Screaming Trees - Even If and Especially When (Grunge 1987)

By essentially "repeating the language of the land and the sky," the Screaming Trees accurately portray the organic spirit of the Pacific Northwest. On tracks such as "Cold Rain" and "In the Forest" their narrative landscapes are not only expressed by the seasoned voice of Mark Lanegan but also by the rich complexity of their song structures. While drummer Mark Pickerel and guitarists Gary Lee and Van Conner provide the energy of a classic garage band, producer Steve Fisk molds their groundwork and pop sensibilities into the realms of proto-grunge. Along with fellow SST labelmates Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr., the Screaming Trees served as true pioneers of the burgeoning genre. With distorted guitars and meaningful poetics becoming the norm of the late '80s, Even If and Especially When stands as a commendable album and a telling preview of what was to later come from the Seattle scene.

AMG Review by Robert Gabriel