By 1991 rock music had degenerated into an unending flow of vacuous, talentless, faux-metal pop-rock bands. Crap bands like Warrant, Poison and Winger dominated the airwaves. Legendary hard-rock and heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and contemporary metal bands like Pantera, Megadeth, and Metallica watched as the genre of music they had created was transformed into wussy guys wearing leather pants, primped girly hair, and make-up selling pop music disguised as heavy metal to the lowest common denominator... a.k.a. the target demographic know as 12-18 year old girls.
Once again, the record companies had completely blown it. I survived those days by listening to music from other eras - namely the 70's.
The discovery of "The Seattle Sound" (or as it would come to be know "grunge") established a paradigm shift in how rock music would sound for the next decade.
Pearl Jam's first album "Ten" along with Nirvana's "Nevermind" and Soundgarden's "Badmotorfinger" defined the grunge sound, and literally overnight, hair metal was dead and buried. The singer/songwriter once again had a place in rock music.
By the mid-nineties grunge metamorphosised into a soulfull genre of quirky alternative rock bands such as Counting Crows, Beck, Soul Coughing, Weezer, Smashing Pumpkins, Dave Matthew Band and Blind Melon. The harder edge of grunge also allowed for a new generation of (real) heavy metal music to rise from the ashes. Bands such as Tool, Alice in Chains and Helmet.
Pearl Jam's "Ten" is a seminal album and a progenitor for an entire generation of music that followed. Pearl Jam didn't stop there. Each sucessive album has build upon the previous album in it's own unique way.
With the highest regard, I call Pearl Jam "the soundtrack of my life."
My recommendations go beyond the obvious choices (Ten, Vs., Vitology, Riot Act). Seek out the Japanese import EP "Alive." It contains the rerecorded version of Even Flow and the live version of Alive from the music video. Also, go for the bootlegs. I have San Diego, CA Oct 25, 2000 and it's amazing.
But if you're going to start somewhere... start with Ten.
:::::RADIOHEAD & thom yorke:::::
Simply put, and without question Radiohead are the greatest rock band in the world today. Radiohead might have been labeled one hit wonders after their 1993 release Pablo Honey. The single "Creep" was an alt-rock radio sensation and the story could have easily ended there. But on April 4th, 1995 Radiohead fired back with "The Bends", a straight forward rock album that routinely graces the top 10 on lists of greatest rock albums of all time. Every song, every single note on The Bends is perfect. But The Bends was just a hint of the genius of Radiohead. The world just wasn't ready for what was to come next.
On July 1st, 1997 Radiohead released OK Computer, and in that instant solidified their place alongside the greatest rock bands of all time. OK Computer is the single greatest album of the '90s, perhaps one of the greatest albums of all time.
A psychedlic soundscape accompanies the story of a young man's abusive childhood, and his exploration of growing up to understand life, love, politics, attempted suicide, and personal salvation. Too the very last note, OK Computer is nothing less than absolutely breathtaking.
If you're just getting started in Radiohead, purchase - simultaneously - OK Computer and Grant Gee's film Meeting People is Easy. When you finally "get it" and you're ready for more Radiohead, get Airbag/How Am I Driving? When you've got that dialed in... buy the rest of the catalog; Kid A, Amnesiac, and Hail To The Thief. Then to top things off, get My Iron Lung and Karma Police Pt. 2.
Then go buy yourself Thom Yorke's solo album The Eraser.
Only then will you know...
:::::THE DAVE MATTHEWS BAND:::::
The new millennium has not been very kind to music lovers. Maybe that's putting it too nicely. The new millennium has been shit for music's sake. Somehow, someone in the collective conscience of the media decided that the '90s were the new '70s, so the '00s must be the new '80s. You've got to be fucking kidding me right? Meaning the glut of music on the market are thinly veiled tribute bands with the basic looks and sounds of multiple '80s genres; the new romantics, synth-pop, even the dreaded hair metal bands are seeing a resurgence.
Gaaaaa.
What to do? Retreat! That's what you do.
The record industry have blamed online music for the downfall of the record industry. What a convenient excuse! Once again the trend setting dimwits of the music bizz are missing the mark. Maybe the music industry is taking a beating because the music sucks ass, and franky, we've all been here before in 1989, when Poison ruled the radio. It sucked then, it sucks now.
So retreat is my answer and here's how I've done it. I spent two entire years listening to (not much more than) The Dave Matthews Band.
But here's the catch. If you want the really good DMB CDs, you've got to buy live albums from the DMB web site. The live DMB records available at the record store are typically compilations of three or four nights of performances edited down to one or two CDs. But, if you buy the albums online you can purchase the complete performances in six or eight CD packages! Every song, uncut from an entire weekend! Ching!
New to DMB? Start with The Central Park Concert. Musically and sonically excellent, this post 9/11 performance in New York's Central Park has an psychedelic euphoria to the sound that comes from the deep connection that band has with the audience on this very special night.
Once Central Park hooks you, pick up The Gorge--6 CD Exclusive Box Set--All 3 Nights. Another cosmic weekend and another cosmic connection with the audience shine through on this performance. This is, for me, my reference when it comes to DBM recordings. Forget the studio albums, then magic is here. The 20+ minute performance of Seek Up is worth the price of the 6 CD set alone. Throw in Pig, Loving Wing, Proudest Monkey, Grey Street, and just about every other good DBM tune out there, and it's quite a package. Comes with a DVD too!
If you really want to go crazy... buy The Complete Weekend on the Rocks 8 CD and 1 DVD Set, even if it's just so that you can hear the scorching 12 minute Intro To American Baby on disc 7. Yow!
:::::SURF TUNES; JACK JOHNSON & FRIENDS:::::
While the rest of the music industry continues to crumble, there is a flicker of hope on the horizon... and that flicker's name is Brushfire Records.
Here's the story...
Jack Johnson was a professional surfer and film maker. After putting together two terrific soundtracks for the surf films "Thicker Than Water" and "The September Sessions" the music industry began to take notice. By himself, and in soundtrack compilations, Jack has created a string of excellent albums. And, if the dude isn't talented enough, I should also mention that his surf films are as good as it gets. September Sessions is widely regarded as one of the greatest surf films of all time.
But Jacks legacy may not be his music, but rather the music that he's inspired in others. Artists such as G Love, Matt Costa, and Donavon Frankenreiter now call Brushfire Records - Jack's label - home.
But, don't let me hype Jack too much and downplay Donavon. Both of Donavon's records are terrific. Song after song, they deliver. They're the kind of albums you can just listen to - as a whole - over and over again.
I should also tell you that at this point in my life my main source of new music discovery is not on the radio, but it's actually watching surfing videos. Some of the bands I've gotten hip to over the last couple of years this way are:
Autopilot Off
Jeremy Kay
VAST
:::::COLDPLAY:::::
Well, at least something good has come out of the '00s. Coldplay have become the superband of the new millennium (at least there's one good band of the new millennium!). With three amazing and three very different albums, plus a great live album, look for more great things from Coldplay in the future. If you're new to Coldplay, start chronologically with the first album, and move forward from there.
:::::THE VERVE & richard ashcroft:::::
In the U.K., The Verve are legendary, but in the U.S. you might only know then as one hit heros. Part of a three band musical explosion that occurred in the U.K. in the mid-nineties (The Verve, Blur, and Oasis), not to mention the shoegazer movement also going on in the U.K. during that time.
The Verve kept it together for three good albums before imploding. But, if there's one album to have, it is Urban Hymns. It's one of the five best albums I own. Like Radiohead's OK Computer, this album is essentially perfect.
Since the breakup of The Verve, lead singer Richard Ashcroft has released three very good albums. I will say this... I think they're great albums, but clearly I'm a big fan of his work. Considering the strength of Urban Hymns, the serindipideous (albeit acrimonous) collaboration that Ashcroft shared with Nick McCabe on that album, you could take the stance that solo, Ashcroft just doesn't cut the mustard for everyone. But take Urban Hymns out of the equation for a minute and consider these albums on their own merrits. I think they're very good. It's just hard to compare when you're standing inthe shadow of such a monumental album such as Urban Hymns.
But, if you get hooked on Urban Hymns, and you can appreciate Ashcroft's European and British influenced sound, I think you'll really enjoy them. If you're looking for L.A. thrash rock, look elsewhere. Again, buy chronologically, oldest to newest.
Bottom line... If you're hooked on The Verve, and you need to feed the rat, there's no place else to go than Ashcroft's solo albums.
:::::TOOL:::::
I'll say nothing more than this... buy everything Tool has ever done. Label them however you like; metal, industrial, rock, progressive, whatever. Call it what you like, just buy it.
:::::KEITH JARRETT:::::
When I was a wee lad (14 I think), I got my first CD player. That Christmas, my uncle Dana gave me Keith Jarrett's The Koln Concert. I had been hipnified. It was jazz, it was solo piano, it was unbelieveable. This album is one of my top 5. It's a desert island CD for sure.
What's Keith Jarrett's deal? Besides playing piano for some of the greatest jazz bands of the '60s, Jarrett is most famous for two things; improvisational solo piano concerts and his trio (with Jack DeJohnette and Gary Peacock) playing jazz standards. Jarrett is also an accomplished classical pianist. His recordings of Mozart's piano concertos are quite good.
Start with the Koln concert and prepare to be blown away. The saunter over to the trio side with Whisper Not — Live in Paris 1999. From there, find your own path, you will not be dissapointed.
:::::U2:::::
It's almost silly putting the biggest band in the world on this list, because I think you already know. But the new album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is pretty good, so I thought I'd mention it. Oh, and Joshua Tree is a given too.
:::::BT:::::
Boom-tiss boom-tiss boom-tiss boom-tiss. When someone mentions electronic music, is that what you think of? Me too. But, if you're like me, you love all things progressive in music, and you know that there are good tunes in every genre. Brian Transeau (BT) is credited with creating the Trance genre of electronic music with his innovative beat structures and his signature stutter edit.
Having done purely "electronic" albums, BT's music took a giant leap across musical boundries with his 1999 release of Movement in Still Life. This is one of my top albums of all time. Highly recommeded
BT's 2006 album This Binary Universe sees BT returning once again to a pure "electronica" album, but once again Brian has completely redifined the concept of electronic music. Released with and accompanying DVD, and in 5.1 surround sound, this album - as critic John Diliberto put it - This Binary Universe may be the first ambient symphony of the 21st century.
- A Perfect Circle - Mer de Noms
- Autopilot Off - Make a Sound
- Beastie Boys - Check Your Head
- Beastie Boys - Ill Communication
- Blind Melon - Classic Masters
- The Blue Nile - Hats
- Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole
- Singles - Motion Picture Soundtrack
- Citizen Cope - Citizen Cope
- Citizen Cope - The Clarence Greenwood Recordings
- Stealing Beauty - Motion Picture Soundtrack
- Counting Crows - August & Evertthing After
- Counting Crows - Recovering the Satellites
- Counting Crows - This Desert Life
- The Crystal Method - Vegas
- Evrything But The Girl
- Thicker Than Water - Soundtrack
- Frou Frou - Details
- G. Love & Special Sauce - G. Love & Special Sauce
- Garbage - Version 2.0
- Helmet - Meantime
- Shelter - Soundtrack
- Incubus - Morning View
- John Mayer - Room for Squares
- John
Mayer Trio - Try!
- The Matrix - Soundtrack
- Crusty Demons of Dirt 3 - Soundtrack
- Linkin Park - Meteora
- Matchbox 20 - Yourself or Someone Like You
- Matisyahu - King Without A Crown
- Ministry - Psalm 69
- Ministry - The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste
- Nirvana - Unplugged
- Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
- Oasis - Be Here Now
- The Presidents of the United States of America
- Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime
- Rage Against The Machine - anything
- Smashing Pumpkins - everything
- Sneaker Pimps - Becoming X
- Soul Coughing - Lust In Phase
- Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
- Temple Of The Dog
- Travis - The Invisible Band
- Vast - Nude
- Weezer
- White Zombie - Astro-Creep: 2000
- White Zombie - La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Vol. 1
:::::ONE HIT WONDERS:::::
- At the Drive In - Relationship of Command
- Blur - Song #2
- Deadly Snakes - Talking Down
- Deee-Lite - Groove is in the Heart
- DJ Kool - Let Me Clear My Throat
- John Reuben - Do Not
- The Orb - Blue Room
- Orgy - Stitches (the video)
- Pep Love - Act. Phenom
- The X-Ecutioners - It's Going Down