Last Splash

Thanks to good timing and some great singles, Last Splash turned the Breeders into the alternative rock superstars that Kim Deals former band Pixies always seemed on the verge of becoming. Yet in some ways, the groups commercial breakthrough was the most unpredictable music theyd made up to that point. Joined by Deals twin sister, Kelley, the band builds on the Safari EPs polished production, but instead of merely making their sound bigger or more palatable, they play with more styles, textures, and moods than ever before. Nowhere is this more evident than on the albums blockbuster single "Cannonball." From the foghorn-like vocals that announce it to Josephine Wiggs bouncing bassline to its singsong vocals, virtually every part of this mischievously sexy, choppy yet grooving song is a hook. Though it became a symbol of the 1990s alt-rock revolution, its so light and playful that it still sounded fresh years later. The Breeders extend "Cannonball"s jumps, twists, and tangents to Last Splash as a whole, balancing irresistible pop with whimsical detours. They take this approach to extremes by teasing listeners with the elliptical shuffling and muttering of "Mad Lucas" before delivering two and a half minutes of flirty pop perfection with "Divine Hammer." More often, the albums patchwork offers a wealth of ideas and feelings. "Hag" and "No Aloha," a startling hybrid of desert island balladry and churning punk-pop, update Pods surreal feminism, a mood that trickles down to the aching independence of "Invisible Man." Then theres the bands obsession with summer, which ranges from "Flipside"s high-tide surf-pop to "Saints," a sunburnt celebration of a state fair complete with braying riffs and lines like "pony in the air" that reflect Deals brilliance at abstract yet immediately recognizable imagery. Kim and Kelleys mega-watt charm is one of the main reasons Last Splash holds together as well as it does. "Drivin on 9" (a cover of a song by fellow Dayton, Ohio band Eds Redeeming Qualities) provides one of the albums best showcases for the pure charisma of the formers voice, while "I Just Wanna Get Along"s apocalyptic power pop puts the spotlight on the latters singing and razor-sharp songwriting. Along with its emphasis on fun, Last Splash is one of the defining albums of early-90s alternative rock precisely because of its anything-goes mood -- an attitude that the Breeders held on to for the rest of their career. ~ Heather Phares