TAD – JINX (SUB POP)

TAD – JINX (SUB POP)

Did you ever see that movie Singles? You know, the one set in Seattle at the height of the grunge craze that presented the world in such an appealing and fun but adult manner. No one there was ugly or dysfunctional and suddenly Generation X was something to really aspire to being part of. Do you remember that scene where Matt Dillon (playing Eddie Vedder) puts new car speakers into the bubble car of Bridget Fonda? To demonstrate the ferocity of his gesture he plays her the track “Jinx” by Tad. As it rumbles the car out comes Chris Cornell to nod in appreciation because all the grunge musicians lived in houses next to each other at the height of the scene, it was just easier that way. As Dillon becomes orgasmic at the sound produced by the uber heavy Tad eventually the windows vibrate to the degree that they smash and it all goes wrong. This is a pretty fair visual description for the career of Tad. Later (or earlier, I forget) when Bridget Fonda accidentally phones up Tad Doyle and speaks dirty down the phone before realising her mistake this truly is a metaphor for the major label interest that scuffed up against the band. You see, Tad were almost it for more than five minutes.

“Jinx” is a ballsy track before the words of Mr Doyle have even dropped on proceedings. The chunky riff that immediately emerges holds the dense kind of promise that only the toughest of acts can insinuate in an intro.

To be a jinx takes a really stinging degree of effort on the individual, it is as tiring to jinx as it is to be jinxed. In other words this track is all over negative taking in the crumbling association of relations, describing the inevitable chaos that comes with Tad. It is truly a song that flies even if the principle is too heavy to be elevated.

Produced by Butch Vig it possesses that grunge gloss that served to declaw or empower a band’s sound (depending on your metal or indie perspective).

With a close up of a cow’s nose on the cover and a photo of the band including Doyle wearing an Ed Gein t-shirt on the back this is a band that went out of its way to disturb and dismay, looking to upset anyone not wise enough to withstand or understand.

“Pig Iron” rocks up on the flipside as a more customary and stretched out example of grunge as the band plays it downtuned and downplayed with a dark demeanour that even holds a nod towards the terror whipped up by The Jesus Lizard with only the vocals letting it down when attempting to sound like a serial killer. Subtly suited this band.

Thesaurus moment: baleful.

Tad
Sub Pop