Recorded at Coast Recorders and Brilliant Studios, San Francisco, California; Refraze, Dayton, Ohio.
Thanks to good timing and some great singles, the Breeders' second album, Last Splash, turned them into the alternative rock stars that Kim Deal's former band, the Pixies, always seemed on the verge of becoming. Joined by Deal's twin sister Kelley -- with whom Kim started the band while they were still in their teens -- the group expanded on the driving, polished sound of the Safari EP, surrounding its (plentiful) moments of brilliance with nearly as many unfinished ideas. When Last Splash is good, it's great: "Cannonball"'s instantly catchy collage of bouncy bass, rhythmic stops and starts, and singsong vocals became one of the definitive alt-pop singles of the '90s. Likewise, the sweetly sexy "Divine Hammer" and swaggering "Saints" are among the Breeders' finest moments, and deserved all of the airplay they received. Similarly, the charming twang of "Drivin' on 9," "I Just Wanna Get Along"'s spiky punk-pop, and the bittersweet "Invisible Man" added depth that recalled the eclectic turns the band took on Pod while maintaining the slick allure of Last Splash's hits. However, underdeveloped snippets such as "Roi" and "No Aloha" drag down the album's momentum, and when the band tries to stretch its range on the rambling, cryptic "Mad Lucas" and "Hag," it tends to fall flat. The addition of playful but slight instrumentals such as "S.O.S" and "Flipside" and a version of "Do You Love Me Now?" that doesn't quite match the original's appeal reflect Last Splash's overall unevenness. Still, its best moments -- and the Deal sisters' megawatt charm -- end up outweighing its inconsistencies to make it one of the alternative rock era's defining albums. ~ Heather Phares
Professional Reviews
Rolling Stone (10/31/02, p.136) - Ranked # 26 in Rolling Stone's "Women in Rock: The 50 Essential Albums"
Rolling Stone (10/14/93) - 3.5 Stars (out of 5) - "...LAST SPLASH gives the impression that the band eschews practice. The fuzzy and lopsided sounds are....the raw progeny of an unabashed, unconventional creativity....LAST SPLASH will make you hope this isn't the Breeders' last plunge...."
Spin (9/99, p.138) - Ranked #39 in Spin Magazine's "90 Greatest Albums of the '90s."
Spin (9/93, p.115) - Highly Recommended - "...The Breeders' second album spins out as a litany of summer--or, rather, a summer of rock'n'roll....like PJ Harvey's RID OF ME, LAST SPLASH claims the spotlight--the sun--and has no trouble commanding the stage..."
Entertainment Weekly (8/27/93-9/3/93, p.112) - "...[The Breeders] continue to subvert the classic girl-group melodies of the past with raw guitar miracles of the future..." - Rating: A-
Melody Maker (1/1/94, p.76) - Ranked #12 in Melody Maker's list of the `Albums Of The Year' for 1993 - "...it's addictive, joyous and sexy as sin...."
Village Voice (3/1/94, p.5) - Ranked #4 in the Village Voice's 1993 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll.
NME (Magazine) (12/25/93, p.67) - Ranked #36 in New Musical Express' list of `The Top 50 LPs Of 1993' - "...a fascinating collection of styles....an intoxicating mixture of light and shade..."
