10 Great Melvins Songs

Why the Godfathers of Grunge are the GOAT

The Melvins have consistently stuck to their odd, otherworldy style for 4 decades and for good reason; not only has it been a massive game changing influence and creator of several genres, but it remains timelessly stoney and bold. You would think someone would make a Melvins biopic or something being that they’ve crossed paths with so many mainstream famous acts, and authored a genre, but alas, “The world is not a right place.”

Let us now explore 10 great Melvins tracks for no reason:

Up The Dumper

1999s The Bootlicker is probably my favorite Melvins album. It’s dark, weird, very understated, and groovy. Up The Dumper has a clean channel, slow burning groove, with surrealistically obtuse lyrics with an entirely strange delivery and cadence. Utterly Tealpilled.

Black Bock

Black Bock is like a boy scout whistling his way through a satanic bloodletting ritual, and I mean literally not even metaphorically. With parts you could play on a fisher price guitar and drum set still delivered in a summer day kinda sway, and a bizarre chorus of “toadie toadie toe, ooh la la la la”, it cannot be missed.

Roadbull

Roadbull from Stoner Witch (allegedly so named after Courtney Love and the band’s disdain for her) is a rocking thrash revolving rhythm met with minimalist heavy drumming and that Melvins whisper rock style compounded into a nice, brief nugget that is equal parts confident strut and military parade theme.

Mary Lady Bobbykins

Definitely one of my favorite Melvins songs, the supremely dark and cannabis-friendly slow tempo exorcism that is Mary Lady Bobbykins takes you on quite a journey, from a few sparse notes in a dark tunnel of anti-shred, to a closing climax that is equal parts religious chant and minimalist rock.

Dr. Geek

Shredding at high speeds (but on the clean channel) Dr. Geek is hallmark weird Melvins goodness. With an almost sped up country beat, flushed down a toilet of several odd time changes, gleeful weirdo vocals and dissonant effected solos pepper the upside down rhythms and unrealistic tempos. 13 big Es end the beast, followed by 13 of the same drum fill. Far out.

Honey Bucket

A signature Melvins song, the drop D tuning that launched a thousand 90s ships can be heard in full force, but their version of course has more punk speed and nihilism. Thoroughly unique starts and stops throughout, it’s something like if Black Flag went cow tipping. This album was not actually produced by Kurt Cobain, but got a lot of traction from that myth.

Skin Horse

This song has everything I love about the Melvins, from turning a fairly simple progression into a psychedelic journey, to the heavy, plodding pace, to a completely unexpected ending, repleat with pitch shifted incantations of who’s the boss of who. Mildly moody but thoroughly strange.

The Fool, The Meddling Idiot

With an intro that says, “Lookout, here it comes!” at a pace that would make Black Sabbath say, “Has the song started?” The Fool, The Meddling Idiot tipifies Melvins shred; slow burning noise, understated vocals, out on a stoned ledge of unrealistic cacophony that comes together at just the right times. Again, a bizarre synth-driven outro surprises listeners who are dedicated. All around plush stoner shred with many surprises throughout.

The Kicking Machine

Newer Melvins still rocks out, moreso even maybe. This Led Zeppelin-meets-Mountain style jam is a great set starter, barn burner, and all around secret weapon of pounding drums and pentatonic power. Nude With Boots might not be the best Melvins album but this is definitely worthy of any Melvins best list.

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Tipping The Lion

Trippy, mellow, yet heavy, flangey, and solid, Tipping The Lion is a laid back, gentle, groovy track that still sounds like it’s from some museum of oddities from the early 20th century. Uncharacteristic 7ths and 9ths can be heard throughout.

So there you have it, 10 Great Melvins Songs to improve your wellbeing.