American Thighs
American Thighs | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 27, 1994 | |||
Studio | Idful, Chicago, Illinois | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 52:24 | |||
Label | Minty Fresh | |||
Producer | Brad Wood | |||
Veruca Salt chronology | ||||
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Singles from American Thighs | ||||
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American Thighs is the 1994 debut studio album by American alternative rock band Veruca Salt.[3] The album features the single "Seether".
Background and release[edit]
Singer-guitarists Nina Gordon and Louise Post started working together in 1992.[4] They eventually formed Veruca Salt with bassist Steve Lack and drummer Jim Shapiro, and the four had been a full band less than a year when they signed with the independent label Minty Fresh.[5] In 1994, they released the single "Seether"/"All Hail Me". "Seether" became a hit on college and alternative radio stations, and the band recorded the album American Thighs with producer Brad Wood.[4][5] The album was released through Minty Fresh on September 27, 1994, the title is a reference to a line from the AC/DC song "You Shook Me All Night Long".[6][7]
Veruca Salt then signed with the major label Geffen Records, which re-released the album. "Seether" became a hit on MTV. Two more singles, "Number One Blind" and "Victrola", were released from the album, but neither matched the success of "Seether". American Thighs was eventually certified gold.[4][8]
Critical reception[edit]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
MusicHound Rock | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | 7/10[12] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Village Voice | A−[15] |
American Thighs received generally positive reviews from critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave the album 4 stars out of 5, calling it "a pure pop album masquerading as the next big thing."[9] Nick Kelly of Hot Press said, "Given that this is their first record, you can't help asking yourself how a band so young can sing songs so good."[16] Eric Gladstone of CMJ New Music Monthly wrote that "the album works an infectious formula: thick harmonies layered over attack-formation guitars and drums, with lyrics shifting from childlike innocence to guiltless brutality."[5]
Spin ranked it number 8 on its list of the 20 best albums of 1994.[17] In 2014, Rolling Stone ranked it number 21 on its list of the 40 best alternative rock albums of 1994.[18]
Track listing[edit]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Get Back" | Nina Gordon | 3:12 |
2. | "All Hail Me" | Louise Post | 3:05 |
3. | "Seether" | Gordon | 3:16 |
4. | "Spiderman '79" | Post | 5:16 |
5. | "Forsythia" | Gordon | 4:45 |
6. | "Wolf" | Post | 4:19 |
7. | "Celebrate You" | Post | 4:20 |
8. | "Fly" | Post | 3:38 |
9. | "Number One Blind" |
| 3:43 |
10. | "Victrola" | Post | 2:19 |
11. | "Twinstar" | Gordon | 3:16 |
12. | "25" | Gordon | 7:56 |
13. | "Sleeping Where I Want" (CD release only) | Gordon | 3:19 |
Total length: | 52:24 |
Personnel[edit]
Credits adapted from liner notes.
Veruca Salt
- Nina Gordon – guitar, vocals
- Louise Post – guitar, vocals
- Steve Lack – bass guitar
- Jim Shapiro – drums, background vocals
Additional musicians
- Christian Lane – additional vocals (on "Victrola")
Production
- Brad Wood – production, recording, mixing
- Casey Rice – additional engineering
- John McEntire – additional engineering
- Roger Seibel – mastering
Charts[edit]
Chart (1994–95) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[19] | 26 |
UK Albums (OCC)[20] | 47 |
US Billboard 200[21] | 69 |
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[22] | 1 |
References[edit]
- ^ a b Danaher, Michael (August 4, 2014). "The 50 Best Grunge Songs (1/3)". Paste. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
- ^ Segretto, Mike (2022). "1994". 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999. Backbeat. p. 538. ISBN 9781493064601.
- ^ Marks, Craig (January 1995). "Thigh Masters". Spin. p. 24.
- ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Veruca Salt". allmusic.com. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
- ^ a b c Gladstone, Eric. "Next Big Things". CMJ New Music Monthly. February 1995. pp. 20-24.
- ^ Kot, Greg (September 18, 1994). "The Sound And The Flurry". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ Borzillo, Carrie (December 10, 1994). "Veruca Salt Rocks The Charts". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 50. pp. 7, 41. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ Caro, Mark. "Veruca Salt reunites years after explosive breakup". chicagotribune.com. July 3, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "American Thighs – Veruca Salt". AllMusic. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (2006). "Veruca Salt". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8 (4th ed.). New York : MUZE : Oxford University Press. p. 427. ISBN 978-0-19-531373-4 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Fuoco, Christina (1999). "Veruca Salt". MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. p. 1198 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Dalton, Stephen (October 8, 1994). "Veruca Salt: American Thighs". NME. p. 43.
- ^ Ahearn, Kim (November 3, 1994). "Veruca Salt: American Thighs". Rolling Stone. No. 694. p. 100. Archived from the original on December 19, 2007. Retrieved April 26, 2004.
- ^ Harris, Keith (2004). "Veruca Salt". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Fireside Books. p. 849. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (February 21, 1995). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- ^ Kelly, Nick (November 2, 1994). "American Thighs". Hot Press. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ Sheffield, Rob (December 1994). "20 Best Albums of '94". Spin. Vol. 10, no. 9. pp. 76–78. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ Eddy, Chuck (April 17, 2014). "1994: The 40 Best Records From Mainstream Alternative's Greatest Year – 21. Veruca Salt, 'American Thighs'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Veruca Salt – American Thighs". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ "Veruca Salt Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ "Veruca Salt Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
External links[edit]
- American Thighs at Discogs (list of releases)
- American Thighs at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
- Power, Ed (2019-09-27). "Why Veruca Salt's 'American Thighs' is the great lost album of the Nineties". Independent.