"In the very-late 20th century, "grunge" was a dirty word around Seattle. If you went up to a band around 1997 or '98 and said, "You guys are so grunge!," you might have walked away with a fat lip. Or, at least, the protest, "No way, we're speed metal," or, "You're crazy, we're totally punk!"
Part of it might have been denial, partly that grunge was by then in its post-Cobain death throes. By the early 21st century, that low, sludgy, eerily intense sound had been almost entirely replaced by the higher-end, far brighter music that came to be generalized as indie rock.
But you know how it is in music: Like in fashion, things tend to come around again ...
So now, while indie- and pop-rock approaches a saturation point, there are signs that grunge is creeping back into Seattle. Neo-grunge, it might be better called. Post Stardom Depression has a very-Soundgarden sound. The Valley, playing with the Emergency at Fremont's High Dive at 10 p.m. Saturday ($7), play garage-punk rock with a strong Mudhoney accent. (Threeimaginarygirls.com review: "It contains all the buzzy, chugging, Rainier Beer and sticky rock-club floors of Seattle Rock of the past, and I can't help but love it.")
The best of the neo-grungers just might be the Weapons. The Seattle band's new "Formula for a Fight" EP is powerful, low-end, delicious sludge. A few of the songs — "Numb" and "40 oz." — sound like they could have been Nirvana or Alice in Chains B-sides.
This is not a bad thing, mind you, as a song could do far worse than to be compared to a Nirvana B-side. Theo Prince's lyrics reinforce the Cobain/Layne Staley echoes, with the likes of "I don't care if I die" and; even more creepily:
"I'm just alone with my forty ounce
Wishing that a gun wasn't in this house"
The Weapons are not a grunge knock-off band, and they come at things from interesting angles. Like Nirvana, this band is a trio, with Prince playing guitar, writing songs and singing in a Cobain-ish voice, Dan Wrenn on bass and Erik Schultz playing some electrifying drums.
