'''''Houdini''''' is the fifth studio album by American [[sludge metal]] band [[Melvins]], released on September 21, 1993 on [[Atlantic Records]]. The album was the band's major label debut after releasing their previous albums on the independent label [[Boner Records]]. The album features a cover of the 1974 KISS song "Goin' Blind". The songs "Hooch" and "[[Honey Bucket]]" were released as singles with accompanying music videos. "Night Goat" is a partial re-recording of a song the band had released as a single in 1992. Kurt Cobain is given co-production credit alongside the Melvins on six tracks, for guitar on the song "Sky Pup", and percussion on the song "Spread Eagle Beagle". Speaking to Kerrang! in 2008, [[King Buzzo]] remembered: {{quote|''Houdini'' was the first album we did for Atlantic Records and certainly our biggest selling record, although not so much that I could put a down-payment on a new Rolls or something! It came on the whole tidal wave of Nirvana stuff and I'm sure if it weren't for that we wouldn't have had interest from a major at all. We wanted to do a record that wouldn't alienate our fans, but we wanted to do one that we would like. We also knew we weren’t gonna be dusting off a platinum album any time soon, you know? We did a bunch of sessions with Kurt Cobain [producing], but it got to the point where he was so out of control that we basically fired him and went our separate ways, which is unfortunate, because I think that would have been fun. Obviously that was a little snapshot of what would end up happening and I don't have a whole lot of fond memories of that – it was an absolute tragedy. But still, a lot of people like that record – it's not one of my favourites, but I like a lot of the songs on it.<ref name="kerrang_1214">''[errang!'' magazine, issue #1214, June 14, 2008. Treasure Chest. An Intimate Portrait of a Life in Rock. King Buzzo. P.60</ref>}} In 2005, the album was performed live in its entirety as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties-curated Don't Look Back series and at San Miguel Primavera Sound in 2007. Another live performance of the album was released as ''[[A Live History of Gluttony and Lust]]'' in 2006. Though the album's liner notes list [[Lori Black|Lorax]] as the band's bassist, she does not appear to have played on the album at all. Says Osborne:"This album is mostly just me and [[Dale Crover]]. Either I played bass or he did on almost all of it regardless of what the credits say…"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.self-titledmag.com/home/2010/06/16/primer-buzz-osborne-breaks-down-10-crucial-melvins-records-including-their-amp-less-album-and-the-one-kurt-cobain-ruined/ |title=PRIMER: Buzz Osborne Breaks Down 10 Crucial Melvins Records, Including Their Amp-Less Album and the One Kurt Cobain Ruined :: self-titled magazine |publisher=Self-titledmag.com |date=2010-06-16}}</ref> The song "Hooch" is rated as one of the best songs of the decade by Pitchfork Media in the book ''The Pitchfork 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present''.<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Plagenhoef |editor1-first=Scott |editor2-last=Schreiber |editor2-first=Ryan |date=November 2008 |title=The Pitchfork 500 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |page=116 |isbn=978-1-4165-6202-3 }}</ref> The album's cover art features an illustration of a two-headed puppy by graphic designer Frank Kozik.