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And a classic post from previous ROBOBRAINs
I grew up during the 90's
So it's been a little while since I wrote a good and proper new blog. My computer was on the fritz for a little. Since I've had no Computer it's given me time to reflect on my short span of 23 years and that has inspired me to write a blog about the music of the nineties. I started the 90's as a seven year old barely sentient and ended it as a seventeen year old (duh? decades have a way of being ten years) highschool student anyway, here are some albums that personified the nineties for me.I'll try to be as chronological as possible but we will see how well my memory serves me.
Violator, Depeche Mode
This album barely made it into the decade (the first single personal jesuswas released in 89') and many people say that the eighties didn't truly end until 93' with grunge anyway but still this album made a very big impact on me. My kindergarten teacher, I believe her name was ms. Davis (who turned out to be a lesbian) listened to this on a tape deck in the classroom. I had no clue what "enjoy the silence," or "policy of truth" or "personal jesus" meant but I thought it was so cool and grownup. I mean it was all electronic and the lyrics seemed deep and artsy to my six or seven year old mind. I still love this album it was a good start to the decade
The Wedding Album, Duran Duran
This album impacted me during the 90's more specifically with the songs "ordinary world" and "come undone" And with come undone it was really more just the high pitch sampled lady part. But none the less this is one of the first songs I remember singing along too that my parents did not introduce to me (My older bro did I think) Now fifteen or so years later I actually listen to the whole album (with the exception of the bad cover of the velvet undergrounds "femme fatale") and I apreciate it as one of the great dance pop/rock albums ever, and Yes I still love and sing along, even with the high pitched "cannot keep from falling apart at the seams cannot believe your taking my heart to pieces"
Vs. Pearl Jam,
Ok, so this album first impacted me in T-shirt form. I remember very vividly waiting for the school bell to ring and seeing the cool sixth graders at school wearing this t-shirt with this wierd goat on it. Later as I approached cooler older grade schooler "Daughter" was still really really cool. Today my favorite tracks Elderly woman behind..., Animal, Dissident
Superunknown, Soundgarden
Even though Badmotofinger is probably a better album, I think this album really made a bigger difference. As an nine year old I could hear Black Hole Sun and possibly Like Suicide on the same radio stations that played Ace of Base. It turned me on to Grunge. it's musical and listenable and dangerous all at the same time. Still an awesome album
In Utero, Nirvana
All Apologies seemed like an anthem to a troublesome ten year old! I got to roam the halls of my elementary singing "What else can I say everyone is Gay!" I completely missed the undercurrent of rage and depression, that is until Kurt Cobaine commited suicide. I heard about it from my friend Nick who's parents would actually buy him the Nirvana tapes. We were in a hallway at school with big windows and it was raining outside and Nick said did you here Kurt Cobaine killed himself. He then explained a bunch of teenagers in the news were like cutting "kurt" into their arms and crying and some even killed themselves. I completely couldn't grasp why it was such a big deal and not then but soon after I made stupid fourth grader jokes about it, But still it was a big deal
New Miserable Experience, Gin Blossoms
So this album felt like one of the first one that I related to, although at the time I really didn't. Just something about really great pop rock that talked about "driving around town and letting the cops chase up around" and finding about you from "whispers at the bus stop" really really made sense to an eleven year old. Today the Gin blossoms are a favorite as a song writer they wrote really great pop hooks and actually the lyrics still seem to make sense to me even now
Blue Album, Weezer
This is one of the first albums I bought on CD. Me and my bro went in together on it because I didn't have enough money myself to buy it. I remember the album at first seeming very playful and almost funny because of songs like in the garage mentioning the x-men or the sweater song or my name is jonas. although maybe I've outgrown it a little now. it still really strikes me as one of those albums that changed things
Dookie, Green Day
This album falls in the exact same category as the Blue Album and for the same reasons. Basketcase was really important to me as a fifth grader. I don't listen to the album much anymore but everyknow and again I'll pump up when I come around, Oh yeah also one of the first albums I remember owning with a hidden track! (which at the time I totally thought was funny but totally didn't realize it was about masterbation)
Ok Computer, Radiohead
So this album was introduced to me by my friend Joel and his older brother Sam I was probably in the seventh grade. It was just so weird with stuff like fitter happier and cool and you could still listen to songs like subterranian homesick alien or karma police or paranoid android and be like I get this musically. This album is still today a musical inspiration and groundbreaking ten years later
Nine Lives, Aerosmith
So this is an okay album but not one of aerosmiths greatest, but it meant a lot to me. I had begun playing guitar when this album came out and I remember hearing Joe Perry's guitar parts and thinking wow this guy is awesome, and from that I started exploring their back catalog and it probably helped sink me into Led Zeppelin more and a lot of the seventies rock that I love so much
What's the story (Morning Glory) Oasis
so this album really lingered I remeber going on a hike with the scouts when I was like thirteen or fourteen and listening to champagne supernova and wonderwall and i was still listening to it as a junior in highschool and I'm still listening to this album now. I think it has staying power because there all solid songs.
Whatever and Ever Amen, Ben Folds Five
So I'm an eight or ninth grader and this band comes along called the Ben Fold's Five but they only have three members and they have no Guitars and they write songs that are either tragic or ridiculous and funny, and I think to myself this is a good thing. This album would probably be one of my tops of all time. It's the right balance of Drama, comedy, hook laden, pop and headiness. I've seen Ben Folds two or three times, met him once and this one still is awesome
Before These Crowded Streets, Dave Matthews Band
So this is probably DMB's best album and for someone who fancied himself a teenage musician it seemed lush and multi textural and jazzy. I don't listen to that much DMB anymore but if I am it's probably this one
Californication, Red Hot Chili Peppers
This album is possibly RHCP's most cohesive effort. I already loved Blood Sex Sugar Magic when this came out and this album helped me further embrace the band. It was more musical than their previous outings and it's choked full of singles and there really isn't a weak track on it. It seemed like a great beautiful death throw for the decade, which now was being destroyed by boy bands and britney.
All that You Can't leve Behind, U2
So I don't really think this was the nineties it was probably early 00's but it feels like it belongs with all these other albums. At the time I was growing older and I didn't understand myself and I felt like no one else understood me and there is this joyous jubilant album telling me I don't need anything or anyone at all and that it's a beautiful day and to walk on. It was like revelation. I seriously think this album helped save my troubled teenage life. Anyway I think I've surpassed the 90's so I'll stop reminiscing
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