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

John Wielgosz

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I truly stink at rating things in order (I usually clog up after #2), so here are my ten faves in no order whatsoever:

U2 - Achtung Baby

Madonna - Ray of Light

Tori Amos - From the Choirgirl Hotel

Wallflowers, The - Bringing down the Horse

Counting Crows - August and Everything After

Tom Petty - Wildflowers

Pearl Jam - Vitalogy

REM - Automatic For the People

Radiohead - OK Computer

Peter Gabriel - US
 

MatS

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1) Cocteau Twins "Heaven Or Las Vegas" - the most gorgeous music you will ever experience, take the trip

2) R.E.M. "Automatic For The People" - contains probably the best one two closing punch of any album with "Nightswimming" and "Find The River", breathtaking

3) Pixies "Bossanova" - not their best, that came one year earlier but a fine collection nonetheless

4) Lloyd Cole "Don't Get Weird On Me Babe" - to be listened to as a whole, be careful though if you have just experienced a breakup

5) Rancid "And Out Come The Wolves" - one of the best pop/punk records ever released

6) Sonic Youth "Goo" - their major label debut without selling out

7) Tom Waits "Mule Variations" - get behind the mule

8) Wilco "Being There" - an adventurous outing for their sophmore release, a double at that

9) Tricky "Maxinquaye" - a sexy soundtrack to hell

10) Deacon Blue "Whatever You Say, Say Nothing" - something just always keeps me coming back to this record

honorable mentions:

Sinead O' Connor "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got", Tool "Undertow", Jane's Addiction "Ritual De Lo Habitual", Concrete Blonde "Bloodletting", Massive Attack "Blue Lines", Built To Spill "Keep It Like A Secret", Charlatans UK "Some Friendly", My Bloody Valentine "Loveless", Pavement "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain", Primal Scream "Screamadelica", Teenage Fanclub "Bandwagonesque", Smashing Pumpkins "Gish", Urge Overkill "Saturation", World Party "Goodbye Jumbo" and many more I am forgetting

too bad 89 was not included since this was a year that truely shined...

Cure "Disintigration", Pixies "Doolittle", Stone Roses "Stone Roses", Replacements "Don't Tell A Soul", Bob Mould "Workbook", Ministry "The Mind Is A Terrible Thing.."
 

Brian O

Second Unit
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Apr 27, 1999
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284
Here are a few I really enjoyed that havent popped up much, if at all yet:

Counting Crows - Recovering the Satellites(Follow-up sucked)

Vertical Horizon - Everything You Want

Matchbox 20 - Mad Season

The Eagles - Hell Freezes Over

Bonnie Raitt - Roadtested

Duran Duran - Duran Duran 2

Bad English - Backlash

Boston - Walkon

Yes - Union

Gin Blossoms - New Miserable Experience

Damn Yankees - Self-titled

Can you say old-school?
 

Bobby T

Supporting Actor
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Mar 13, 2001
Messages
583
All of the above are awesome.i'd like to add

Sheryl Crow-Tuesday Night Music Club

Dream Theater-Images and Words

Queensryche-Empire

Van Halen-Balence

Stone Temple Pilots-Core
 

Darren H

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May 10, 2000
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Well I'll be damned. Tony Mirra picked a Sunny Day Real Estate album for his #1 of the 90s. Tony knows. I can't believe that they broke up again and I still never had the chance to see them live.

My top 10 would include lots of albums already named, but here are a few more worth mentioning:

- Bruce Cockburn - The Charity of Night

- Jonatha Brooke - Plumb

- Lyle Lovett - Joshua Judges Ruth

and the Best Album of the 90s:

- The Jayhawks - Hollywood Town Hall
 

Tony Mirra

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Well I'll be damned. Tony Mirra picked a Sunny Day Real Estate album for his #1 of the 90s. Tony knows. I can't believe that they broke up again and I still never had the chance to see them live.
I was fortunate enough to see them several times throughout their career (twice first time around; twice second time)... nothing short of amazing.

They've reformed with the original bass player (Nate Mendel) and without the 2nd guitar player (Dan Hoerner) as The Fire Theft. They're currently mixing their new album... should be out early 2002.
 

Brian Lawrence

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Brian
01- Call the Doctor / Sleater Kinney
02- Unplugged in New York / Nirvana
03- Actung Baby / U2
04- Sleeps with Angels / Neil Young and Crazy Horse
05- VS. / Pearl Jam
06- To Bring You My Love / PJ Harvey
07- BadMotorFinger / Soundgarden
08- American Recordings / Johnny Cash
09- Use Your Illusion I & II / Guns 'N' Roses
10- Psalm 69 / Ministry
 

Brian Bunn

Second Unit
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Oct 26, 1998
Messages
258
I love these kinds of threads! Very interesting reading all the best of lists. Plus it points out some great albums that I may have missed during the '90's.

It wasn't hard to come up with a bunch of albums that I consider the best of the 90's, but it was pretty hard to rank a top 10. Many of these have been mentioned already but here goes--My Top 10 Albums of the 90's:

10. U2--Achtung Baby ('91)

09. Matthew Sweet--Girlfriend ('91)

08. Los Lobos--Kiko ('92)

07. Uncle Tupelo--Anodyne ('93)

06. Bob Dylan--Time Out Of Mind ('97)

05. Radiohead--OK Computer ('97)

04. Fountains Of Wayne--Utopia Parkway ('99)

03. Cherry Twister--At Home With Cherry Twister ('99)

02. Wilco--Summerteeth ('99)

01. The Jayhawks--"Hollywood Town Hall" ('92)

Some Honorable Mentions:

Wilco--Being There ('96)

Uncle Tupelo--No Depression ('90)

Freedy Johnston--This Perfect World ('94)

Freedy Johnston--Can You Fly

Son Volt--Trace ('95)

Velvet Crush--Teenage Symphonies To God ('94)

Toad The Wet Sprocket--Dulcinea ('94)

Vigilantes Of Love--Welcome To Struggleville ('94)

Whiskeytown--Strangers Almanac ('97)

The Innocence Mission--Glow ('95)

The Seventy Sevens--Sticks And Stones ('90)

Jason Falkner--Presents Author Unknown ('96)

Travis--The Man Who ('99)

R.E.M--Automatic For The People ('92)

Crowded House--Woodface ('91)

I could mention many more, but I think the above make up a pretty good Top 25 of the '90's. I can safely say that if you agree with several of those listed, you will like the ones you may have never heard before as well.
 

Michael Allred

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Michael
Well I'm not gonna rank my choices.....
Oasis "What's the Story Morning Glory?" - The leaders of the Britpop wave gave us this single, shining moment to sing along with. "Wonderwall", "Don't Look Back In Anger" are choice cuts.
David Bowie "Outside" - A gothic, concept album? I guess so, this was supposed to have been the first of 3 albums dealing with the same story but since it was a commercial failure, we're stuck with one. "I Have Not Been To Oxford Town" would be my fav song off it.
Queen "Innuendo" - What can I say? The last album Freddie Mercury worked on while alive. The emotion behind songs like "The Show Must Go On" and "These Are the Days of Our Lives" move me greatly.
Nine Inch Nails "The Downward Spiral" - Trent Reznor's opus, don't think he'll ever match the ferocity of this album. "Closer" is the perfect f**k song and "March of the Pigs" is pure insanity.
Pearl Jam "Ten" - I was still a teenager when this came out, "Black" was a song I listened to constantly when I was learning the difficult lessons of love.
Nirvana "Nervermind" - While not a true fav or mine, I recognize the album's HUGE impact on music. It's vitality is something the current music landscape lacks.
Marilyn Manson "Mechanical Animals" - Call me crazy but Manson's glam/goth hybrid was just f'in brilliant.
Roger Taylor "Electric Fire" - The drummer from Queen puts out the BEST solo album of his bandmates. A social commentary work-of-art.
The Verve "Urban Hymns" - Sadly, their last studio album. "The Drugs Don't Work" makes me weep like a schoolgirl.
U2 "Achtung Baby" - Bono and co. finally gave us something different. Forget the album's singles, "Love is Blindness" blows them all away.
 

Philip Hamm

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I'm shocked that no-one has mentioned Wesley Willis' amazing major label debut "Fabian Road Warrior" yet.

Seriously, where's the love for Sam Phillips? "Martinis and Bikinis" is one of the best CDs of the decade IMO.
 

Rob M

Grip
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Dec 16, 1999
Messages
19
Couldn't think of ten but here are a few
#1 - 311 - Transistor Music, Grassroots, and the blue album were all great, but I believe that this was them at the top of their games. This album could put anyone to sleep, but in a good way. Every song is so soothing to the ears and "Use of Time" has got to be one of the best songs I've ever heard.
#2 - Weezer - Pinkerton Although the Blue Album has been mentioned in other posts, which I love by the way, I think Pinkerton was a huge example of growth in the band. I like the new Green Album, but Pinkerton had an edge to it that, to me, is timeless. Funny too that when released is was basically panned by everybody and only now has sort of emerged as an underground classic.
Can't think of any more at the moment, will post more later...
 

Bergan Peters

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Dec 7, 2001
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Quote:



I'm shocked that no-one has mentioned Wesley Willis' amazing major label debut "Fabian Road Warrior" yet.





Phillip-
You mentioned WW twice. I don't ever think that making fun of the mentally retarded is defensible.

My list:

I didn't know if we were supposed to list what we felt were seminal works, or what we liked in the 90s? I mean, there is a lot of stuff I love that didn't affect music or musicality in the 90s, but it affected me, and there is music that a lot of you have listed that is just pop music, but it affected the state of music. So without furthur ado, the blend.

10-Chemical Brothers - Dig your own hole (1997)
Brought for british break beat into the US mainstream. The first techno CD which birthed multiple hit singles (Hits outside of the club scene for once). Excellent from the first song to the last.

9-Less than Jake - Losing Streak (1996)
Musicality, and Story telling...on a ska album? It's true. Less than jake is the seminal ska band, all bands that will ever come out of the ska scene owe something to LTJ because the intregation of their horn sections is seamless. Some may say that the Toasters are a more influencial Ska band, but I disagree. Whenever I hear any modern Ska (Mustard Plug, Reel Big Fish, MMB) I harken back to Losing Streak.

8-Vanilla Ice - To the extreme (1990)
The most important Rap album ever. Started the image concious hip hop of the 90s. Vanilla Ice proved that with slick production and publicists, anyone could create any image they so chose. Was the ALBUM itself seminal in anyway? YES because it was the first album to freely sample from other bands. If nothing else, rap music in the 90s will be known for sampling its forefathers. Almost every song on "To the Extreme" is a loop of another song. There is practically no originality in the music, and that says a lot to me about the 90s.

7-Shania Twain - The Woman in me (1995)
I've never listened to this album. Yet I've heard numerous songs off of it. That says something about an album. When it permeates pop culture without knowing it. This album is important because Shania was the first crossover country artist (to the pop scene). She would begin the flood of female country artists who happened to be drop dead gorgeous as well as being able to sing (One would hope with a record contract)

6-Ben Folds Five -Whatever and Ever Amen (1997
This is my alltime favorite band, and this is their most balanced album. As balanced as a three member band without a guitar in it can be that is. Ben Folds on Piano, Robert Sledge on Bass, and Darren Jesse on Drums. How I regret your break up :frowning:Some of the best concerts I've ever seen. Every band on every list here wishes they had this kind of musicality. Ben Folds is one of the greatest piano players of the 20th century (THAT is a bold statement, but I would love to hear Elton John, Billy Joel, or Tori Amos accomplish some of his songs). The album combines pop sensibility with a slacker ethos that wisps through the album. This album over took me like the antithesis of a Coma, I could never look at music in the same way again after becoming a Ben Folds Five fan.

5-Digable Planets - Blowout Comb (1994)
Their second (And last) album is more polished, more urban, more jazz , more intellectual. It's more of what the first album brought, with more polish. The lyrics pop and swirl through your head. The story telling is incredible, the voices smooth and blissful. Still one of the illest hip hop albums ever. The cuts are off the hinges and while every song isn't an A+ on either album. This album is everything that US3 wished they could have released. "My average per game is pure Black Soul" word.

4-Cut Chemist vs DJ Shadow - Brainfreeze (199?)
The greatest song ever put together by a DJ combination. The production values and scratching is incredible. Only available at Cut Chemist Shows and on Ebay. Worth checking out via a file sharing service as it's just one song (2 sided vinyl, so 2 parts of 1 song) Incredible. It's not seminal, and i don't know that it even counts as an album, but this is everything that ever DJ ever aspires to be, and that's important to me.

3-Pulp Fiction: Music From The Motion Picture - Soundtrack (1994)
One of the most important films in history, one of the most important albums in album history. Quentin Tarantino made people start loading up their sound tracks with hits. Period. The music is great. The film was great, and because of that, the sound track is important. Not since Saturday night fever has a sound track been so important.

2-Nirvana - Nevermind (1991)
You couldn't get me to listen to this CD today, but when it came out, it was one of the most important albums in history, and it still is. Any album that systematically changes the way that people listen to music, and who people are, is very important. This album started the grunge music phase, and it also KILLED hair bands. I challenge anyone to think of another album which had such a dramatic impact on music in any time (There are others, but this is one of 5 or 6 which changed music single handedly).

1-Dr. Dre - The Chronic (1992)
Where does one begin discussing the most important hip hop album in history? For one thing, this album began the trend of the super producer. Which hadn't existed in rap music until this album put Dre on the map. No longer would hip hop music be relegated to the streets. This album was a crossover, everyone owned it. It was on MTV constantly, it spurred numerous hit songs. Secondly it was important because it started a trend of super labels, young black men were becoming millionaires over night because of the huge record sales. Death Row records would begat many super stars: Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Tupac, Warren G, etc. The album was also important because it changed hip hop from a slick, east coast image, to a gritty, street, drug and gang culture of west coast hip hop. It brought drug use to the forefront of music and made it trendy if not acceptable.
 

Kelley_B

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11) Christian Death - The Iron Mask Mainly re-recordings of Rozz's favorite early Christian Death songs, this album starts out great and ends incredible

10) Moby - Everything Is Wrong I was so pissed when Spin named this their album of the year over PJ's TBYML album, but once I heard this I understood why

9) This Mortal Coil - Blood Although not as good as their first two releases, It'll End In Tears and Filigree and Shadow, this album still is worthy of high praise

8) Switchblade Symphony - Serpetine Gallery This is the album that turned me onto Darkwave and I haven't looked back since

7) The Murder City Devils - Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts This is the album that turned me onto Darkwave and I haven't looked back since This band got me to believe in good old fashion Rock N Roll again

6) Gus Gus - Is This Normal? Filled with great sounds and great songs and great lyrics Gus Gus is a band that only comes along once in a blue moon

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

4) PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love Alanis has nothing on PJ Harvey

3) Bjork - Debut Bjork's debut album was so perfectly produced and really showed off her talent

2) Portishead - Portishead Perfection, I feel thats all I have to say about this album, from the tiny scratch sounds and clicks

1) The Cure - Wish I am being very bias here, but I listened to this album more than anyother album that came out in the 90s
 

Philip Hamm

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Bergan,
I believe that you are misinformed about Wesley Willis. He is not retarded at all, but chronic schizophrenic. His art is extremely theraputic to him, as when he is making music or making one of his drawings it silences the demons in his head. Since becoming successful with his art he has become much healthier and has made lots of friends and positive progress with his mental difficulties. Yes, on the surface, his stuff appears to be a cruel novelty act like a circus freak or something, and that may be all he is to people like Howard Stern or other media morons who have exploited him. However, if you do some research and really find out about what the man has done and what he's been through, it's really compelling and very interesting. His music has a kind of simple exuberance and innocence that is really what music is all about. And much of it is done for a joke and he is completely forthright about that (hearing him declare something as "that's a crazy joke song" on the live MD my brother made when he saw him in NYC is classic). And his line art is really special, I would like to get some originals some day. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the man, and he helps me laugh.
I for one would never shoot his jam session down.
Here's a very good Washington Post article about Wesley to read.
 

KrisM

Second Unit
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Apr 4, 2001
Messages
420
Bergen,while I agree that Vanilla Ice sampled more than anyone else ever did I have to disagree that he was the first to freely sample other bands. Public Enemy, De La Soul, The Beatie Boys and alot of others were sampling before Ice.And doing it better.
And not to be too picky or anything, but you have two listings for the most important rap album ever.:)
Regards
KrisM
 

Kelley_B

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Philip,

Having seen WW four times in concert I will agree with everything that you have said. WW is one of the great entertainers of our day I believe, if you don't agree go see one of his shows you will love it!
 

Mark Cappelletty

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It's late and I'm going to keep this short. I have to say, Philip, that a little Wesley Willis goes a long way in my book; I'll take Daniel Johnston's craziness over his any day.

In no real order (and one -- by and large -- per artist):

1.) The Afghan Whigs - Black Love / Congregation

2.) The Wedding Present - Sea Monsters

3.) Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand (with Under The Bushes, Under The Stars coming in a close second)

4.) Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One

5.) Paul K & The Weathermen - The Killer in the Rain (a criminally unknown record)

6.) PJ Harvey - Rid Of Me

7.) Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Henry's Dream

8.) Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend

9.) Pavement - Slanted & Enchanted

10.) Built To Spill - Keep It Like a Secret

extra credit:

11.) Pixies - Trompe Le Monde / Bossanova

12.) Girls Against Boys - House of GVSB

13.) Superchunk - No Pocky For Kitty

14.) Beulah - When Your Heartstrings Break

15.) Johnny Cash - Unchained
 

Jason Quillen

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Nov 1, 2000
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Lets see...

1) Counting Crows - August and Everything After - Instant classic. This CD has been in my car since it came out.

2) Pearl Jam - Yield - Its tough to pick a PJ album, but Yield has always stuck with me the best. Never got tired of it.

3) Stone Temple Pilots - Purple - Another instant classic

4) Live - The Distance to Here - I always liked Distance more than Throwing Copper, Distance just seems to go further.

5) DMB - Crash - Under the Table introduced the world to DMB, but Crash proved they were around for good. I just hope they can get back to something like this after the ugliness that is 'Everyday'.

6) Far Too Jones - Picture Postcard Walls - I'd put 'Shame and Her Sister' on here but that was 2000. Groundbreaking album from a band very much overlooked.

7) Our Lady Peace - Happiness... - Just a good album, always liked it more than 'Clumsy'.

8) Nirvana - Nevermind - No explination necessary

9) Counting Crows - Recovering the Satellites - GREAT follow up to August from the boys. Straight hard rock from start to finish. The time and effort they put into it really show, why this was never praised the way August was I will never understand.

10) Dog's Eye View - Daisy - Great forgotten band that had their one hit 'Everything falls Apart' on the album before Daisy. The whole CD sticks together and has so much power. Too bad they broke up when it didnt bring them the sucess they were looking for.

11) Gigolo Aunts - Minor Chords & Major Themes - Pretty much the same as Dog's Eye View except the Aunts are still together, though I dont think they will be make an album as great as Minor Chords.

12) Pearl Jam - Vitalogy - Classic with some of the best PJ songs to date (Last Exit, Immortality, Satans Bed)

13) Live - Throwing Copper - Another classic that brought Live into the spotlight. Each album since has only gotten better.

JQ
 

Sam Hatch

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242
Okay, I'll bite...

10.)Tom Waits - Bone Machine

9.)Faith No More - Angel Dust

8.)BT - Ima

7.)Chemical Brothers - Exit Planet Dust

6.)Sarah McLachlan - Fumbling Towards Ecstasy

5.)Portishead - Dummy

4.)Clutch - Clutch

3.)Type O Negative - October Rust

2.)Radiohead - OK Computer

1.)Jeff Buckley - Grace

Almost made it:

Single Gun Theory - 'Like Stars in My Hands' and/or 'Flow, River of My Soul'

Bjork - Post

Korn - Korn

Morphine - Cure for Pain

Failure - Fantastic Planet

Sepultura - Chaos A.D.

Dead Can Dance - Toward the Within
 

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