Friday, March 21, 2008

Ten Killer Albums of the Nineties

For our Friday Feature we will transition from the Eighties to the Nineties. Now I realize that some of you are, well, old, but please try to keep up, mmkay?

1. OK Computer (Radiohead): No need to defend this one I trust. Plus, "Exit Music (For a Film)" is really haunting and beautiful.

2. Urban Hymns (The Verve): What happened to these guys? "And I'm a million different people from one day to the next...", what a great line.

3. Achtung Baby (U2): The best song on this album, which is also the least appreciated, is "So Cruel": "Between the horses of love and lust we are trampled underfoot."

4. Nevermind (Nirvana): I was never a huge grunge guy, but I'd never live down the abuse if I left this one off. Plus, after Kurt sang "here we are now, entertain us!", we all knew that what would never entertain us again was guys in lipstick and spandex.

5. August and Everything After (Counting Crows): Their only really good album. Didn't this guy date, like, all the girls from Friends at one time or another?

6. Jagged Little Pill (Alanis Morrisette): Love her or hate her, Alanis brought a scary dose of girl anger to the airwaves (that guy from Full House is still holed up in a bunker I bet). She paved the way for Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan, and all those cool girl singer/songwriters who enjoyed such success until 1998 when someone put on a schoolgirl uniform and went "Hey-yey-yey-yey-yey-yey!"

7. (What's the Story) Morning Glory (Oasis): Long live the fab four redux.

8. No Need to Argue (The Cranberries): Dolores O'Riordon has such a unique voice, and she's pretty fearless. Listen to "Zombies" and you'll see what I mean.

9. Tragic Kingdom (No Doubt): How can I not include these fellow Orange County locals? Who else would immediately recognize the words from the beginning of Track 14 ("Remain seated please. Permanecer sentados por favor") as being from the Matterhorn ride at Disneyland?

10. Third Eye Blind (Third Eye Blind): These guys went way downhill after this one, but their debut's a keeper for sure (for "Semi-Charmed Life" alone, although the whole things great).

Honorable mentions go to Tidal by Fiona Apple, Dookie by Green Day, and Before These Crowded Streets by The Dave Matthews Band.

OK, discuss....