Super Tasty (Expanded Edition)

Rock producer Don Fleming (Sonic Youth, Screaming Trees) was such a successful producer that he never quite got his due as a musician. While his friends reaped the benefits of the grunge revolution in the early '90s, Fleming was making equally good music to very little fanfare. Super Tasty might be his best album, all pop-punk gusto and very little filler. "Accelerator" begins the album in full fuzz guitar glory, and the next few songs do not let up on the catchy riff-rock that Fleming makes so effortlessly. There are moments where Fleming and producer Butch Vig quiet the loud guitars, showcasing the band's pop sense instead. "The Damage Done" is a perfect example, with Fleming's sweet, lazy voice humming gently over mid-tempo guitars and crisp drums. Unfortunately, this album fell through the cracks and never quite found its audience. Fans of this brand of early-'90s rock should do themselves a favor and find this album; it's a gem that needs rediscovery.