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Last Splash

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Last Splash
Studio album by
the Breeders
ReleasedAugust 30, 1993
Recorded1990–93
Studio
Genre
Length39:38
Label4AD/Elektra Records
Producer
The Breeders chronology
Safari
(1992) 		Last Splash
(1993) 		Head to Toe
(1994)
Singles from Last Splash
  1. "Cannonball"
    Released: August 9, 1993
  2. "Divine Hammer"
    Released: October 25, 1993
  3. "Saints"
    Released: 1994
  4. "No Aloha"
    Released: 1994
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic86/100[3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Blender[5]
Chicago Tribune[6]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[7]
NME6/10[8]
Pitchfork9.0/10[9]
Rolling Stone[10]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[11]
Spin9/10[12]
The Village VoiceA−[13]

Last Splash is the second album by American alternative rock band the Breeders, released on August 30, 1993. Originally formed as a side project for Pixies bassist Kim Deal, the Breeders quickly became her primary recording outlet. Last Splash peaked at number 33 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and by June 1994, the album had been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments in excess of one million units.

The title of the album is taken from a lyric from its lead single, "Cannonball". The video for "Cannonball" was directed by Spike Jonze and Kim Gordon, and the video for the album's second single "Divine Hammer" was directed by Jonze, Gordon and Richard Kern.

A looped guitar sample of "S.O.S." was used by the English electronic music band the Prodigy in their 1996 hit single "Firestarter". A sample from "I Just Wanna Get Along" was used in another track by the Prodigy called "World's on Fire" from the Invaders Must Die album.

In 2003, Pitchfork listed the album at number 64 on their list of the Top 100 Albums of the 1990s.[14] In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked the album number 293 in their revised list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (after not including it in the original 2003 list or the 2012 revision).[15]

On May 13, 2013, 4AD released LSXX, a deluxe 20th anniversary version of the album,[16] and on September 22, 2023, 4AD released Last Splash (30th Anniversary Original Analog Edition),[17] with additional tracks "Go Man Go" and "Divine Mascis".

Composition

[edit]

Last Splash has been seen as one of alternative rock's "most enduring masterpieces",[9] as well as indie rock,[18] noise pop[6][9] and "effervescent" pop rock.[12]

It is also considered "wildly", "willingly" experimental,[14][19] sporting art rock textures, "pure", "twisted" pop, and Hawaiian surf music.[20][21] The latter genre is seen in the "tiki bar twang" of "No Aloha" and the "gonzo" surf rock of instrumental "Flipside".[20][22] "I Just Wanna Get Along" takes on "spiky" pop-punk,[4] while cover "Drivin' on 9" pulls in acoustic and country sounds.[12][22]

Legacy and impact

[edit]

Last Splash is regarded as one of the most iconic albums in early '90s alternative rock. Dubbed one of its "most enduring masterpieces",[9] it's been praised for "perfectly encapsulat[ing] all that was great and wonderful" about the genre's explosion in that era.[23] Nashville Scene's Sean L. Maloney saw Splash both "[distill] the zeitgeist into perfect alt-pop nuggets", but also serve as "the last gasp of alternative music as an actual alternative to the mainstream".[24] The Quietus' Emily Mackay considered it "a key album" for the genre's mainstream crossover.[8]

In a retrospective review of it 20 years on, Stereogum's Tom Breihan called it "a warm, homemade, deeply and consciously odd" record.[18]

Accolades

[edit]
Critical rankings for Last Splash
Publication Country Type List Year Rank Ref.
Pitchfork
United States
Decade-end
Top 100 Favorite Records of the 1990s
2003
64
[14]
Slant Magazine
The 50 Best Rock Albums of the '90s
2021
46
[25]
Spin
The 90 Greatest Albums Of The '90s
39
[26]
Treble
91 Essential Alternative Rock Albums of the '90s
2023
--
[27]
Stylus Magazine
All-time
Top 101-200 Albums of All time
2004
162
[28]
Rolling Stone
Women Who Rock: The 50 Greatest Albums of All Time
2012
49
[29]
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
2020
293
[15]
NME
United Kingdom
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
2013
200
[30]
NPR Music
United States
The 150 Greatest Albums Made By Women
2017
144
[31]
Paste
The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time
2024
122
[32]
"--" indicates an unordered list.

Track listing

[edit]

Original 1993 release

[edit]

All tracks are written by Kim Deal, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."New Year" 1:56
2."Cannonball" 3:33
3."Invisible Man" 2:48
4."No Aloha" 2:07
5."Roi" 4:11
6."Do You Love Me Now?"
3:01
7."Flipside" 1:59
8."I Just Wanna Get Along"
  • Kim Deal
  • Kelley Deal
1:44
9."Mad Lucas" 4:36
10."Divine Hammer" 2:41
11."S.O.S." 1:31
12."Hag" 2:55
13."Saints" 2:32
14."Drivin' on 9"
3:22
15."Roi (Reprise)" 0:42

LSXX track listing

[edit]

There are two versions of LSXX: a 3-CD package and a 7-disc vinyl set.[33] The CD and vinyl formats have the same track listings.

The vinyl set contains the following vinyl:

  1. Last Splash
  2. "The Stockholm Syndrome" (partially previously released as Live in Stockholm 1994)
  3. Demos, rare tracks & session versions
  4. Safari EP
  5. Cannonball EP
  6. Divine Hammer
  7. Head to Toe EP

The track listing below is for the 3-CD set. All songs are by Kim Deal except where noted.

Disc 1 – Last Splash

The first disc contains the original release track listing.
Disc 2 – Singles, B-Sides, and Demos
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Do You Love Me Now?" (previously released on "Safari" EP)Kim Deal, Kelley Deal 
2."Don't Call Home" (previously released on "Safari" EP)Kim Deal, John Murphy 
3."Safari" (previously released on "Safari" EP)  
4."So Sad About Us" (previously released on "Safari" EP)Pete Townshend 
5."Cro-Aloha" (previously released on the "Cannonball" single)  
6."Lord of the Thighs" (previously released on the "Cannonball" single)Steven Tyler 
7."900" (previously released on the "Cannonball" single)Josephine Wiggs 
8."Divine Hammer (Single Version)" (previously released on the "Divine Hammer" single)  
9."Hoverin'" (previously released on the "Divine Hammer" single)Kim Deal, John Murphy 
10."I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)" (previously released on the "Divine Hammer" single)Hank Williams 
11."Do You Love Me Now Jr?" (previously released on the "Divine Hammer" single)Kim Deal, Kelley Deal 
12."Head to Toe" (previously released on the "Head to Toe" EP)Josephine Wiggs 
13."Shocker in Gloomtown" (previously released on the "Head to Toe" EP)Robert Pollard 
14."Freed Pig" (Sebadoh cover previously released on the "Head to Toe" EP)Lou Barlow 
15."Saints (Head to Toe Version)" (Last Splash demo, November 1992)  
16."New Year" (Last Splash demo, November 1992) 2:04
17."Grunggae" (Last Splash demo, November 1992) 2:34
18."Invisible Man" (Last Splash demo, previously released on the "13 Year Itch" 4AD compilation CD) 2:44
19."No Aloha" (Last Splash demo, November 1992) 2:34
20."I Just Wanna Get Along" (Last Splash demo, November 1992)Kim Deal, Kelley Deal1:41
21."Mad Lucas" (Last Splash demo, November 1992) 2:29
22."S.O.S." (Last Splash demo, November 1992) 1:37
23."Saints" (Last Splash demo, November 1992) 2:10
24."900" (Last Splash demo, November 1992)Josephine Wiggs3:15
25."Iris (Live Version)" (previously released on the No Alternative compilation) 3:44
Disc 3 – Live in Stockholm & BBC Sessions
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Shocker in Gloomtown" (Live in Stockholm)Robert Pollard2:20
2."New Year" (Live in Stockholm) 2:05
3."Hellbound" (Live in Stockholm) 2:24
4."Saints" (Live in Stockholm) 2:31
5."Hag" (Live in Stockholm) 3:44
6."I Just Wanna Get Along" (Live in Stockholm)Kim Deal, Kelley Deal1:52
7."S.O.S." (Live in Stockholm) 1:44
8."Roi" (Live in Stockholm) 2:35
9."Head to Toe" (Live in Stockholm)Josephine Wiggs2:18
10."Happiness Is a Warm Gun" (Live in Stockholm)John Lennon, Paul McCartney2:28
11."Cannonball" (Live in Stockholm) 3:49
12."Invisible Man" (Live in Stockholm) 2:50
13."Doe" (Live in Stockholm)Kim Deal, Ray Halliday2:39
14."Drivin' on 9" (Live in Stockholm)Dom Leone, Steve Hickoff3:55
15."Don't Call Home" (Live in Stockholm)Kim Deal, John Murphy3:20
16."Limehouse" (Live in Stockholm) 1:52
17."No Aloha" (BBC Session) 2:26
18."Flipside" (BBC Session) 1:58
19."Divine Hammer" (BBC Session) 2:36
20."Hag" (BBC Session) 2:33

Personnel

[edit]
The Kenmore sewing machine from Kelley Deal's unusual performance credit (on "S.O.S."). On display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Breeders

Artwork

Additional musicians

Production

  • Kim Deal – producer
  • Mark Freegard – production, engineering
  • Sean Leonard – assistant engineering
  • Daniel Presley – engineering on "Divine Hammer"
  • Andy Taub – assistant engineering

Chart positions

[edit]

References

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  1. ^ "10 Essential '90s Alt-Rock Albums". Treble. July 25, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Pitchfork Staff (September 28, 2022). "The 150 Best Albums of the 1990s". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 26, 2023. Last Splash thrust the Breeders...into the surf-grunge sunshine.
  3. ^ "Critic Reviews for LSXX [Last Splash: 20th Anniversary Edition]". Metacritic. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Phares, Heather. "Last Splash – The Breeders". AllMusic. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  5. ^ Dolan, Jon (December 2008 – January 2009). "The Breeders: Last Splash". Blender (76): 86. Archived from the original on April 20, 2009. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  6. ^ a b Kot, Greg (September 10, 1993). "Veil Of Noise". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  7. ^ Frost, Deborah (August 27, 1993). "The Breeders' Last Splash". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  8. ^ a b Mackay, Emily (August 12, 2013). "20 Years On: The Breeders' Last Splash Revisited". The Quietus. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d Zoladz, Lindsay (May 15, 2013). "The Breeders: LSXX". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  10. ^ Rust, Ned (October 14, 1993). "The Breeders: Last Splash". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 13, 2009. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  11. ^ Wolk, Douglas (2004). "The Breeders". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 104. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  12. ^ a b c Sutton, Terri (May 15, 2013). "The Breeders, 'Last Splash' (4AD/Elektra)". Spin. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
  13. ^ Christgau, Robert (September 28, 1993). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  14. ^ a b c "Staff Lists: Top 100 Albums of the 1990s". Pitchfork. November 17, 2003. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  15. ^ a b "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 22, 2020. Archived from the original on August 27, 2022.
  16. ^ "The Breeders: Out Now: The Breeders – LSXX". 4AD. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  17. ^ "4AD". 4AD. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  18. ^ a b Tom Breihan (August 30, 2013). "Last Splash Turns 20". Stereogum. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  19. ^ Jake Kennedy (April 23, 2013). "LSXX: Last Splash 20th Anniversary Edition - Record Collector Magazine". Louder Than War. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  20. ^ a b Stevie Chick. "BBC - Music - Review of the Breeders - Last Splash". BBC. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  21. ^ Alex Wisgard (August 2, 2002). "Album Review: The Breeders - Last Splash / Releases / Releases // Drowned in Sound". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  22. ^ a b "The Breeders - Last Splash: LSXX". Uncut. April 26, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  23. ^ Ferguson, Jason (May 14, 2013). "The Breeders: Last Splash LSXX". Paste. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  24. ^ L. Maloney, Sean (May 9, 2013). "Alt-rock heroes The Breeders celebrate the 20th anniversary of Last Splash with a deluxe reissue and tour". Nashville Scene. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  25. ^ Slant Staff (May 11, 2021). "The 50 Best Rock Albums of the '90s". Slant Magazine. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  26. ^ SPIN Staff (December 25, 2021). "The 90 Greatest Albums Of The '90s". Spin. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  27. ^ Treble staff (September 20, 2023). "The Best Alternative Rock Albums of the '90s". Treble. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  28. ^ "Top 101-200 Favorite Albums Ever: The Stylus Magazine List". Stylus. Archived from the original on December 14, 2005. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  29. ^ Sheffield, Rob (June 22, 2012). "Women Who Rock: The 50 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  30. ^ Barker, Emily (October 25, 2013). "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 200-101". NME. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  31. ^ "Turning The Tables: The 150 Greatest Albums Made By Women : NPR". NPR Music. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  32. ^ Paste staff (June 3, 2024). "The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time". Paste. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  33. ^ 4AD
  34. ^ "The Breeders – Last Splash". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  35. ^ "RPM 100 – Albums (CD's & Cassettes)" (PDF). RPM. Library and Archives Canada. December 4, 1993. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  36. ^ a b "Discografie The Breeders". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  37. ^ "Album – The Breeders, Last Splash" (in German). Media Control. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  38. ^ "The Breeders – Last Splash". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  39. ^ a b "Official Charts > Breeders". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  40. ^ a b c d "Last Splash – The Breeders: Awards". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on September 23, 2010. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  41. ^ "The Breeders – Last Splash". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  42. ^ a b Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  43. ^ "The Breeders – Cannonball". lescharts.com (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  44. ^ "Canadian album certifications – The Breeders – Last Splash". Music Canada.
  45. ^ "French album certifications – The Breeders – Last Splash" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  46. ^ "British album certifications – The Breeders – Last Splash". British Phonographic Industry.
  47. ^ "American album certifications – The Breeders – Last Splash". Recording Industry Association of America.
[edit]
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