Popular consensus identifies Sebadoh's 1991 release III as among the prolific trio's best. Indeed. At the time of its release, III was a shockingly fresh and innovative descent into lo-fi artistry. Ex-Dinosaur Jr. bass player Lou Barlow, now Sebadoh's lead singer and guitarist, seemed to be asserting that indie-rock bands could, in fact, produce introspective songs about love and relationships while still cranking out moshable jams in black-lit clubs. III's myopic, schizoid personality didn't work for some, since it demonstrated that Barlow and Co. wanted to write songs, not just play rock & roll. But the record foreshadowed a notable rush of sensitive rockers, proving that Sebadoh was well ahead of its time. --Nick Heil
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