Veruca Salt

One of the worst parts about the alt-rock onslaught of the early '90s was that every half-serious rock fan started sounding like the most sniveling sort of fanzine editor. Fun wasn't enough anymore -- the "petty little ayatollahs," denounced by Cracker's David Lowrey, were demanding authenticity as well -- many fine pop bands were written off as conniving carpetbaggers. The most insidious analogy of the era? How about this: Veruca Salt are to the Breeders as Stone Temple Pilots are to Pearl Jam. Sure, Nina Gordon and Louise Post copped their nice-girl voices from Kim Deal -- but like the generation (or two) of indie boys who uncovered limitless possibility in Lou Reed's monotone, Gordon and Post were expanding that vocal blueprint, not cashing in on it.

If you must compare, American Thighs thumps seductively (and nastily) where the Breeder's Last Splash lolls about goofily (and distractedly). At first, "Seether" outpaces the other songs so handily, you'd mistake the rest for filler, but where the hit explodes, the remaining songs here actually do, well, seethe, with insinuating melodies that slowly sink their tendrils into your earholes. The playing loosens up and the volume pumps up on Eight Arms, produced by heavy-metal veteran Bob Rock -- the band finally earns the AC/DC quote of its first album title. But they're just as interested in indulging the not particularly original but loopy and endearing Beatlemania indicated by the album's title: "Volcano Girls" echoes the White Album's "Here's another hint if you please/The Seether's Louise" and features a truly ferocious count off.

When they failed to take over the world, Gordon jumped ship to make the sort of conventional singer/songwriter move that'll probably ensure a continuing career. A Beatles fan to the last, Post made like her idols and wrote nasty, barely coded swipes at her former band mate. She also kept the band's name, and the debut of VS 2.0, Resolver, was snotty and punchy yet vulnerable. Gordon's Tonight earned a home on the new adult-rock stations aimed at aging Gen Xers, but Post's effort disappeared on impact. (KEITH HARRIS)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide