The Fifty Greatest Rock Albums of the 1990s: Part Five: 10-1
Nov 25 '03 (Updated Nov 29 '03)
The Bottom Line Where I test the reader on whether they are paying attention or not...
Well, here we are, the culmination of a list I've worked on for a few months. Before we continue on, what follows is a brief list of albums that came up for consideration and fell just short of making this list...needless to say, if I had done 100 albums, all of these would have found a place:
Black Crowes-Shake Your Money Maker
Green Day-Insomniac
Barenaked Ladies-Gordon
Dropkick Murphys-Do or Die
System of a Down-System of a Down
Mighty Mighty Bosstones-More Noise and Other Disturbances
Bon Jovi-These Days
Reel Big Fish-Turn the Radio Off
Neil Young-Mirrorball
Pearl Jam-No Code
Counting Crows-August and Everything After
Soul Asylum-Let Your Dim Light Shine
Limp Bizkit-Three Dollar Bill Y'All (no, no joke)
Offspring-Ixnay on the Hombre
Presidents of the United States of America-Self Titled
Toadies-Rubberneck
Sevendust-Home
Catch 22-Keasbey Nights
Incubus-S.C.I.E.N.C.E.
Letters to Cleo-Go!
Metallica-Metallica (The Black Album)
And now, the ten greatest rock albums of the 1990s:
10. Nirvana- In Utero: After the success of Nevermind, Kurt Cobain set out to make an "unlistenable" album. He failed in his attempt (although a couple of tracks did succeed at times), but what he succeeded at was making a record truly worthy of a list such as this. Folks, this is as close to the ultimate vision of Nirvana as Cobain would come (and as a side note, MTV Unplugged In New York was the best performance disc of the decade). Key Cuts: All Apologies, Pennyroyal Tea, Rape Me
9. Green Day- Dookie: In terms of pure sugar in your musical diet, there is very little in rock and roll's history that can compete front to back with Dookie. While it's influence is seen today in bands like Good Charlotte and Simple Plan (unfortunately I might add), Dookie also influenced the so called "mall punk" trend we see today. For something that begat some things so unfortunate, we should feel very fortunate that this album exists. Key Cuts: When I Come Around, Longview, Welcome to Paradise
8. Smashing Pumpkins- Siamese Dream: In the world of so-called 90s "alternative," one band truly stood out as being just that. Ironically, however, that one band's best album was the one where they weren't all that different from the other bands around them. Siamese Dream is the album that Pearl Jam and Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots WISH they could have written in 1993, but lacked the talent to do so. And while the Pumpkins could only wish to write a follow up that was as good as those other bands' latter works, Siamese Dream stands as a true masterpiece of rock and roll. Key Cuts: Rocket, Today, Disarm
7. Radiohead- The Bends: I listened to the Bends for the first time in a WHILE about 6 weeks ago. The mark of a truly great album is that after putting it aside for a while, when you do pick it up again it feels as exciting and vibrant as it did the first time you listened to it. The Bends does this, as do the rest of the records to be named on this list. That's the highest compliment I can pay it. Key Cuts: My Iron Lung, Just, High & Dry
6. Pearl Jam- Yield: Forget the arguments about this band's early stuff VS. it's latter stuff. The plain fact is that Yield is an album of solid rock songs, nothing more, nothing less. The fact that 7-8 songs stand out as nothing short of exceptional means this earned its spot on this list. Besides, I DARE you not to be moved by Given to Fly. Key Cuts: Given to Fly, Do the Evolution, Low Light, Faithfull
5. Tool- Aenima: No album came to define late 90s hard rock more than this one. It was this album that allowed bands like System of a Down to become popular and gain radio airplay. It was this album that showed that if you're a musical act with a brain, people WILL SEEK YOU OUT AND FIND YOU. It was this album that showed everyone how metal/hard rock should be done. And it was this album that made Tool legends in the making. Key Cuts: Stinkfist, Eulogy, H
4. Nine Inch Nails- The Downward Spiral: Do you know what the most popular email I get is? "Dude, when are you gonna review some NIN?" The fact is, is that when someone like Steven is peering over your shoulder, reviewing NIN can be intimidating. That being said, The Downward Spiral for me resembles the same things I said about the Bends above. With each listen (Closer being the main exception due to its horrid overplay), this album sounds fresh and new and exciting and vibrant. It is in ways, a mainstream album that retains its ability to be a complete and total mindf*ck. And that's what makes it so damn cool. Key Cuts: Hurt, March of the Pigs, Reptile
3. U2- Achtung Baby: Some would call this album U2's last great achievement, others would say it was merely the beginning of the third phase of their career. Either way, there isn't much to say that hasn't already been said about this album. I don't know of anyone who DOESN'T like it. It has something for everyone, be it the rock bombast of The Fly, the slick groove of Mysterious Ways, or the sheer poetry of the ballad One. How CAN anyone hate this album? Key Cuts: One, So Cruel, Mysterious Ways, The Fly
2. Rancid- ...And Out Come The Wolves: When The Clash released London Calling in 1980, who knew that 15 years later a band would release a London Calling tribute album that was not only as long (19 songs), but that kicked just as much a*s as the original? This is what Rancid did with this album. It is by far the BEST punk album to come along since London Calling. They haven't come close to a SNIFF of this album's greatness since. Then again, a lot of people feel the Clash started going downhill after LC. Key Cuts: Ruby Soho, The Wars End, Maxwell Murder
And the greatest rock album of the 90s is...
1. Guns N'Roses- The Spaghetti Incident: You see, this is where I see if you're actually reading this piece or if you're just going to rubber stamp me with a VH. For if you think that I would actually name this the best rock record of the 90s, you must have smoked a heavy f*cking dose of crack or pot or SOMETHING. For the record, I don't think the Spaghetti Incident deserves ALL of the crap it's gotten over the years, but that it's far from a truly GOOD album.
Really now though, the greatest rock album of the 90s is...
1. The Black Crowes- The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion: Melding southern rock with pure unabashed soul, this is the album that should guarantee the Crowes a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a few years time. By far, this is lead vocalist Chris Robinson's best effort both lyrically and vocally, and this album came together the way so many great BLUES albums did: on first takes. The album took about 2 weeks to record. 2 WEEKS. Look at the other albums in the top 5...they took months or years. This took 2 weeks, and it's THIS FRIGGIN GOOD. You honestly have no idea what you're missing if you don't own this. Don't believe me? Ask Shelly or Carletta...they took my advice. Key Cuts: My Morning Song, Sometimes Salvation, Thorn in My Pride, Remedy
And that folks, brings to a close another list from me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go boogie to some Outkast, cause I've been living on a bit too much rock the last few weeks...
THE LIST:
The Fifty Greatest Rock Albums of the 1990s Part One: #'s 50-41
The Fifty Greatest Rock Albums of the 1990s Part Two: #'s 40-31
The Fifty Greatest Rock Albums of the 1990s Part Three: #'s 30-21
The Fifty Greatest Rock Albums of the 1990s Part Four: #'s 20-11
The Fifty Greatest Rock Albums of the 1990s Part Five: #'s 10-1
Related Reviews:
The 100 Greatest Rock Songs Ever #'s 100-81
The 100 Greatest Rock Songs Ever #'s 80-61
The 100 Greatest Rock Songs Ever #'s 60-41
The 100 Greatest Rock Songs Ever #'s 40-21
The 100 Greatest Rock Songs Ever #'s 20-1
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Member: Matt Aucoin
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Gonna be a daddy, April 2010!
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