The Muffs Albums (6)
What The Critics Say
It's certainly good to know that Kim Shattuck and her partners in pop-punk, the Muffs, are still at it 11 years after dropping their first long-player (particularly since the sainted and not dissimilar Fastbacks have called it a career), and 2004's Really Really Happy shows that she's held on to the virtues that made her (and her band) lots of fun in the first place. Shattuck still has a great ear for guitar hooks, can play 'em with an admirable sense of chunky economy, and writes lyrics that blend an overgrown teenager's sense of snooty goofiness (or goofy snottiness) without shortchanging the relationship stuff that's usually the province of us grown-ups. Fine and dandy so far, but the album's drawbacks can seemingly be summed up in the following notes in the disc's booklet: "Drums recorded at Swinghouse Studios. Everything else recorded in Kim's kitchen." This would tend to suggest that most of Really Really Happy was recorded under "don't bother the neighbors" circumstances, and unfortunately it sounds like it -- most of these tracks just don't rock as hard or punch as deep as they need to, and they lack the propulsive live-sounding feel of the group's best records. Good songs, solid band, fun listening, but between you and me, Kim, if you're gonna cut the next Muffs album at home, maybe you should look into soundproofing the basement so you, bassist Ronnie Barnett, and drummer Roy McDonald can all crank it out at once. Trust me, if you do, I think we'll all be thanking ourselves afterward. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
'Hamburger'
Release Date 11/16/1999
Tracks 30
Label Sympathy for the Record Industry
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What The Critics Say
A hugely loaded (30 tracks!) retrospective of singles, compilation appearances, outtakes, and demos, Hamburger is as entertaining as any of the Muffs' "proper" CDs. Covering all phases of the band's existence, from their punky early days as Kim Shattuck and Melanie Vammen's new band following the death of their fellow ex-Pandoras Paula Pierce to their more polished but no less assertive later era as a Shattuck-led pop trio with stalwart bassist Ronnie Barnett and ex-Redd Kross drummer Roy McDonald, the non-chronological songs on Hamburger are alternately sloppy, goofy, heartfelt, and as exciting as rock & roll got in the '90s. Best among the lot has to be 1992's "New Love," the group's first single and flat-out one of the finest indie singles of the entire decade, and a whopping one-third of the album is covers, ranging from a thrashing version of the Pandoras' early gem "You Lie" to a silly remake of Kim Wilde's "Kids in America," with influence-proving stops at the Saints, Elvis Costello, the Troggs, and the Paul Collins Beat along the way. It's possible that some of the solo Shattuck guitar and voice demos could have been dropped, but they don't impede the flow of the album much. Essential for fans, although newcomers should probably start with Blonder and Blonder or Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
'Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow'
Release Date 6/15/1999
Tracks 13
Label Honest Don's Hardly
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
If it's a hummable, whistle-able tune you'd like to teach the world to sing, then here's a disc of candidates, with a few cuts to spare for a hip marching band. A really hip marching band, that is. This Muffs album is essentially the same one they've released three times earlier -- with different songs each time -- except Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow is even less complex and more memorable than ever, if that's possible. Although they insist that they're pop-punk, they're really just Cyndi Lauper with a two-pack-a-day habit and a three-chord repertoire that keeps the street lively but musically safe for everyone. Kim Shattuck's growly vocal range actually refers to softer times in pop-punk music, when singers may have felt they had less to prove, perhaps. Shattuck is welcome to relax much more, as she does with charming effects on "Your Kiss," a sweet guitar-centered song that would make Brian Wilson proud. The album closes with a surprisingly sophisticated instrumental, "Jack Champagne," invoking the Ventures and warming your car radios' souls. Although little takes place here to shatter the earth or tumble the walls, there's nothing to shatter your spirits, either. A comforting pop record from a less-than-outraged punk band. ~ Becky Byrkit, All Music Guide
'Happy Birthday to Me'
Release Date 5/20/1997
Tracks 15
Label Reprise
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Happy Birthday to Me is the third album for the Muffs, a punk-influenced trio led by lead singer and guitarist Kim Shattuck. Rounding out the band on this self-produced effort are bassist Ronnie Barnett and drummer Roy McDonald. Shattuck sounds like a young Joan Jett especially on the driving "Crush Me" and "All Blue Baby." The band churns out an impressive wall of crunchy, melodic, glam-tinged rock without sacrificing lyrics, which are both clever and catchy. Highlights are the rumble of "Honeymoon," the jaunty "Pennywhore," and the playful "Outer Space." Happy Birthday to Me is a supercharged collection of bite-sized tracks (half the songs are less than two minutes long), which leave the listener wanting more. ~ Tom Demalon, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
While the band has changed significantly since their debut, The Muffs' second album, Blonder and Blonder, sounds nearly identical to their first. It's all a brightly colored collection of fuzzed-out guitars, Kim Shattuck's screaming pop melodies and punk rhythms, delivered with just the right touch of abandon and just the right amount of polish. Even though the band is long-time friends with Green Day, the repetition of the formula hits a little too close for comfort. Shattuck's songs aren't quite as strong as Billie Joe's, yet her hooks catch hold often enough to make Blonder and Blonder enjoyable for most fans of punk-pop. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Having played in The Pandoras before forming The Muffs, Kim Shattuck and Melanie Vammen certainly exhibit a level of musical maturity sometimes lacking on debut albums. The Muffs is a powerful pop-punk album that has Ramones-styled power-chord rockers in addition to more laidback and soothing numbers. The Muffs sound more intelligent than The Ramones, but certainly aren't a thinking man's punk band. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this album is how the lyrics fit in precisely with the mood of the music. ~ Matt Carlson, All Music Guide
