Sound: This album sounds great. This is especially true when you take into account that it comes from the punk rock underground. The band makes liberal use of reverb (particularly on the drums), dissonance, and bass distortion. These elements form a unique soundscape that helps to convey feelings of isolation and loneliness. The music itself is deliberately disordered, furthering the listener's sense of uneasiness. On this album (and in the band), the bass and drums take center stage; faithfully pushing forward while the guitarist spews discordant white noise in background. // 10
Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics are simple and sublime at the same time and are usually shouted instead of sung. Although most of the songs have lyrics dealing chiefly with depression and existential crisis, "Life" offers a modicum of hope (as well as negativity) by reminding us the "life is the only thing worth living for". The last track on the album, the 8 minute noise anthem known as "Sex Bomb", contains the words "she's a sex bomb, my baby, yeah!" repeated over and over again. A great album for anyone going through a rough time in their lives. // 9
Impression: A true harcore punk/grunge/noise classic. Generic is essential for any serious fan of the aforementioned genres or anyone whose looking for something different. The strongest songs on Generic, in my opinion, are "Life is Cheap", "(I Saw You) Shine", and "Sex Bomb". If this album were stolen or lost, I would definitely buy it again. // 10
