by Jason Ankeny
Bubble and Scrape is the last Sebadoh record to feature Eric Gaffney, and accordingly, his contributions are not so much songs as tantrums; blistering rants like &Telecosmic Alchemy& and &Elixir Is Zog& offer much in the way of dissonant noise but little in the way of substance. Still, the album has much to recommend it -- not only does Jason Loewenstein emerge here as an increasingly adept songwriter, but Lou Barlow truly hits his stride: both &Soul and Fire& and &Think (Let Tomorrow Bee)& are sterling additions to one of the most impressive catalogs of love songs on the planet, while &Cliche& stings with bitter intensity.