This Sunday I’m jumping back to the decks at Heritage Hotel for Vinyl Voyages from 5pm til 7pm, it’s free and they also do a decent Sunday roast.
I was a youngster in the nineties, and it was the decade that opened my ears to so much different music and would be the decade that has been the most influential on me. I’ll be starting with the guitar driven early nineties sounds of shoegaze and grunge, moving into mid-nineties pop punk, Britpop and trip hop sounds, while highlighting some of the best pop, hip hop and R&B tunes from the decade.
The following are some highlight releases from across the genres during the 90s.
Slowdive – Souvlaki
A 90’s shoegaze high point, where albums like Loveless may get a bit indulgent, Slowdive always keep the songwriting at the forefront. The influence of this album just continues to grow, there are more bands around that sound like this record than ever.
Nirvana – Insecticide
Not an actual album but a collection of different Nirvana songs that never made the albums. Sliver is one of their best songs and the couple of Vaselines covers on here are great.
Various – Punk O Rama
This compilation released by Epitaph opened me up to the whole pop punk explosion of the mid 90’s. Pennywise, NOFX, Rancid, Ten Foot Pole and much more! I originally had it on CD but managed to trek down this vinyl copy in Japan in later years.
Bodyjar – Rimshot
While the Punk O Rama opened me up to the global pop punk scene, a band from Melbourne were emerging and released this record that was on par with any of the internationals listed on that compilation, and in a live setting, Bodyjar eclipsed them all.
Rancid – And Out Come The Wolves
Still on the pop punk tangent, these guys were different to that, they were channelling bands like The Clash and the Specials and giving it a whole new energy.
Hole – Celebrity Skin
One of the most polarising bands of the 90’s released one of the greatest pop records. The songwriting and production on here is incredible.
Supergrass – I Should Coco
In the height of Britpop, these guys exploded with a debut album that they recorded as teenagers. The fact they were lumped in as Britpop is just because they were from Oxford as sonically this is way more of a power pop release that pumps out way more energy than anything Oasis or Blur ever did.
Monster Magnet – Dope To Infinity
On the back of grunge, a heavier guitar orientated sound was emerging that would become known as stoner rock. While Kyuss drew on their desert surroundings, Fu Manch on their west coast lifestyle and Sleep got slower and heavier, Monster Magnet drew on heavy psych influences and really stepped up the production on this record, helping introduce the genre to a much wider audience.
D’Angelo – Brown Sugar
A high point for the soul/R&B genre, not just for the 90’s but all time. Incredibly smooth, immaculate production and an influence that continues in some of today’s biggest artists.
Sheryl Crow – Tuesday Night Music Club
As an album there are some weaker moments but it has a couple of the best pop singles from the decade on it, moulding country and rock influences into a slick pop format.
The Simpsons – Songs In The Key Of Springfield
Maybe a crazy pick, but you can’t focus on the 90’s without talking about The Simpsons, I’d argue the biggest pop culture entity of the decade. Music always featured heavily in the show with many iconic artists getting their moment in Springfield but here are the tunes that featured through early years of the series. You’ll be able to visualise exactly what is gong on when you hear them spin on the record.