View Larger
Rate it!
Avg: 4.0 (188 ratings)
- Date Released: January 1, 1994
- Genre: Alternative/Punk
- Style: Indie Rock, Alternative
- Label: DeSoto Records / IODA
A masterful blend of tense guitars, crashing rhythms, tumbling beats and sing-along hooks.
-
We Say...
It's easy to see how post-punk luminaries Jawbox became a major influence on today's emo sound. The band's third album, 1994's For Your Own Special Sweetheart is a masterful blend of tense guitars, crashing rhythms, tumbling beats and sing-along hooks that both clashed with the instrumentation and made the songs more accessible. "Savory," for example, features tinny, ringing guitars and a brash counter-riff that rubs against the melodic vocals like coarse sandpaper.
Frontman J. Robbins was once a member of Dischord's progressive hardcore band Government Issue, and while GI wasn't an emo band, they were surrounded by first-wave Dischord emocore bands like Rites of Spring, the Faith, and Embrace. Being in that circle no doubt rubbed off on Robbins; Jawbox incorporates that style of heart-on-sleeve emotion with shards of dissonant post-punk.
Clearly, outfits like Fugazi, Big Black and Gang of Four also influenced Jawbox, but the DC quartet were able to weave those inspirations into a tuneful tapestry that never lacked urgency or intensity. And while songs like "Cooling Card" and "Jackpot Plus!" tapped into the alternative radio crowd, "Cruel Swing," a dissonant avant-jazz/blues romp and "Whitney Walks," a spectral rumination slashed by shards of volume, displayed a more experimental side of this gifted band. -
They Say...
The screams of a thousand chain wallet-clad indie purists could be heard across the nation once word spread of Jawbox's signing to Atlantic; no band had left the good ship Dischord for a major label prior to Jawbox, so it was seen by more closed-minded types as an unforgivable crime against D.I.Y. If they'd stuck around to hear the record that didn't bear the Dischord logo, they'd hear the band's best record, the one they had always wanted to make. And it wasn't just the label change that made For Your Own Special Sweetheart (a phrase taken from a Barbie product) a transitional record. Adam Wade left the band for art rockers Shudder to Think, and he was replaced on the traps by Zach Barocas. Even more bristly and blaring than Novelty, Bill Barbot's and J. Robbins' guitars are about as tingly as a jump into a cactus. Their interplay reaches a zenith on Sweetheart. Imagine two Andy Gills in Gang of Four, and you'll see what they're getting at. Though not quite as jagged and dry as Gill, the guitars employ a little distortion to slightly round the edges out. Producer Ted Nicely knew just what to do with the rhythm section -- Kim Coletta's bass is more prominent, and uber-drummer Barochas' complex tom shots run rampant. (He was more likely to emulate Jack DeJohnette than Topper Headon.) Subject matter includes JG Ballard's Concrete Insland-inspired "Motorist," leaving Robbins wrecked in an ugly part of Chicago; "Savory" examines the objectification of the female species. Otherwise, you need your Jawbox decoder ring to decipher lyrical content. Sonically, the terrain is expansive. Though "Whitney Walks" is stuck at the end of the record, it's relative quietude deserves just as much attention as anything else. Otherwise it's a manic, thrilling ride, nothing short of brilliant.
“ The indie iTunes — Hardcore music fans are migrating to eMusic, the iTunes Music Store's cheaper, cooler cousin.”
Rolling Stone
eMusic Tip
Paid downloads are counted towards an album discount but free downloads are not.
COMPLETE FOR FREE!
You can download the rest of the tracks from this album for free! Just click the Complete Album button.
We’re sorry this album can only be downloaded using paid subscription download credits.
We recommend you Save it for Later by clicking the Save for Later button shown just above this message. For a list of related albums you can download right now, check out these recommendations.
We'll give you 13 additional free credits to download this album and start your paid subscription.
Get 13 bonus credits on us if you download this album. Sweet!
| 01. |  |
FF=66 |
2:41 |
|
| 02. | |
Savory |
4:39 |
|
| 03. | |
Breathe |
2:49 |
|
| 04. | |
Motorist |
3:43 |
|
| 05. | |
LS/MFT |
2:42 |
|
| 06. | |
Cooling Card |
2:52 |
|
| 07. | |
Green Glass |
3:28 |
|
| 08. | |
Cruel Swing |
2:16 |
|
| 09. | |
Jackpot Plus! |
2:35 |
|
| 10. | |
Chicago Piano |
3:12 |
|
| 11. | |
Reel |
3:38 |
|
| 12. | |
U-Trau |
3:10 |
|
| 13. | |
Whitney Walks |
3:57 |
|
13 Total Tracks, 41:42 Total Length
Loading...
Credits
- Jawbox - Producer // Ted Jensen - Mastering // Ted Nicely - Producer // Steve Raskin - Design // Zach Barocas - Drums // Kim Coletta - Bass // J. Robbins - Guitar // J. Robbins - Vocals // J. Robbins - Artwork // J. Robbins - Design // Melissa Farris - Photography // Drew Mazurek - Engineer // John Falls - Photography // Mike Gitter - A&R // Bill Barbot - Guitar // Bill Barbot - Vocals // Tim Gregory - Assistant Engineer // Mark Waters - Photography
Choose from over 7 million
music downloadseMusic features legendary and emerging artists in every genre: classic rock to classical,indie to international, soundtracks to spiritual, jazz to country and many more.
MP3 downloads work on any digital media player
With eMusic, you OWN your music without any restrictions. Burn music to a CD, play it on your computer, mobile phone or any digital media player - including iPod®, Zune® and Walkman®.
Songs available for 50¢ or less
eMusic subscriptions start at just $11.99 a month for 24 downloads - that's just 50¢ per song! And it gets better from there - our plans go as low as 42¢ per song!
Music Discovery
eMusic is about discovery. We make finding new music fun again with music recommendations from our award-winning team of music experts, member playlists and new music features.
Cancel anytime
With all the great music and site features we're pretty sure you will love eMusic. If not, no problem. You can cancel at any time and keep the music you have downloaded.
© 1992 - 2009 All Media Guide, LLC