Ham Fisted
| Ham Fisted | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 24, 1995 | |||
| Recorded | Summer 1994 | |||
| Studio | Reflection Studios (Charlotte, North Carolina) | |||
| Genre | Rock, grunge | |||
| Length | 47:52 | |||
| Label | Island[1] | |||
| Producer | Steven Haigler[2] | |||
| Local H chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Ham Fisted | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [3] |
| Robert Christgau |  [4] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [1] |
| Kerrang! | [5] |
| MusicHound Rock | [2] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [6] |
Ham Fisted is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Local H.[7][8] It was released through Island Records in January 1995.[9] Two songs, "Cynic" and "Mayonnaise and Malaise", were released as airplay singles in 1994, though the album failed to chart. A music video for "Cynic" was directed by Jodi Wille and released in February 1995.[10]
Critical reception
[edit]Trouser Press wrote that Ham Fisted "offers an entertaining haymaker of cranked- up, stripped-down '95 noise."[11] Robert Christgau gave the album a three-star "honourable mention", comparing it to two releases by Nirvana by calling the album "brighter than Bleach, less fly than Incesticide".[4] Newsday called it "a spell-binding display of neurotic rock and roll at its finest."[12] The Morning Call listed the album among the best of 1995, labeling it "a metallic punk-grunge KO."[13]
Track listing
[edit]All songs written by Scott Lucas and Joe Daniels.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Feed" | 2:38 |
| 2. | "Cynic[a][b]" | 5:01 |
| 3. | "Mayonnaise and Malaise[a][c]" | 4:46 |
| 4. | "User[c][d]" | 2:50 |
| 5. | "Manipulator[e]" | 4:09 |
| 6. | "Bag of Hammers" | 2:39 |
| 7. | "Scott-Rock" | 3:27 |
| 8. | "Sports Bar" | 5:37 |
| 9. | "Chicago Fanphair '93" | 4:01 |
| 10. | "Strict-9[b]" | 6:12 |
| 11. | "Skid Marks" | 5:04 |
| 12. | "Grrrlfriend" | 1:28 |
- a appears on ICON: The Island Years compilation (2011)
- b demo recording appears on Twenty-Five Years of Skin in the Game compilation (2015)
- c re-recorded song from Local H's self-titled demo (1992)
- d live recording appears on Live in Europe (2018)
- e live recording appears on Alive '05 (2005)
Personnel
[edit]Local H
Production
- Steven Haigler – producer, engineering, mixing at The Carriage House (Stamford, Connecticut)
- Dave Cozzie – assistant mix engineer
- Tracy Schroeder – additional engineering
- Janet DeMatteis – art coordination
- Jana Leòn – photography
- David Calderley – design
- Joe Bosso – A&R
- Bob Ludwig – mastering at Gateway Mastering Studios, Inc. (Portland, Maine)
References
[edit]- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. pp. 287–288.
- ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 682.
- ^ "Ham Fisted Local H". AllMusic.
- ^ a b "Local H: Ham Fisted". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2017-09-20.
- ^ Arnopp, Jason (March 18, 1995). "Albumz". Kerrang!. No. 536. EMAP. p. 48.
- ^ Kot, Greg (2004). "Local H". In Brackett, Nathan (ed.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. pp. 492–493. ISBN 9780743201698.
- ^ "Local H Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ "Cover Story: Local H". Illinois Entertainer.
- ^ Shehori, Steven (November 27, 2018). "Local H's Cautionary Major-Label Tale Is Actually a Success Story". Vulture.
- ^ "Local H - Cynic". YouTube. 2 June 2020.
- ^ "Local H". Trouser Press. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
- ^ Young, Jon (Feb 19, 1995). "Recordings". Fanfare. Newsday. p. 23.
- ^ Righi, Len (30 Dec 1995). "The Year in Review – Discs". The Morning Call. p. A33.
