The big difference between
the Jesus Lizard's first major-label album,
Shot, and their independent records mainly lies in the fact that their long-time producer,
Steve Albini, is no longer behind the boards.
Albini was reportedly infuriated that the band decided to make the plunge to a major label for their brief EP for Giant Records, so he cut off all associations with the band. The
Jesus Lizard hired
GGGarth Richardson, who had previously cut albums for
the Melvins and
L7, so his noise-rock credentials should theoretically all be in place. But they're not, at least on
Shot. The album sounds too similar to a conventional, major-label alternative hard-rock album with pushing rhythms and distorted guitars with clean attacks.
David Yow still screams his vocals and
Duane Denison's guitar riffs are appropriately gnarled and twisted, but the album is in desperate need of the grit that
Albini's abrasive lo-fi productions lent to the band's earlier records. Furthermore, the
Jesus Lizard hasn't progressed musically since the early '90s -- they still churn out the same, noisy post-
Butthole Surfers/
Big Black indie-rock as before. Since the music doesn't have the same scathing kick as it did on
Goat or
Liar,
Shot just sounds like a pointless exercise in treading water. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine