Top 10 albums of the 1990's (1 Viewer)

[Bergan Peters]

According to your washington post article:
"Four of the seven Willis sons, counting Wesley, are "slow," as family members term it"
That would be another term for mentally retarded which is obvious by the fact that in the beginning of the article he cannot reproduce the words Rock and Roll clearly. I don't know if you have ever seen the movie the Virgin Suicides, but the childrens patronization of the retarded child at the party is akin to your patronization, and the "Fans" of Wesley Willis' patronization of his albums.

Kris-
First off, PE, De La Soul, The Beasties, etc, sampled from obscure sources and the loops were often modified so that it wasn't an obvious sampling. On "To The Extreme" the sampling is blatent, obvious, and uncredited, much like P Diddys later work.
Also, I list "To The Extreme" as the most important RAP album in history. It is. Vanilla Ice was the first personality to release an album in my opinion. And by that, I mean a record company creation in the rap industry. Vanilla Ice begat Eminem.
I list "The Chronic" as the most important Hip Hop album in history. There is a definite distinction. Rap is a form of music, just like Jazz, or Blues. It isn't a lifestyle such as Hip Hop or Country is. Certain facets come with being a Hip Hop artist or a country "musician" (and I use that term lightly). When you bought "To the Extreme" you weren't buying anything other than words to a beat. A purchase of the Chronic was an instruction manual to thuggery, it was the first of it's kind. It spawned music videos, it changed personalities, it changed lifestyles. "The Chronic" is basically responsible for most rap music that came after it. Hence it being the most important album in the 90's.

 

[Iain Lambert]

Aaah, stick your Vanilla Ice sampling. I'm going Into Battle With The Art Of Noise!
And if blatancy in your sampling is what you need, then you clearly need to find yourself a copy of '1987: What the F**K Is Going On' by the JAMMs. Tell me that tracks like 'Hey Hey We're Not The Monkees' are subtle or using obscure sources!
Of course, I'll now myself fall foul of the rule that there is always someone who did it before you think it was done, but never mind.
(edit) Also, "instruction manual to thuggery"? Hardly first of its kind. Gratuitously offensive lyrics go back far further than recommendations about Cop Killing. Whether its NWA and PE in the field of rap (and if you want to embarass a Beastie Boy just read out lyrics from License To Ill) or practically half the genres of Metal and Punk, music to be antisocial by has been around since the beginning.

 

[Sean Cauley]

First off, PE, De La Soul, The Beasties, etc, sampled from obscure sources and the loops were often modified so that it wasn't an obvious sampling.

Bergan, I have to disagree somewhat with this statement. While PE's samples are layered so thick as to be largely unrecognizable (as are, to a lesser extent, De La Soul's), the Beasties made big use of obvious samples on 1987's License to Ill (although they moved on to thick, almost-PE-like layers with Paul's Boutique). There are several Led Zeppelin samples on License; some are in snippets, but "The Ocean" is the basic backing track for "She's Crafty." WAR's "Low Rider" is also very obvious in "Slow Ride."

Secondly, MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This," from Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em, was a huge crossover hit a few months before Vanilla Ice released "Ice Ice Baby" and To the Extreme. "U Can't Touch This" featured Rick James' "Superfreak" as prominently as "Ice Ice Baby" featured Queen's and David Bowie's "Under Pressure."

I do, however, agree with you that the image-centric marketing of To the Extreme was one of the most important steps in the mainstreaming of rap music. That's an important statement, and a fact of Vanilla Ice's career that most people seem to overlook when they use him as a punch line ten, eleven years later. I almost included the album on my list, but opted instead to let The Chronic represent rap and hip-hop for my interpretation.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Bergan, I'm sorry, but I think you're way off base about rap vs hip-hop.

Rap is a style of music which features rhythmic talk-singing over hard back beats and groove tracks. Hip-hop is a "sub-genre" of rap, where the lyrics are usually lighter in tone, and often dealing with partying and more for the purposes of dancing.

Public Enemy is more of a rap group, as their lyrics are socially conscious. Salt 'n' Peppa are hip-hop, since they're all about "shakin' yo booty."

No music is all about a "lifestyle." Oh sure, there's certainly an element of lifestyle to hip-hop, but then what music doesn't have that element?

Most of us connect country music to pick-up trucks, cowboy hats, and southern accents. The blues- older black men who've had numerous women walk out on them but never learn. Heavy metal- white teens with awful hair and leather jackets who think Satan is cool. And so on, etc.

The real sad thing about Poof Daddy and Vanilla Ice is that this is the kind of rap that most non-rap listeners associate the style with. Wereas these guys just take some old track, mess with it a little, then talk over it about what great rappers they are, other groups do much more. Public Enemy took rhythm tracks and sliced 'em up in ways that no one could have imagined. Their stuff can actually get pretty complicated sometimes. This requires a great ear and sense of structure. It really is an artistic skill.

Unfortunately, most of the popular rap acts practice the P Diddy school of production. Like any form of music, the popular stuff usually is the worst representation of the style (is Marilyn Manson a good example of metal? Or Dolly Parton for country? How about Kenny G as the spokesman for jazz?).

As someone who knows his shite about music (sorry it sounds arrogant, but it's true, and I think some on this forum can back me up), I resent it when people say rap isn't a "valid" form of music. I'm not a rap fan, but it's really arrogant to say that, especially when groups such as Digital Underground, Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, and Guru are a lot more innovative and interesting to listen to than "real" bands like Limp Biscuit or Kid Rock.

 

[paul h]

Very Surprised not to see...

Depeche Mode - Violator (IMHO one of the greatest electronic albums ever made)

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

In no particular order:
Mariah McKee - You Gotta Sin to Get Saved
Weezer - Pinkerton
Nirvana - Nevermind
Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet
R.E.M. - New Adventures in Hi-Fi
Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend
Paul Westerberg - Eventually
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Son Volt - Trace
Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
Floating just out of reach of the list are U2's Achtung Baby, Dr. Dre's The Chronic, and any number of Radiohead, Beastie Boys, Emmylou Harris, Wilco, & Uncle Tupelo releases.
Regards,

 

[Andy Kellman]

01 Bark Psychosis - Hex

02 Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet

03 Talk Talk - Laughing Stock

04 Scrawl - Velvet Hammer

05 Lush - Split

06 Swervedriver - Mezcal Head

07 Main Source - Breaking Atoms

08 The Auteurs - How I Learned to Love the Bootboys

09 Jawbox - For Your Own Special Sweetheart

10 The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen

 

[Philip Hamm]

Hey Ken_McAlinden,
I'm with you on "You Gotta Sin To Get Saved". Amazing album. How do you like "Life is Sweet"?
Also, I like your choice of "TheLowEndTheory". Not only one of my favorite albums of the decade, but easily one of the 10 most influential (if not popular) rap/hip-hop (whatever term you want to use) albums ever.

country "musician" (and I use that term lightly)

Thanks Bergen, that little snippet was telling. Now I know where you're coming from.

 

[John Garcia]

5) Orbital - In Sides Hard to believe something so organic sounding came from something electronic

I LOVE Orbital, and that would have to be their best. The new album blows, IMO.
Some of my favorites:
Sublime - Sublime - Sad that Brad died, because this is a great album. Surprised that I didn't see this in anyone elses list.
Pearl Jam- Ten - The other albums are great, but this one stands out the most for me.
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream - Haunting. Hard and soft at the same time.
Sarah McLaclan - Fumbling Towards Extacy - Simply great, every track.
Tori Amos Little Earthquakes - Again, all the albums are great, but this is my favorite.
Nine Inch Nails - Downward Spiral - Dark, brooding and powerful. :tu (honorable mention to Pretty Hate Machine!)
Moby - Play - Over commercialized, but an excellent album none-the-less.
BT - Ima - Incredible techno/trance. Little or no radio play, but all over the clubs...(also Movement in Still Life)
Crystal Method - Vegas - Instant classic. Techno that appealed to everyone.
Dave Mathews Band - Crash - Excellent recording, awsome album.
Others:
Fiona - both albums
Metallica - more or less everything
Everything But the Girl - lots of good stuff.
Chemical Brothers - most everything. Love the first album.
Staind - damn good stuff
Tool - everything they've done kicks ass
Depeche Mode - Violator
Limp Bizkit - Significant Other, Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog Flavored Water
too many to list...

 

[KrisM]

Bergen, while De La Soul used alot of obscure samples(the coolest of which is Lowell Fulson's Tramp on Let,Let Me In)they also used alot of middle of the road samples as well. Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, George Clinton, Hall & Oates and Chicago, all sampled by De La Soul, are not exactly obscure.They were also quite obvious.

KrisM

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

"TheLowEndTheory". Not only one of my favorite albums of the decade, but easily one of the 10 most influential (if not popular) rap/hip-hop (whatever term you want to use) albums ever.

In my mind if nowhere else, it is the perfect rap album.

Regards,

 

[Evan S]

I know I'm pulling up an extremely old thread here, but there were a couple albums not mentioned throughout that I feel should be recognized as GREAT albums released in the 1990-2000 decade.
My criteria for inclusion? Simple. If you are an album that makes it into rotation at least once a month, you qualify...here are the ones that do just that that were released during the 90's (In order)
1. Shawn Colvin - Fat City - Simply understated song crafting. Amazing voice. I know she's better known for other things, but the balance and consistency of this album is amazing. Pure bliss. I listen to this constantly. Also an amazing live performer.
2. Dada - American Highway Flower - A lot of people don't know of this power trio except for their lone hit "Dizkneeland" off their debut album. This follow up is amazing. Great musicianship...songs that stick in your head and just do not go away. Great percussion.
3. Ben Folds Five - Whatever and Ever Amen - Some songs on here are so good it's scary. The fact that they followed up THIS album with that Reinhold Messner mishap is almost surreal.
4. Blind Melon - Blind Melon - OK, "No Rain" was way overplayed. I'll give you that. However, the album is really good from start to finish. In fact, I've liked almost everything this band put out in their too short history.
5. Creed - My Own Prison - There's a reason this band is so popular. Uplifting songs with great hooks. This song has about 3 classics at least.
6. Dave Matthews Band - Under the Table and Dreaming - Maybe the most musical talent of any band in the 90's. Right from the first track you are hooked with this one.
7. Counting Crows - August and Everything After - Is "Sullivan St." the best song ever? I NEVER get tired of listening to this one and I consider "Satellites" just as good, but only one can make this list.
8. Alice In Chains - Facelift - The most underrated of all the Seattle bands. Yeah, Pearl Jam came first and maybe Soundgarden got more critical acclaim, but this band had the most potential if it wasn't for Layne Staley's drug problem. Jerry Cantrell is amazing.
9. Maxwell - Urban Hang Suite - There truly isn't a better album for relaxing or entertaining a lady. Sultry vocals, great bass lines, awesome recording. This album puts me in R&B bliss.
10. Tool - Aenima - Again, musical talent reigns supreme here with the best Metal band on the planet. Listen to the lyrics and you will realize why they are head and shoulders above everyone out there right now. You can interchange this album with Undertow...they are both great.
I went through my entire collection (over 450 disks), most from the decade of the 90's and honestly, I don't know why I spent so much money. I can't even come up with an honorable mention because these stand so much taller than the rest. I know there are some mainstream titles here, but just because 5 million others appreciated what they were hearing doesn't mean I can't either! No apologies!

 

[Sheldon C]

I want to preface my 90's list with the statement that they all pale in comparison my 3 favorite albums - Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, and And Justice for All.

Now that that's out of the way...

10. Pantera (Vulgar Display of Power) - Yeah, I'm pretty sick of this band but this paticular album made me realize that there was life for real metal after Metallica's softening. (I still like soft Metallica BTW)

9. Tool (Aenima) - This album really got me into Tool, they are one of the best live bands I have ever seen - very clean and clear, not all muddy like most metal bands. Their newest album is even better, but it's not a 90's album.

8. Queensryche (Empire) - Tate's voice is one of rock's best IMO and every song on this album shows that.

7. Dream Theatre (Images and Words) - "Pull me Under" pulled me in, then I realized that it is the worst song on the album. This is truly a talented metal band with a style all their own.

6. Slayer (Seasons in the Abyss) - most of Slayer's stuff doesn't have enough structure for me, I love heavy but repeated double bass drums with absolutely no break for a whole song loses me - no "grove". This album however has great hooks while maintaining Slayer's brutally hard sound. This is their only album where they pulled that off IMO.

5. Type O Negative (October Rust) - While my two favorite Type O songs are not on this album, this one is more solid from start to finish. Hardcore Type O fans thought this one was too radio friendly (hahahah) but I thought it was a perfect mix of dark goth metal and catchy hooks. You gotta love Steele's voice, low as all hell.

4. Metallica (Metallica) - Great, great album. If this was the bands first release then I probably would have liked it even more; it's only downfall was that it was a notch (or two) below the standard Metallica set with their previous three albums.

3. Fear Factory (Obsolete) - Most FF fans prefer Demanufacture which is a great album too, but Obsolete was my first impression of the band. The song Resurrection is one of my favorite songs by any band, the last minute or so of that song is so powerful that I'd pick this album for a top ten on that alone.

2. Dream Theatre (Scenes from a Memory) - I was not impressed with this one at first, in fact a few months went by between the first and second time I heard it. Once it grew on me I loved it, and it has been played a lot in the last couple years. It's a concept album that tells a story which is a bit cheesy, but the music more than makes up for it. I can't wait for their new album which should be out this month.

1. Iced Earth (Burnt Offerings) This is an underground american metal band that has been putting out great albums for 10 years. To me they sound like a cross between 80's Metallica and Iron Maiden but at the same time they have a sound all their own. This particular album is very very dark. The riffs are extremely heavy and slowed down quite a bit compared to their other albums. The final epic song on the album is called "Dante's Inferno" which parallels the book. It takes you through the levels of hell, and takes 16 minutes of pure metal to do it.

 

[Joe D]

My favorites are these:

Joe Satriani: Crystal Planet.

Tool: Aenima

A Perfect Circle: Mer De Noms

Guns N Roses: Use Your Illusion 1 and 2

Nine Inch Nails: The Downward Spiral and the Fragile

Live – Throwing Copper

Megadeth - Rust In Peace

White Zombie - La Sexorcisto

I'll really suprised that nobody has mentioned

Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell 2

I favor Rock and Heavy Metal mostly, but I quite like Meatloaf.

 

[Andrew 'Ange Hamm' Hamm]

Wow, I'm really surprised it took me so long to post in here. This is my kind of thread. Can't narrow it to 10, though. How about 15? or 16?

• Joe Jackson - Heaven and Hell
• Sam Phillips - Martinis & Bikinis
• Bruce Cockburn - Dart to the Heart
• Dream Theater - Images and Words
• T-Bone Burnett - The Criminal Under My Own Hat
• Paul McCartney - Flaming Pie
• Lyle Lovett - The Road to Ensenada
• Cindy Morgan - The Loving Kind
• Jane Kelly Williams - Tapping the Wheel
• Steven Curtis Chapman - Speechless
• DC Talk - Jesus Freak
• A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Thoery
• Live - Throwing Copper
• Joe Jackson - Laughter and Lust
• Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill
• Saigon Kick - Water

 

[Andrew 'Ange Hamm' Hamm]

Sorry, I forgot:

• Wesley Willis Fiasco - Spookydisharmoniousconflicthellride

 

[Jason_H]

My ten in no particular order:

• Pulp - "Different Class"
• DJ Shadow - "Endtroducing"
• Suede - "Suede"
• Suede - "Dog Man Star" (yes, both of them were masterpieces)
• The Smashing Pumpkins - "Siamese Dream"
• Morrissey - "Vauxhall and I"
• Depeche Mode - "Violator"
• Radiohead - "OK Computer"
• R.E.M. - "Out of Time"
• Mercury Rev - "Deserter's Songs"

And a few honorable mentions:

• Bjork - "Homogenic"
• The Flaming Lips - "The Soft Bulletin"
• Pulp - "This is Hardcore"
• Blur - "Blur"
• Blur - "Parklife"
• Radiohead - "The Bends"
• Oasis - "Definately Maybe"
• Super Furry Animals - "Guerilla"
• The La's - "The La's"

 

[Jason_H]

Arrrrrgh...and I forgot Lush's "Split" which is on a few other people's list...a wildly underrated album, it's good to see others who appreciate it!

 

[Gary Harris]

I'll throw in:

John Cale & Brian Eno - Wrong Way Up

Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible

Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go

Metallica - Reload

David Bowie - 1. Outside

Roger Waters - Amused to Death

NIN - Broken

Soundgarden - Bad Motorfinger

U2 - Achtung Baby

Pearl Jam - Yield

Subject to change just about anytime...

 

[Bob Turnbull]

In no order:

*Hoven Droven - Groove

Swedish 7 piece band on the Northside label. This is actually a compilation of 2 previous Swedish releases. Electrified takes on Swedish folk music with boundless energy and beauty. Saw them live in '98 with a small crowd and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. The 2 front men ended the show by leaping into the crowd and shaking each individual's hand.

*Emmylou Harris - Wrecking Ball

Gorgeous production by Daniel Lanois to match that gorgeous voice. I can't stay away from this album.

*Kyuss - ...And The Circus Leaves Town

Sludgy, riff filled, catchy metal from the deserts of California. They morphed into Queens of the Stone Age with diminishing returns since this album (IMO - though I liked the first QotSA album)

*Sonny Landreth - Outward Bound

Cajun blues done to perfection. Distinctive slide guitar sound and great tunes.

*Ozric Tentacles - Curious Corn

Throbbing, driving instrumental festival band. Pretty much any of their releases are great for me (though slightly samey after awhile), but this one just has the most groove filled tunes to my ears. "Strangeitude" comes a close second.

*Primus - Sailing The Seas Of Cheese

All hail the magic fingers of bassist Les Claypool.

*Screaming Trees - Sweet Oblivion

My favourite of the Grunge class. They tweaked the formula with a few more flavours (a bit of Eastern influence creeps in, especially on the follow up album) and had some great hooks.

*Nicky Skopelitis - Ekstasis

A Bill Laswell production that never fails to simply sweep me away with the mesmerizing rhythms and bass. Not to mention the fabulous work by Greek guitarist Skopelitis.

*Tool - Undertow

Dark, disturbing, angry...And that was before I saw the videos! I can't drive when this is on...

*u-ziq - In Pine Effect

The album that pulled me into the "electronica" realm. Contains the absolutely beautiful "Phiesope" and some great rattling and twitchy tunes throughout.

Some runners-up:

Material - Hallucination Engine (more Laswell, with an absolutely incredible list of talents on board)

Djam Karet - The Devouring (instrumental driving prog)

Faith No More - Angel Dust (what a variety of styles covered on this album...)

Happy Family - Toscco (sort of like a more anarchic King Crimson on amphetamines)

King Crimson - The Great Deceiver (Live 1973 - 1974) (4 CDs) (Hey, it was released in the 90's, so it counts)

Aimee Mann - I'm With Stupid (pure pop hooks)

Orbital - In Sides (truly stunning at times)

The Posies - Amazing Disgrace ("Frostng On The Beater" was equally as good a power pop album)

Teenage Fanclub - Songs From Northern Britain (more power pop done skillfully and with great joy)

Tragically Hip - Day For Night (a bit darker and groovier sound)

Vasen - Whirled (more Swedes from the great Northside label - spellbinding)