fIREHOSE was always an unlikely major label signing. Formed after the demise of Minutemen by Mike Watt, the band released three excellent, low-key, understated records on SST, before making the jump to Columbia in the post-Jane’s Addiction, pre-Nirvana alternative-rock boom. Their signing was unlikely, as their experimental style seemed more suited to the more tolerant atmosphere offered by independent label. Now, nearly two decades after their initial demise, their major label output has been collected handily into one place as lowFLOWs: The Columbia Anthology (‘91-‘93). With an emphasis on gathering most of their previously released material (the few unreleased nuggets are mainly live tracks, expanded and recorded for B-sides), this collection is more essential than you might have realized.
With the release of their major-label debut, everything about fIREHOSE seemed tougher, tauter, stronger. Mike Watt’s bass playing grew to be strong as iron, drummer George Hurley‘s playing became powerful as a locomotive, and vocalist Ed Crawford’s voice came out of the muddy indie-rock murk, indicating that there was really something special about this three-piece. Of course, that’s due to the gift of more studio time, but even still, the fourth record, Flyin’ the Flannel, blended the rock of the past, with sounds that were at times jazzier, mellower, and harder than anything to be found in their discography. The focus on short, powerful bursts of songs, such as “The First Cuss” and “Tien An Man Dream Again” proved that the spirit of D. Boon lived on.
1993 saw the quick follow up, Mr. Machinery Operator, which brought friend and former label mate J Mascis into the producer’s seat, and the results were an even more traditional “rock” record. Unfortunately, the band soon disbanded, and the alt-rock boom that brought them to Columbia soon would go bust. It was time; after five album, the ideas on this last record started to feel familiar. Yes, fROMOHIO and If’n and Ragin’, Full-On clearly pointed the way to what they would release with Columbia, but it’s better to bow out than to become redundant, and they’d given their all—five albums and 900 shows since forming eight years previous is not the work of slackers.
The surprising reformation earlier this year may or may not lead to new material. Still, lowFLOWs shows that they left behind a great legacy, as well as making a good case as to the wisdom of them signing to a major label. Though their time days as a band would prove brief, this collection proves that their last two years were anything but a washout. fIREHOSE was a vital, powerful band, bowing out at the right time, and leaving a legacy that few bands could match.
