Clincher (EP)

Clincher
EP by
Tar
Released1993
GenreRock
LabelTouch and Go
ProducerBrad Wood, Tar
Tar chronology
Jackson
(1991) 		Clincher
(1993) 		Toast
(1993)

Clincher is an EP by the American band Tar, released in 1993.[1][2] The band supported it with a North American tour that included shows with Jawbox.[3]

Production

The EP was produced by Brad Wood and Tar.[4] It was named for a song that would appear on the band's next album, Toast.[5] The band took a democratic approach to songwriting, playing together in the studio and then discussing what was working.[6] They allowed the songs to take shape without having any ingrained ideas about form or genre, although they wanted more melodicism.[6][7] Mark Zablocki and John Mohr played customized aluminum guitars; a photo of a Specimen Products guitar adorns the EP cover.[3][8] "Teetering" is a remixed version of a previously released song.[9] "Deep Throw" and "Solution 8" are live tracks; the studio version of the former had first appeared on a Sub Pop single.[10] The band decided to include them because the originals were issued in limited presses.[11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
Chicago Sun-Times[13]
Fort Worth Star-Telegram[9]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[4]
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette[14]

The Chicago Sun-Times said that Tar "is one of the best of a group of bands that blur the lines between punk, heavy metal and industrial dance music."[15] The Washington Post stated, "There's nothing showy here, but the explosion of noise atop the closing thump of 'G7' or the crunching change-up of 'Dean Martin' is all the justification these relentless pounders require."[3] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted that "Tar's specialty is in taking a menacing, mid-tempo riff, then throwing in sudden pauses, short stretches of bare-bones rhythm, and hoarse vocals until the hook becomes practically an epic."[14] The Fort Worth Star-Telegram called the EP "abrasive, fundamental and, most of all, crude".[9] The Morning Call praised the rawer sound and "claustrophobic feel".[16] AllMusic said that Clincher "flirted with the grungy side of electric Neil Young".[17]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Lady Steps" 
2."G7" 
3."Dean Martin" 
4."Good Part (Wrong Band)" 
5."Teetering" (Ver.) 
6."Solution 8" (Live) 
7."Deep Throw" (Live) 

References

  1. ^ Unsworth, Cathi (April 3, 1993). "Albums — Clincher by Tar". Melody Maker. Vol. 69, no. 14. p. 32.
  2. ^ Tunis, Walter (September 26, 1993). "Alternative". Lexington Herald-Leader. p. D3.
  3. ^ a b c Jenkins, Mark (August 6, 1993). "Tar, as in Guitar; Candy Pandemonium". Weekend. The Washington Post. p. 16.
  4. ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide (2nd ed.). Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1123.
  5. ^ Jenkins, Mark (October 1, 1993). "As the Tar Churns, The Girls Diversify". Weekend. The Washington Post. p. 18.
  6. ^ a b Kot, Greg (March 5, 1993). "Tar keeps its tongue firmly in cheek". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 5.
  7. ^ The Trouser Press Guide to '90s Rock. Simon & Schuster. 1997. p. 725.
  8. ^ Rothschild, David (October 22, 1993). "Schneller's Fine Specimens Strike a Chord". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 6.
  9. ^ a b c Mayhew, Malcolm (April 13, 1993). "Guitar Rock". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. D2.
  10. ^ D'Acquisto, Lisa (March 1993). "Tar Clincher". The Rocket. p. 50.
  11. ^ Kowalski, Joe (June 1993). "Tar". Under the Volcano. No. 14. p. 13.
  12. ^ "Clincher Tar". AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  13. ^ DeRogatis, Jim (March 7, 1993). "Sound Bites from the Chicago Scene". Show. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 5.
  14. ^ a b Gagliano, Rico (February 12, 1993). "Recordings". Weekend. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 23.
  15. ^ DeRogatis, Jim (March 2, 1993). "Tar Helps Grunge-Rock Fans to Let Off Steam". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 2.27.
  16. ^ Herzog, Dave (October 16, 1993). "Records". The Morning Call. p. A72.
  17. ^ "Tar Biography by Steve Huey". AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.