Tad-8 Way Santa (1991)


 

Artist: Tad

Title: 8 Way Santa

Label: Sub Pop

Format:CD

Cat #: SP 89b

Year of Release: 1991

Country and Year of Edition Issue: US 1991 original cover

Listed Condition: VG+/VG+

Sell Date: 8/16/12

Sell Price: $24.99

Discogs Last Sold: 7/1/21 $27.99

Low: $9.98

Median: $21.00

Average: $20.80

High: $35.00

Current low price: $23.21

Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 5

Have/Want: 177/112

Where Sold: Union, SC

Time it took to sell: 10 years

Where and When Bought: Newbury Comics Boston new upon release

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: A-

Sad To See It Go: No

The last great Tad album and the last one on Sub Pop before graduating to the majors.  This was released with a found photo that was subsequently pulled from distribution by legal threat from the unhappy cover models.  The image remains for eternity throughout the interwebs by record collectors worldwide.  I long considered this a crown jewel of my collection, holding out for $100 and $50 and down to $30 for around a decade before this finally went for $24.99.  It was probably up for that amount a least a couple years.

At the time, I was a little disappointed with the poppier direction of 8 Way Santa.  God's Balls, Salt Lick and the singles released around those titles were among the finest records Seattle grunge had to offer.  They were all unquestionable A records.   They embodied what rock and roll should be.  Ugly, heavy and loud.  This was disappointing insofar that this showed a softer side of Tad.  Melodic verses about amidst the grunge riffs and rock bark.

Sure, the singles that came from this were standards.  The album opens with "JInx" which nicks "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" with a little speed.  "Jack Pepsi" was a promo before this release and was a classic drinking and driving anthem, more celebration than cautionary tale of a near death experience.   There are some other heavy standards like "Stumblin' Man," but there is clearly the feeling of a victory lap of an established great band.  The poppier stuff like "Plague Years" and "3-D Witch Hunt" creeps in.  Good songs, but blunts the visceral single-minded impact that previous releases had.

The race had already been won.


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