For a while in the 80's it looked like the Seattle scene was going to be the source of some decent punk-inspired hard rock (the suckiness of "Bleach" notwithstanding). The Melvins' first LP was awesome, the first Green River record was pretty great even though no one bought it, and the initial few Sub Pop records that K was distributing were something good and different. Above all, the Thrown Ups ruled. Of course, we know how things turned out-- i.e., not in a good way-- but for a while there I was pretty pumped up about what was happening.
This Chemistry Set single was just something that I threw on the counter on a hunch one day because it was from Seattle and looked like it might be interesting; if I remember correctly, I also bought Snuff's "Not Listening" EP along with it, and a Treepeople 7-inch that I wish I still had. I knew nothing of Chemistry Set then, and I still don't, other than years later reading in one of Robert Griffin's record reviews that someone from Chemistry Set ended up in the fairly well-above-average Pure Joy.
Chemistry Set did their single the right way, at least: fuck the style points, cue up your best song for the a-side, and let 'er rip. "Look Over Your Shoulder" is a balls-out 70's-style rocker, sounding almost exactly like Montrose or something. Forget the car horn-type noise that keeps blaring throughout the guitar solo, though; I have no idea what the heck that is.
Chemistry Set -
"Look Over Your Shoulder"
(this file is now listen-only)
