Sebadoh is generally synonymous with Lou Barlow's beautifully wrought anthems of love and longing, yet it's the juxtaposition of those mostly mid-tempo songs with Eric Gaffney's breakneck blasts of chaos that makes Bubble & Scrape so special. Jason Loewenstein completes the equation, stepping up and delivering songs that somehow complement both his bandmates. Unfortunately, Gaffney left the band after Scrape and Barlow and Loewenstein gradually merged their songwriting styles into a more cohesive, but less interesting sound.

Tony Peltier