Though its lineup and label affiliation has changed with The Sebadoh (long-time drummer Bob Fay has been replaced by Russ Pollard), Sebadoh remains the preeminent voice of indie rock. The intro to the first track, "It's All You," is an overwhelming reminder of the band's supremacy. The song begins with an electric buzz, then kicks into a 10-second drum solo before the chiming guitars and desperate vocals come in, backed by a huge drum sound.
The remainder of The Sebadoh follows suit from that confident opening statement. Rocking tunes such as "Cuban" and "Bird In The Hand" charge hard and strong, but their pace is never so fierce that it distracts from the melodies or from the bevy of such sonic embellishments as programmed electronic gurglings or frenetic guitar screechings. The latest is not as jarring for jarrings sake as in past efforts, and achieves a unity of texture and subtlety that create anticipation for the next number, and also finally reveals the bands post-punk roots, and conceptualism. Everything here is about loss and confusion, Sinatra meets Woody Allen, meets Who. Sebadoh's ballads flaunt the same confidence as the upbeat numbers, but the forceful percussion and snaking guitars underlying the sweet sheen of Lou Barlow's voice give songs such as "Love Is Stronger" and "Tree" a satisfying darkness.