ Yancey Strickler, All Music Guide
'The Medicine Is All Gone'
Release Date 5/5/1998
Tracks 13
Label Alias
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Caustic Resin is the wild card on the Boise indie scene, delivering anthemic drug-rock space jams which veer from eviscerating psychedelic epics to gentle, atmospheric soundscapes; The Medicine Is All Gone, the band's third LPs on as many labels, doesn't tamper with their basic formula, and offers such intoxicating freak-outs as "Niacin," "Dripping" and "Man from Michigan." ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After listening to Caustic Resin's Fly Me to the Moon, it'll come as no surprise that the band is a product of the wide spaces and western isolation of Boise, ID. Brett Netson seems to want to fill up -- or possibly set fire to -- those vast sage-covered valleys with a guitar sound that is equal parts heavy metal and classic space rock. The fact that those categories are typically reserved for pejorative descriptions doesn't mean squat to Caustic Resin, which carves out a unique and often dangerous sound from the dried-up husks of the two musical forms. This is music your parents wouldn't be happy to hear pouring from underneath the door of your bedroom. Take "Cancerous Eye" for instance, where Netson's voice recalls another once dangerous rock hero, Ozzy Osbourne, as he sings, "...and how does it feel/To be connected with things/That threaten your life?" Or the complex guitar work and schizophrenic vocal overdubs of the opening track "Spore," where the pace is nearly driven over the edge by the relentless drumming of James Manny. Though the 16 tracks may not be enough to get you to the moon, there is certainly enough fuel here to get you above the atmosphere of Boise. ~ Sean Hurley, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
While Caustic Resin delivers the sort of dark, slow, meandering rock that has earned the band the space rock tag, its 1993 debut Body Love Body Hate finds the band members latched to their early, metal roots. It kicks off with "Drone," a song that escalates from an incoherent blur of deep voices and guitar noodling to buzzing metal sludge, displaying the full range of the band. "Semiconductor" is based around a driving blues riff. Singer Brett Netson enters a rant of nonsensical imagery, his voice taking on a mocking tone. Things get ugly on "Chainsaw," a song that details a series of unlawful sexual acts. Where the preceding material saw Caustic Resin walking frighteningly close to the edge, "Chainsaw" watches as the band takes the plunge. Guitars scream, the singer screams, and the drummer slams into his kit as if his life depended upon it (or as if it's all he can do to be heard). A moment of respite is offered by "Cocktails?" (answered later in the record with "Cocktails!"), an amorphous blues-tinged piano wash. "Hollow Trap" finds the band reenacting a tribal ritual. A segment of ghostly voices is followed by sick grunting over crude percussion backing. The situation improves with the Captain Beefheart-like snarl of "Hooberbloob (My Family)" and the psychedelic metal-groove of "Spinedog-Re," bringing the album to a close. Making sense out of all this seems like a futile exercise. At its best, Caustic Resin hones its dark, heavy-handed metal into something worth exploring. Moments like "Hollow Trap," however, will make you wonder how much of this is sincere, and how much is a bad inside joke. ~ Nathan Bush, All Music Guide
