![]() A casually stylish link between insular underground sensibilities and MTV popularity, American Thighs is, as Gordon sings in “Seether,” “neither loose nor tight…neither black nor white…neither big nor small…the center of it all.” The album drags its tail through some uninspired rockers at the start and finish, but the middle soars with pretty and powerful gems: “Seether,” “Forsythia” (both by Gordon, who has a singular knack for offbeat melodies and sinister lyrics), the power-falsetto rock of “Victrola” and the simmering burn of “Spiderman ’79,” (typically tough and direct Post creations) and “Number One Blind” (a Gordon/Shapiro collaboration). American Thighs, adroitly recorded by Brad Wood (of Liz Phair fame), showcases the pair’s solo songwriting and sympathetically joined voices. Talented and engaging, intelligent and educated, coy and painfully self-amused (witness the album’s AC/DC lyric title and a music publishing company named Are You There God It’s Me Music?), singer/guitarists Louise Post and Nina Gordon (joined by Steve Lack on bass and Gordon’s brother, Jim Shapiro, on drums) come off like overachieving smarties forced to explain their weird behavior in front of the class without letting their true motives show. Accused of cloning the Breeders’ genes and resented for the critical and A&R frenzy that brought the young band to a fat deal with a major label fifteen months after playing its first public show in a Chicago bar, Veruca Salt (named for a little girl character in Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) is neither the second coming nor devil spawn. It's really that simple, folks.The contrast of wispy pop vocals against sizzling pan-fried guitars gives Veruca Salt its immediate sensual appeal catchy tunes that bend topics and themes into inscrutable shapes around a warped ’70s rock-culture template add depth to the Chicago quartet’s debut album. The girls love self reference and love The Beatles, so this was falling in line with that. The song "Seether" is about Louise's volatile temper. The bridge is a bit of a non sequitur, but it is a nod to The Beatles "Glass Onion", as many have mention. But everyone needs a little "pity now and then." Being a rockstar as an adult - "falling off" and being "watered down and fully grown" isn't easy. She admits that although she's been at the forefront of the band, Louise is the driving force and she's "stealing her thunder" and then threatening to leave. ![]() I think she's admitting that by quitting, she's basically "flipping off everyone", and I think she is chiding herself a bit here. I think this is Nina basically talking to herself here. I'm falling off, I am watered down and fully grown// She was calling Louise out to get off stage and "meet her on the floor". I believe this was more Nina speaking than Louise. Sometimes they "hit a wall", but then bounce back and tour even more. This is a nearly unobfuscated reference to touring. They're all grown up now and afraid they're losing their edge. But now and again, they get worn out from playing shows and want to rest. They warm up and then "explode" on stage. ![]() Now and then we fail and we admit defeat // I think Nina is contemplating quitting soon, and thinks that Louise will follow her soon after. But she still needed Louise and the band in her life. Nina was asking Louise what she wanted from her, because she was "falling off", meaning she couldn't do it anymore. I'm falling off and I need you terribly // Tell me, tell me what you really want from me You can see her writing around in the sheets in the beginning of the music video. Nina didn't want to get up out of bed to go on tour. They've always said they love self-referencing and cryptic lyrics, and in this song, you get it in spades. I feel like in some parts she was writing for both of them, but it's mostly about her growing weary of touring. It's from the voice of Nina Gordon - who would later quit the band. The sexy undertones are probably not a mistake, but that's not what it's about. It's hilarious that I'm leaving this comment 20 years after the song came out, but I've found myself listening to it lately. Tell me, tell me what you really want from meīut now and then we fail and we admit defeatĪ million miles of running and I hit the wallīut this is it I'm giving up I'm calling quitsīut I could stand a little pity now and then
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