III

Far removed from the primitivism of the band's early work, III marks a pivotal moment in Sebadoh's creative evolution. The first full-length record to feature Jason Loewenstein, it's a radically diverse affair, offering vastly improved production and a newly-discovered dedication to focused, controlled songcraft; though no two cuts sound even remotely similar, taken as a whole the album is a surpringly cohesive affair. Among the highlights -- and with 23 songs, there are many -- are "The Freed Pig" (Lou Barlow's vicious swipe at former Dinosaur Jr. bandmate J Mascis), Eric Gaffney's ominously jaunty "Violet Execution," and Barlow's tongue-in-cheek ode to sexual confusion, "Hassle." ~ Jason Ankeny - AMG