Top 40 '90s albums, #28: Slint — Spiderland

I’ve thought several times that Slint’s Spiderland made #28 in my list by virtue of its reputation more than anything. It’s a slow, brooding album, and it has that talking vocal thing, and it’s got some crunchy guitars.

Every time I think that, I listen to the album again, and I’m reminded why it’s this high on the list. “Nosferatu Man” with its rhythmic movement and screeching guitars; “Washer” and “For Dinner…” with their proto-post-rock slow builds, the sort you’ll hear later in this list; “Good Morning, Captain,” that would feel right at home next to The Dismemberment Plan — the influence of Spiderland is far-reaching.

Is it still ultimately on the list for reasons of reputation? Maybe. This isn’t an album I’d throw on any time or for any crowd, but every time I see it on the shelf, I think a little bit more about it. This album created a distinctive sound, and it’s a sound that played directly into the work of so many artists I love. Without the influence of Spiderland on, say, Godspeed You Black Emperor and Explosions in the Sky, the soundtrack to my teenage years would have been markedly different. Something would have filled the void, I’m sure, but it would’ve been different, and that scares me.

Anyway, Spiderland. Great album. Foundational, you might say. It’s just not always a pleasant listen, and I think that’s alright.