Well, one who knows me might say these five stars are more an emotional thing for Mudhoney and this particular compilation (not an album, it's something like Nirvana's Incesticide), than a somehow rational review of it. But listening to Mudhoney should never be about rationally analysing their "musical quality", in terms of how technically good they are with their instruments and stuff like that. It's about raw punk rock energy and bits of dementia and good humor somewhere in the middle and yes, they rule in that area!!
If I was reviewing the "normal" Superfuzz Bigmuff and Early Singles I would defenitely give it six stars, but as I'm reviewing this Deluxe Edition, I have to take into acount that the sound quality of the last 6 songs, recorded live @ KCSB (Radio Broadcast on November 16, 1988) is really not that good. Still, it's a fine "document." On the other hand, the Berlin concert (October 10, 1988) sounds good and really kicks ass! And Mark Arm's dialogues with the crowd are very funny too.
I'm 34 now, so I was a fortunate teenager during the 90's Seattle scene and I was so into it... oh, the good old days... Superfuzz Bigmuff was my first encounter with (someone called it) grunge rock, even before Nirvana's Nevermind came out. It was the year 1990, I was 13. A friend of my older brother came into our house with a vinyl copy and I was awestruck. The good thing is that even today I can still feel that raw teenage energy inside when I listen to this. So if you're a younger kid living through this musically unfortunate generation, searching for the roots of some of that good 90's Seattle sound, this is something that you must listen to. Seriously. If you're an old idiot who's left the teenager inside you die you can skip it. Go to work, be with your wife and kids, read your jounal and listen to Mozart or Coltrane. If you're an older and even bigger idiot, like me; if you went through the 90's rocking your head out to the sounds of Nirvana, Pixies, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr. etc., but never got your ears into this one; and if you want to be free; if you want to be free to do what you want to do; and if you want to get loaded; well, you're still on time. "JESUS TAKE ME TO A HIGHER PLACE!!!" \m/