Unwound

I used to wonder why Unwound wasn't a much bigger deal. I came across them at the end of their career and I was hooked immediately. Their amalgam of noise, grunge, indie and punk struck just the right chords for me at that time in my life (my MK Ultra 7" is pretty worn by now).

But Unwound's refusal to compromise the harsher, repetitive aspects of their sound along with their lack of interest in traditional pop hooks meant they stayed under the radar (unlike other 90's contemporaries like Sonic Youth or Nirvana, who defintely weren't so averse to the almighty hook). Could you imagine hearing "Corpse Pose" on an alt-rock station? Almost maybe... But you certainly don't get the impression that Unwound was pushing for the big time at a time when the door was open to similar bands.

Perhaps their lack of fame during their active years will have an upside. If Unwound was criminally underrated, that just means their legacy will loom larger as other bands intentionally or inadvertantly ape their sound.

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