American Thighs

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American Thighs
VerucaSalt-AmericanThighs.jpg
Studio album by
Veruca Salt
ReleasedSeptember 27, 1994 (1994-09-27)
StudioIdful Music, Chicago, Illinois
Genre
Length52:24
LabelMinty Fresh
ProducerBrad Wood
Veruca Salt chronology
American Thighs
(1994) 		Blow It Out Your Ass It's Veruca Salt
(1996)
Singles from American Thighs
  1. "Seether" / "All Hail Me"
    Released: October 11, 1994
  2. "Number One Blind"
    Released: June 23, 1995
  3. "Victrola"
    Released: July 25, 1995

American Thighs is the 1994 debut studio album by American alternative rock band Veruca Salt.[2] The album features the hit single "Seether" and received positive critical reviews.

Background and release[]

Singer-guitarists Nina Gordon and Louise Post started working together in 1992.[3] They eventually formed Veruca Salt with bassist Steve Lack and drummer Jim Shapiro, and the four had been a full band less than a year when they signed with the independent label Minty Fresh.[4] In 1994, they released the single "Seether"/"All Hail Me". "Seether" became a hit on college and alternative radio stations, and the band recorded the album American Thighs with producer Brad Wood.[3][4] The album was released through Minty Fresh on September 27, 1994, the title a reference to a line from the AC/DC song "You Shook Me All Night Long".[5][6]

Veruca Salt then signed with the major label Geffen Records, which re-released the album. "Seether" became a hit on MTV. Two more singles, "Number One Blind" and "Victrola", were released from the album, but neither matched the success of "Seether". American Thighs was eventually certified gold.[3][7]

Critical reception[]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic4/5 stars[8]
NME7/10[9]
Rolling Stone3/5 stars[10]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide4/5 stars[11]
The Village VoiceA−[12]

American Thighs received generally positive reviews from critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave the album 4 stars out of 5, calling it "a pure pop album masquerading as the next big thing."[8] Nick Kelly of Hot Press said, "Given that this is their first record, you can't help asking yourself how a band so young can sing songs so good."[13] Eric Gladstone of CMJ New Music Monthly wrote that "the album works an infectious formula: thick harmonies layered over attack-formation guitars and drums, with lyrics shifting from childlike innocence to guiltless brutality."[4]

Spin ranked it number 8 on its list of the 20 best albums of 1994.[14] In 2014, Rolling Stone ranked it number 21 on its list of the 40 best alternative rock albums of 1994.[15]

Track listing[]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Get Back"Nina Gordon3:12
2."All Hail Me"Louise Post3:05
3."Seether"Gordon3:16
4."Spiderman '79"Post5:16
5."Forsythia"Gordon4:45
6."Wolf"Post4:19
7."Celebrate You"Post4:20
8."Fly"Post3:38
9."Number One Blind"
3:43
10."Victrola"Post2:19
11."Twinstar"Gordon3:16
12."25"Gordon7:56
13."Sleeping Where I Want" (CD release only)Gordon3:19
Total length:52:24

Personnel[]

Credits adapted from liner notes.

Veruca Salt

Additional musicians

Production

  • Brad Wood – production, recording, mixing
  • Casey Rice – additional engineering
  • John McEntire – additional engineering
  • Roger Seibel – mastering

Charts[]

Chart (1994–95) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[16] 26
UK Albums (OCC)[17] 47
US Billboard 200[18] 69
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[19] 1

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Danaher, Michael (August 4, 2014). "The 50 Best Grunge Songs (1/3)". Paste. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  2. ^ Marks, Craig (January 1995). "Thigh Masters". Spin. p. 24.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Veruca Salt". allmusic.com. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c Gladstone, Eric. "Next Big Things". CMJ New Music Monthly. February 1995. pp. 20-24.
  5. ^ Kot, Greg (September 18, 1994). "The Sound And The Flurry". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  6. ^ Borzillo, Carrie (December 10, 1994). "Veruca Salt Rocks The Charts". Billboard. Vol. 106 no. 50. pp. 7, 41. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  7. ^ Caro, Mark. "Veruca Salt reunites years after explosive breakup". chicagotribune.com. July 3, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "American Thighs – Veruca Salt". AllMusic. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  9. ^ Dalton, Stephen (October 8, 1994). "Veruca Salt: American Thighs". NME. p. 43.
  10. ^ Ahearn, Kim (November 3, 1994). "Veruca Salt: American Thighs". Rolling Stone. No. 694. p. 100. Archived from the original on December 19, 2007. Retrieved April 26, 2004.
  11. ^ Harris, Keith (2004). "Veruca Salt". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Fireside Books. p. 849. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  12. ^ Christgau, Robert (February 21, 1995). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  13. ^ Kelly, Nick (November 2, 1994). "American Thighs". Hot Press. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  14. ^ Sheffield, Rob (December 1994). "20 Best Albums of '94". Spin. Vol. 10 no. 9. pp. 76–78. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  15. ^ Eddy, Chuck (April 17, 2014). "1994: The 40 Best Records From Mainstream Alternative's Greatest Year – 21. Veruca Salt, 'American Thighs'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  16. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Veruca Salt – American Thighs". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  17. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  18. ^ "Veruca Salt Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  19. ^ "Veruca Salt Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2017.

External links[]

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