Live At El Sol

Conventional wisdom says that Mudhoney’s style of rock ‘n’ roll — an unholy hybrid of Detroit hate, Seattle sludge and garage-rock frenzy — is the sole domain of the young. That theory is disproven by Live At El Sol, which documents the band’s concert in Madrid, Spain, on the night of July 12, 2007. By that date, everyone in Mudhoney was past 40. Admittedly, the group does not possess the manic energy they had 20 years ago, and Mark Arm’s voice is not as virile as it was in the Superfuzz Bigmuff era. And yet, like their eternal heroes, the Stooges, Mudhoney uses age to its advantage. In the same way peeling paint and creaky doors add character to an old mansion, the rough edges here deepen the performances. The more grizzled and cranky the old songs become, the better they are. It should also be noted that after 20 years of experience, Mudhoney can conjure psychedelic storms, the class of which younger groups can only dream. For evidence, turn to “In ‘N’ Out Of Grace,” “I Have To Laugh” and “Mudride,” tempests that could only come from the souls of wizards — ugly, unruly and eternally ferocious wizards.