Melvins already put out a new album earlier this year, February's Working With God, but they're not stopping there. On October 15th, the sludge-metal icons will unveil a 36-song acoustic collection called Five Legged Dog, which features softer — though no less powerful — renditions of original material and covers from throughout their gargantuan catalog. Today (July 22nd), they're giving us an idea of what it'll sound like by sharing an amazingly heavy acoustic version of fan favorite "Night Goat."
The career-spanning collection features songs plucked from throughout their entire 24-album run, in addition to numerous previously-unrecorded covers of tracks by the likes of the Rolling Stones, Fred Neil, Brainiac and more. There's legitimately something for every generation of Melvins fan here, but the band have decided to preview the album with a choice cut from their essential 1993 opus, Houdini.
Unlike what some people may consider a "traditional" acoustic song, there are in fact loud and clattering drums on this version of "Night Goat," which allow the band to retain their metallic heaviness despite the lack of distorted guitar. It's a fascinating reinvention, and you can hear it above via YouTube.
"I knew I wanted to do something ridiculously big," guitarist-vocalist Buzz Osbourne said of the album's concept. "36 songs re-imagined by us acoustically is certainly ridiculous but it works. The magic of the songs is still there regardless of it being acoustic."
"I think people will be surprised that we can do an acoustic version of a song like 'Night Goat' without losing any of the heaviness," drummer Dale Crover added. "We also worked hard on the vocal arrangements. People are going to freak out."
Five Legged Dog is due out digitally and as a double-disc CD on October 15th, while 4LP vinyl editions will arrive on January 28th. Snag pre-orders here and peep the artwork and track listing below.
Five Legged Dog track listing:
"Edgar The Elephant" (A Walk With Love & Death)
"Up The Dumper" (The Bootlicker)
"Hung Bunny/Roman Dog Bird" (Lysol)
"Hooch" (Houdini)
"Billy Fish" (Nude With Boots)
"Shevil" (Stoner Witch)
"Charlie" (Redd Kross cover from "Escape From LA" single)
"A Growing Disgust" (Freak Puke)
"Eye Flys/Woman" (Gluey Porch Treatments – "Woman" is a Free cover)
"Pitfalls In Serving Warrants" (Honky)
"Outside Chance" (The Turtles cover from "Slithering Slaughter" single)
"Evil New War God" (The Bride Screamed Murder)
"The Bloated Pope" (Pigs of the Roman Empire)
"Bad Move" (from Dale Crover's solo album, The Fickle Finger of Fate)
"With Teeth" (Lysol)
"Halo of Flies" (Alice Cooper cover from Sieg Howdy!)
"Oven" (Ozma)
"Sway" (Rolling Stones cover – previously unrecorded by the Melvins)
"Anaconda" (Bullhead)
"Lovely Butterfly" (Honky)
"Boris" (Bullhead)
"It's Shoved" (Bullhead)
"Honey Bucket" (Houdini)
"We Are Doomed" (The Bulls & The Bees)
"Flypaper" (Brainiac cover - previously unrecorded by the Melvins)
"Let God Be Your Gardener" (Ozma)
"At The Stake" (Stoner Witch)
"Night Goat" (Houdini)
"Queen" (Stoner Witch)
"Everybody's Talking" (Fred Neil cover – previously unrecorded by the Melvins)
"Revolve" (Stoner Witch)
"Suicide In Progress" (Nude With Boots)
"Prig" (The Bootlicker)
"The Bit" (Stag)
"Civilized Worm" ((A) Senile Animal)
"Don't Forget to Breathe" (Pinkus Abortion Technician)
