// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did "To the Quick" say? I'm cutting to the chase.
| To the Quick | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1993 | |||
| Studios | Oz, Baltimore | |||
| Genres | Hard rock, punk rock, pop rock | |||
| Label | Restless | |||
| Producers | Ted Niceley, the Buck Pets | |||
| The Buck Pets chronology | ||||
| ||||
To the Quick is the third album by the American band the Buck Pets, released in 1993.[1][2] They supported it by touring with Scrawl.[3] The first single was "Living Is the Biggest Thing".[4] The Buck Pets broke up shortly after finishing their promotional duties.[5]
Production
[edit]Recorded at Oz Studios in Baltimore, the album was produced by Ted Niceley and the band.[3][6] The drummer Tony Alba left prior to the recording sessions and was replaced by Ricky Pearson.[7] The band wanted to return to their pre-Island Records punk sound; they were also influenced by the production on PJ Harvey's Rid of Me.[8] The lyrics often deal with disappointment and learning to persevere.[8] "Bargain" is a cover of the Who song.[9]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| The Boston Phoenix |  [11] |
| Ox-Fanzine | [12] |
| Rolling Stone | [13] |
The Washington Post called the Buck Pets "a solid band that draws both on metal and Replacements-style hard-pop-rock" but opined that the cover of "Bargain" was the best song on the album.[3] The Sun Sentinel praised the "tight, smart songs that rock with real conviction", describing them as "swift and clever in the Soul Asylum tradition".[9] The San Diego Union-Tribune concluded that "the Buck Pets combine the brash energy of the rockers they still are with the subtle finesse of the pros they've learned to be."[14]
The Boston Phoenix stated that the band lacked a distinctive style of "souped-up punk pop".[11] Rolling Stone, in its syndicated column, said that the Buck Pets "sound tougher than ever."[13] The Tallahassee Democrat labeled them "a garage band with some savvy, playing heavily fuzzed pop music in straightforward fashion."[15]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Living Is the Biggest Thing" | |
| 2. | "Shave" | |
| 3. | "Walk It to the Pay Phone" | |
| 4. | "To the Quick" | |
| 5. | "Nothing's Ever Gonna Be Alright Again" | |
| 6. | "The Smiler with a Knife" | |
| 7. | "C'mon Baby" | |
| 8. | "Crutch" | |
| 9. | "Rocket to You" | |
| 10. | "Car Chase" | |
| 11. | "Worldwide Smile" | |
| 12. | "Manatee" | |
| 13. | "Bargain" |
References
[edit]- ↑ Morris, Chris (May 22, 1993). "Update on Jazz Discovery; Restless Pets Buck the Majors". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 21. p. 89.
- ↑ Miller, Michael (July 23, 1993). "Edgy, Ugly Bands Are This Year's Model". Weekend. The State. p. 12.
- 1 2 3 Jenkins, Mark (January 28, 1994). "Sharpened Scrawl; Tame Buck Pets". Weekend. The Washington Post. p. 12.
- ↑ Maustad, Tom (January 21, 1994). "For band, winning is the biggest thing". Time Out. The Ledger. Dallas Morning News. p. 7.
- ↑ "The Buck Pets Biography by Chris True". AllMusic. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
- ↑ "Album reviews". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 21. May 22, 1993. p. 91.
- ↑ Koster, Rick (2000). Texas Music. St. Martin's Publishing Group. p. 138.
- 1 2 Greenman, Ben (July 28, 1993). "Pets Sounds". Music. Miami New Times.
- 1 2 Schulman, Sandra (August 1, 1993). "Sound Judgement". Sun Sentinel. p. 3D.
- ↑ "To the Quick The Buck Pets". AllMusic. Retrieved May 3, 2026.
- 1 2 Masuo, Sandy (January 28, 1994). "Pop". The Boston Phoenix. Vol. XXIII, no. 4. p. 38.
- ↑ "Reviews". Ox-Fanzine. No. 17. June 1994. p. 44.
- 1 2 Wild, David (June 4, 1993). "Records". Weekend. The Bradenton Herald. Rolling Stone. p. 4.
- ↑ Peterson, Karla (August 12, 1993). "Resilience gets them what they want". Entertainment. The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. 11.
- ↑ MacQueen, Steve (January 21, 1994). "Other stuff". Tallahassee Democrat. p. 10D.