10. Soul Asylum - Grave Dancers Union
It was hard to round out this list and I am not sure why I chose this one. Perhaps for nostalgia's sake. The baby brothers of the Minneapolis scene ended getting more commercial due than their idols thanks to the success of another flannel-loving city. I would like to believe I am in Midwestern mood for giving these "alt-rockers" props here and this album is as Midwestern as it gets - especially a song like "Black Gold." It wouldn't have been the 90s without "Runaway Train" and while at times is as emotionally over-the-top as that video, it is to be expected from a band who just wanted to be Hüsker Dü and the Replacements. "Somebody To Shove" was even more of an alternative radio staple and it's still a lot of stupid pun fun. This album sold millions. Good for them and good for everyone who still has it on CD.
9. The Chills - Soft Bomb
This under-appreciated album is as much an example of the early (and therefore best) "adult alternative" sub-category as another album higher on this list. It's dark though - the darkest thing The Chills would ever make, outdoing "Pink Frost" in the way of happy melody-scary lyrics with opening single "The Male Monster from the Id." That's not even the only song about domestic abuse with "Sanctuary" documenting the other side. The album is like a self-psychoanalysis for Martin Phillips, but he does not let the listener forget there is a lost of sweetness on there such as "Halo Fading." This album was recorded in Los Angeles and cuts out a lot of the psychedelia in favor for some clean pop that would have made in on the radio in less grungey times. The location proved fruitful with the harrowing orchestration of the Van Dyke Parks collaboration "Water Wolves."
8. Drive Like Jehu - Drive Like Jehu
This San Diego band had so many followers in the following decade that it is still hard to believe this album was made 21 years ago. All the speed and rage of hardcore is added to fearless complexity and musicality with some of the best dueling guitars since Television. This kind of music, most of it garbage with stupid stupid names I would rather not repeat, seemed unfathomable for years after this band broke up, and few even came close to their greatness. The debut conforms to those terms a bit more than they would later, but their extended song lengths and intellectualism set them above both other angry young Californian men and their self-righteous Mid-Atlantic influences. Good screamin', good playin'.
7. Tall Dwarfs - Fork Songs
"The purpose of this record is to demonstrate the ability of the needle to maintain contact with the groove modulation over a wide range of frequencies and intensities." As lo-fi becomes the hip new thing, the former Toy Love duo that really put that sound on the map puts out just another set of amateur recordings by two of Zealand's best. Incidentally it ended up being their best despite ambition being no higher than ever. The songs just ended up that way, especially "Dare to Tread," "We Bleed Love," and "Oatmeal." These songs have all the simple sincerity with all the natural oddness that would come from the opposite side of the world (Chris Knox is originally from Invercargill at the very Southern tip of the country) which lends credence to the title, particularly on the traditional-themed, yet quirkily arranged "Wings." I think this is the best place to begin with the somewhat intimidating duo.
6. Beat Happening - You Turn Me On
With the help of Young Marble Giant Stuart Moxham the Olympian trio leaves on a high note. Heather Lewis' presence finally matches the colossal persona of Calvin Johnston with her "Noise" and "Sleepy Head" ranking amongst the band's best songs. Johnston is better than ever too and continues to push boundaries with the nearly-seven minute "Tiger Trap," his best and most tender love song to date without any of the cutesy trappings that usual belittle the group's talents. The horror themes that defined Black Candy return with a vengeance on the witch-hunting "Pine Box Derby," and "Teenage Caveman" captures immature alienation with as much truth and humor as it deserves, proving Calvin's belief that rock and roll is the music of teenagers, no matter what that teenager's age (he was almost 30.) Oh, and the second side is great too, especially the party-rocking title track.
5. Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
After two wildly different and respected albums the Brooklyn trio lets all their influences run wild more than ever before. The cover indicates the return to their punk rock influences and a lot of the songs have the members themselves playing the instruments. Still it's full of the unusually clever and creative hip-hop that made them famous and kept them that way with "So What'cha Want." The two sides blend seamlessly and are far removed from the hybrid dreck that would leave the world a musical wasteland at the close of this decade. Ultimately it is a funk album with the Boys and frequent collaborator keyboardist Money Mark anchoring this schizophrenic album with tight Jimmy Smith-worthy grooves rarely found in music made after the seventies.
4. PJ Harvey - Dry
By this time the idea of a decent British artist seemed as absurd as it did thirty years before the the Beatles invaded. This trio of one very angry young woman and an older rhythm section that could run circles around Nirvana's debuted with an album so heavy that even the blinded followers looked away from Seattle for a moment. This was a favorite of Kurt Cobain as well and the prominent strings on "Plants & Rags" and "Dress" undoubtedly influenced his incorporation of the Cello of the remainder of his life. While in a cohesive band Harvey's primary theme was feminine rage and it has never sounded better than on her early work which entered the public conscious with the John Peel-supported single "Sheela-Na-Gig." The last two tracks "Fountain" and "Water" would point to the theme she would continue to follow, with all its cleansing and destructive power. While this Somerset band was best at obliterating the Northwest, Polly Jean's genius is apparent it leaves one begging for the even more adventurous music that would follow.
3. R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
In a rare occurrence another one of the most popular albums of the decade is also one of the best. Taking what they learned on their adventures the year before, the Athens quartet makes one of the best works of their careers and spawn two of the biggest hits of the decade. While I still might skip "Everybody Hurts," "Man on the Moon" is still a lot of fun no matter what you think of Andy Kaufman and his biopic. The non-hits are even better, with the opening and closing tracks "Drive" and "Find the River," respectably being some of the best songs that set the unique atmosphere of this record. The band's collaboration with producer Scott Litt is also at its peak and the participation of John Paul Jones and George Harrison on the strings places this as an obvious addition to the classic rock cannon. This album has a rare moodiness like a starry night sky (the obvious "Nightswimming" not the best example) that makes it perhaps the band's best set of sounds if not merely for the amazing music.
2. Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
With Nirvana, R.E.M. and even Sonic Youth now superstars, the American rock press needed to find a new underground icon. Thanks to a tape circulating around the country they settled on a bassless trio from Stockton, California with a crusty old drummer that just rips off the Fall and Swell Maps. Somehow, that was a wise choice! By this time a Hoboken-based quintet Pavement was catapulted into the new heroes of cool people music with their shambolic, but highly entertaining shows starring what is still rock's funniest percussion section. Stephen Malkmus' song writing was worthy of all its praise, with these being the greatest "highly-derivative" songs ever written, often outdoing their bases like "Conduit for Sale!" Mostly harsh and abrasive, but never unlistanable these songs have a certain beauty in addition to being simply catchy, especially on "Here," "Zurich is Stained," and the top classic "Summer Babe [Winter Version]" with its still-surprising beat. The noise goes a long way, but what really brings these pop songs to life is the chemistry and control that S.M. and Spiral Stairs have with their combined rigs that distinguishes the band from all the noisemakers before them. Maybe they're just having more fun and it definitely sounds like they are having a lot of that. Either way, they show that writing some short catchy tunes does not make you a sell out
1. Guided by Voices - Propeller
Early member Tobin Sprout, who moved to Florida before the band recorded anything returns and brings both his rare talent for home-recording and song writing talent that rivals Pollard's with him. The title shows that this was GbV's last grasp at something besides personal joy, and it even began in a proper studio. Fortunately it was finished at home with songs like "Quality of Armor" and "14 Cheerleader Coldfront" establishing this unusual talent that put them at the top of the lo-fi heap. Then there's "Back to Saturn X Radio Report" which shows just how many amazing songs this band could write and record just as quickly if you just let them. Through nothing short of a miracle, copies of this album their way to New York and intrigued a few key fans with their home-made covers, simulated fan chants, and names like Mitch Mitchell in the credits. None of the recognition that followed was even realistic with songs like "Weedking" and "Circus World" continuing upon Same Place the Fly Got Smashed's hopelessness and "Exit Flagger" being a hopeful motivation for life beyond the best rock and roll ever recorded. Luckily the story ended well for Uncle Bob, Toby, and the rest of the gang (despite some major trouble for drummer Kevin Fennell along the way) and the album ends jsut as well with "On the Tundra," at least one of the top 5 greatest songs this band ever recorded - and you know that says a lot!
Sorry, kids, but that's it, I think Dirty kinda sucks, but RIP Mike Kelley - his contribution outdid the musicians' on that one.
No comments:
Post a Comment