Looking at the NPR list and your list, I had no choice but to give my two cents on the matter. Over the past few months I learned that, surprisingly, the 90's are probably my favorite era in music. I would have thought 80's, but the 90's resonates with me maybe because of the connections I have to music at that time: from college, the summer of fun, and my 1st teaching job, to meeting my wife, marriage, masters degree, and awaiting my first child.
So, here is my take on what NPR got right:
Agree with:
Nirvana - "Smells Like Teen Spirit"- the song that changed modern rock n roll.
So, here is my take on what NPR got right:
Agree with:
Nirvana - "Smells Like Teen Spirit"- the song that changed modern rock n roll.
Beck - "Loser." A genius with non-sensical lyrics. I love Odelay more, but this is what got him on the map. "Drive by body pierce."
Blur - "Song 2." Another anthem for the 90's, yet most people cannot sing along!
Good artist/wrong song
Radiohead - "No Surprises." Give me "Creep." Give me anything off The Bends. Give me "Karma Police", or this gem.
PJ Harvey - "Long Snake Moan." She is really underrated. A very talented artist. Saw her in concert and was impressed. I'd go with "Good Fortune." Still a staple on my play lists.
Missy Elliot - "Hit 'Em Wit da Hee." So many good choices here, but let's go with the one that started it all. "Beep. Beep. Who stole the keys to the jeep? Vrooom!" (I cannot find the great video.)
...and "The Fixer" by Pearl Jam? Uh, this song is from 2009!!!
Songs Missing:
Court hit a ton that I clearly would have chosen: Beastie Boys, G. Love, Dr. Dre, Liz Phair, Dandy Warhols, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, and Suede (nice steal!)
Here are 10 that I feel he might have missed that help exemplify the sound of the 90's.
Social Distortion - 'Ball & Chain." The retro punk/rockabilly sound is strongest with Mike Ness and the boys. The Reverend Horton Heat, and Bad Religion also play a factor, but no one is cooler than Social D!
Oasis - "Acquiesce." At one time the winners of the Blur/Oasis battle, the mighty have fallen after a few great albums. My favorite is off of a "B" side compilation. It is the best example of the brothers' Gallagher musical interplay.
Cake - "The Distance." Probably the quirkiest song selected, but man it still gets me going. The build up, the horn, and especially John McCrea's deadpan vocals.
Matthew Sweet - 'We're the Same." Much like Chris Isaak, or Freedy Johnston, Matthew Sweet saw his better days in the 90's writing fun, personal pop songs. With his love for anime and ability to play multiple instruments, I thought he would be in a head to head battle with Lenny Kravitz for rock god, but it never was meant to be. Most people remember "Girlfriend" but his 3rd record is the one that sopke to me the most.
Ok, if I were to make a mix cd, the song that best follows up "We're the Same" is "Glad Girls" by Guided by Voices. I know Court already included them but, I needed to add Dayton's own.
Rap has to be represented. It played such a factor in laying the ground work for today's rap. House of Pain, De La Soul, Cypress Hill, & Black Sheep all figure prominently, but it's the rough side that seems to make it's mark. NWA, Ice Cube, Dre, Onyx, & DMX all represent, but what sums up the 90's best might be the Geto Boys "My Mind's Playing Tricks on Me."
When it comes to anger, nobody does it better than Zach De la Rocha. Rage Against the Machine combined the heavy guitar of Tom Morello with the politically charged lyrics of ZDLA. Together, they created something that many tried to copy but never fully succeeded at. Here's "Killing in the Name of."
The 90's allowed the fusion of electronic dance music, rap and killer beats formulated by acts like Moby and Goldy. The one that went mainstream that showed they can create more than one song was Prodigy. "Firestarter" and "Breathe" make you move, but the dark, seedy feeling created by "Smack My B***h Up" is wrongly my favorite.
Rock wasn't dead in the 90's. Grunge ruled with Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Screaming Trees, Alice in Chains, Red Hot Chili Peppers, etc. I personally liked the glam sound of Stone Temple Pilots best. Scott Weiland is like a chameleon in the ways he can change his sound, look, and voice. I like the raw emotion of "Trippin on a Hole in a Paper Heart." Strange title? It's based off of a bad acid trip for ol' Scott.
Ok, there's 10 without including u2! AMAZING!
Let me just start by saying that whenever so-called rock critics get together and make lists they always try to force feed you bands and tell you they are great when they are really just ok, or worse. In fact, my single biggest problem with rock critics is when they try to act like they know something you don’t. Like you, me, or anyone can’t listen to music and know whether its horrible, good or great. NPR clearly got some of the them right: Nirvana, Beck, Soundgarden, Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam belong on there no matter what song you choose as your personal favorite. And the individual songs “Song 2,” “Shine” “Enter Sandman,” “Doo Wop” and “Steal My Sunshine” are solid choices, but PJ Harvey, Sebadoah, and Cornershop, the best songs of the 90s, really? Every time a 90s list is made somebody inevitably puts bands like Pavement, PJ Harvey, Sebadoah, Bjork, Moby & Prodigy on there. No offense to these bands, but none of them are great. Let’s keep it real and say what needs to be said – these bands are critics darlings who nobody in the real world actually likes.
ReplyDeleteWhere is “What I Got” by Sublime? Where is “Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind? Where is any song from Green Day’s “Dookie”? How about “Under The Bridge” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers? These songs all changed the landscape of music in the 90s. I’d even go farther and ask where are The Refreshments, Tonic, Urge Overkill & Blind Melon? Every one of those bands had classic 90s songs, and albums that were solid from front to back. Just because something is a commercial success doesn’t make it a bad song, and not every commercially successful song is musical masterpiece, but come on fellas.
John & Court have hit some very important points: Stone Temple Pilots, Cake, Weezer, Dr. Dre & Rage are key omissions. The hip-hop songs included are almost laughable, but let me tell you what you all missed: 2Pac. “All Eyez On Me” is still one of the best albums of all time, and it produced several classic 90s songs such as “California Love.”
I could go on and on, and I’m sure I missed some, but I think I’ve said enough…Tell you what NPR, I'll give you PJ Harvey if you give me Red Hot Chili Peppers - deal?
Awesome post! When making my list of 10, some of my VERY last omissions were "Girl, You'll be a Woman Soon" by UO, "Tones of Home" from Blind Melon, etc. I could do a whole 10 just on 90's rap. To me the Geto Boys helped sum up the tome, w/o being the mainstream.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the awesome post! I love how no one is sticking up for U2 or REM.
REM's best days were in the 80s, despite the commercial success they found in the 90s. I remember a Rolling Stone cover declaring REM the best band in America. They have a new album coming out soon and I can honestly say I don't care.
ReplyDeleteU2 - on the other hand - are undeserving of all the criticism. There's an argument to be made -- and perhaps I'll go out on a limb and make it in a future post -- there has never been a band in the history of rock that's been relevant for so long as has U2. No one can claim their combined longevity and relevance. Having said that, I will now hide under my desk for fear of the arrows that will no doubt come my way.