help me write tomorrow's entry!
Dean is asking what your favorite albums of the 90's are.
I've already made a list of 20 25, which I will not share with you at this time because then why would you bother reading it tomorrow?
Obviously, there were a lot of albums released in the 90's. And because I like so many different genres of music, it would be impossible for me to recall all of the albums I loved from that decade.
So help a blogger out. Most of you know how my musical tastes run. Give me some suggestions so I don't make the grievous error of leaving something out and then getting two dozen emails about it.
For a sneak peek at what very well might be the best album of the 90's - barring Faith No More's Angel Dust, because it has unfair advantage over every other album in creation - look below.
And god no, I'm not going to really put them in any kind of order.
Comments
I'll put in a nomination for Blind Melons eponymous release, Blind Melon. God, I could listen to it a thousand times.
Oh, Christ. I completely forgot Jane's Addiction's Nothing's Shocking. Holy fuck, what an incredible album!
Posted by: Dean Esmay | November 13, 2003 07:33 PM
Mmmmm...Smashing Pumpkins. What do you think of Zwan?
Posted by: Pauly | November 13, 2003 07:35 PM
Michele, here are a few suggestions:
Michael Bolton - "The One Thing"
John Tesh - "Grand Passion"
Kenny G - "The Moment"
What music was meant to be!
Posted by: Curt | November 13, 2003 07:40 PM
Curt, one more comment like that and you're banned!
Pauly - I like Zwan but I've given up on Corgan ever doing anything lasting again.
Posted by: michele | November 13, 2003 07:48 PM
Any list of the best albums of the 90's must include Superunknown by Soundgarden.
Posted by: Jay Caruso | November 13, 2003 07:54 PM
My list betrays my wussy pop sensibilities, but there it is.
Posted by: Phil | November 13, 2003 09:01 PM
True enough. I think Melancholy was the peak of their musical career.
At least Maynard is pumping out Tool and A Perfect Circle. Audioslave is pretty good too - Chris Cornell has some pipes!
Posted by: Pauly | November 13, 2003 09:06 PM
Let's see .... "Nevermind", "In Utero" and "Unplugged in New York" By Nirvana; "The Future" by Leonard Cohen; "Bone Machine" and "Mule Variations" by Tom Waits; "Mellow Gold" by Beck; "Automatic for the People" by REM; "Achtung Baby" by U2; "14 Songs" by Paul Westerberg.....
That's all I can think of off of the top of my head. Of course, I'll go to bed and come up with like 30 others.
I suck that way.
Posted by: Mark | November 13, 2003 10:14 PM
you guys make me feel really young- by the time i was old enough to get a handle on the music scene, grunge was old and boy bands were in. in 1990, i was 4 years old.
man, i feel like a baby around here.
Posted by: tzippora | November 13, 2003 11:05 PM
you guys make me feel really young
Guess what? If you were born in 1986, you ARE really young.
Posted by: Jay Caruso | November 13, 2003 11:11 PM
Wu-Tang's "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)" seems like a seminal moment in 90's hip-hop to me.
Pavement's "Slanted and Enchanted" was the record that launched a thousand slacker bands (though I like Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain" even better).
A Tribe Called Quest's "The Low End Theory" is another important hip-hop album.
Happy Mondays' "Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches" helped to start the (now awful and regrettable) rave scene.
Pulp's "Different Class" is britpop at its cleverest.
Posted by: Sean M. | November 14, 2003 12:07 AM
I have a pretty good feeling that Mr. Bungle's "California" will be on there. How about any album by the Pixies, Fugazi: "Repeater", Beck: "Midnite Vultures", Frank Black: "Teenager of the Year", and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion: "Orange".
Posted by: scott h. | November 14, 2003 12:22 AM
Darn! And Mono: "Life in Mono", Portishead: "Dummy", and pretty much any Cranes album. That's enough from me.
Posted by: scott h. | November 14, 2003 12:26 AM
Marilyn Manson "Smells Like Children", I loved this because it reminded me of the Mothers Of Invention and Alice Cooper (Pretties for You era), artsy and experimental. Sounded very scary on acid.
Chemical Brothers "Exit Planet Dust", best techno album of all time (for what that's worth).
Nirvana "Nevermind" for driving a stake through the heart of hair metal.
Posted by: MC666 | November 14, 2003 12:33 AM
Jeebus, wtf are you people talking about? I know only one - ONE - of the artists referenced (Beck). (Oh, and U2, but they haven't done anything good since "Boy".)
Am I really that out of touch with pop music? At the tender age of 37?
I'll vote for any Pizzicato 5 album, FWIW.
Posted by: david | November 14, 2003 12:34 AM
Hmmm...
Sugar, "Copper Blue"
Pearl Jam, "Ten"
Mother Love Bone, "Apple"
Matthew Sweet, "Girlfriend"
...and a ton of others.
Posted by: andy | November 14, 2003 12:37 AM
Some you may have considered already, or perhaps not:
"Suicaine Gratifaction" Paul Westerberg
"Wild Wood" Paul Weller
"Songs From Northern Britain" Teenage Fanclub
"Copper Blue" Sugar
"Automatic for the People" REM
"Cure for Pain" Morphine
"Be Here Now" Oasis
"Never Home" Freedy Johnston
"Soma City" Kevin Salem
Posted by: Lance Jonn Romanoff | November 14, 2003 12:49 AM
I agree with a lot of what has already been posted (especially Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), bone machine, teenager of the year...)
Here are a few other thoughts:
Loveless - my bloody valentine
Red medicine - fugazi (they will always be underrated in a poll like this since the vote is so split on what was their best).
Very - pet shop boys (seriously)
Posted by: Tom E | November 14, 2003 02:34 AM
I don't know what you like, 'cause, um, this is my first time here. I wandered over 'cause Lileks linked to you.
But how 'bout
Annie Lennox, Diva
...is that something you'd like? 'cause it's a darned good album, is all.
Posted by: Andrew S. | November 14, 2003 03:12 AM
Ooh...I forgot Teenage Fanclub's "Bandwagonesque." And "Tropme le Monde" by the Pixies.
Posted by: Sean M. | November 14, 2003 04:56 AM
Nice to see at least two other people included Copper Blue. :)
I can't believe Michele has readers who were born the year before I graduated high school. I'm pretty sure that's impossible, because it would mean I'm getting old.
Yes, it's impossible.
Posted by: Phil | November 14, 2003 06:26 AM
I can't believe Michele has readers who were born the year before I graduated high school.
1986? Me too! [/aol]
(I could say something about Michele's husband here, but that would be wrong ... ;) )
ANYWAY...
The most influential album of the '90s is, obviously, The Chronic. Best? That's tougher. Siamese Dream is a good call; I'd also go with the first Pearl Jam album and The Downward Spiral.
Posted by: Thlayli | November 14, 2003 07:33 AM
Bite your tongue, Thlayli. Lesser things have gotten people banned. :-)
Posted by: michele | November 14, 2003 07:39 AM
Agree with "Copper Blue" and "Superunknown."
How 'bout:
"Little Earthquakes," Tori Amos
"(What's the Story) Morning Glory," Oasis
"Titanic Days," Kirsty MacColl
"Irresistible Bliss," Soul Coughing
Posted by: Mark | November 14, 2003 08:08 AM
In my humble opinion, music peaked in the early 90s. There is little doubt of this fact. Some of my favourite discs...
"Rage Against the Machine" - RATM
"Nevermind" - Nirvana
"Ten" - Pearl Jam
"Dirt" - Alice in Chains
"Weezer" - Weezer
"Fear of a Black Planet" - Public Enemy
"Fully Completely" - The Tragically Hip
"Check Your Head" - The Beastie Boys
"Sublime" - Sublime
"Badmotorfinger" - Soundgarden
Posted by: Mike | November 14, 2003 08:58 AM
Garbage, Foo Fighters
Posted by: Owen | November 14, 2003 09:17 AM
You really, really wouldn't want to forget "The Bends" by Radiohead, but I can't imagine you would.
Posted by: Gareth | November 14, 2003 09:19 AM
Angel Dust? Tosh! The 'Easy' EP was clearly their best work of the 90's.
Posted by: Pietro | November 14, 2003 09:23 AM
i could be mean and call the rest of you geezers- hell, i tease my friends in their twenties about being old- but for what it's worth, you all are some pretty cool adults. and yes, i do come over to this site all the time.
and not all teenagers do the whole chattering aol thing. so dont start, thayli =)
Posted by: tzippora | November 14, 2003 09:34 AM
Pietro...
While I really enjoy the "Easy" EP (well, I did til it was stolen), I don't think it is their best work as they didn't write much of it (if any). "Angel Dust" is their best work, hands down.
And I'm not just sucking up to Michele, either. ;)
Posted by: Greg G | November 14, 2003 10:01 AM
its early and hard to think right now.. but a couple of mine are Angel Dust (i do believe that it's probably in my top 5 list, and i have worn through 5 tapes and two copies of the CD), Temple of the Dog, The Toadies "Hell Below/Stars Above" (Is much better than Rubberneck, i think), Blind Melon, Bleach, Dwight Yoakum's "Hillbilly Delux" (mmmm sentimental reasons), and the Posies "Dear 23", Big Sugar's "Hemi-Vision".
Posted by: pril | November 14, 2003 10:32 AM
Have to second the "Little Earthquakes." Cathartic female's been done to death in the past decade, and Tori's gone a little nuts (but still provides a great stage show), but this was a brilliant album that showcased incredible musical ability and pacing.
A few more:
"Automatic For The People" - R.E.M. I know I'm in the minority, but I think it's their dark masterpiece.
"Achtung Baby" - U2 goes electronica, and makes it work before they went insane.
Posted by: Joseph J. Fin | November 14, 2003 11:20 AM
The Sugarcubes' It's It was a great album for the band to go out with.
Posted by: elgato | November 14, 2003 01:11 PM
here are a few I like:
nirvana- nevermind
alice in chains - dirt
Greenday- Dookie
No Doubt- Tragic Kingdom
Pearl Jam- Ten
Hole- Live through this
Korn-Korn
Chili peppers- Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic
Stone Temple Pilots- Core
Tool- Undertow
Posted by: carol | November 15, 2003 01:19 PM