747 avsnitt • Längd: 55 min • Veckovis: Tisdag
Weekly episodes digging up lost and forgotten 90s rock — in-depth album reviews, roundtable discussions, and artist interviews that reveal the unique story of the 90s.
The podcast Dig Me Out: 90s Rock is created by Dig Me Out. The podcast and the artwork on this page are embedded on this page using the public podcast feed (RSS).
On their second album Young And Full Of The Devil, Magic Dirt blended fuzzed out psych and stoner riffage with a grunge-tinged snarl. The throat shredding vocals of Adalita Srsen lend comparisons to bands like Hole, The Distillers, or L7, but the band delves into darker, scuzzier territory on tracks like the opening opus "Babycakes" and the closer and bonus track "Babycakes You Always Freeze Me Up." The foursome display a penchant for uptempo riffage on songs like "Rabbit With Fangs" and the appropriately titled "She-Riff" layered in a variety of guitar pedals and effects, but some odd choices on the back half of the record left us scratching our heads about what started out with strong intentions but veered into less concise territory.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Short Black
22:03 - Shrinko
28:54 - She-Riff
35:02 - Ascot Red
43:36 - X-Ray
Outro - Rabbit With Fangs
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.It's hard to reconcile the importance of a band like Pavement considering their lack of mainstream popularity and pedestrian album sales But like The Velvet Underground and others before them whose underground popularity helped launch a thousand bands, Pavement's twisted takes on pop rock, post-punk, jam bands, and even country somehow make their 1994 sophomore album Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain made a big impression on those looking for something the radio and MTV didn't offer. Witty lyrics, slacker vibes, jangly and occasionally conflicting guitars were present on their debut, but the band honed their skills to craft catchy, off-kilter melodies on tracks like "Cut Your Hair" and "Range Life."
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Cut Your Hair
24:36 - Silence Kid
37:06 - Fillmore Jive
46:59 - Heaven Is a Truck
56:53 - Range Life
Outro - Gold Soundz
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Like so many second and third wave grunge bands, aka post-grunge, the opportunity for chart and sales success depended on a big hit. For Atlanta, Georgia's doubleDrive, they didn't manage to score the big radio or MTV single in 1999 with their debut album 1000 Yard Stare, but what they produced was something more interesting than what many of their contemporaries had to offer. The production gives the entire band a chance to shine, and the twin guitar attack gets closer to the post-hardcore of Helmet, Quicksand, and Handsome at times. Unlike their post-grunge contemporaries Puddle of Mudd or Creed, the band doesn't slog around the mid-tempo for long, injecting plenty of energy and avoiding a ballad completely. But also like their post-grunge contemporaries, a reliance on the vocal stylings of singers like Eddie Vedder and Scott Weiland put a stamp on the sound that chips away at the originality.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - 1000 Yard Stare
22:31 - Belief System
27:12 - Tattooed Bruise
35:02 - Vamp
38:45 - Gone
40:50 - Reason
Outro - Hell
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The only way a radio listener or MTV watcher could avoid Basket Case, Longview, Welcome To Paradise, or When I Come Around in 1994 or 1995 was to be in a remote jungle or alone on the moon. The pop-punk explosion, led by the Bay-area trio Green Day and followed a few months later by The Offspring, would unseat grunge as the dominant underground scene making waves in the mainstream and open the door for a plethora of bands getting signed to major labels, like Rancid, NOFX, and Jawbreaker. With Dookie, the band found the perfect collaborator in producer Rob Cavallo, who kept punk energy and edge while helping the band dial in the guitars, bass, and drum sounds that would pop off the speakers. Thirty (!) years later, the album retains its energy, and repeated listens get under the hood of the band, showcasing the lock-step rhythm section of drummer Tre Cool and bassist Mike Dirnt that often carries the songs while lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong crafts catchy, relatable lyrics with tasteful harmonies that elevate the album to something special.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Burnout
19:35 - Basket Case
37:41 - Longview
42:44 - F.O.D.
47:59 - When I Come Around
Outro - She
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Not many 90s rock bands called Arkansas home, and even fewer looked to the straightforward radio pop of 1970s and 80s as a launching point for their sound. Yet on Ho Hum's 1996 debut Local, the band from Bradley, Arkansas tuned the radio dial to sounds of Big Star, The Plimsouls, The Knack, Dramarama, and early Tom Petty, to name a few, for their catchy, unpretentious sound. Though released in the middle of alternative decade, there isn't a note of angst or grunge to be found, instead forging a sound closer to likes of Velvet Crush, Sloan, Superdrag and Matthew Sweet at their most straightforward. From uptempo gems like opener "Around the World" to the infectious "Don't Go Out with Your Friends Tonite," to soulful ballads "Disappear" and "Superhuman," both featuring horn sections, the band clearly has an ear for an earworm melody.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Around the World
21:15 - Here She Comes
24:41 - Pills and Guns
27:04 - Frozen
31:06 - Disappear
34:12 - Superhuman
Outro - Don't Go Out with Your Friends Tonite
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Emerging from the same mid-90s Chicago scene that saw bands like Veruca Salt, Loud Lucy, Menthol, Triple Fast Action, and Local H get signed to major labels, Fig Dish delivered alternative guitar rock that paid homage to the legends of Mt. Rockmore - Zander, Mascis, Mould, and Westerberg - under the Polygram Records (and subsidiaries) banner. Their discovery is the stuff of legend: the band sent demo cassettes to various major labels with a handwritten note from “Steve,” claiming to have found a band worth checking out, banking on the idea that everyone knows a Steve and the label would think it was a genuine tip.
Despite their immediately catchy songs that could easily fit into any alternative rock radio playlist, the band (Blake Smith - vocals/guitar, Rick Ness - vocals/guitar, Mike Willison - bass, Andy Hamilton - drums) struggled to grasp the elusive brass ring. Their single “Seeds” was released with a video but saw limited play on MTV’s 120 Minutes. Touring across the country, they opened for acts like Juliana Hatfield, Veruca Salt, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, Owsley, and Walt Mink. However, their 1995 album, That’s What Love Songs Often Do, produced by Lou Giordano, failed to make a significant impact. Their 1997 follow-up, When Shove Goes Back to Push, recorded under challenging circumstances, also ended up in used CD bins despite featuring some of the catchiest rock tunes of the year. In a last-ditch effort, the band filmed a video for “When Shirts Get Tight” featuring adult film stars in humorous, over-the-top scenarios. The video, too risqué for MTV, became more myth than reality.
By 1998, Fig Dish’s tenure with Polygram ended unceremoniously. They recorded new songs at Andy Gerber’s Million Yen studio in Chicago, hoping for a second chance that never materialized. Smith and Willison went on to form Caviar (known for “Tangerine Speedo”), while Ness and Bill Swartz (who played drums on Shove) formed Ness.
Recently, Forge Again Records from Chicago reached out to the band to release their two albums on vinyl for the first time. While the band agreed, navigating the bureaucratic red tape with record labels has been time-consuming. In the meantime, Forge Again asked if Fig Dish had any unreleased material, leading to the release of their 1998 demos as Feels Like the Very Second Time on vinyl.
In this interview, Smith and Ness reveal there was no dramatic story behind the band’s breakup; the members remain friends and stay in touch. While they won’t be quitting their day jobs to relive their (less than) glory days, there’s a strong possibility that Fig Dish will release new material in the near future.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Burn Bright For Now
13:54 - Pretty Never Hurts
Outro - When Shirts Get Tight
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Is Nü Metal the most divisive music subgenre of the 1990s? It sure seems to generate a lot of hate, but is also beloved by millions of fans. Eschewing the traditions of classic NWOBHM bands (guitar solos, leather, fist-pumping athems), Nü Metal rose from the same underground that embraced both hip-hop and mosh pits, with its own style (baggy pants, tracksuits, baseball caps) more reminiscent of Run D.M.C. than Judas Priest. In the same way that punk was a response to the bloated stylings of 70s corporate and progressive rock, Nü Metal stripped away the overindulgence of previous metal incarnations and focused on rhythm and catharsis. Bands like Korn, Papa Roach, and Linkin Park wrote about the dark underbelly of suburban home life, with varying musical approaches, while others like Slipknot, Mudvayne, and Static-X added a layer of theatrical presentation in their looks. We revisit not just the Nü Metal period, but also what came before it, bands like Anthrax and Public Enemy teaming up, the alternative approaches of Primus, Faith No More, and Rage Against The Machine, and explore the looks, the sounds and legacy of Nü Metal.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Blind by Korn (from Korn)
17:11 - Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck by Prong (from Cleansing)
26:20 - We Care A Lot by Faith No More (from Introduce Yourself)
37:04 - Denial by Sevendust (from Home)
49:32 - Last Resort by Papa Roach (from Infest)
50:27 - Rock That Doesn't Roll / Dope Nostalgia podcast promos
58:21 - A.D.I.D.A.S. by Korn (from Life Is Peachy)
1:11:24 - 10 Seconds Down by Sugar Ray (from Lemonade and Brownies)
1:24:35 - Boom by P.O.D. (from Satellite)
Outro - Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle) by Limp Bizkit (from Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Bands scoring a hit with a single that doesn't sound much like the rest of the album is not unusual. Blur, Sugar Ray, the Butthole Surfers, Nada Surf, and more had hits that might have confused buyers when the bought the respective albums, and the same goes for Faithless, and their 1998 album Sunday 8 PM. Thanks to the uptempo house hit "God Is A DJ," the band gained fans on both sides of the Atlantic. However, aside from one other track, the rest of the album runs at half that speed, mixing electronic downtempo and soul sampled trip-hop. It results in an uneven album that feels more like a collection of really good singles instead of a cohesive musical statement, but the highs, including a stirring vocal performance by Boy George, make the record one worth checking out.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - The Garden
20:19 - Why Go?
32:02 - Hour of Need
36:01 - Rock That Doesn't Roll / Dope Nostalgia podcast promos
39:03 - Bring My Family Back
42:12 - God Is A DJ
Outro - Killer's Lullaby
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The 90s featured the rise of a several varieties of electronic music into the mainstream. The electronica of Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers and the industrial of Nine Inch Nails and Stabbing Westward became household names thanks to MTV and alternative radio station playlists, but not far behind were the late night grooves of trip-hop thanks to Portishead and Massive Attack. Combining samples and live instrumentation, and taking influence from reggae, dub, soul, jazz and more, the 1998 third album Mezzanine slowly unfurls from the start with opener "Angel" and keeps the listener entranced. From there, the band carefully weaves drum, bass, synths, and a variety of other instruments with three perfectly matched guest vocalists into a constantly shifting sonic landscape.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Teardrop (from Mezzanine)
27:20 - Angel (from Mezzanine)
32:57 - Risingson (from Mezzanine)
35:57 - Rock That Doesn't Roll / Dope Nostalgia podcast promos
52:54 - Paradise Circus (from Heligoland)
Outro - Inertia Creeps (from Mezzanine)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Though hailing from the same Champaign, Illinois scene that birthed Hum and Braid, Poster Children might have flown under your radar. Their major label years were fruitful artistically, but record sales didn't match the critical acclaim, and so the band ended their deal with 1997's RTFM. Opener "Black Dog" unleashes a thumping uppercut with massive guitars and a pummeling rhythm section, and while some of their indie-rock brethren from the time esched showy guitar licks, brothers Rick and Jim Valentin have no qualms about turning up the distortion and letting it rip, like on the frenzied "Music Of America" or dancy "21st Century." The album packs an unexpected punch, but doesn't ignore the subtle moments as well, like on the new wave-ish "Afterglow" or bass-driven "King Of The Hill."
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Black Dog
18:49 - 0 for 1
22:39 - Dream Small
25:33 - King Of The Hill
30:45 - Rock That Doesn't Roll/Dope Nostalgia podcast promos
44:55 - 21st Century
48:00 - Music Of America
1:01:40 - Afterglow
Outro - Happens Everyday
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Thanks to the sales explosion of compact discs in the 1990s, the expanded playable length of time from forty-four minutes of vinyl to nearly eight minutes gave bands plenty of room to stretch and experiment not only on albums but other releases as well. Re-enter the single, once the domain of 7" vinyl and cassingles, cd singles allowed for bands to release even more material across multiple formats, occasionally helping to propel bands on multiple charts with dance remixes and such. Depeche Mode were no stranger to using singles to release non-album material, and one fine example is the 1990 World In My Eyes maxi-single released by their American label, Sire Records. Compiling the single remix of the title track along with 12" club remixes, and adding a pair of non-album tracks in multiple mixes, turns a simple single into a forty minute, seven-track mini-album, and gives us even more Depeche Mode material to talk about.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - World In My Eyes 7" Version
29:13 - World In My Eyes (Oil Tank Mix)
33:25 - World In My Eyes (Mode to Joy)
38:50 - Rock That's Doesn't Roll / Dope Nostalgia podcast promos
50:02 - Happiest Girl (Jack Mix)
55:11 - Sea of Sin (Tonal Mix)
Outro - Happiest Girl (The Pulsating Orbital Mix)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Plenty of guitar-oriented bands rose to prominence in the 1990s thanks to wave after wave of new artists from various genres. The Seattle sound, pop punk, Britpop, etc. all offered a diverse array of sounds for six-string fans. It was like the 1980s era of guitar heroes, but with an emphasis on diversity of tone and style - the melodic mayhem of J. Mascis to the angular buzzsaw of Kim Thayil to the jazzy funk of John Frusciante - all finding the balance between creative tangents and serving the songs. That brings us to Big Hate, an Atlanta via New York band that utilize a fuzz pedal to its maximum potential. From the opener "Century," that features a lazy slide adding just the right amount of dissonance, to the riffing "Writer's Block," the band takes full advantage of their twin guitar attack. But while it shines musically, the band leaves a bit to be desired vocally, from not nailing a truly hooky chorus, to often sliding into early Our Lady Peace / Raine Maida territory.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Century
15:46 - West Virginia
20:34 - Disappointed
22:45 - Writer's Block
24:41 - Rock That Doesn't Roll / Dope Nostalgia podcast promos
34:35 - Lemonade
38:13 - Sufi
Outro - Beauty Mark
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.By the end of the 1990s, mixing rock and other genres was no big deal, but in the first half the first half of the decade it was still a novel idea. 311 established their unique sound by mixing elements rock, reggae, hip-hop, and funk, and on their sophomore album Grassroots, bits of 70s progressive rock and psychedelic jam bands. The innovative fusion of genres, combined with high-energy vocal and musical performances, make the album an undeniable head-bobber. On the flip-side, the band can lock into a staccato delivery across instruments, not exploring interesting counter melodies or rhythms, while certain genre touches can go overboard into straight-up imitation. Depending on your musical preferences, it can make for an exciting experience or a repetitive disappointment.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Homebrew
23:54 - Lucky
28:32 - Salsa
40:40 - Rock That Doesn't Roll / Dope Nostalgia podcast promos
48:47 - Omaha Stylee
57:43 - 8:16 AM
Outro - 1, 2, 3
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.After achieving massive success in the 1970s and 80s, Bruce Springsteen began the 1990s with the release of two albums in 1992, "Human Touch" and "Lucky Town," which showcased a departure from his work with the E Street Band. Like with his 1987 album "Tunnel of Love," Springsteen explored more personal themes at the end of his marriage and relocation from New Jersey to Los Angeles. Despite mixed critical reception, the albums produced notable singles like "Human Touch" and "Better Days." While some wrote off Springsteen as stale and out of touch, he returned on the soundtrack to the movie Philadelphia with the haunting and sparse "Streets of Philadelphia." He followed that up in 1995 with "The Ghost of Tom Joad," a stark, acoustic folk album that harkened back to the style of "Nebraska" and focused on social and economic issues, earning him critical acclaim and a Grammy Award for the title track. This period, though less commercially dominant than the 1980s, demonstrated Springsteen's versatility and commitment to evolving as an artist, and the 1998 four-disc compilation Tracks made up of 66-outtakes from the earliest years of his career up to the 90s showcased his hidden gems and concert-only favorites, leading up to his induction into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Better Days (Lucky Town)
19:12 - Leap of Faith (Lucky Town)
34:42 - Streets of Philadelphia (Philadelphia soundtrack)
45:27 - Rock That Doesn't Roll / Dop Nostalgia podcast promos
50:20 - Youngstown (The Ghost of Tom Joad)
1:03:45 - Born In The U.S.A. (Tracks)
1:11:52 - American Skin (41 Shots) (Live)
Outro - 57 Channels (And Nothin' On) (Human Touch)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The provocative album covers and lyrical content have kept the Dwarves an underground band for four decades, appreciated by punk enthusiasts and fellow musicians across musical genres. After getting dropped by Sub Pop, the band returned with The Dwarves Are Young and Good Looking in 1997. While a cursory listen pins this as classic punk rock, the band isn't afraid to push the pop end of punk thanks to doubled and harmonized vocals spitting out obviously catch choruses that only missed mainstream attention thanks to a liberal use of explicit language and themes.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Crucifixion Is Now
20:43 - I Will Deny
25:54 - Rock That Doesn't Roll / Dope Nostalgia podcast promos
28:17 - Everybodies Girl
30:08 - You Gotta Burn
39:02 - Unrepentant
45:52 - Demonica
Outro - We Must Have Blood
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.No one would have faulted the surviving members of For Squirrels for moving on from music after the horrific accident that claimed the life of their singer, bassist, and road manager. It took years for guitarist/singer Travis Tooke and drummer Jack Griego to regroup with new bassist Andy Jim Lord under the new moniker Subrosa and land a new record deal, the end result being their 1997 lone release Never Bet The Devil Your Head. While For Squirrels drew comparisons to the college rock of R.E.M., Subrosa dials up rock, dabbling in a post-hardocre riffage while Tooke switches between a lower register singing voice and a fiery growl. Passionate but uneven, the record doesn't shy away from the past for the Tooke and Griego, who channel their catharsis in equal parts volume and melancholy.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Never The Best
13:42 - World's Greatest Lover
23:01 - The Life Inside Me Killed This Song
28:38 - Antigen Fiend
32:33 - Dope Nostalgia Promo
34:27 - Damn The Youth
Outro - Rollercoaster
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.It's hard to look back on the 1990s and remember a time when Alanis Morissette was not one of its most recognizable artists. At the start of the decade, unless you were familiar with Canadian pop music or the Nickelodeon show "You Can't Do That On Television," you'd be forgiven for not knowing her name. In 1995, that all changed. Thanks to a meeting with songwriter/producer Glen Ballard, the creatively frustrated 19-year old teen pop star was able to reinvent herself by stripping away the restraints of her previous career and starting anew. Songwriting sessions with Ballard allowed Morissette to unleash her voice, sonically and lyrically, one demo at a time into what would become one of the most successful albums in history. As impressive as the sales numbers are, unlike other massive multi-platinum world sellers, Jagged Little Pill does it without being glossy and over-produced, relying on simple drum loops, tasteful guitars, and the occasional bouncy bassline to provide the foundation for Morissette's singular voice.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - You Outta Know
29:52 - Right Through You
32:35 - Dope Nostalgia Promo
37:03 - All I Really Want
46:55 - Not The Doctor
50:56 - Mary Jane
Outro - Head Over Feet
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Nine Inch Nails' second studio album, The Downward Spiral, is Trent Reznor's chronicle of self-destruction through themes of addiction, depression, and existential despair. Free from the interference of TVT Records, it marked a significant recording and songwriting evolution for Reznor, building upon the . While the industrial rock genre had already combined heavy guitar riffs with electronic elements, Reznor's innovative production techniques combined with his ear for melody helped launch the album and band from the underground world to dance charts, daily MTV play, and global recognition.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Mr. Self Destruct
33:07 - Piggy
36:42 - I Do Not Want This
40:58 - The Becoming
46:02 - Heresy
58:39 - Closer To God (single)
Outro - Hurt
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.With their tenth album, Jump Rope, just released, a fortunate stroke of serendipity landed Buffalo Tom's third album Let Me Come Over at the top of our most recent Patreon album poll. Having recorded their first two albums with J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr., the band took a different approach for their 1992 release, heading to Fort Apache Studios to work with Sean Slade and Paul Q. Kolderie. With guitars and tempos dialed down a bit, introspective lyrics and melancholy melodies become clearer in the mix, while tasteful layers of acoustic guitars, keys, and other additions help fill-out the three-piece sound.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Staples
15:27 - Mineral
17:24 - Stymied
26:25 - Taillights Fade
29:54 - I'm Not There
Outro - Porchlight
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Following the end of Galaxie 500, Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang were ready to give up on music. Thanks to Mark Kramer of Shimmy Disc, who coaxed them back into the studio, the pair formed Damon and Naomi, and released their debut More Sad Hits in 1992. While continuing the dream pop/slowcore sound of Galaxie 500, the band stretch their sound in various ways, with subtle basslines playing off the vocal melodies, hits of French pop and jazz, and the varied vocal approach with each taking lead, as well as harmonizing on several tracks. Neither high or lo-fi, it's melancholy but not depressing, a fine needle to thread.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Boston's Daily Temperature
13:25 - E.T.A.
17:28 - Information Age
24:19 - Once More
28:43 - Astrafiammante
Outro - This Changing World
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Starting as the inexplicable Rainbow Butt Monkeys in the early 90s, the band wisely changed their name after the 1995 debut release and reconfigured their sound on 1998's Tip as Finger Eleven. With the capable Arnold Lanni behind the board, the band combined contemporary elements of Our Lady Peace, Helmet, Quicksand, and more in their post-grunge approach. A pair of big, thick guitar sounds with a rock steady rhythm section give singer Scott Anderson a strong base to work with, like on the riff-heavy "Condenser" and "Glimpse." But the band has multiple gears, like the subdued "Awake and Dreaming" and Tool-lite closer, "Swallowtail." If there is anything working against the band, it's the restraint they adhere to, keeping second guitar leads to a minimum and occasionally drifting vocally into Raine Maida territory.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Condenser
26:46 - Alone
35:33 - Quicksand
40:25 - Swallowtail
Outro - Glimpse
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.In terms of unexpected successes in the music industry, Hootie & the Blowfish might be the biggest one of all. Having spent years playing southern bars as the 80s gave way to the 90s, the band couldn't get a record deal despite success with an independent EP. The A&R rep that signed them did so because they didn't sound like what was popular, and Atlantic Records gave them a fraction of their standard advance and no money to make a video for their 1994 debut Cracked Rear View. Years of honing their chops on the SEC circuit meant the pop-rock tunes with a tinge of southern flavor were tight and catchy - the perfect antidote to the domination of minor chord and drop-tuned Seattle sound that dominated after the release of Nevermind. Naturally, as their record sales exploded, backlash wasn't far behind, which quickly made the band fodder for comedians and music journalist poison pens. So is the hate directed at four compentent musicians with a goofy band name and over twenty-million albums sold valid?
Thank you to Tara for her years of support, please check out Prism United.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Hold My Hand
26:47 - Hannah Jane
29:35 - Drowning
48:40 - Only Wanna Be With You
52:29 - Running From An Angel
Outro - Goodbye
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Led by vocalist Angie Hart and guitarist Simon Austin, Frente! emerged from Melbourne, Australia, with a sound that blended acoustic folk with a touch of alternative rock. On their 1992 debut Marvin the Album, Hart's angelic vocals combined with Austin's intricate guitar work create an intimate listening experience. It was completely out of step with the heavy Seattle sounds dominating radio playlists at the time, but the band made commercial inroads thanks to their non-album cover of New Order's classic synth-pop dance hit "Bizarre Love Triangle." For such a focused, stripped down record, some of the production choices left us scratching our heads, like an obnoxiously loud snare caked in heavy reverb, or a free jazz excursion completely out of step with the rest of the record.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Accidently Kelly Street
23:17 - No Time
27:00 - Cuscatlan
32:38 - 1.9.0
35:23 - Ordinary Angels
39:58 - Most Beautiful
Outro - Labour of Love
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The 1994 album Foolish by Superchunk might be the defining indie rock album of the 1990s. Raw musical energy paired with introspective lyrics and hooks that grab hold from the first track to the last. The band's signature blend of punk and pop shines through in every distorted chord or note that guitarist and lead singer Mac McCaughan sings or strums, creating an album that feels both urgent and timeless. Tracks like "Driveway to Driveway" and "Like a Fool" showcase the band's knack for crafting sneakily catchy melodies while maintaining the emotional depth of a record that famously followed the breakup of McCaughan and bassist Laura Balance. The end result is a vital record that defines the 1990s indie rock sound.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Water Wings
17:23 - Driveway to Driveway
29:41 - Why Do You Have to Put a Date on Everything
35:07 - Kicked In
40:18 - Like A Fool
Outro - The First Part
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.When Muse released their debut album Showbiz in 1999, the Radiohead and Jeff Buckley comparison were unavoidable. Lumped in with Coldplay, Paloalto, Ours, and other bands whose male vocalists utilized a falsetto, the band never actually quite fit in, and their trajectory in the 2000s is evidence they were thinking bigger. While so many music critics were happy to cast aspersions of Matthew Bellamy for his vocal approach, the actual music got less attention than it deserved. Only a three piece, the rhythm section of bassist Chris Wolstenholme and drummer Dominic Howard were largely overlooked, which is a shame. Plenty has been written about Bellamy's vocals, but combined with the melodic bass lines often harmonizing with the vocal, or the variety in Howard's playing, that slyly incorporates non-rock rhythms like on the tango-influenced "Uno," the band is much more adventurous than any of its contemporaries.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Sunburn
16:11 - Muscle Museum
23:39 - Falling Down
30:20 - Uno
Outro - Sober
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.In 1992, INXS released Welcome to Wherever You Are and instead of touring, headed back into the studio for a quick follow-up. 1993's Full Moon, Dirty Hearts was the result, a mixed bag of innovation incorporating bass grooves on tracks like "The Gift" and "Cut Your Roses Down" while still writing anthemic choruses on tracks like "Days of Rust" and "Time." In the midst of the grunge takeover of America, it's not surprising the album didn't fare well with radio or the charts. While guest vocalists Ray Charles and Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders are welcome, their inclusion didn't push the needle. Revisiting the album, it's an interesting crossroads of what the band was and the sounds of the decade to come, with electronic elements sneaking in that wouldn't sound out of place later in the decade.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - The Gift
21:17 - Time
25:13 - Cut Your Roses Down
32:16 - Kill The Pain
41:12 - Please (You Got That...)
Outro - Days of Rust
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.All the way back in season seven, we reviewed Save Ferris’s 1997 release It Means Everything, the first ska album discussed on a deep dive for the podcast. Seven years later, we catch up with Save Ferris lead singer Monique Powell who discusses how she joined the ska-punk band, the highs and lows of signing to a major label, what it was like being on the road with artists like Sugar Ray and The Offspring in the late ‘90s and the current status of the band. During the interview, we briefly discussed the legal fight Powell was engaged in with former members which led to Powell taking ownership of the group and retroactively being given co-songwriting credits for songs that appeared on It Means Everything and 1999’s Modified. To read more about the case, read the 2019 Forbes magazine feature.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - The World Is New
30:47 - Come On Eileen
Outro - The World Is New
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
Rock music genres often get reduced to a "Big Four." For Grunge, it was Alice In Chains, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. For Thrash, Anthrax, Megadeth, Metallica, and Slayer made the grade. In 90s Britpop, Oasis, Blur, Pulp and Suede got the nod. But as if often the case, the bands on the cusp are often as interesting or even more-so thanks to being just outside the spotlight. In the case of Supergrass, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones creep in as influences like their Britpop contemporaries, but the energetic attitude and willingness to embrace the chaos of The Who's rhythm section and the concise songwriting perfection of The Kinks helps their second album, 1997's In It for the Money, exceed not just their debut, but most of the Britpop catalog. Looking at the charts, it's not hard to see why killer singles like "Richard III," "Cheapskate," "Sun Hits The Sky" and "Late in the Day" failed to impact American radio and pop culture consciousness. While Blur had "woo-hoos" and Third Eye Blind had "do do do's," Supergrass ditched guitar solos for theremins and vintage synthesizers, constructing layered pop gems that deserve revisiting.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - In It for the Money
27:40 - Sun Hits the Sky
31:42 - You Can See Me
35:45 - Going Out
40:08 - Tonight
Outro - Richard III
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.You're forgiven if you tried to search for Pollen on the internet and struggled to find this band. Besides the numerous bands named Pollen, there is also the issue of their debut 1998 album The Glorious Couch Life not appearing on streaming services, rendering it hard to find for the average music listener. That's a shame, because throughout the record, Pollen finds the combination of indie rock energy tinged with a little garage and some danceable rhythms, topped with catchy melodies and smart lyrics. Shades of American bands like Superchunk, Guided By Voices, Beck, Death Cab For Cutie, and Sebadoh peak through, as well as Australian contemporaries like Screamfeeder, Ratcat, Ammonia, and Moler, permeate the sound, from the propulsive "Greater Than" and "Sin as Fast as You Can" to the angular "Walruses to Whales" and quirky "Settle the Score on the Dancefloor."
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Million Destinations
12:25 - Sin as Fast as You Can
16:18 - Brighter Day
21:28 - Settle the Score on the Dancefloor
25:08 - Soma and Nerves of Steel
27:56 - Special Features
Outro - Not Rocket Science
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Formed in a city best known for either Motown Soul or Garage Rock, shoegazers Majesty Crush were an anomaly in the early ‘90s Detroit music scene. Inspired by the music coming out of the UK, Majesty Crush’s sound employed swirling guitars, hazy vocals, and captivating dreaminess while incorporating elements of soul and R&B. After their song “No. 1 Fan” received significant airplay during prime hours on the Windsor radio station 89X, Majesty Crush - David Stroughter (vocals), Mike Segal (guitars), Hobey Echlin (bass) and Odell Nails (drums) - signed with Dali Records, a subsidiary of Warner/Elektra and released their debut full-length, Love 15, in 1993. However, just a month after the album came out, Dali Records folded bringing Majesty Crush’s momentum to a halt and, ultimately, to an end just a few years later. Though their time was short, the band amassed a small but loyal following in the shoegaze scene of the early ‘90s and have been cited as an influence for everything from indie guitar groups to metal bands. And curators of this style of music have sought out Majesty Crush’s music to include on compilations like Third Man Records’ Southeast of Saturn which features 19 tracks from Detroit shoegaze and dream pop artists. In March 2024, Numero Group released Butterflies Don’t Go Away, a 2 LP set featuring the Love 15 album as well as singles, EPs, and rarities, all remastered from the original tapes. The package is completed by a 24-page booklet. Majesty Crush bassist Hobey Echlin joins us on this episode for a deep dive into not only his band’s career but the ‘90s independent music world. As a music journalist, Echlin has amassed a number of stories over the years and this conversation - at times - goes to places you’d never expect.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - No. 1 Fan
29:33 - "Club Connect" TV show intro
33:46 - Worri
1:25:17 - Space Between Your Moles
1:30:47 - Where the F**k is Kevin Shields? (by PS I Love You)
Outro - Uma
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
Leitmotif, released in 1999 by Los Gatos, California quartet Dredg, is a concept album exploring themes of identity and time. The album blends elements of alternative rock, progressive rock, nu-metal, and post-hardcore, showcasing the band's skillful versatility, drawing comparison to fellow California bands Tool and Deftones. With its intricate instrumentations and dynamic shifts, Leitmotif takes listeners on an emotive musical journey through its narrative arc. Where the band runs into trouble is in the indulgences, stretching out noisy outros or delayed intros far too long, and ending on an unnecessary jam below their skill set. What looks like an album quickly shrinks to something more like a long EP, missing a few tracks that focused on their talents instead of their experimentation.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Movement I: @45N. 180W
13:15 - Lechium
16:57 - Movement IV: RR
23:40 - Penguins in the Desert
32:13 - Traversing Through the Arctic Cold, We Search for the Spirit of Yuta
Outro - Yatahaze
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Released during the decline of 80s hair metal and rise of 90s Seattle grunge and alternative, the 1992 album It's A Shame About Ray by The Lemonheads is rarely mentioned as being in the pantheon of 90s album, but maybe it should. Sporting tight and smart songwriting arrangements with track after track of catchy hooks, lead singer and guitarist Evan Dando, bassist and backup singer Juliana Hatfield, and drummer David Ryan make the most of their sub-thirty minute album, packing short songs with simple but well-thought-out changes and dynamics on par with contemporaries like Sugar, Buffalo Tom, and Dinosaur Jr.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - It's A Shame About Ray
21:39 - Hannah & Gabi
27:41 - My Drug Buddy
33:05 - Alison's Starting to Happen
40:30 - Bit Part
Outro - Confetti
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.With the music landscape dominated by the grunge movement coming out of Seattle, it’s little wonder that Pennsylvania’s Riverside, a band influenced by the likes of The Smiths and Echo and the Bunnymen, didn’t stand a chance. Featuring Keith Kochanowicz (vocals, guitar, organ) and his brother Glenn Kochanowicz (bass, vocals), Kenneth Jackson (guitars), and Geoff Verne (drums), the band’s debut - and ultimately lone - album for Sire Records, One, was released in 1992. While featuring a number of alt-rock-radio friendly songs (“Waterfall,” “Cinnamon Eyes,”), Riverside couldn’t catch a break and were dropped by the label despite finishing a sophomore album, Taste. More than 30 years after One’s release, the Kochanowicz brothers hooked up with the Lost in Ohio record label and a Kickstarter campaign was launched to fund the first-ever pressing of the album on vinyl. Despite never achieving massive success in the ‘90s, the campaign was fully funded within weeks of the announcement and the vinyl will be available later this summer. In this conversation, the Kochanowicz brothers discuss the formation of the band, how fellow Pennsylvania band The Ocean Blue served as mentors, the realities of having a major label record deal in the ‘90s, and what happened after Sire dropped Riverside.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - Waterfall
7:15 - General Nature
57:00 - Waterfall
1:04:48 - Marvel (from Taste)
Outro - Cinnamon Eyes
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
By 1994, Sinéad O'Connor had established herself as a musical powerhouse willing to take risks behind the microphone and under the hot spotlight of the media. Following up her third album, the 1992 release Am I Not Your Girl?, consisting mostly of jazz standards, O'Connor returned with an album of diverse musical styles, blending elements of folk, rock, and traditional Irish sounds. The mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation, from the trip-hop flavored singles "Fire On Babylon" and "Thank You For Hearing Me," bookend a much more subdued and intimate affair, including a cappella tracks and a hushed cover of "All Apologies" by Nirvana. While some of the 90s electronic production ends up sounding dating, overall the album reflects a generational talent pushing the limits of mainstream music.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - My Darling Child
20:36 - John I Love You
23:41 - Fire on Babylon
34:44 - All Babies
40:59 - Famine
1:00:26 - Thank You For Hearing Me
Outro - Red Football
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Compilation albums have helped define a musical scene or time period for decades, and the roots of 90s alternative rock are unmistakably tied to the underground music of the 1980s. While punk exploded into the mainstream 1994 thanks to million selling albums by Green Day and The Offspring, the seeds were planted in the small scenes across the country more than a decade earlier, many of which were never documented. Luckily, those that got laid down on vinyl or tape often have unknown gems waiting to be discovered. In the case of the 1984 compilation, It Came From Slimey Valley, which documents the Oxnard, California "nardcore" scene, the hardcore sound isn't as predictable as one might expect, with bands occasionally slowing the tempo, incorporating more dynamics, or turning up the fuzz.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Prophesy by False Confession
16:24 - Death of Two Lovers by Flower Leperds
20:08 - Violent Children by Reign of Terror
22:43 - In the Trenches by Rigor Mortis
34:37 - Old Towne Mall by The Grim
39:09 - Boy's Life by Dr. Know
Outro - There's Someone in the Cellar by Crankshaft
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The 1999 album Black Visions of Crimson Wisdom by The Hookers is a loud, pummeling rock record that draws influence from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal as well as '80s hardcore and punk. Guitar riffs that would sound at home on Iron Maiden or Judas Priest albums rip while a thundering rhythm section propels the band with hardcore energy, keeping the songs short and tight and the album under thirty minutes. That turns out to be the right move, as the pummeling sound of the band never lets up, and lead singer Adam Neal has one gear - full-throat-shredding-throttle.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Maximum Overdrive
19:03 - Behold God's Candy
23:38 - Black Magic Stallion
27:10 - The End Is Comin'
47:09 - Ride The Dragon To The Crimson Light
Outro - Ball Crusher Love Machine
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.In a bar in Perth, Australia in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Fred Negro and his various bands tore through country-tinged punk rock soaked in beer and satire. One of these incarnations was The Brady Bunch Lawnmower Massacre, a short-lived name that produced a single, an EP, and the 1992 album Desperate Football. Like fellow garage post-punks The Scientists or The Birthday Party, on the surface the sound is big, loud and messy. But repeated listens reveal tighter than anticipated musicianship with some chorus hooks that will stay in your brain longer than expected.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Drink Myself to Live
20:21 - Nothing on Telly
24:59 - When Jesus Goes Surfing
31:09 - Carpark
36:00 - Blood Money
Outro - I've Only Got One Dick
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.By the time 1995 rolled around, punk had exploded into the mainstream thanks to releases the previous year by Green Day and The Offspring, as well as Bad Religion, Rancid, NOFX, and many more. It was also the year Jawbreaker released their third album 24 Hour Revenge Therapy, as well as the year they made the jump to a major label for their fourth and final album, Dear You. Showcasing a departure from their earlier raw sound towards a more polished, melodic approach, the band faced criticism from some punk purists who felt the band had strayed too far from their DIY roots, with accusations of selling out and alienating their hardcore fanbase. Despite the divided opinions, the album's impact has endured, influencing subsequent generations of punk and alternative rock musicians.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - I Love You So Much It's Killing Us Both
19:00 - Save Your Generation
30:10 - Bad Scene, Everyone's Fault
42:04 - Oyster
Outro - Fireman
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Released in 1994, the Indigo Girls' fifth album "Swamp Ophelia" marked a significant chapter in their career, following the critical and commercial success of their earlier works. The album, co-produced by Peter Collins, showcases the duo's distinctive harmonies and poignant songwriting, seamlessly blending folk and rock influences. Tracks like "Galileo" and "Power of Two" became anthems of the era, displaying their lyrical prowess and melodic charm. "Swamp Ophelia" received acclaim for its introspective and socially conscious themes, tackling issues such as love, identity, and environmental concerns. Despite its positive reception, the album leans towards a more polished sound compared to their previous works, potentially sacrificing some of the rawness that defined their earlier releases.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Fugitive
15:16 - Reunion
21:37 - The Wood Song
31:17 - The Power of Two
45:09 - Touch Me Fall
Outro - Least Complicated
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.In our latest and final "Albums of..." roundtable, we're tackling what might have been the most prolific year for releases of the entire decade. With the major labels scooping up bands to ride the alternative and grunge wave explosion into mainstream radio and on MTV, 1994 saw not only huge album releases from Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Nine Inch Nails, Alice In Chains, R.E.M. Nirvana, and more, but also the punk explosion thanks to Green Day, The Offspring, Rancid, Bad Religion, and others. This was also the year that across the pond from the US, Britpop topped the charts in the UK thanks to Blur and Oasis, while a new wave of alternative bands shot up the charts like Veruca Salt, Bush, Live, Weezer, Toadies, etc. while the indie underground produced classic records from Pavement, Guided By Voices, Low, Stereolab, Sebadoh, and Superchunk, to name a few. For a big year, we have a big group with a super-sized length. Enjoy!
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - 1994 Medley (Interstate Love Song by Stone Temple Pilots, Loser by Beck, Self Esteem by The Offspring, Buddy Holly by Weezer, I'm Broken by Pantera, March of the Pigs by Nine Inch Nails)
16:05 - Last Goodbye by Jeff Buckley
23:36 - Girls & Boys by Blur
39:10 - Everything Zen by Bush
50:25 - Very Best Years by The Grays
1:07:19 - Suffering by Satchel
1:13:30 - Bernie by Failure
1:30:40 - I Am I by Queensrÿche
1:50:51 - Feel The Pain by Dinosaur Jr.
Outro - Faster by Manic Street Preachers
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Although only active for a short time in the 1990s, Baltimore, Maryland's Love Nut still managed to bounce from indie to major labels back to the indies over the course of their two albums. Originally recorded for Interscope Records, the band ended up releasing their second and last album on the smaller label Big Deal, meaning more freedom but less budget money for promotion and marketing. Which is a shame, because revisiting ¡Baltimucho! it's clear the band were ripe for discovery with big, hooky power pop choruses that leaned on the 70s glam pop of Sweet as much as Cheap Trick.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Love Found You
15:58 - Everchanging World
21:20 - Bomb Pine
26:48: Everything Is Going Your Way
34:48 - Crop Duster
Outro - Stolen Picture
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.While Britpop bands like Oasis and Blur aped the sounds of British invasion bands like The Beatles and The Kinks, other UK bands explored less radio-friendly material. In the case of The Verve, long psychedelic jams improvised in the studio established the sound of the band on their 1993 debut album A Storm in Heaven. For their long-play 1995 follow-up, A Northern Soul, the band entered the studio with more composed ideas that edged away from formless psychedelia to incorporate more defined verses and choruses, and even an acoustic ballad on par with Wonderwall.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - A New Decade
16:50 - On Your Own
19:12 - Life's An Ocean
21:58 - So It Goes
31:57 - History
Outro - A Northern Soul
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Nailing down what exactly is "power pop" can be frustrating (we did a whole roundtable on it!), but the "power" end of it is usually found in the guitar section. From the big riffs of Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen to Robert Quine's excited guitar leads on Matthew Sweet albums, just because it's "pop" doesn't mean it doesn't rock. For their second album, Fountains of Wayne duo Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood recruited former Belltower guitarist Joey Porter and former Poises drummer Brian Young to complete the foursome. Two veteran players mean a tightened rhythm section and a bigger guitar sound that allows the band to expand their sound, touching not only on power pop from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, but elements of Britpop, psychedelia, and Queen grandiosity.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Red Dragon Tattoo
13:00 - Utopia Parkway
17:48 - Lost In Space
25:45 - Denise
Outro - A Fine Day For A Parade
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.It's hard to imagine a piano-led trio playing power-pop and 70s singer-songwriter influenced songs making headway in the sea of sorrow that was the first half of the 90s. Maybe it's better Ben Folds Five made their debut in 1995, when labels abandoned looking for the next Pearl Jam or Nirvana and went after anyone with a radio-friendly song that could pair with an MTV video. Boasting Billy Joel and Elton John-style piano flourishes over fuzzed out basslines and active drums, the trio move deftly through a dozen tracks of "punk rock for sissies" with smarts and savvy, keeping the songs tight with memorable melodies throughout. Though they would shoot into the mainstream on their follow-up, the self-titled debut effort shows the band had the songwriting chops from the start.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Jackson Cannery
21:55 - The Best Imitation of Myself
38:32 - Video
44:47 - Underground
Outro - Philosophy
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.There is a lot to talk about when we look back on 2023. Albums new and old from 90s and 00s artists blasted from our speakers and headphones everyday. As with our previous year-in-review episodes, we look back at our favorite new album discoveries, most brought to us by our Patreon community, as well as our most enjoyable round table experiences, and our favorite interviews conducted by Chip Midnight. Here's to season fourteen in 2024!
Songs In This Episode:
Intro/Outro - Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The explosion of Nevermind in 1991 pushed Sunset Strip bands that dominated the 1980s off of radio and MTV in favor of Seattle's Big 4 - Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains. Promotion and marketing budgets dried up, tours saw decreasing attendance, and it left many hair and glam rock bands wondering what to do next. For Warrant, who made a name on power ballads and Cherry Pie, the shifting winds allowed them to explore the songwriting talent of frontman Jani Lane. On 1992's Dog Eat Dog, innuendo is swapped for political and social commentary on "April 2031" while "All the Bridges Are Burning" tackles drug addiction, neither standard fare for LA bands. While there are a few straightforward nods to the first two albums, the band make it clear they were capable of entering Queensryche or other previously unexplored territory with ease, whether their fanbase and radio were ready or not.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Machine Gun
13:06 - April 2031
32:01 - Sad Theresa
41:13 - The Hole In My Wall
57:12 - Inside Out
Outro - Bonfire
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.For the next installment of our series looking back at the Diamond selling albums of the 1990s, we're revisiting the 1991 debut album Ten by Pearl Jam. Though it wasn't an immediate smash upon release, Ten built success on the back of singles like "Alive," "Evenflow," and "Jeremy" with heavy support from radio and MTV. Though the band pulled the plug on videos from then until their 1998 album Yield, demand for the band didn't diminish, as the follow-up Vs. became one of the bestselling debut weeks in music history. But Pearl Jam was not without their detractors, criticizing everything from Eddie Vedder's singing style to album production choices, lyrical content, their credibility as "Seattle band," dismissed as nothing more than classic rock, and more. Much has been said and written over the two-plus decades since its release, so is there really much more to explore? Yes, there is. Like, was Jeff Ament's bass playing the secret sauce that drove the Pearl Jam engine? Is the derided reverb-tinged production actually what makes the album special? And in the world of Gen Z and Alpha sporting Nirvana t-shirts, is Pearl Jam relevant to anyone under forty? Or have they become the new Grateful Dead?
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Evenflow
28:49 - Once
38:35 - Yellow Ledbetter
45:07 - Footsteps
45:47 - Times of Trouble (Temple Of The Dog)
55:18 - Alive
1:14:59 - Black (Live, Dissident Single)
Outro - Release
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com."Ágætis byrjun" by Sigur Rós was released in 1999 but didn't get proper attention until touring with Radiohead in 2000. The Icelandic post-rock band's sophomore album is lead by Jónsi Birgisson's haunting falsetto vocals partially in Hopelandic, a nonsensical language created by the band, is unlike anything from the time period. The album blends ambient, classical, and rock elements, creating a dreamlike and cinematic atmosphere. Each track is like it's own mini-movie, exploring a new sonic landscape that evokes everything from blissful euphoria to introspective melancholy. Hailed as a landmark album that pushed the boundaries of experimental music, the band employ a mix of classical orchestration and modern electronic elements, creating a one-of-a-kind cinematic and atmospheric experience.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Starálfur
21:14 - Svefn-g-englar
25:33 - Hjartað hamast (bamm bamm bamm)
45:06 - Olsen Olsen
Outro - Ný batterí
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.After a string of indie label seven inch releases, Velocity Girl from College Park, Maryland, released their debut album Copacetic on Seattle's legendary Sub Pop records. Taking their name from the Primal Scream track, the band leans into the UK sound of shoegaze with a layer of American indie and noise rock. Lead singer Sarah Shannon's vocal hover above the fray, the anchor in the three-to-four minutes of brittle guitars and thin rhythms that hamper the potential of Copacetic.
This episode is dedicated to Steven Jon, who passed away on November 23rd, 2023. RIP.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Crazy Town
19:15 - Audrey's Eyes
26:09 - Here Comes
30:49 - Pop Loser
38:29 - A Chang
Outro - Void I: Thousand Year Drift by Hollow Earth
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.It's our fourth year of getting the patrons together and giving thanks for the new music that gave us happiness and good vibes in 2023. There's a wide array of bands and artists, new and old, that helped make 2023 a great year for music. New albums from 1980s, 90s and 00s artists like Slowdive, The Hives, Louise Post of Veruca Salt, Depeche Mode, Drop Nineteens, Samiam, Gaz Coombes of Supergrass, Madder Rose, Juliana Hatfield, The Hold Steady, Brad, Ash, OMD, Allen Epley of Shiner and The Life And Times, The Church, PJ Harvey, Blur, DJ Shadow, and many more all released great late career records, while newer bands like Crown Hands, Spotlights, Houston, Vast Robot Armies, and several others landed on our radar. We also spend an inordinate amount of time rambling about the new Andre 3000 album, New Blue Sun.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Scapa Flow by Drop Nineteens
5:30 - Ghosts Again by Depeche Mode
20:43 - In The Moment That You're Born by Brad
35:40 - Graveyard Love by Mutoid Man
57:30 - Ants To You, Gods To Who? - Andre 3000
Outro - Countdown to Shutdown - The Hives
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Elastica burst onto the scene in 1995 with their highly acclaimed self-titled debut album, showcasing the band's distinctive blend of punk-inspired energy and catchy pop hooks. Elastica's minimalist sound and frontwoman Justine Frischmann's laid back vocals separated the band from their Britpop counterparts Blur, Suede, Oasis and Pulp. To help us revisit their freshman effort, we're joined by Rob Harvilla, host of the 60 Songs That Define the 90s podcast and his new corresponding book, out November 14th.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Connection
27:09 - Car Song
35:05 - Blue
39:43 - Indian Song
Outro - Line Up
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Leaving behind traditional rock 'n roll structures for more experimental avenues is nothing new for post-rock bands stretching back to The Velvet Underground drones or Brian Eno's ambient albums. It's stretches boundaries into free jazz, krautrock, math rock, and more often with a mechanical feel. That is quite the opposite of what the Dirty Three accomplish on their 1996 album Horse Stories, filled with the improvisations of Warren Ellis on violin, Mick Turners on guitars and bass, and Jim White on drum. The three-piece creates a wide cinematic scope, using space and slow building dynamics to evoke European folk ballads, traditional blues, classical music and much more.
Songs In This Episode
Intro -Sue's Last Ride
19:39 - At The Bar
28:03 - Warren's Lament
Outro - Red
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Superdrag first gained recognition with their debut album, "Regretfully Yours," which featured the hit single "Sucked Out." Elektra records upped the dough for a sophomore album hoping the band would follow-up the hit with more radio friendly singles. Instead, "Head Trip in Every Key," marked a significant departure from their freshman effort. The band continued to deliver their trademark catchy melodies, but this time, they incorporated more diverse musical elements, like psychedelic rock and Beach Boys-esque pop. The album featured a broader range of instruments and experimental sounds, showcasing the band's evolving musical maturity. The band's sound became more intricate and layered, reflecting a greater musical complexity in their compositions. Despite these changes, Superdrag's unmistakable energy and John Davis' distinctive vocals remained at the core of their sound, making "Head Trip in Every Key" an important milestone in their musical evolution.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Do The Vampire
19:32 - I'm Expanding My Mind
30:36 - Pine Away
42.25 - Mr. Underground
Outro - Hellbent
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Dark, brooding atmospheres with intense, pulsating rhythms complemented by searing guitar work and haunting, enigmatic lyrics roughly sum up the wild ride that it is self-titled debut album by Course Of Empire. If an album can be called "dystopian," which is usually reserved for science fiction novels and movies, Course Of Empire may qualify. Thanks to hypnotic, almost tribal percussion via a pair of drummers, the band stretches from tabla jams to industrial beats to ambient drone guitar to poppy new wave, all drenched in a very specific moodiness. Defined by its experimental and uncompromising nature, the album is a great example of the 1980s/90s crossroads that alternative music found itself as college rock rose to prominence on MTV and radio, resulting in the band re-releasing the album in 1992 via a major label deal with Zoo Entertainment.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Ptah
17:40 - Peace Child
23:14 - Copious
27:01 - Dawn Of The Great Eastern Sun
35:58 - Sins of the Fathers
Outro - Mountains Of The Spoken
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Duster's 1998 debut Stratosphere came out to little fanfare at the time of release. Featuring a distinctive blend of dreamy, reverb-soaked guitars, buried vocals, and a deliberate, slow tempo, the band creates an atmospheric sound that is occasionally mesmerizing. Characterized by its introspective and melancholic mood, tracks like "Heading for the Door" and "Gold Dust" transport listeners to a sonically immersive and otherworldly place, making it a cult classic in the indie rock and shoegaze communities. Over the years, the album has gained recognition for its influence on subsequent generations of musicians exploring similar sonic landscapes. But buzz can be a double-edged sword, so will this revered record live up to the hype?
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Inside Out
22:00 - Heading For The Door
26:32 - Stratosphere
29:23 - Gold Dust
33:50 - Earth Moon Transit
37:23 - Topical Solution
Outro - Docking The Pod
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Following the release of 1994's Clumsy for Atlantic, Samiam took their completed fifth album back from the major label and found a new home with Ignition. Unfortunately, that label ran into money troubles, leaving copies of You Are Freaking Me Out difficult to come by. For a band that evolved out of the same Bay Area punk scene as Green Day, Bad Religion, Operation Ivy, and many more, the band never reached the same commercial heights as some of their contemporaries, but maintains a dedicated fanbase to this day. While some may have questioned the band's evolution from skate punks to something closer to post-hardcore, emo, and even pop-punk, the key ingredients - catchy hooks, big guitar riffs, and a propulsive rhythm section, keep the record on track even when they take chances with quieter and more subdued moments, and even a Beatles cover.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - She Found You
20:44- Full On
27:06 - Cry Baby Cry
29:46 - Charity
Outro - Ordinary
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Having blazed a trail with some of the most successful Britpop albums of the 1990s, Blur was heading for implosion following their tabloid battle with Oasis in 1995 and inter-band turmoil. To reorient themselves, they turned to the country that used to be a target of scorn - America. Specifically, American indie rock like Pavement. You can hear the influence throughout the album as the band takes the noise, the jagged guitar lines, the lo-fi aesthetics, and put their unique spin on it. That unique spin, of course, would end up creating one of the most memorable songs of the 90s, "Song 2," that still gets played in stadiums at sporting events around the world, and is a staple on 90s classic radio. But "Song 2" is just the tip of a very weird, very singular sound that would find the band taking chances that mostly paid off.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Song 2
18:57 - Strange News From Another Star
24:40 - On Your Own
29:56 - Death of a Party
37:56 - I'm Just A Killer For Your Love
Outro - Beetlebum
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Major label debuts for any artist can be a double-edged sword. Recording a group of songs you've had years to craft means they've spent plenty of time in the woodshed, but the pressure to produce a hit, especially in the back half of the 90s, means sometimes the obvious singles get the most attention in the studio and post-production. That is the semi-issue with Tracy Bonham's 1996 freshman release The Burdens of Being Upright. Chock full of interesting, catchy tunes like the hit single "Mother Mother," the bouncy "The One," the punky "Bulldog," and others helps the record fly by in entertaining fashion. As high as the highs are, there are no low lows, just some disappointing valleys that sound like the first draft of what could have been much more.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Navy Bean
16:28 - Mother Mother
22:45 - Tell It To The Sky
32:29 - Sharks Can't Sleep
Outro - The One
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Before changing their name to Diffuser and scoring a couple of hits in the early 00s, the long island quartet Flu Thirteen banged out jagged post-hardcore riffs and rhythms on par with bands of the time. Getting producer J. Robbins, whose work in the 90s on albums by Braid, Texas Is The Reason, The Promise Ring, and many more helped define the late 90s indie rock sound, was a perfect match to help refine and define the band's sound. On their 1998 album In The Foul Key of V, the band unleashes a steady stream of dynamic arrangements, shifting between blazing dissonance and subdued restraint that occasionally recalls the valleys of Sunny Day Real Estate.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Romeo-Core
12:30 - Stale
17:41 - The Ghost of the Organ Player at the Hockey Coliseum
20:45 - Accessing the Know-How
26:10 -Jerome Does a Dance in Hi-Fidelity
Outro - My Beijing Hot Rod
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com."Sell-out" was a phrase tossed around in the 1990s whenever an indie or small-label band jumped to a major record label. Among the most surprising were Bad Religion because their guitarist Brett Gurewitz owned the label they had released their first seven albums on Epitaph Records. While sell-outs were accused of trading integrity for money, Bad Religion's eighth album "Stranger Than Fiction" makes the case that not only was the jump a good move, but helped kick-start the pop-punk takeover of 1994 along with Green Day and The Offspring, who released million-selling albums the same year in "Dookie" and "Smash," respectively. Thanks to a re-recording of "21st Century (Digital Boy)," a song the band was unhappy with the previous studio version, they had a proper radio and MTV single to expose the suburban masses around the United States to a headier lyrical approach backed by sugar-sweet harmonies.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Incomplete
25:23 - 21st Century (Digital Boy)
30:46 - Stranger Than Fiction
38:39 - Infected
Outro - The Handshake
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Incorrectly tagged as Rage Against The Machine followers (they actually existed before Rage), downset. offer a glimpse into the Los Angeles hardcore and metal scene as it transitioned from the 80s to the 90s. Like Rage, downset. combined big guitar riffs with social and political commentary on their self-titled 1994 debut, but traded the guitar histrionics of Tom Morello for a more streamlined approach. The result is a prime example of the unique 90s rock subgenre of rap rock, which would later evolve into nu-metal with the emergence of bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit, who brought the volume without the content.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Downset
18:54 - Ritual
22:18 - Anger
30:22 - My American Prayer
Outro - About To Blast
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.We don't think of many bands coming out of the UK in the early nineties that could fit nicely on a bill with The Jesus Lizard or Mudhoney, but the 1991 album Tantrum by UK band Milk makes the case that noise rock wasn't just an American phenomenon coming out of hardcore. Frenetic rhythms and dissonant guitars shine on the record, covering for a solid but unremarkable vocal performance. The band is at its best when the volume and intensity quickly shift into quasi-blues riffs and thrash metal shredding via Neil Young.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Is That It?
13:08 - Claws
19:46 - Hot Seat
28:36 - Book One, Page One
Outro - Billy and Bobby
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The slowcore sound can be simplified down to tempo and a minimalist approach, but like every genre or subgenre of rock music, there are always those pushing the boundaries and reinventing. On the 1996 album Three Sheets To The Wind by Idaho, the boundary pushing comes as a pair of straight-up rock songs that wouldn't sound out place on a Dinosaur Jr. or Heatmiser album. From there, the band adds jazzy and soulful elements - brushed drums here, an electric piano there - paired with Jeff Martin's evocative vocal that falls somewhere between the folky sadcore of American Music Club's Mark Eitzel and the more experimental post-rock of Low's Alan Sparhawk.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - If You Dare
18:18 - A Sound Awake
23:03 - Shame
30:08 - Alive Again
34:00 - Pomegranate Bleeding
Outro - Catapult
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Ever wonder what it would sound like if Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam, famous for producing the likes of Janet Jackson and Boyz II Men, got behind the board of a three-piece rock band? And what if that band drew influence from bands like Queen, Van Halen, and Faith No More? You might end up with the 1992 self-titled (and lone) album from T-Ride, a record that sounds simultaneously of the time and completely out of place during the grunge explosion. Though tagged as "heavy metal," even a cursory listen informs the listener that there is much more going on, from the deranged power-pop of "Luxury Cruiser" to the industrial dance of "Hit Squad." At just thirty-four minutes long, the band finds a sweet spot of not overstaying their welcome but loading up each song with sonic gold nuggets that demand multiple listens.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Luxury Cruiser
15:28 - Hit Squad
25:09 - I Hunger
31:40 - Fire It Up
Outro - Zombies From Hell
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.An established band changing lead singers is always a tricky proposition. With the departure of founding member, singer, and bassist Ian Masters following their second album In Ribbons due to a lack of interest in touring, Pale Saints could have called it quits. Instead, guitarist and backing vocalist Meriel Barham stepped into the fire, having briefly filled the same spot in Lush well before the band established themselves. The result draws obvious comparisons to Barham's former band, but Pale Saints have a few more tricks of their sleeves on their third album Slow Buildings. Whether it is long, slow burn tracks like "Henry" or "Suggestion," or three-minute rockers like "Under Your Nose" or "Angel (Will You Be My)," the band gels around the ethereal voice of Barham.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Angel (Will You Be My)
18:59 - Under Your Nose
27:53 - King Fade
33:19 - Little Friend
Outro - Henry
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.After splitting from Depeche Mode in 1995, Alan Wilder focused his full attention on Recoil, his side-project going back to the mid-1980s. In 1997, the same year DM released "Ultra," Wilder released the fourth Recoil studio album, "Unsound Methods." Free to explore the electronic soundscape, Wilder enlisted several vocalists to tackle the electronic/trip-hop material, including Douglas McCarthy from Nitzer Ebb and NYC spoken word artist Maggie Estep. The result is both of the time and ahead of its time, fitting in nicely with the mid-90s trip-hop sounds of Massive Attack, Sneaker Pimps, and Portishead, while also foreshadowing the more experimental and cinematic sounds of James Lavelle's Unkle.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Stalker
16:19 - Incubus
29:11 - Control Freak
36:14 - Drifting
Outro - Missing Piece
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Skirting the edges of stardom, Chris Whitley passed away far too young at 45, but left a catalog of albums more influential than they were ever popular. A wide array of artists, from John Mayer to Joe Bonamassa have lauded Whitley's playing and songwriting, so we're diving into this 1995 sophomore album Din of Ecstasy. Whereas his debut was a slickly produced blues rock album that produced a Top 40 Mainstream Rock chart hit, the follow-up sounds more in line with the happenings of the decade. The big fuzz of Dinosaur Jr. appears on "Din," while a guitar solo on "God Thing" conjures images of Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, as Whitley embraces complex guitar riffs and atmospheric production that sound both of the time and timeless. The only hitch? The album is a slow burn, and a checked-out, background noise listen won't do it justice.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Din
22:21 - God Thing
40:06 - Know
45:20 - Some Candy Talking
59:02 - Never
Outro - Narcotic Prayer
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The line between rock and metal is a thin one, often based on the listener and their personal preferences. Numerous bands in the 1990s blurred the line, injecting heavy riffs and guitar tones into their sound that pushed bands like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden onto Headbanger's Ball alongside Metallica and Slayer. But other bands like Spot took their inspiration and applied it differently, like on their self-titled debut from 1995. Opening with "Drop Down," the rhythm section gallops like Iron Maiden, while the riffs on Hole draw from 80s thrash, all while the vocals shift from the boozy "L'America" to harmonized power-pop without a hitch. It's a weird, singular sound that works when it works, but limps when it doesn't.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Ground
22:57 - Moon June Spoon
28:02 - Drop Down
33:12 - L'America
39:11 - Hole
Outro - Absalom
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The story of Glide is one of potential cut short with the death of lead singer William Arthur before the end of the decade. Commanding a voice with equal parts sneer and croon, the appropriately titled debut Open Up & Croon from 1995 manages to fuse a variety of sounds into a coherent vision. Jangly acoustic guitars accompany fuzzed electrics and a potent rhythm section across the twelve tracks that range from the uptempo title track opener to a wide array of moods, from the Westerbergian "Why You Asking?" to the more dramatic twists in turns on the back-half of the album like "Caterwaul" and closer "Picking At Your Paws."
Songs In This Episode
Intro - He Sees A Way
14:30 - Caterwaul
18:21 - Line
21:59 - Why You Asking?
27:43 - Spin Doctor
31:36 - Open Up and Croon
Outro - Something
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.From the cover art for Ritual de lo Habitual by Jane's Addiction to the music videos for Jeremy by Pearl Jam or Closer by Nine Inch Nails, the 1990s were full of controversial and provocative artists and music. Whether it was rapper Ice-T fronting hardcore thrash band Body Count and their single "Cop Killer" to Marilyn Manson pushing boundaries musically and visually, there was no shortage of outrage and hysteria aimed at Gen-X musicians and their fandom. Bands and artists as varied as Tool, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Madonna, Green Day, Megadeth, NOFX, Tin Machine, Ministry, Sublime The Prodigy, Suede, Van Halen, Manic Street Preachers, Slayer and many more faced backlashes for lyrics, album artwork, videos, or just existing.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Closer by Nine Inch Nails
25:55 - Jesus Christ Pose by Soundgarden
32:55 - Smack My Bitch Up by The Prodigy
40:52 - Cop Killer by Body Count
55:24 - Love Is a Good Thing by Sheryl Crow
Outro - Jeremy by Pearl Jam
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.After her 1996 self-released EP was picked-up and re-released by MCA, Holly McNarland set out to make her debut album Stuff. In the wake of the success of fellow Canadian singer/songwriters Alanis Morissette and Sarah McLachlan, the table was set for McNarland to make similar waves even if the alternative rock field was getting more crowded by the day. While there is no "You Oughta Know" or "Building a Mystery" on Stuff, there is McNarland's voice, which finds the balance between on edgy angst rockers one moment and soaring pop balladry the next. Backed by a solid band, including then ex-Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago in the studio, the songs are elevated beyond straightforward singer-songwriter material to deeper depths thanks to occasional cello and synths popping in and out of tracks. But while the first half is full of knock-out material, the back half left us divided on experiments with trip-hop and Seattle grunge.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Elmo
11:27 - The Box
17:34 - Mystery Song
23:46 - Water
31:07 - Twisty Mirror
Outro - U.F.O.
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The back half of the 1990s was deluged with more post-grunge bands that we can count, and cutting through the noise wasn't always easy. For bands like Black Lab, who aimed for both radio and something more interesting, that meant not reaching the chart-topping highs of bands like Our Lady Peace, Semisonic, or Live. Their 1997 debut You Body Above Me for Geffen is a prime example of making the most of the back-half album tracks, as vocalist Paul Durham takes some inventive detours with his vocals, bouncing between the emotive lead single "Wash It Away" and the more expressive attack of "All the Money in the World" or Bring It On." A cursory pass may leave the listener wondering what the fuss is about, but slap on the headphones and you'll hear some impressive choices from each instrument, playing off of and pushing each other for something more with a clear and full sound that impresses even today.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Wash It Away
18:23 - Can't Keep the Rain
23:30 - All the Money in the World
29:15 - She Loves Me
39:52 - Sleeps With Angels
Outro - Time Ago
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Catherine Wheel's 1992 debut Ferment is a bonafide shoegaze classic, full of swirling guitars and ethereal vocals. For their 1993 follow-up Chrome, the band brought in Gil Norton, who had a resume boasting bands like the Pixies, Throwing Muses, Pale Saints, Echo & the Bunnymen, and more. With Norton on board, the band dialed down the waves of distortion and used it more sparingly, and a more crafted sound emerged. Harder guitar riffs, paired with Rob Dickinson's chameleon-like voice that could deliver throaty shouts and crooning coos, edged the band towards a more refined sound without leaving their shoegaze roots completely behind. The end result is a exceptional transitional album before the band would fully embrace a harder edge on their third album Happy Days.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Crank
26:22 - Chrome
34:22 - Ursa Major Space Station
47:57 - Fripp
Outro - Show Me Mary
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Dave Smalley’s been a punk rock fixture since the early ‘80s when he fronted DYS. Stints as the lead singer in Dag Nasty and ALL followed before the touring life caused him to reconsider what it meant to be in a band. In 1991, Smalley formed Down By Law, signed with Epitaph Records, and released six full length albums before the decade was done and another four in the 2000’s with the most recent being 2021’s Lonely Town. In addition to Down By Law, Smalley currently lists Dave Smalley & The Bandoleros and Don’t Sleep on his punk rock resume, the latter of which is releasing their fourth album, See Change, on June 2.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - Promise Made by Don't Sleep
9:41 - Still Waiting by Dag Nasty
Outro - Denim and Leather by Down By Law
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
Many, many years ago, we checked out the 1997 debut album Elsewhere For Eight Minutes by the Melbourne, Australian trio Something For Kate. Thanks to a Patreon patron we checked out their 1999 sophomore follow-up Beautiful Sharks to hear the evolution of the band. Whereas the debut offered some catchy alt-rock, Beautiful Sharks is a more subdued yet intricate album, putting new bassist Stephanie Ashworth on display as the guitars back-off to allow more space for lead singer/guitarist Paul Dempsey to weave intricate vocal and musical melodies. The result uniquely combines alt-rock that forgoes volume for dynamics and speed for tension.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Beautiful Sharks
10:51 - Before Butterfly's Wings
16:41 - Big Screen Television
23:55 - Electricity
Outro - Easy
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.We're as shocked as anyone to be talking about a Kylie Minogue album, but here we are thanks to a Patron. If you're a 90s grunge and alternative fan, chances are your exposure to Kylie is limited to her late 80s cover of "The Loco-Motion" or her earworm early 00s hit "Can't Get You Out Of My Head." But after growing tired of the musical restrictions of her pop success, Minogue explored collaborations with artists like Nick Cave and the Manic Street Preachers in the mid-90s. The end result is her 1997 album Impossible Princess, still full of dance and pop singles, but with very deliberate attempts to stretch into new sounds. Trip-hop, electronica, trance, Britpop and more are explored, making for a diverse if sometimes uneven album.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Too Far
15:09 - Dreams
21:05 - Some Kind Of Bliss
28:02 - Cowboy Style
32:37 - Drunk
Outro - I Don't Need Anyone
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Following the breakup of the mid-90s alt-country band Scud Mountain Boys, lead singer/songwriter Joe Pernice teamed up with his brother to write and record the debut Pernice Brothers album, Overcome by Happiness, for SubPop Records in 1998. While it was the only Pernice Brothers album released by the legendary Seattle label, Joe’s continued to release music under that moniker through a label, Ashmont Records, that he started with his long-time business partner, Joyce Linehan. Superfan, and New West Records Vice President of Publicity, Brady Brock is responsible for the 25th anniversary, first-time-on-vinyl, reissue of Overcome by Happiness which is available in a deluxe version that includes a comprehensive 52-page hardback book documenting the history of the band, recollections of the recording of the album, lyrics, and a track-by-track walkthrough.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - Overcome By Happiness by Pernice Brothers
11:03 - In A Ditch by the Scud Mountain Boys
Outro - Bum Leg by Joe Pernice
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
By the end of the 1990s, grunge had run its course, seeing two and three waves of followers come and go. Nu-metal was ascendant thanks to the likes of Korn, Limp Bizkit, Deftones and others ruling MTV and radio, along with post-grunge acts like Creed, Chevelle, Drowning Pool and more. For a band like Oleander, their take on Nirvana-tinged grunge meant leaning into the manic energy of Bleach as much as the sculpted songwriting of Nevermind. On their 1999 major label debut February Son, itself a recording of an earlier independent album with a few track changes, the band shoot for radio with solid targeting.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Stupid
22:13 - Never Again
31:22 - Boys Don't Cry
38:00 - I Walk Alone
Outro - Why I'm Here
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Formed in 1988 and one of the earliest acts to put out music on SubPop, TAD paved the way for bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden with their heavy and sludgy guitar noise. After releasing three albums on the infamous Seattle label, TAD put out two albums on majors, 1993’s Inhaler on Giant/Warner Bros and 1995’s Infrared Riding Hood on East West/Elektra before breaking up by the end of the decade. Lead singer Tad Doyle went on to front Hog Molly and Brothers of the Sonic Cloth before going the solo route and releasing albums that sound like SciFi-Horror soundtracks under his given name, Thomas Andrew Doyle.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - Grease Box (from Inhaler)
8:04 - Clairvoyant Witness (from Aberrant)
Outro - Probabilities (from Aberrant)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
After the dissolution of Jawbreaker in 1996, lead singer and guitarist Blake Schwarzenbach spent the next year not playing music, but DJ'ing and writing video game reviews. But the itch to create came back with the help of former Texas Is The Reason drummer Chris Daly and Handsome singer Jeremy Chatelain on bass. Jets To Brazil isn't so much a reinvention as a natural evolution, leaving behind the sometimes rigid restraints of punk and hardcore, and exploring new sounds with keyboards and guitar effects.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Crown of the Valley
20:37 - Starry Configurations
24:24 - Resistance is Futile
30:15 - King Medicine
40:16 - I Typed For Miles
Outro - Morning New Disease
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.By the end of the 1990s, The Afghan Whigs were critical faves without the breakthrough single that propelled some of their contemporaries into the platinum or multi-platinum stratosphere. While 1993's Gentlemen and 1996's Black Love explored the dark, 1998's 1965 turned on the light long enough to find the party and get down to the business of feeling good, as lead singer Greg Dulli sings on the opener "Somethin' Hot." Much about the record is a change-up from previous efforts - guitars are dialed down while horns, pianos, and backing vocalists make their presence known on a record that shows off the band integrating the New Orleans vibe of their surroundings during recording. The result acts as a bridge between what the Whigs were and what Dulli and new collaborators would explore in the 2010s as The Twilight Singers.
Intro - 66
17:53 - Somethin' Hot
35:27- The Slide Song
39:29 - Omerta
45:46 - Uptown Again
Outro - John The Baptist
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.By 1991, Moving Targets were already well established in the Boston music scene upon the release of their third full-length, Fall. Lead by Kenny Chambers on vocals and guitar, the band that started out playing Husker Du-esque hardcore evolved like their contemporaries, downshifting the tempos and finding more melody. Tracks like "Answer" and "Away From Me" were primed for college radio alongside The Replacements, Goo Goo Dolls, Dramarama, and other post-punks finding their songwriting footing. The twists and turns, like using an e-bow on a mid-album instrumental track, add a layer of creativity not many other post-hardcore bands would attempt, even if the payoff doesn't always hit.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Taang! Intro
14:18 - Answer
22:00 - Overated
31:50 - Away From Me
Outro - Travel Music
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Often side-project bands don't live up to the hype of the artist or band's main gig. But for Stephin Merritt, this isn't the case with several of his non-Magnetic Fields bands. With The 6ths, he's taken on the challenge of writing the songs but handing them over to guest vocalists. On the 1995 debut Wasps' Nests, that means a wide array of contributors, including Lou Barlow from Sebadoh and Dinosaur Jr., Mary Timony of Helium and Ex Hex, Dean Wareham of Galaxie 500 and Luna, Georgia Hubley of Yo La Tengo, Mac McCaughan of Superchunk, Mitch Easter of Let's Active, and more. The musical landscape shifts from song to song, one minute aping the motortik of Stereolab and next the harmony sunshine of Laurel Canyon in the 1970s. But it's all in Stephin Merritt's wheelhouse, utilizing an array of synth and keyboard sounds over minimalist rhythms that reveal layers upon repeated listens.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Aging Spinsters
15:56 - All Dressed Up in Dreams
20:23 - San Diego Zoo
35:02 - Here in My Heart
Outro - Falling Out of Love (With You)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.By 1995, the alternative music revolution was in full swing, dominated MTV and radio across the US and around the world. While some of the original trailblazers, like the Pixies and Jane's Addiction, were no more, others continued and evolved their sound. Juliana Hatfield, who started out in the mid-1980s with the Blake Babies, had already released two acclaimed alternative rock albums before unleashing 1995's Only Everything. For her third release, Hatfield cranked up the guitar distortion, using big, fuzzy tones to give tracks like "What A Life" and "Dumb Fun" more punch while exploring slower, shoegaze vibes on several back half tracks. The end result is the rare combination of catchy, smart songwriting that rocks.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - What A Life
20:53 - Hang Down From Heaven
26:59 - Fleur De Lys
34:15 - Dumb Fun
39:32 - Live On Tomorrow
Outro - Universal Heart-Beat
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.By 1999, fans of the alternative country rock sound had a lot to choose from. At the start of the decade, the mostly underground and regional scenes were known to college radio listeners and other non-mainstream outlets. But by 1999, major labels Geffen and Warner Brothers were putting out albums and developing artists. On Elektra, the Old 97s from Dallas, Texas released their second major label release, and fourth overall. Fight Songs found the band in transition, moving away from the harsher elements of their earlier years, cleaning up the production, and find the hooks for radio.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Jagged
18:36 - What We Talk About
23:48 - Busted Afternoon
29:15 - Murder (Or A Heart Attack)
39:25 - Oppenheimer
Outro - Nineteen
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.A perfect pick for a Dig Me Out episode, Fretblanket never seemed to get the mainstream attention the way their peers did. Formed in Stourbridge, England when the members were still in high school, the band caught the attention of Polygram Records in ‘93 and signed a deal before singer/guitarist Will Copley had graduated. A year later, Junkfuel was released with the single “Twisted” gaining a modest amount of airplay on U.S. alternative and college rock stations. Guitarist Clive Powell wrote most of the guitar-rich songs which fit in alongside artists like Sugar, The Doughboys, The Wedding Present and Ride while Copley’s grungy vocals earned comparisons to Kurt Cobain. Though they were very much of the time, the biggest touring exposure they had was opening for Oingo Boingo, a sad mismatch that likely didn’t earn the band any new fans. In 1997, they released Home Truths From Abroad which leaned more into the Brit rock side of things than the grungier side and caused a minor MTV buzz with their video for “Into the Ocean.” Songs for a third album were recorded in Michigan with Tim Patalan (Sponge, Watershed) but shelved after it was apparent there was no longer label interest and the members went their separate ways. On March 30, 2023, that long lost album, The Distance In Between, was released as a way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Fretblanket signing a record deal.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - Twisted from Junkfuel
13:06 - Digging Your Scene from The Distance In Between
Outro - Into The Ocean from Home Truths From Abroad
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
Few bands have stayed artistically and commercially relevant over forty years into their career, but with the release of their new album Memento Mori in March 2023, Depeche Mode continue to defy the odds. In the 80s the band built a fanbase in Europe over their first few releases before entering the global stage with "People Are People" in 1984. By the end of the decade, they were regularly a top ten album charting band in the UK while making serious inroads in North America. They entered the 90s with an album primed by the infectious single "Personal Jesus" that would launch them into the stratosphere. With Violator and its many singles, like R.E.M. and other alternative acts, mainstream radio and MTV formerly dominated by pop and hair metal were beginning to shift direction before the dam burst in 1991. But lurking beneath the surface was inter-band tensions and various addictions that would threaten to derail the band at the height of their global success.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - Personal Jesus (from Violator)
19:59 - World in My Eyes (from Violator)
35:11 - Death's Door (Until The End Of The World soundtrack)
43:31 - One Caress (from Songs of Faith and Devotion)
1:03:11 - Home (from Ultra)
Outro - Only When I Lose Myself (from The Singles 86>98)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Diamond certified records, those that have sold ten million or more albums in the United States, are a rare achievement that few bands and artists can lay claim to. But as important as it is to talk about obscure and underappreciated 90s rock albums, we thought it was time to go in the opposite direction for a new series diving into the full albums of 90s rock Diamonds. With that, we start our Diamond series with the 1995 album Tragic Kingdom by No Doubt. Was there any escaping "Don't Speak" in 1996? No, there wasn't. Every media outlet was covering the chart topping single not only for its chart performance but the drama that surrounded the band. Along with huge singles "Spiderwebs" and "Just a Girl," Tragic Kingdom was in the cultural zeitgeist for years after its release, but how many people actually listened to the whole album? We definitely didn't, and we're here to correct that oversight.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Don't Speak
19:04 - Happy Now?
21:29 - Sunday Morning
24:14 - Tragic Kingdom
35:25 - Just A Girl
40:15- Spiderwebs
Outro - Hey You
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Sophomore albums can be a difficult proposition. The standard refrain is you get a lifetime to make the first one and a few months to make the follow-up. In the case of Filter, it took a little longer, four years to be exact. Title of Record came out in 1999 in a much different musical landscape than their 1995 debut Short Bus. Luckily, their hard rock sound, with a touch of industrial, fit in well with the end of the decade, and they struck literal gold with the atypical single "Take A Picture." Even with an entirely new backing band and the loss of his songwriting counterpart, Richard Patrick separated himself further from the Nine Inch Nails comparisons by embracing a big rock sound with a few interesting diversions.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Welcome To The Fold
26:02 - The Best Things
32:24 - Cancer
37:56 - Take A Picture
Outro - It's Gonna Kill Me
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Blessed with fire and passion on display through her voice and lyrics, the murder of Mia Zapata robbed the world of her potential. With The Gits, she and guitarist Joe Spleen, bass player Matt Dresdner, and drummer Steve Moriarty made grunge mixed with hardcore punk on their 1992 album Frenching The Bully. With only four years together, the debut record displays potential in the same way Bleach gives hints of what Nirvana was to become on the released but unfinished follow-up album Enter: The Conquering Chicken.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Another Shot of Whiskey
17:18 - Spear and Magic Helmet
23:08 - It All Dies Anyway
27:39 - Insecurities
Outro - Absynthe
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.There was never a question that Ivy would make it, though they did so with many strokes of luck, good fortune, and heart ache along the way. With talented songwriters Andy Chase and Adam Schlesinger writing sophisticated pop songs showcasing their love of ‘80s and ‘90s UK music, the only thing missing was a voice to go with the sounds. Chase’s girlfriend at the time (now wife), Dominique Durand, had moved to New York City from Paris to study fashion. While growing up in a house full of music journalists in France, Durand enjoyed the lifestyle and the personalities but never entertained the thought of taking center stage until she was reluctantly talked into it by Chase and Schlesinger. And the industry took notice. In the bumpy times of the mid-90s where labels were signing every band with a pulse, and subsequently dropping the ones that didn’t meet sales targets, Ivy was the type of band to earn glowing reviews that didn’t always translate to units shifted. 1995’s debut Realistic was released by Seed Records. 1997’s critically-acclaimed Apartment Life was originally put out by Atlantic Records and reissued the following year by 550 Music after Atlantic unceremoniously dropped the band while they were in the middle of a tour. Since that time, Ivy has released music on Nettwerk, Minty Fresh and, now, Bar-None, who is releasing Apartment Life on vinyl for the first time. For Chase and Durand, it’s been a bittersweet few years as the rights to Apartment Life came back to the band shortly after Schlesinger passed away from Covid complications in 2020.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - The Best Thing
5:55 - I've Got A Feeling
Outro - This Is The Day
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Aside from Suede and Spacehog, few bands in the 90s embraced the glam sound as wholly as Lowcraft. Except Lowcraft wasn't from the UK, instead claiming Portland, Oregon in the U.S. as their home. The one and only album, 1999's Manticore, is baked with the sound and feel of Marc Bolan and T. Rex, David Bowie, and Mott the Hoople. How exactly? Can certain guitar chords and riffs sound glam? Sure, but it helps if there is a big vocal from the likes of lead singer Nathan Khyber. But like many 90s albums, the extended runtime of the compact disc gives time for songs to go on too long, and what should have been a tight forty-four-minute LP turns ends up a flabby fifty-seven minutes.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - An Inch Away From Heaven
13:32 - Transcendental Meltdown
19:21 - Pornstar
31:15 - One of Us
Outro - Happy in My Pants
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.With a lower register in the vein of Richard Butler or Ian Astbury, Chris Reed of Red Lorry Yellow Lorry dismissed goth comparison during the 80s and focused on their guitar driven post-punk sound. For the final release, 1991's Blasting Off, the band backing Reed is new, but the sound is familiar thanks to Reed's unique vocals, unfussy songwriting, and precise guitar paying that works in a variety of well chosen effects. The unremarkable rhythm section is the only slight on an album that fans of bands like the Psychedelic Furs, The Mission, or Clan of Xymox probably should check out.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Don't Think About It
15:18 - Train of Hope
23:05 - Talking Back
35:01 - Sea of Tears
Outro - This Is Energy
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Coming off the hit "Here and Now" from their debut Aurora Gory Alice, Letters To Cleo followed-up with the equally catchy Wholesale Meats and Fish. Lead single "Awake," with it's handclaps and catchy hook by lead singer Kay Hanley, is just one of many power-pop adjacent tunes that lean more towards the noisy side of the genre inhabited by The Posies and Matthew Sweet. But to pin down LTC would be a mistake, as the opening ripper "Demon Rock" demonstrates, or the sixties-infused "Little Rosa" demonstrate. The band packs a nice sonic punch, even when diverging from comfortable sounds for quieter moments that are hit and miss.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Fast Way
14:44 - Demon Rock
21:08 - Little Rosa
27:27 - Acid Jed
32:13 - I Could Sleep (The Wuss Song)
Outro - Awake
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Born in NYC but spending his formative years in Washington DC, Chad Clark’s passion for music was born when his dad dropped a pair of headphones on his son’s head and introduced him to the Beatles. In the mid-90s, Clark formed the artsy, indie rock outfit Smart Went Crazy with Abram Goodrich and Hilary Soldati, signed with Dischord Records and released an EP and two full lengths - 1995’s Now We’re Even and 1997’s Con Art. Even before Smart Went Crazy’s ending, Clark was thinking about his next project, Beauty Pill, which he started with Goodrich in 2001 and continues through this day. With members coming and going over the last 20+ years, Beauty Pill’s released two full lengths - 2004’s The Unsustainable Lifestyle and 2015’s Beauty Pill Describes Things As They Are - and a handful of EPs, most of which have been critically lauded. Earlier this year, Beauty Pill released a double album, Blue Period, consisting of their Dischord output - The Unsustainable Lifestyle and the You Are Right to Be Afraid EP - as well as previously unreleased outtakes and demos. On this episode, Beauty Pill members past (Ryan Nelson) and present (Erin Nelson), join Clark to talk about the last 25+ years of music.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - A Good Day by Smart Went Crazy
6:39 - Goodnight For Real by Beauty Pill
Outro - Fugue State Companion by Beauty Pill
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Released in the shadow of her husband's death, Courtney Love and Hole delivered their sophomore album Live Through This in a tsunami of emotional turmoil. Propelled by three hit singles, the album would launch Love into stardom and influence a generation of visceral, outspoken musicians that took inspiration from songs about motherhood, abuse, postpartum depression, and other topics not found on Billboard 200 charting albums. In looking back almost thirty years, the layers of musicianship that might have been glossed over by the larger moment are revealed. Guitarist Eric Erlandson's shifts between vitriolic riffing and crunchy leads to subtle and understated without missing a beat. Speaking of beats, drummer Patty Schemel shines, adding controlled bombast that, paired with bassist Kristen Pfaff, gives the album a tightness without feeling stale or rote.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Miss World
23:54 - Violet
36:38 - Credit in the Straight World
40:00 - Rock Star
Outro - Doll Parts
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.We've revisited plenty of albums released on major and independent labels from the 90s, but digging into self-released albums isn't something we've explored much - until now! Take New York City's Wünderband, who self-released their self-titled album in 1997. On the opening track, the band make their sound clear - punchy, catchy power-pop with some twists and turns. From the opening Aimee Mann call-out track "Yes Yes Hey Hey" to the Jellyfish inflected "I Don't Mind," the band sounds right at home alongside fellow 90s three-and-a-half-minute power pop magicians like Fountains of Wayne, Sloan, or The Figgs.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Pinup
13:18 - Yes Yes Hey Hey
21:30 - Mayqueen
25:26 - I Don't Mind
35:46 - Circle and Fall
Outro - Another Guy
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Badmotorfinger sits in the middle of the Soundgarden discography at an interesting crossroads. With new bass player Ben Shepherd on board, the band expanded upon their Black Sabbath meets Black Flag twist on metal with precision riffs and rhythms that integrate odd time signatures and alternate guitar tunings. While other bands were relegated to in-the-know hardcore fandom, thanks to the once-in-a-generation vocals of Chris Cornell, Soundgarden began their ascent as a commercial entity on MTV and mainstream radio.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Outshined
4:39 - Birth Ritual
29:01 - Jesus Christ Pose
36:05 - Somewhere
45:18 - Mind Riot
50:39 - Room A Thousand Years Wide
Outro - Rusty Cage
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.By 1993, it was an alternative world, from MTV to mainstream radio. The Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Counting Crows, Depeche Mode, Radiohead, Tool, and many more became household names with million selling albums while college radio and indie labels saw bands take off unexpectedly, with hits from The Breeders, The Lemonheads, Mazzy Star, Juliana Hatfield, Letters to Cleo, Ween, and many more. While pop music maintained its position with the likes of Mariah Carey, Billy Joel, and Duran Duran scoring hits, hip-hop was also ascendant with landmark albums from A Tribe Called Quest, Snoop Doggy Dogg, The Wu-Tang Clan, and more. We dive into it all, talking about records that have stood the test of time and those that haven't, albums overlooked upon their release and those best left to the dustbin of history.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - 1993 Medley (Lemon by U2, Animal Nitrate by Suede, Fade Into You by Mazzy Star, 20th Century by Brad, Give Back The Key To My Heart by Uncle Tupelo)
Outro - I Feel You by Depeche Mode
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Taking time off from The Age of Electric, Ian Summers (bass) joined the Dahle Brothers (Ryan on vocals, guitars and keys, Kurt on drums and vocals) for Limblifter in 1996. Those familiar with TAOE will recognize the sharp songwriting and guitar pop sensibilities, as the band effortlessly blasts out three-minute, radio-ready tunes like "Vicious" and "Tinfoil." Their sensibilities are definitely on the pop side, but the choruses aren't necessarily syrupy blandness. If anything, the band could have turned up the melodic hooks a bit more for our tastes.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Vicious
1:15 - First impression of Sideways Skull by The Hold Steady
20:04 - Opiñata
27:50 - Round The "2"
35:14 - Do I Feel Involved?
Outro -Screwed It Up
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Heavy but melodic guitar riffs, intricate beats that switch between a Pantera groove and extreme metal blast beats, and otherworldly vocals are the cornerstones of Heartwork, the fourth studio album by English band Carcass. Expanding upon their earlier grindcore approach, Heartwork is a journey that grabs you by the (shredded) throat and won't let go for nearly forty-two minutes. From the NWOBHM styled "This Mortal Coil" to the ferocious hardcore stomp of "Carnal Forge," the band never lets up. In addition to tackling this classic of the genre, we also check out the YouTube video by Steve Welch, "If Guns N' Roses 'Appetite For Destruction' was written by 12 different bands" to find out how Steve did turning G N' R songs into tracks by Oasis, W.A.S.P., Danzig and more.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Carnal Forge
2:22 - If Guns N' Roses 'Appetite For Destruction' was written by 12 different bands - by Steve Welch
18:55 - Buried Dreams
22:37 - This Mortal Coil
27:27 - Heartwork
35:07 - Doctrinal Expletives
Outro - Embodiment
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.There is a lot to talk about when we look back on 2022. Albums new and old from 80s and 90s artists blasted from our speakers and headphones on a daily basis. As with our previous year-in-review episodes, we take a look back at our favorite new album discoveries, most brought to us by our Patreon community, as well as our most enjoyable round table experiences, and our favorite interviews conducted by Chip Midnight. Here's to season thirteen in 2023!
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney
Outro - Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Though Love Battery emerged from the Seattle scene with numerous connections and an ascendant Sub Pop label backing them, the band never managed to breakthrough to the mainstream like their various label mates. Their 1992 debut Dayglo may shed some light on the reasons. The guitars are loud, loud, loud, sometimes overpowering the other instruments the way James Williamson would in The Stooges, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Thanks to a group of innovative, stellar musicians, the band can fluidly move from aggressive garage rock to punk indie rock without missing a beat.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Out of Focus
16:59 - See Your Mind
20:57 - Foot
26:23 - Side (With You)
32:02 - Blonde
Outro - Cool School (Trane of Thought)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Canadian singer/songwriter Paul Hayden Desser, known simply as Hayden, released his debut Everything I Long For on his own label in 1995. Shortly after, it was picked up and later re-released in 1996 on Sonic Unyon (internationally on Outpost Recordings/Geffen Records) after receiving acclaim in his home country. Channeling the likes of Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits, Hayden deep voice carves out a unique niche in 1990s folk, indie, and alternative rock. Though the album is almost always in first gear, Hayden ups the volume occasionally, matching it with a more aggressive, guttural vocal. If you enjoy confessional singer/songwriters with a penchant for deliberate slowcore, this might be an album worth checking out.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Bad As They Seem
14:30 - I'm To Blame
20:24 - Hardly
24:56 - Skates
Outro - In September
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Dig Me Out listeners know Jeremy Toback from his time playing bass in Brad with Shawn Smith (vocals), Stone Gossard (guitars) and Regan Hagar and his appearance on that band’s first three albums: Shame (1993), Interiors (1997) and Welcome to Discovery Park (2002). During the ‘90s, he also released 2 full-lengths, Perfect Flux Thing (1997) and Another True Fiction (1999), as well as a self-titled EP (1996). After being burned out by the music industry and the major label experience, Jeremy took some time off before discovering a new outlet for his songwriting. With the help of a long-time friend, Renee Stahl, Jeremy began recording softer lullabies for young children which eventually led to peaceful reinterpretations of popular rock songs by artists ranging from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Led Zeppelin to INXS. Renee and Jeremy’s latest single is a cover of Harry Styles’ “As It Was.” In November, Jeremy released his first new solo song in two decades, the beautifully minimalistic “Conjuring,” with an equally enthralling video.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Unbecome (from Perfect Flux Thing)
4:24 - Circle & Line (from Interiors by Brad)
34:26 - 20th Century (from Shame by Brad)
1:08:36 - Buttercup (from Shame by Brad)
Outro - Butterfly Elephant (from Perfect Flux Thing)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The twin guitar attack by Adam Franklin and Jimmy Hartridge on Swervedriver's 1991 debut Raise is unlike anything else under the shoegaze umbrella. While 80s dream pop was a touchstone for many of their contemporaries, the band from Oxford, England took some American influences like Dinosaur Jr., The Stooges, Sonic Youth, and Hüsker Dü into consideration. Their sound is more aggressive, more visceral, and often more exciting, leaning into the guitar's ability to shift tones quickly without relying on a wall of noise and feedback.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Raise
12:10 - Sci-Flyer
17:29 - Son of Mustang Ford
25:15 - Feel So Real
Outro - Deep Seat
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.It's our third year of getting the patrons together and giving thanks for the new music that gave us happiness and good vibes in 2022. There's a wide array of bands and artists, new and old, that helped make 2022 a great year for music. New albums from 1980s and 90s artists like The Afghan Whigs, Suede, Archers of Loaf, The Cult, Rammstein, The Crystal Method, The Hellacopters, and many more all released great late career records, while newer bands like The Glad Machine, Noiseheads, The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club, Goodbye June, and a number of others landed on our radar.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - I'll Make You See God by The Afghan Whigs (How Do You Burn?)
11:43 - Nervous by Noise Unit (Cheeba City Blues)
26:23 - Times Like These by Soulside (A Brief Moment In The Sun)
32:44 - Magical Thinking by Sloan (Steady)
41:40 - Feed The Wound by Pig (The Merciless Light)
53:00 - October's Song by Skid Row (The Gang's All Here)
1:10:39 - Reality Spiral by Greg Puciato (Mirrorcell)
Outro - Personality Disorder by Suede (Autofiction)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Scotland's Gun didn't make much of a dent stateside in the 80s or 90s, slightly out of tune with what was happening in mainstream. Their third album, Swagger, is aptly named, as the band is fully in control of their 80s AOR meets 90s hard rock approach. While 1994 was ground zero for grunge and alternative on US radio and MTV, Gun injected their sound with Bon Jovi big rock, Billy Idol energy, and even some Red Hot Chili Peppers funk on the questionable cover of "Word Up" by Cameo.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Don't Say It's Over
13:43 - Find My Way
21:59 - Something Worthwhile
31:52 - Word Up
Outro - Vicious Heart
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Formed in 1994 out of punk rock roots, Pohgoh’s poppier sounds earned the Florida band comparisons to acts like Velocity Girl and Superchunk. A split single with Braid was released in 1996 and by the time Pohgoh was ready to record a full length, singer Kobi Finley had been replaced by Susie Richardson. What should have been the start of a great relationship with the newly created label Deep Elm Records wound up dissolving quickly after drummer Keith Ulrey unceremoniously quit the band after the full length, In Memory of Bab, had been recorded but shortly before a record deal was signed. Ulrey’s departure led the band to break up in 1997 though Ulrey and Richardson’s relationship developed and the former bandmates wound up getting married in 2000. In 2016, Pohgoh reunited and two years later released Secret Club on Ulrey’s New Granada Records. An opening slot on a Jawbreaker reunion tour happened in 2019 which led to the band recording another new album, Du Und Ich, which came out in October 2022.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Friend X (from The Emo Diaries Chapter One: What's Mine Is Yours)
6:03 - Tell Me Truly (from In Memory of Bab)
Outro - Try Harder (from Secret Club)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Although Chris Cornell had written solo tracks for soundtracks during the Soundgarden era, it wasn't until the band had broken up that he released his proper solo debut. 1999's Euphoria Morning is both expected and unexpected, as some songs aren't far off from "Blow Up The Outside World" or "Fell on Black Days," minus the band bombast, while others showcase his phenomenal vocal talent over folk, blues, and psychedelic turns.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Can't Change Me
17:15 - Moonchild
21:50 - Wave Goodbye
27:13 - Preaching The End Of The World
33:38 - Disappearing One
Outro - When I'm Down
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Lead by brothers Jag (guitarist) and Chris (drummer) Tanna, I Mother Earth made layered Latin percussion, alternative rock bombast, and hints of progressive and psychedelic rock a part of the formula from the get go. But the band comes into their own on the 1996 sophomore release Scenery and Fish, opening with Afro-Cuban-influenced percussion that weaves throughout the record. Where some bands might trim out extended jams or unexpected divergences mid-song to attract a more commercial audience, the band plants the flag with full-throated bravado that no musical stone will be left unturned.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - One More Astronaut
12:50 - Songburst And Delirium
16:22 - Raspberry
24:41 - Pisser
29:37 - Another Sunday
Outro - Hello Dave
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.On their third and final studio album, Bedhead, lead by brothers Matt and Bubba Kadane, craft an intimate record built on space and restraint. But 1998's Transaction de Novo isn't entirely a down-tempo affair, as the band pushes the sonic envelope on noisier tracks like "Extramundane" and "Psychosomatica" with mixed results. The sweet spot lies in the slowcore creep of opener "Exhume," which remains instrumental for most of its four plus minute running time, or expansive closer "The Present," which builds like an Explosions in the Sky song. The band finds new and interesting ways to stay true to their sound while tweaking it along the way.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Lepidoptera
10:25 - Exhume
13:48 - More Than Ever
21:54 - Extramundane
26:09 - The Present
Outro - Half-Thought
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The past few decades have solidified Linda Perry as a pop songwriting machine for the likes of Pink, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, and many more artists in the 2000s. But the talent was already there in 1992 when "What's Up!" struck a chord with listeners as the first track off of the one and only 4 Non Blondes album "Bigger, Better, Faster, More!" While the neo-folk of "What's Up!" slotted in nicely alongside fellow non-grunge acts like Blind Melon, Spin Doctors, Blues Traveler, Dave Matthews Band, and others, the rest of the record tackles a variety of genres, like the shuffling blues of "Pleasantly Blue" to the bass-popping funk of "Superfly" to mixed results.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - What's Up!
17:12 - Drifting
23:56 - Old Mr. Heffer
32:15 - Calling All The People
Outro - Superfly
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Soulwax is best known for their remixes of such 2000s artists as LCD Soundsystem, Tame Impala, Gorillaz, Tiga, and more, but the band actually got their start as a catchy alternative rock band produced by the Chris Goss (of Masters of Reality) on their debut and Dave Sardy (Barkmarket) on their sophomore album, Much Against Everyone's Advice. Splitting their sound between chunky distorted guitars on tracks like "Too Many DJs" and "Conversation Intercom" and more a delicate approach on "Overweight Karate Kid" and "Flying Without Wings," it gives the album variety. But depending on which version you listen, the album can run long after an elongated lull in the middle that could be rectified with a reshuffling of the track list.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Much Against Everyone's Advice
14:27 - Too Many DJs
16:48 - Overweight Karate Kid
21:05 - Flying Without Wings
25:13 - My Cruel Joke
Outro - When Logics Die
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.An established artist starting a new musical project is always a tricky proposition, and the 90s were no different. Whether releasing a solo album or starting a new band, quality doesn't always matter when it comes to fans accepting a new sound or direction. After the amicable split of Bikini Kill in 1998, Kathleen Hanna returned a year later with the retro-inspired Le Tigre, forgoing punk bombast for dancier sounds rooted in homemade drum loops, Farfisa organs, 60s girl groups, 80s new wave and electroclash. But that doesn't mean politics and social commentary take a back seat, as Hanna is as sharp lyrically as ever on the self-titled debut album while balancing pop melodies with a lo-fi approach.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Deceptacon
11:22 - Les and Ray
17:36 - What's Yr Take On Cassavetes
24:46 - Phanta
28:56 - Eau D'Bedroom Dancing
Outro - My My Metrocard
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The line between influence and blatant copying is thin, but bands like Salmonblaster fall more towards the former on their 1996 self-titled and only officially released album. The howling vocals and chugging guitar riffs easily recall Nirvana but in a way that pays respect rather than simply aping the sound, and it's not the only trick the band has up their sleeves. Guitars are big and occasionally chaotic in a shoegaze way that makes the more restrained elements shine brighter, while the band shifts between sounds as easily as their lead vocalist jumps from cathartic screams to melodic harmonies.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Sugarrush
14:26 - Transistors & Turbines
20:36 - Freeway
26:46 - Brian Jones
31:49 - Visonblur
Outro - The Perfect Fit
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Garage rock can be a catch-all term that rubs shoulders with punk, rockabilly, surf, and more. But thanks to a variety of known and lesser-known bands, there has always been a group of dedicated musicians writing and playing revved up and relatively simple rock that traces its lineage back to the primitive and raw sounds of 60s that popped up after the British Invasion with roots in American rhythm and blues. After a very underground 80s, the sound returned in fits and starts with bands like Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and later The White Stripes, The Hives, The Strokes, and plenty of other bands starting with "The." We dig into the whole sound, the local scenes that helped foster the sound over decades, and much more.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Fell In Love With A Girl by The White Stripes
16:20 - Paint It Black by The Avengers
21:49 - Touch Me I'm Sick by Mudhoney
31:09 - (Gotta Get Some Action) Now! by The Hellacopters
40:11 - Heaven by The Hydromatics
1:07:31 - The Reproduction of Death by The (International) Noise Conspiracy
Outro - Singin' A Song About Today by The Mooney Suzuki
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Shoegaze is a term tossed out whenever a band leans in on the wall-of-sound distortion and pairs it with obscured vocals and dreamy feedback. But few bands actually stuck to My Bloody Valentine's template, adding their own flavors like the 1993 debut album Against Perfection by Adorable. Here the vocals are less obscured, and even hooky at times, recalling everyone from Echo & the Bunnymen and The Smiths to The Verve and Spiritualized. But it's not just the vocals that give Adorable a unique twist, as the rhythm section, especially an occasional Pixies-like bassline, gets their times to shine as well.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Breathless
17:49 - Sister Chapel Ceiling
21:26 - Homeboy
28:07 - Sunshine Smile
34:45 - Still Life
Outro - A To Fade In
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Chicago and the surrounding areas like Champaign-Urbana nurtured a big guitar rock sound found in the Smashing Pumpkins, Hum, Catherine, Veruca Salt, Fig Dish, and others. Originally called Mother for their debut, the band signed to a major label, changed their name to Menthol, and produced an album worthy of that group with 1995's self-titled release. But the band takes a different approach vocally, spitting big chunks of lyrics filled with a variety of references and twisted wordplay.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Dry Heaves (Of The Well-Adorned)
17:34 - Stress Is Best
20:35 - U.S.A. Capable
26:35 - Perfect Spirals
32:58 - Briefcase Full Of Cash
Outro - Francis Scott Key
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Bands cultivating a look to match their sound in rock and roll is nothing new, but the 90s weren't the most receptive decade to a well thought out image. The Sharp, with their black and white color scheme, upright bass, and precise take on 80s new wave with twists of rockabilly and power-pop, make a case that The White Stripes would follow at the end of the decade with their 1993 debut This Is The Sharp. Sounding blender filled with albums by The Knack, Brian Setzer, sElf, Joe Jackson, Fountains of Wayne, Jellyfish, and more, the tight, clean sounds are at odds with the distorted grunge overtaking the music world in 1993. But their charm of being totally at odds with the times means the skill and craftsmanship of the songwriting really shines, even if it dips into familiar patterns at times.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Scratch My Back
17:28 - Talking Sly
24:12 - Love Kiss
33:04 - Kiss Me Again
Outro - Don't Waste My Time
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.College rock is a broad term, but one that can be applied to the post-Blake Babies band Antenna founded by John Strohm and Freda Love. On the second and final album by the band, 1993's Hideout, the influences of American indie and underground pop are infused with strands of shoegaze and dream-pop noise, with tasteful guitar effects, and unexpectedly crafty baselines and backing vocals. All of that makes it not entirely appealing to mainstream radio in 1993 looking for the next Nirvana or Pearl Jam, but ideal for the college radio crowd in search of something different.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Wallpaper
12:43 - Don't Be Late
21:09 - Easy Listening
31:21 - Stillife
Outro - Shine
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The moniker "post-hardcore" was used to describe the wave of bands following the hardcore-punk sound but pushing the musical envelope. In the 80s it was Husker Du and Minute, the 90s Fugazi, Drive Like Jehu, Jawbox. None were exactly the same, each stretching and pushing the boundaries of what made up post-hardcore. New York City, home to Helmet, Quicksand, and Chavez, was fertile ground for the sound, which included Into Another. On their 1994 sophomore album, Ignaurus, the band take the edge and energy of post-hardcore, combine it with some progressive rock, and end up with a sound unlike just about anyone else was making at the time.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Running Into Walls
14:44 - Maritime Murder
30:24 - Anxious
45:02 - Poison Fingers
Outro - Ungodly
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Jon Crosby, the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist at the helm of VAST, was a well-regarded guitarist as a teen who signed a record deal with Elektra at just seventeen years old. On the debut, Crosby takes 90s industrial rock in the vein of Nine Inch Nails or Stabbing Westward and layers unexpected sounds, like Benedictine monks and Bulgarian women's choirs, to create haunting soundscapes that compliment his wide vocal range that can belt it out or croon with equal effectiveness. Visual Audio Sensory Theater is a true album, with extended intros and subtle connective tissue running throughout the record that will divide listeners today just as it did in 1998.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - The Niles Edge
18:42 - I'm Dying
21:56 - Here
32:13 - Dirty Hole
40:24 - Touched
Outro - Pretty When You Cry
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Known for his talents on various stringed instruments, Ben Harper solidified his backing band as The Innocent Criminals on his fourth record, 1999's Burn To Shine. With that band arrangement, Harper delves into a variety of sounds, channeling the blues and folk that made up his early solo releases but continuing the louder sounds from his previous outing, The Will To Live. Through the twists and turns, from 70s-influenced blues rock to minor-key Zeppelin riffing, Harper and his band play with volume and dynamics throughout to create a unique sonic pallet that works until it doesn't.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Burn To Shine
15:53 - Steal My Kisses
27:00 - In The Lord's Arms
38:04 - Two Hands of a Prayer
56:33 - Beloved One
Outro - Forgiven
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Though Fu Manchu often comes up when discussing the stoner rock of Sleep, Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age, Monster Magnet, and, the Orange County band has made the prime focus skate boarding, California vibes, and science fiction, all stuffed in a smoke-filled custom 70s van. As proponents of fuzzed-out guitar riffing, tight arrangements, catchy hooks, and finding the balance between bombast and restraint, Fu Manchu marks all our boxes. The fact they do such a good job not only writing great music, but creating an entire look and feel from album artwork to merchandise helps us look into what was once an aspirational idea of the West Coast to a pair of flat-land Ohio boys.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - No Dice
18:33 - Drive
27:15 - King of the Road
34:56 - Boogie Van
40:35 - Weird Beard
Outro - Freedom of Choice
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Montreal's Doughboys, like so many bands who tipped their toes in the power-pop sound, were mostly ignored by US listeners. Unless led by a ballad like the Goo Goo Dolls or pushing a punkier sound, artists with layered harmonies and a keen sense of melodic hooks were often overlooked for pure pop. On their 1993 album Crush, the band never compromise on the guitars, combining hardrock riffs with catchy leads and an occasional ripping solo. Only when the band slows down and gets dirgy does the momentum falter on an overall underappreciated gem.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Tearin' Away
18:00 - Fix Me
27:03 - Everything
30:25 - Neighborhood Villain
Outro - Shine
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Bruce Kulick, a member of KISS from 1984 to 1996, and John Corabi, a member of Motley Crue from 1992 to 1997, joined forces to form Union with capable players Jamie Hunting on bass and Brent Fitz on drums. The songwriting style Corabi brought to Crue is evident from the first track "Old Man Wise," which combines classic hard rock riffs with melodies and vocals that fit well into 90s alternative and grunge, such as Alice In Chains. What helps make this something more than just another album is the small touches - the harmony vocals from all members paired with clean and unfussy production that serve the songs well.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Old Man Wise
13:56 - Around Again
20:20 - October Morning Wind
28:40 - Let It Flow
39:26 - Pain Behind Your Eyes
Outro - Get Off My Cloud
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.While G. Love is currently doing the press circuit to discuss his latest album, Philadelphia Mississippi, the affable blues artist is more than happy to talk about his experiences in the ‘90s. Born in Philadelphia and raised on the finest music that city had to offer in the ‘70s and ‘80s, namely soul and blues, G. Love moved to Boston to continue his busking career with hopes of landing a record deal. As glam became grunge, and grunge became pop-punk, G. Love’s alternative hip-hop with blues-style guitar playing was a bit of an anomaly though, in retrospect, artists like Beck and Fun Lovin’ Criminals could now be considered peers. A deal with Sony imprint Okeh was solidified in ‘94 with the release of the first G. Love and the Special Sauce album and G. Love got into the write, record, tour cycle for the rest of the decade releasing three more albums before the turn of the new century. Looking at G. Love’s discography, he never slowed down though he left Okeh to release solo - and band - albums on Brushfire Records, all the while maintaining a consistent touring lifestyle. 2022’s Philadelphia Mississippi was born out of pandemic SoulBques where G and his makeshift group of musician friends would hang out, grill up some meats, and sit around playing blues music. You can catch G. Love on stage opening the Dispatch/O.A.R. tour as well as headlining some of his own dates this summer.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Rhyme for the Summertime
8:06 - Baby's Got Sauce
Outro - Blues Music
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.In the 1990s Dinosaur Jr. was primarily the J Mascis show, with both Lou Barlow and Murph out of the band. Their 2000s reformation has resulted in a steady release of some of the band's best material, but the origins trace back to the early 80s and the high school hardcore band Deep Wound where J and Lou began. Then known only as Dinosaur, the band toned down the hardcore elements for more jangle, and with J growing into a guitar shredder somewhere between Sonic Youth and Neil Young. On each of their three releases, the band grows as songwriters and players, and production considerably improves as the studios and budgets slowly increase. We dive into the early years to hear the earliest inklings of what the band would later become on albums like Green Mind and Without A Sound.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - The Leper from Dinosaur
17:49 - Repulsion from Dinosaur
28:21 - In a Jar from You're Living All Over Me
34:03 - The Lung from You're Living All Over Me
41:06 - No Bones from Bug
Outro - Freak Scene from Bug
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Though known for a variety of harder post-hardcore bands like Helmet, Quicksand, Biohazard, and many more in the early 90s, the New York City indie music also include a number of outliers who had their major label moments. Like Soul Coughing or Firewater, Skeleton Key sought to do something slightly different. Sure, there are guitar-driven alternative rock tunes like "Wide Open" or "The Worlds Most Famous Undertaker," but the majority of the album isn't so straightforward. With a "junk" percussionist, there is a pallet of sounds not regularly heard on most alternative rock records of the decade.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Watch The Fat Man Swing
23:05 - Wide Open
28:22 - All The Things I've Lost
35:24 - Vomit Ascot
Outro - The Worlds Most Famous Undertaker
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.One-hit wonders are not unique to the 1990s, and revisiting sophomore albums is always a hit-or-miss experience. Double down on what made the band or artist successful, evolve the sound into something unexpected, or somewhere in between? After scoring a hit with "Counting Blue Cars" on their 1995 debut Pet Your Friends, Dishwalla returned in 1998 with And You Think You Know What Life's About. From the opening track, the band play with sounds and melodies that stretch from the industrial rock of Stabbing Westward to the big choruses of Oasis to the experimental quirk of Radiohead. The album is unafraid to go BIG, with soaring guitar lines and vocals, but does it add it up more than just a collection of disparate influences?
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Healing Star
11:56 - Stay Awake
18:03 - Until I Wake Up
23:06 - Pop Guru
Outro - Bottom Of The Floor
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The late mid-to-late 90s were overwhelming based on the number of new album releases each week. Unfortunately, that meant bands like Little John either had a breakout single and video or were quickly relegated to the cut-out bin. In the case of their 1996 album Derailer, full of pop-rock that veers between Dinosaur Jr. guitar riffs and the quirky lyrics and melodies of They Might Be Giants, the band crafted some earworms alongside some less engaging album tracks. From the opening title track to the Presidents Of The United States of America-esque "Evel Knievel," the band craft tight, fun songs that more people should know.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Fell From The Sun
15:24 - Shoelace
22:05 - Scared
31:40 - Evel Knievel
40:49 - Derailer
Outro - Down On Me
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.There isn’t a Dig Me Out listener who isn’t familiar with Everclear, a staple of ‘90s alternative rock radio and MTV. With a string of hits like “Santa Monica,” “I Will Buy You a New Life,” and “Father of Mine,” Everclear spent the better part of the decade relentlessly touring, playing to sold-out crowds around the globe. But, had it not been for the relative success of the band’s 1993 debut, World of Noise, Everclear might have been just another footnote in a long line of forgotten bands. Singer Art Alexakis had tried his luck in San Francisco with the band Colorfinger in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s but after that band’s demise, moved with his pregnant girlfriend to Portland, Oregon where he decided to give the music thing one last try. Though World of Noise was cheap to make, the songs that Alexakis recorded with bassist Craig Montoya and drummer Scott Cuthbert - rough and raw as they were - caught the ears of major label A&R reps looking for the “next Nirvana.” After an initial release on indie label Tim/Kerr Records, Capitol Records picked up the band and reissued the debut, and set Alexakis on the way to a career that has lasted 30+ years. For the first time ever, World of Noise is now available on all major streaming services, and a vinyl reissue is planned for later 2022. While Montoya and Scott Cuthbert (and Cuthbert’s replacement, Greg Eklund) are long gone, Alexakis continues to make a living by releasing new Everclear music and touring. While the venues may be smaller, the passion is still there and Everclear will be celebrating World of Noise, and the rest of its catalog, on a summer tour with openers Fastball and The Nixons.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Fire Maple Song
4:38 - Nervous and Weird
Outro - Sick and Tired
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Face To Face had established themselves over their first three albums as a skate punk band with elements of Bad Religion and Hüsker Dü. But for 1999's Ignorance Is Bliss, they purposely showed the tempos and expanded the pallet to a much more alternative rock sound. That left some fans confused, others angry, but also welcomed new listeners into the fold. Depending on whether you're a punk purist or prefer creative detours, there is plenty to enjoy on the album, which sounds confident and catchy in a way that only veteran players with songwriting chops could pull off.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Heart of Hearts
15:37 - The Devil You Know (God Is A Man)
22:33 - Prodigal
27:26 - (A)Pathetic
40:25 - I Know What You Are
Outro - Overcome
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Describing rock bands can be tricky, as there is usually a need for comparison to set expectations. In the cast of Headstones, it's not that simple. The band is heavy, but not metal. They rock in a way that fits into the 90s, but they're not grunge or alternative. Smart lyrics, big guitar riffs, and short catchy songs that have hints of Australian bands like AC/DC or The Angels, with a touch of Guns 'n Roses and even a ballad or two. On their 1993 debut Picture of Health, all the ingredients for a smash hit debut are there, and while the band is beloved in Canada, they didn't make a ripple outside their home country.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - When Something Stands for Nothing
17:10 - Heart of Darkness
22:39 - Oh My God
35:19 - It's All Over
Outro - Judy
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Composed of Jean-Luc De Meyer of Front 242, Mark Heal of Cubanate, and Ged Denton of Crisis n.T.i., along with special appearances by members of Front Line Assembly and Haujobb, C-Tec is something of a 1990s industrial supergroup. What that allows is the members to experiment on their debut Darker with a broader range of sounds away from their regular bands, like including breakbeats on "Being Nothing," going 80s on "The Lost," or punishing noise on "Shift IV." Of course, there are some four-one-the-floor thumpers made for the 12" remix, like the Rammstein-esque "Foetal" and driving "Stateless." A few of the tracks take a little more time than necessary to get going, and De Meyer's vocal approach won't be for everyone, but Darker is a worthwhile album to add to your industrial collection.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Flowing
10:25 - Being Nothing
15:37 - Foetal
25:38 - Flowing
28:19 - Shift IV
Outro - The Lost
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The EP, that strange format in-between singles and albums. What makes up an EP? It can be anything - all new material, demos, live tracks, remixes, or anything else an artist (or record label) can think of. While around since 1919, the EP format never had a more successful decade on the charts than in the 1990s. "Jar of Flies" by Alice In Chains became the first artist to have an EP reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart, and that wasn't the only commercially successful EP of the era. Nine Inch Nails, Ugly Kid Joe, Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine, Nirvana, Ride, The Smashing Pumpkins, and many more released essential music on EPs.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - EP of the 90s Medley (Wish by Nine Inch Nails, I Stay Away by Alice In Chains, Blue by The Smashing Pumpkins)
15:15 - Everything About You by Ugly Kid Joe
22:40 - Making Love by Shiner
35:23 - Come See About Me by The Afghan Whigs
42:51 - JC Auto by Sugar
53:38 - One Too Many Mornings - The Dust Brothers
1:08:54 - I Could See The Dude by Spoon
Outro - Shooting Star by Golden Smog
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Melbourne, Australia's Sandpit only managed one full-length, 1998's On Second Thought, along with a few earlier EPs before disappearing. Mellow and sparse one minute, abrasive and noisy the next, the band finds a sweet spot between the two thanks to inventive vocal melodies that play with phrasing and cadence to keep the listener's ears engaged. Like American counterparts in Slint, Seam, or Polvo, there are slowcore and post-hardcore benchmarks the band hits with ease, while still creating interesting guitar lines between the crawling drum and snare hits.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Hold Yr Horses
11:23 - Walking in a Straight Line
19:04 - Metamorphosis
21:52 - I Positively Hate You Now
24:16 - Along The Moors
Outro - Helicopters
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Known as the more melodic half of the New Zealand alternative "Dunedin Sound" rock band Straightjacket Fits for their first two albums, Andrew Brough left in the early 90s to forge his own path. By the mid-90s Bike had formed and in 1997 would deliver their one and only album, Take In The Sun. The name is appropriate, as the album is full of shimmering, psychedelic sounds, and melodies that cry out for sunshine and warmth. But the band isn't a 60s retro act, incorporating fevered 80s alternative like on "Keeping You In Mine" or shoegaze noise on "Inside." On a pair of headphones, the album swirls and surrounds the listener, an aspect lost on lesser speakers that may turn off less engaged ears. As mentioned in the episode, our Patreon suggester wrote a eulogy for Andrew Brough after his passing in 2020 that is worth your time.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Take In The Sun
10:35 - Save My Life
18:20 - Inside
23:44 - Keeping You In Mine
Outro - Circus Kids
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.On their 1993 debut Bring It Down, Madder Rose's Mary Lorson brings melodic sharpness and emotional depth to her vocals that helps make the band special. Billy Coté's guitar matches Lorson, weaving intricately disjointed solos and leads, while also bringing in shoegaze-styled textures and noise. This gives the band a unique niche in 90s rock, somewhere between the East Coast alternative rock of Belly, Letters to Cleo, or the Breeders along with UK bands like Lush or Slowdive. But with all the magic happening in the songwriting and performances, the end result is missing a gear. A lackluster production, with thin guitars and bass, doesn't give the band a needed punch when the energy levels rise.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Beautiful John
22:03 - While Away
29:22 - Swim
34:43 - Altar Boy
Outro - Bring It Down
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Though Steelheart was considered a new band when its self-titled release came out in 1990, the nucleus of the band had been together for nearly a decade. As Red Alert, the band spent most of the ‘80s honing songwriting skills and recording demos in Connecticut while playing occasional shows in a state that didn’t offer a lot of opportunities for a hard rock band. With a plane ticket and 4-song demo cassette in hand, the band, now called Steelheart, scored a record deal almost immediately after relocating to Los Angeles and within a year of moving to the West Coast, Steelheart was topping charts with “I’ll Never Let You Go (Angel Eyes)” which showcased Milijenko Matijevic’s soaring and glass-shattering vocals. With a modest level of success, the age old question of, “What would have happened had Steelheart moved to L.A. five years earlier?” is one that Matijevic has considered but knows he’s powerless to answer. After playing 50 shows in support of 1992’s Tangled in Reins, Steelheart played a Halloween gig opening for Slaughter. Matijevic attempted to climb a lighting truss only to discover it had not been properly secured. The 1,000 pound truss fell on Matijevic breaking his nose, cheekbone and jaw and, subsequently, led to Steelheart’s breakup as Matijevic was in the hospital and rehab for a considerable amount of time. With a new lineup in tow, Matijevic has carried on the Steelheart name and released Wait (1996), Good 2B Alive (2008) and Through Worlds of Stardust (2017) while playing gigs whenever he can. The singer also provided the vocals for Mark Wahlberg’s character in the 2001 film Rock Star which featured Steelheart’s “We All Die Young”. In 2022, Matijevic released the single “Trust in Love” in multiple languages in support of global peace and hopes that the song becomes an anthem for those who need hope in their lives.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - I'll Never Let You Go
10:27 - She's Gone
Outro - Can't Stop Me Lovin'
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.While bedroom recordings are nothing new to the music world, especially after the availability of cassette four-track recorders in the 1980s, going from crude demos to fully fleshed-out compositions is something else entirely. Many artists have taken advantage of computer-based recording programs in the 2000s, but musicians like F.M. Cornog, under the name East River Pipe, figured out to take an eight-track reel-to-reel home recording set-up and eschew any limitations. On the 1994 compilation Shining Hours In A Can, shimmering guitars and atmospheric keys backed by minimalist production give the sound a lo-fi Bruce Springsteen feel, with songs loaded up on regret, solitude, and loneliness.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Make A Deal With The City
10:48 - Helmet On
14:48 - My Life Is Wrong
22:00 - She's A Real Good Time
31:55 - Psychic Whore
Outro - Axl or Iggy
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The Manchester music scene gained notoriety long before Ian Brown and Shaun Ryder thanks to 1960s artists like The Hollies, The Bee Gees, and Herman's Hermits. Following the rise of punk, Manchester provided their own twist with bands like Joy Division and New Order, The Smiths, and The Fall breaking out at home and abroad. But our focus is on the unique combination of guitar-driven rock and underground rave music that morphed into what became known as Madchester. Combining funky, percussive rhythms with everything from 80s college rock to 60s psychedelic, the brief window of the late 80s and early 90s created a unique blend of danceable rock music paired with DJs and club music that became a small factor in the eventual rise of Britpop.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Fool's Gold by The Stone Roses
13:27 - Dragging Me Down by Inspiral Carpets
26:08 - I'm Free by The Soup Dragons
33:15 - Pacific State by 808 State
46:02 - Sit Down by James
Outro - Step On by Happy Mondays
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Terms like post-punk, post-rock, emo, indie, etc. get tossed around when talking about 90s rock bands that strayed from the mainstream to embrace a different take on the soft/loud dynamic. Boston four-piece Karate takes the angular twin-guitar and vocal attack of Fugazi and shave off some of the rougher edges while incorporating Slint-like slowcore, dialing down the tempos and volumes ready to burst. Karate adds a twist with jazzy phrasings and even a dirgy blues riff, giving the band an opportunity to work with a wider sonic pallet while leaving plenty of open space that occasionally feels underdeveloped.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - It's 98 Stop
17:30 - New Martini
27:22 - New Hangout Condition
35:46 - Wake Up, Decide
Outro - Die Die
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Though Chad Fischer’s musical resume begins with School of Fish, the drummer didn’t play on either of the band’s two full-length albums. Just before the recording of 1993’s Human Cannonball, Fischer was fired by producer Matt Wallace who brought in session drummer Josh Freese to play on the album. When Freese was unable to tour with School of Fish due to other commitments, Fischer rejoined as the live drummer until the band broke up shortly thereafter. Knowing that he wanted to make a living in music, Fischer acquired gear and built a recording studio where he recorded not only his post-School of Fish band, Lazlo Bane, where he sang and played guitars, but worked on a number of releases by artists like Star 69 and Jeremy Toback. A chance meeting with Colin Hay (Men at Work) resulted in a personal - and working - relationship that continues to this day. Perhaps Fischer’s biggest musical accomplishment, however, was writing the song “Superman” which became the theme song for the long-running NBC comedy, Scrubs. These days, Fischer is writing, recording and producing for TV and movies, staying busy by releasing cover songs (and videos) and starting to work on new Lazlo Bane material.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Superman by Lazlo Bane (from All The Time In The World)
7:47 - Alone Again by Chad Fischer (from Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs soundtrack)
Outro - 3 Strange Days by Lazlo Bane and School of Fish (from Someday We'll Be Together)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.New Radicals, the band that wrote the ubiquitous single "You Get What You Give" which will never the airwaves, was the brainchild of Gregg Alexander and former child actor Danielle Brisebois, the former who had previously failed to breakthrough in the late 80s/early 90s solo artist. Donning the iconic bucket hat and calling-out (then) current celebrities like Courtney Love and Beck gave critics something to spill ink about, but the overall 1998 release Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too never got the attention the single managed. Drawing on pop from several decades and angles, the band moves effortlessly between 90s alt-rock less expected sounds like the soulful bounce of Hall and Oates or twists and turns of Todd Rundgren. While the album hones in on specific moods, like longing blue-eyed soul on one track and Badfinger-esque 70s pop on the next, the variety of players gives the overall record an inconsistent vibe with tracks often exceeding their welcome by a minute or two.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - You Get What You Give
22:16 - Mother We Just Can't Get Enough
30:06 - In Need of a Miracle
37:47 - I Don't Wanna Die Anymore
Outro - Flowers
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Alternative in the late 80s included several artists who successfully mixed funk and hip-hop with hard rock and metal, such as Faith No More, Living Colour, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In Melbourne, Australia, Defryme would form in 1989 with a similar sound, but it would take them five years to release their debut Purekiller. By that time, the fusion of hip-hop, funk, and metal was a far less original concept, and while Defryme craft a handful of tight tracks, the band struggles with consistency. The catchy hook of "Therapy" is absent on at least half of the record, which dips into yarling grunge territory on "Sanity" and attempts an ill-advised cover of LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out."
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Pure Killer
12:03 - Gunn
22:57 - Therapy
33:12 - Sanity
Outro - Rivers
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Before the alternative explosion led by Nirvana in 1991, bands like Jane's Addiction, R.E.M., Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Faith No More were already paving the way on MTV and modern rock playlists. Coming off the success of iconic rap-rock tune "Epic" from their sophomore album The Real Thing, Faith No More followed up with 1992's Angel Dust, further exploring the edges of thrash metal, funk, new wave, and more. While the record stretches the boundaries of what could still be called a mainstream, major label release, the end result is full of relentlessly catchy earworms that often defy categorization.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Smaller And Smaller
16:30 - A Small Victory
21:43 - RV
29:07 - Be Aggressive
40:30 - Midlife Crisis
Outro - Everything's Ruined
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.After their 1994 debut album not only failed to make a commercial dent for Polydor Records, but was also panned by critics and even the band themselves, Powderfinger returned to the studio with veteran Australian producer Tim Whitten (Hoodoo Gurus, The Go-Betweens, Clouds, etc.) for the sophomore album Double Allergic. The pairing paid off as the group put the studio to good use while maintaining a tight band feel that shifts between American alternative and more adventures diversions. The twin guitar work of Ian Haug and Darren Middleton carves out a wide range of sounds and textures that remain tasteful while dropping enough ear candy to make repeated listens pay off, while vocalist Bernard Fanning finds simple yet effective melodies to craft several radio-friendly tunes, all with the backing of a tight and versatile rhythm section.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Pick You Up
16:25 - Boing Boing
23:08 - Oipic
32:05 - Skinny Jean
40:09 - Come Away (Hidden Track)
Outro - Living Type
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Though most people’s introduction to Stabbing Westward was via their major label debut, Ungod, in 1994, Christopher Hall (vocals) and Walter Flakus (keyboards) had been making music together since their college days nearly a decade earlier. Blending the industrial influences of Nine Inch Nails, Ministry and Skinny Puppy with the goth rock of early Smashing Pumpkins and Depeche Mode, Stabbing Westward found themselves smack dab in the middle of the mid-90s alternative wave and toured with a wide range of acts ranging from KISS to the Sex Pistols to Killing Joke to Placebo. While fans may have appreciated the consistent releases (Ungod in ‘94, Wither Blister Burn & Peel in ‘96, Darkest Days in ‘98), it put a strain on relationships within the band and, after being dropped by Columbia and releasing a self-titled album on Koch Records in ‘01, Stabbing Westward came to end. Hall started The Dreaming, a band very much in the vein of Stabbing Westward’s sound, while Flakus got into the radio business as a program director and DJ. A reunion in 2015 to celebrate the band’s formation 30 years prior led to occasional live shows and eventually Hall retired The Dreaming name to reform Stabbing Westward with Flakus and some of his Dreaming band members. In 2020, Stabbing Westward released three new songs which led to a full album of new material, Chasing Ghosts, out on March 18, the first Stabbing Westward in 21 years.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Save Yourself (from Darkest Days)
6:52 - Ghost (from Ghost EP)
Outro - What Do I Have To Do (from Wither Blister Burn & Peel)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.A disaffected and laid-back vocal combined with loose playing will always draw a comparison to Pavement when talking 90s rock. And Pure definitely dabble in the slacker rock vibe, albeit with more chill than snark, and on Generation Six-Pack the chill is via a nice layer of fuzzy guitar that is somewhere between early Weezer and space rock Hum. The band uses some standard 90s tropes to good effect, like the quiet/loud dynamic of "Anna," while also integrating slide guitar to add a layer of distortion and countermelody while also integrating some bluesy licks, like on "The Tip" and "Denial." Where the record falters for us it may not for others - the relaxed approach occasionally smoothers what could have been some delicious power-pop-esque gems like on "Lemonade," where a slightly tighter approach would have resulted in a resilient earworm.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - What It Is
12:52 - Nobody Knows I'm New Wave
18:37 - Monster
24:00 -The Tip
31:05 - Lemonade
Outro - Anna
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.After her band Clementine, with Reggie Watts (Comedy Bang! Bang!, The Late Late Show with James Corden) and Ryan Link, broke up, Heather Duby joined forces with noted Seattle producer Steve Fisk (Pigeonhed) to write and record what would become her 1999 Sub Pop debut, Post to Wire. A far cry from the punk and grunge acts the label was known for, Duby was released from her contract when Post to Wire failed to make waves. While she continued to make albums for Sonic Boom Records (2003’s Come Across the River, 2006’s Heather Duby), Duby was going through some deeply personal things which put her music career in the back seat. She moved to New York in 2007, was involved in a terrible bike accident in 2011, earned a Law degree in 2017 and recorded a new EP in 2018 with John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, Son Volt) that hit streaming services until 2020.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Judith
6:16 - Falter
Outro - September
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.After the platinum, multi-hit single success of Cake's sophomore album Fashion Nugget, members Greg Brown (guitar and keyboard) and Victor Damiani (bass) left to form Deathray. It would take three years for their self-titled debut to be released, and while catchy pop-power and new-wave revivalists had brief moments in the spotlight during the 90s (Weezer, Matthew Sweet, The Posies, The Rentals, Imperial Teen), by 2000 their brand of dry, quick, and quirky pop had been kicked off the radio and MTV. As a result, Deathray probably isn't as well known to power-pop and general 90s rock audiences as it should be, with a quick thirty-five minutes and thirteen songs of catchy earworms that deserve a discovery.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - My Lunatic Friend
13:07 - Scott
16:26 - Baby Polygon
22:41 - Zero
34:08 - This Time
Outro - Only Lies
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Ending the 1980s with the creative one-two punch of Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me and Disintegration, like many of their alternative college rock counterparts, The Cure were poised for global superstardom at the start of the next decade. Filled with compilations, live albums, and contributions to various soundtracks, the band managed two proper albums - 1992's Wish, which featured the now ubiquitous single "Friday, I'm In Love," and the polarizing "Wild Mood Swings," whose title accurately describes the inconsistent sound and musical approach.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - A Letter To Elise (from Wish)
16:48 - Never Enough (from Mixed Up)
26:03 - Friday, I'm In Love (from Wish)
47:19 - The 13th (from Wild Mood Swings)
Outro - Maybe Someday (from Bloodflowers)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Ride's debut album Nowhere sits at the crossroad of 1980s and 90s rock. Shoegaze was still an underground curiosity, and Rider were initially lumped in with Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine, and Lush. But as much guitar noise and neo-psychedelia as the band dabbles in, there is an equal amount of 1960s jangle pop and Who-like bombast from the explosive rhythm section to help them stand out from the crowd. Sure, the production is stamped in 1980s reverb and chorus, but Ride were able to craft songs as well as noise to maximum effect.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Seagull
17:03 - Kaleidoscope
24:43 - Dreams Burn Down
30:21 - Nowhere
40:09 - Vapour Trail
Outro - In A Different Place
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The Mommyheads are the quintessential artist for Dig Me Out. Formed in the late ‘80s by guys who went to a performing arts high school in New York City (yes, the same one that the movie/TV show Fame was based on) and who enjoyed experimenting with lo-fi recording equipment, The Mommyheads had no interest in aping what they were hearing on FM radio or MTV. Instead, they looked up to the underground bands that were also experimenting with 4-track recording, bands like Fish & Roses, They Might Be Giants, and Flaming Lips. In the early ‘90s, they signed with Simple Machines and released a long out-of-print collection of demos and 4-track recordings titled Swiss Army Knife. Dreams of “making it” led to a relocation to San Francisco where, after a string of indie releases on various labels, Geffen Records came calling. Like so many bands covered on the Dig Me Out podcast, the major label deal was not all it was cracked up to be and shortly after The Mommyheads’ self-titled album came out in ‘97, they were dropped and the band broke up. After drummer Jan Kotik passed away from cancer in 2008, the other members got back together and have been active (VERY active) ever since releasing new albums and re-issuing the albums from the ‘90s at a regular pace. A new album is due later in 2022 and there are no signs of slowing down.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - In In Awe from The Mommyheads
8:31 - Wedding Day from Coming Into Beauty
Outro - Spiders from Flying Suit
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Making commercially successful funky dance pop music amid Britpop's reign may have only been possible via Shaun Ryder. The then ex-Happy Monday hooked up with producer Danny Saber and a group of new cohorts to produce 1995's debut album by Black Grape, It's Great When You're Straight...Yeah. Mixing the big beats of Big Audio Dynamite with touches of ascendent electronic music like trip-hop, while still dipping a toe in the Madchester scene, there's plenty going as slide guitars and sitars brush up against funk basslines and saxophone solos. It's not entirely successful, but Ryder and Co. manage to push the best material to the limits and create a truly unique sound for the middle of the decade.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Reverend Black Grape
12:48 - Tramazi Party
20:08 - A Big Day In The North
30:41 - Shake Well Before Opening
Outro - Kelly's Heroes
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Little did anyone know that a two-piece garage rock band from Detroit would kick off a sonic revolution in 1999. The White Stripes debut of minimalist blues paired down to just vocals, guitar, and drums wasn't completely without precedent in the underground music scene with bands like the Flat Duo Jets and Bassholes preceding them. And while it would be a few years and a few albums before the mainstream caught on, the core elements of The White Stripes sound were there from the start.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Jimmy the Exploder
20:07 - The Big Three Killed My Baby
26:53 - Sugar Never Tasted So Good
35:26 - Astro
40:56 - Slicker Drips
Outro - Cannon
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.With the success of acts like Rage Against the Machine, Limp Bizkit, 311, and Korn in the mid-90s, by the end of the decade, labels were jumping on the bandwagon and signing bands that incorporated rap and hip-hop into rock, metal, and punk. Zebrahead, from the pop-punk hotbed Orange County, were one of the bands to benefit from this trend and released their debut, Waste of Mind, on Columbia Records in 1998 featuring the singles “Get Back” and “The Real Me.” Though the music industry would shift to boy bands and teen starlets by the early 2000s, Zebrahead soldiered on, finding success in Europe and Japan. As two of the founding, and original members, of Zebrahead, Ben Osmundson and Ali Tabatabaee join us to discuss the band’s longevity, why their sound clicked with listeners, and how they’ve managed to stay together for 25 years while continuously releasing new music.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Check from Waste Of Mind
6:30 - Playmate of the Year from Playmate of the Year
Outro - Falling Apart from MFZB
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.California thrashers Suicidal Tendencies had already been called "sell outs" when they released the video for the iconic single "Institutionalized." Mike Muir, never one to buck to expectations, took ST in the directions he wanted through the 80s and early 90s, and their 1992 album The Art of Rebellion might be the creative apex for the band. Yes, they thrash. Yes, the rock. But the band was already evolving, and TAOR shows a level of arrangement and playing craftsmanship that doesn't come easy. From the charted MTV single "Nobody Hears" to the shape-shifting opener "Can't Stop," Muir is the most surprising discovery in our revisit, taking his voice and lyrics into a variety of sounds and ideas that still resonate. Of course, having an already established line-up of killer musicians backed by the lone appearance of drumming monster Josh Freese helps to further flesh out all the ideas and sounds into a truly unique record for the time period.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Accept My Sacrifice
19:06 - Can't Stop
23:56 - It's Going Down
27:09 - Gotta Kill Captain Stupid
31:34 - Nobody Hears
Outro - Tap Into The Power
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.While 1991 is regarded as the true launch of the 1990s alternative explosion into the mainstream, the sheer volume and diversity of music that followed in 1992 might lay claim to the crown as the most interesting year of the decade. The mainstays of 80s college rock were alive and well, with albums by R.E.M., Bob Mould's new band Sugar, Faith No More, The Cure, The Lemonheads, Sonic Youth, Soul Asylum, and many more. The ubiquitous "grunge" sound was fully ensconced in radio and MTV with Stone Temple Pilots, Alice In Chains, and Screaming Trees added to playlists, while more aggressive sounds emerged from the likes of Rage Against the Machine, Helmet, Pantera, and White Zombie. Underground scenes cracked the mainstream as well, as industrial and electronic acts such as Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, The Orb, Curve, Aphex Twin, and others made significant noise, and the growing UK shoegaze scene produced records from Lush, Catherine Wheel, Ride, Moose, etc. And this barely scratches the surface, as hip-hop saw the release of the decade-defining albums The Chronic by Dr. Dre and Check Your Head by the Beastie Boys, as well as albums by Arrested Development, Ice Cube, Das EFX, Redman, The Pharcyde, and more. And that barely scratches the surface.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - 1992 Medley (Them Bones by Alice In Chains, Wish by Nine Inch Nails, Unsung by Helmet, Somebody To Shove by Soul Asylum)
Outro - Miles Iz Dead by The Afghan Whigs
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Of late, Terry Ilous is probably best known as Jack Russell’s replacement in Great White (“Once Bitten, Twice Shy”), a position he held from 2010 until his surprising dismissal in 2018, but from the mid-80s until the mid-90s, Ilous fronted the Sunset Strip band XYZ (“Inside Out”, “What Keeps Me Loving You”, “Face Down in the Gutter”). In this revealing conversation, Ilous shares how XYZ bassist Pat Fontaine tricked him into moving to the U.S. from France with promises of sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll, the unlikely way XYZ landed a record deal with Enigma Records, working with Don Dokken on the band’s 1989 debut, touring with the likes of Foreigner, Ozzy Osbourne, and Ted Nugent, the arrival of grunge and the devastating effects it had on Ilous’s career for the rest of the ‘90s and how he left the music business for a number of years before being lured back in through the unlikeliest of ways (voiceover work for cartoons). Ilous has reformed XYZ and still plays shows under that band name while also releasing solo material and fronting Land of Gypsies, whose self-titled debut was released by Frontiers Music in December.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Inside Out by XYZ (from self-titled)
12:56 - Face Down In The Gutter by XYZ (from Hungry)
Outro - Don't Say No by XYZ (from Hungry)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.In the fall of 1993, if you heard the name Meat Puppets attached to the newest single Backwater blasting from your local alternative radio station or on MTV, you would be forgiven for thinking this was a new band from Seattle riding the grunge wave. In truth, this was the band's eighth release, and they hailed from the much sunnier climate of Phoenix, Arizona. As veterans of the indie rock scene who had spent the 80s on famed SST Records, Too High To Die was their second major-label release, and the band was as much an influence on the current wave of alternative acts breaking through as a contemporary, as evidenced by Nirvana's choice to cover three of the band's songs on their MTV Unplugged performance and have the Kirkwood brothers join them onstage. With Too High To Die, the band shows off all of their skills, crafting finger-picked bluegrass tracks alongside ripping Soundgarden-esque tunes.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Backwater
20:27 - Shine
24:19 - Things
29:17 - Severed Goddess Hand
37:48 - Evil Love
Outro - We Don't Exist
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.While 2020 seemed like it lasted several terrifying years, 2021 flew by with somehow the same number of days, and for us, episodes. As with our previous year-in-review episodes, we take a look back at our favorite new album discoveries, most brought to us by our Patreon community, as well as our most enjoyable round table experiences, and our favorite 80s album discoveries, episodes which are exclusive to our patrons. And we've got news to share about 2022!
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney
Outro - Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.While Nirvana famously helped give the college and underground rock scene one final push into the mainstream, the late 80s and early 90s were full of US and UK bands already making noise that connected with more than just the hip in-crowd. In Australia, the quick bursts of the Pixies and twin vocals of Throwing Muses and The Breeders are paralleled by the dual-songwriters fronting Clouds, whose 1991 debut Penny Century is full of two and three minute catchy harmonized indie pop.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Immorta
11:29 - Hieronymus
18:33 - Pocket
23:43 - Visionary
27:30 - Souleater
Outro - Foxes Wedding
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Throughout his career, David Coverdale has been dogged with comparisons to Robert Plant's Led Zeppelin years thanks to a similar style and range, even if the performances rendered different musical outcomes. By the time the early 90s rolled around, Coverdale put Whitesnake on hiatus and Page was working on Led Zeppelin compact disc remasters when the two met up and began a casual songwriting relationship that eventually led to their (so far) lone record together - the eponymous 1993 release Coverdale * Page. Fans of both bands, of which there was probably plenty of crossover, had much to rejoice about. Page riffing sounds invigorated and Coverdale is his equal, coming up with memorable hooks on several tracks. But while these artists made their names during the vinyl era, the bloat of the compact disc is length is in full display, as tracks better suited for three or four minutes get stretched to six and seven.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Shake My Tree
25:03 - Pride And Joy
29:28 - Over Now
33:38 - Feeling Hot
Outro - Waiting On You
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Trends came and went in the 90s, some propelling underground subgenres into the mainstream, while others revitalized previously dormant sounds. A few bands, mostly under the radar like Cry Of Love, The Four Horsemen, The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies, Raging Slab, and Brother Cane, were ignoring the sounds of Seattle for rock rooted in 60s and 70s blues, r&b, southern, country, and hard rock. Leading the pack was Marietta, Georgia's The Black Crowes, who had been kicking around since the 1980s under various names, led by the mercurial Robinson brothers, Chris and Rich. Their debut is full of well-known radio singles, while their follow-up expanded their sound and garnered further accolades. But sessions for their third album, originally titled Tall, became mired in endless and expensive experimentation. After refocusing, the band wrote and rewrote to land on Amorica, displaying a matured and relaxed vibe with the guitar fire that made the band favorites, but without devolving into navel-gazing jams that others in the compact disc era regularly abused.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Gone
24:59 - Wiser Time
30:17 - P.25 London
37:28 - A Conspiracy
Outro - High Head Blues
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Last year we spent Thanksgiving Eve with our patrons and friends sharing new music we were thankful for during a difficult year. 2021 has presented its own challenges, but we're lucky to have so many musical artists and creatives to turn to for escape. From the metal and hard rock of Iron Maiden, Danko Jones, and Mammoth WVH to the trip-hop of Morcheeba, Sneaker Pimps, and Hooverphonic, to the electronic and industrial of Front Line Assembly, Martin Gore, and Gary Numan, to a host of other artists like Brandi Carlisle, Dave Gutter, Palm Ghosts, The Hold Steady, Spectres, King Buffalo, Ben Kweller, and many more, there was plenty to celebrate.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Don't Back Down by Mammoth WVH (from Mammoth WVH)
7:27 - All My Heroes Are Dead by Dave Gutter (from I've Been Here Awhile EP)
15:12 - John Carpenter by Palm Ghosts (from The Lost Frequency)
18:24 - The Creeps by Garbage (from No Gods No Masters)
24:29 - Family Farm by The Hold Steady (from Open Door Policy)
30:13 - Blink Twice by Jim Ward (from Daggers)
36:42 - Swan Song by Lindsey Buckingham (from Lindsey Buckingham)
46:12 - Submarines by Failure (from Wild Type Droid)
57:38 - Ouch by The Tragically Hip (from Saskadelphia EP)
Outro - This Love Ain't Dead by Aaron and the Lord (from Aaron and the Lord)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Out of the fertile Chapel Hill, North Carolina scene emerged Polvo at the start of the 1990s. Their sound is lumped into math rock, a term the band themselves reject, but the elements are there - progressive rock filtered through an indie lens. On their 1993 sophomore album Today's Active Lifestyles, you'd be hard-pressed to find any evidence of Jethro Tull, Yes, or Emerson, Lake & Palmer. But King Crimson meets Sonic Youth? Now we're warmer. Guitar lines criss-cross with noise and bends that lesser bands would likely turn into a messy dirge, while Polvo creates a singular sound unto themselves.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Sure Shot
20:25 - Thermal Treasure
30:11 - Action vs. Vibe
39:42 - Lazy Comet
Outro - Gemini Cusp
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The 1990s definitely saw its fair share of pastiche in music from The Rolling Stones raunch of The Black Crowes to the underground Los Angeles swing revival that briefly bubbled into the mainstream. Out in San Francisco, The Brian Jonestown Massacre was taking full advantage of the Haight-Ashbury vibes to experiment with sounds old and new, dabbling in shoegaze, psychedelia, jangle-pop, and more. On their sixth album, 1997's Give It Back!, the one and only with future Black Rebel Motorcycle Club founder Peter Hayes, the band puts all the elements to use on slinky bass-driven jams like "Super-Sonic" and "Whoever you Are" while also finding time to bliss out on tracks like the sitar-driven "Salaam." But it's not all good vibes, as the bands more evil half of the namesake shows up on the disturbing noise collage "Their Satanic Majesties' Second Request," and "#1 Hit Jam" is definitely not.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Satellite
13:53 - This Is Why You Love Me
18:55 - Whoever You Are
25:05 - Super-sonic
34:00 - Servo
Outro - Salaam
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Almost six years to the day, we revisited the debut album Earth Vs. The Wildhearts by the UK hard rock band. All the ingredients were there for us to love and champion this band, but for various reasons, we were both underwhelmed and disappointed. Thanks to a member of our Patreon Union, we're giving The Wildhearts a second shot with their 1995 follow-up P.H.U.Q. Far from a sophomore slump, the second album by the band pulls successfully from metal, hard rock, and power pop to create a riff-laden record that matches it on the vocal front with big, sugary hooks and loads of backing vocals.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Nita Nitro
18:14 - I Wanna Go Where The People Go
21:46 - Just In Lust
27:46 - Getting It
37:14 - Caprice
Outro - Naivety Play
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Country, blues, and gospel are a winning combination. So are mixing trip-hop with acid house. But what if we threw that all into a big stew, layered it with a John Prine cover, Jim Jones (of Jonestown infamy) audio samples, and a druggy, capitalist critiquing, night-on-a-bender lyrical bent that also stayed away from strident political commentary while being entirely political? A big stew, eh? That's what Alabama 3 are serving up on their 1997 debut album Exile on Coldharbour Lane. If the band name sounds familiar, and you were alive at the start of the 21st century, you probably heard their track "Woke Up This Morning" introducing the weekly exploits of one Tony Soprano. Hearing that song gives listeners a nice primer on the band, but they do much more with their sixty-minute run-time, even if occasionally indulging a bit too much, like any fully exploited bender.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Woke Up This Morning
18:42 - Speed of the Sound of Loneliness
24:44 - Sister Rosetta
39:46 - Mao Tse Tung Said
1:07:34 - Peace in the Valley
Outro - U Don't Dans 2 Tekno Anymore
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Just like how the 1990s produced hundreds of alternative bands signed to major labels that barely made a dent in radio, MTV, or Billboard, the 80s had their fair share of obscure and forgotten acts of might-have-beens. Those rock bands that straddled the line between the two decades often suffered the worst, coming in at the tail end of hair/glam rock dominance into the emergent alternative and college rock scene ready to explode. Phantom Blue is a perfect example of this interesting time, a band whose 1989 debut is more in line with 80s metal, while their 1993 follow-up (and last) record Built to Perform shows growth in multiple directions, incorporating the drop-d riffing of Soundgarden and Alice In Chains flawlessly with Guns 'n Roses licks and energy.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Better Off Dead
15:32 - Lied To Me
21:11 - Little Man
31:01 - My Misery
Outro - Time to Run
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Band reunions aren't new, as some of the best-selling and most well-known bands have gone on hiatus or broken up for extended periods of time. Back in 2015, we discussed 1990s rock bands that had broken up and gotten back together. Six years have passed, and more bands have reunited, released material, or at least toured. We decided to revisit the topic and discuss bands like Swervedriver, Hum, The Psychedelic Furs, The Vapors, Guns 'n Roses, and many more who have been back in the studio (either to record or rerecord) and hit the road together.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Step Into You by Hum
11:50 - Thread by Shades Apart
18:09 - Don't Believe by The Psychedelic Furs
34:50 - Amputation by The Jesus And Mary Chain
47:00 - The Colour of Love by The Smashing Pumpkins
Outro - Mary Winter by Swervedriver
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Before Creeper Lagoon scored a minor hit with "Wrecking Ball" on their 2001 major label, radio-friendly alternative rock album Take Back The Universe and Give Me Yesterday, the band released a much more intimate debut. 1998's I Become Small and Go, co-produced in part by John King of The Dust Brothers, finds an even balance between catchy indie-pop, and more produced and layered tracks. Using a host of loops, oddball sounds, and other studio tricks gives tracks like "Wonderful Love" just enough earworm material to balance with the more subdued songs like "Sylvia." Unfortunately, the band can't hold up the momentum, and the album takes a noticeable dive in quality towards the end, but that doesn't erase what is a re-listenable record.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Dear Deadly
17:16 - Wonderful Love
20:23 - Sylvia
24:04 - Drink and Drive
Outro - Empty Ships
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.He's an outlier, an enigma, an iconoclast, an original. We're talking about Tom Waits, whose career is more closely tied to the 70s and 80s, but who released his Grammy Award-winning album Bone Machine in 1992 just as the first wave of grunge was talking off in 90s rock. Trying to compare Waits, and this album in particular, to any of his contemporaries, is a fool's errand. Sure, there's a bit of Nick Cave here, some Mark Lanegan there, even some Morphine and Beck, but Waits is often on another planet entirely. Using a collection of non-traditional percussion instruments (some homemade) combined with buzzing guitars and ramshackle pianos, to create a junkyard orchestra. It often sounds like it's falling apart before it even starts, but Waits can bring it together with his vocals, even if they are the most divisive aspect of a Tom Waits album.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - I Don't Wanna Grow Up
17:26 - Black Wings
24:49 - That Feel
29:54 - Whistle Down The Wind
34:26 - Goin' Out West
Outro - The Earth Died Screaming
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.In popular culture, whether it's music, films, books, or television, the idea of a Guilty Pleasure has existed as long as people have formed opinions on entertainment. High versus low art, serious versus inconsequential, intimate versus manufactured - everyone has their own criteria. We discuss the power of shame, such as when a once-popular genre falls out of favor, or when the personal behavior of an artist can affect an audience, the phrase can take on an even more serious interpretation.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Barbie Girl by Aqua
Outro - I'm Too Sexy by Right Said Fred
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Members of Seattle's biggest bands of the 90s rock scene were often dabbling in side projects, like Temple of the Dog, Mad Season, and Brad. Matt Cameron and John McBain had previously played together in Hater, and along with Soundgarden bassist Ben Sheppard started Wellwater Conspiracy By the time they got around to album number two, Sheppard left, leaving Cameron and McBain to make the 1999's Brotherhood of Electric: Operational Directives, along with some friends. One of those friends is Josh Homme, not long after the end of Kyuss and just as Queens of the Stone Age is starting up, who hops on board for vocals on three tracks. Cameron tackles most of the rest and does a nice job with some 60s-influenced garage rock tunes that wouldn't sound out of place on a Hives record. Unfortunately, the side-project nature of the band leaves room for lots of noodling and experimentation. Some good, most not, which turns what would have been a tight, rockin' record into a much more bloated affair in need of a editor.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - Good Pushin'
13:09 - Compellor
20:55 - Right Of Left Field
23:38 - B.O.U.
28:07 - Van Vanishing
Outro - Red Light Green Light
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Toward the middle of the 1990s, the shift away from loud grunge, post-hardcore, and punk resulted in a wide variety of more introspective sounds. Some bands were tagged with emo, some with slowcore, others with simply indie rock. From Death Cab for Cutie and John Vanderslice to Elliott Smith and Iron & Wine, the late 90s and early aughts were full bands turning down both the volume and tempo. San Diego's Pinback, comprised of veteran scene musicians Rob Crow and Armistead Burwell Smith IV, utilize a wide variety of instruments and approaches on their self-titled debut from 1999. A simple drum preset can carry an entire song, mixing a variety of analog keyboard and guitar sounds, while occasionally introducing samples, guitar-mimicking vinyl scratching, or vocal loops. It's a melancholy but charming debut that presents many interesting ideas that sometimes lack a second or third gear to make them truly inspired.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - Hurley
17:34 - Tripoli
20:20 - Rousseau
25:33 - Crutch
Outro - Lyon
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.While 90s rock is known for the volume-pushing bands from Seattle, Boston, Chicago, and other parts around the world, a loose movement of quiet and introspective artists rallied (quietly) around sparse arrangements, hushed vocals, and an appreciation for traditional to 60s folk. Ida covers most of that ground and more on their fourth album, 2000's Will You Find Me. Thanks to a wide range of guest musicians and a major label budget, the band incorporates electric piano, moog, wurlitzer, viola, and a host of other instruments to fill out the nooks and crannies of their deliberate sound. When at their best, the foursome use the three vocals to perfection, crafting haunting and beautiful sound scapes. But on the flip-side, some of the less fussed-over tracks sound bare in comparison, or tracks meander when they should be more concise.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - Shrug
21:24 - Down on Your Back
26:19 - Turn Me On
32:29 - Encantada
40:18 - Shotgun
48:09 - Man in Mind
Outro - The Radiator
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.By the early 90s metal music faced a crossroads - fixtures of the 70s and 80s influenced by Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin were less connecting less with a younger generation of fans whose exposure to the thrash of Metallica, the hardcore of Bad Brains, and a new wave of guitar gods like Vernon Reid of Living Colour and Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine. From their early years in high school through years of demoing and playing gigs in Southern California, the Deftones tapped into this wide variety of sounds, as well as new wave and post-punk, to craft a uniquely 90s take on metal. Thought dubbed nu-metal at the time on their 1995 debut album Adrenaline and 1997 follow-up Around The Fur, both with producer Terry Date, their sound continued to expand in the 2000s, incorporating shoegaze, space rock, and more. We revisit their 1990s output to trace the beginnings of one of the most interesting and influential alternative metal bands of the past twenty years.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - My Own Summer (Shove It) from Around The Fur
20:11 - 7 Words from Adrenaline
35:23 - Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away) from Around The fur
42:28 - The Chauffeur (Duran Duran cover)
Outro - Bored from Adrenalin
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Few names evoke the 90s like Ned's Atomic Dustbin. It doesn't hurt that the band also sported an unusual line-up of two bass players that made full use of the sonic range - one carrying the low end and the other mid-range riffs ala Peter Hook of New Order. It gave The Neds something extra to play with, and on 1992's Are You Normal? the band shed their punkier, less polished debut sound for a rhythmic, bouncy follow-up effort. While the rhythm section carries a large amount of songs, if gives the guitar room to roam, from metalish funk riffs to blissed out delays. On the stronger material, it gels nicely, but the album takes time to find its footing, with a back-half that shows more range and depth that keeps us from loving the whole.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Suave And Suffocated
29:42 - Walking Through Syrup
40:30 - Not Sleeping Around
57:03 - Intact
Outro - Swallowing Air
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Chicago had a reputation for producing some of the notable heavier bands of the 1990s, including Ministry, Smashing Pumpkins, The Jesus Lizard, Shellac, and My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult. You can now add Wicker Man to that list. Not familiar with the band Wicker Man, you say? We're here to help, thanks to one of our knowledgeable Patreon patrons. The band managed just one full-length, their 1995 self-titled debut for Hollywood Records, and it's both hard and easy to understand why the band is all but forgotten. The quality and craftsmanship is clear, heavy riffs that touch on power metal, stoner rock, post-hardcore, and more that could satisfy a wide variety of metal fans. But looking back on 1995, it's also easy to see how the band was out of step with the emerging nu metal and industrial scenes, which makes rediscovering the band all the sweeter.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - You Annoy Me
19:26 - Party Grrrl
26:56 - Don't Believe A Word
29:58 - Hey Hey Hey
39:47 - Brainfreeze
Outro - Sugarfoot
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Rusty's 1995 debut album Fluke pulls off a neat trick, sound both of the times and yet somehow ticking the boxes of previous generations. There is the swampy garage blues of "Warning" that Royal Trux or Beck would appreciate as much as ZZ Top of Rory Gallagher. There is a blast of hardcore-ish punk on the aptly titled "Punk" and nods from everyone to the Stooges, Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr. and The Replacements across the record. Separated, the guitars might sound too gnarly or the drums to lo-fi, but the overall combination mostly finds the sweet spot.
Song In This Episode:
Intro - Groovy Dead
13:22 - Misogyny
18:07 - K.D. Lang
19:52 - Warning
23:50 - Punk
Outro - California
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Best known for their string of mid-90s hit singles that smoothed off the harder edges of what we once called alternative rock, Collective Soul returned in 1997 under difficult circumstances with Disciplined Breakdown. A legal battle with their ex-manager lead to a canceled tour and recording the record on their own. Thanks to Ed Roland's tenured history as a musician and songwriter, the band barely misses a step combining pop-friendly melodies with rock arrangements and sounds, even taking some unexpected detours that work ("Link") and don't work ("Full Circle").
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - Precious Declaration
25:02 - Disciplined Breakdown
34:51 - Link
40:18 - Crowded Head
Outro - Listen
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.While the double album (two vinyl LPs) has long been the medium for big-thinking artists from Bob Dylan to Pink Floyd, introducing cassettes and compact discs in the 1980s changed the format length and what actually qualified as a double album. In the 1990s, artists again began pushing the limits of the dominant medium, as evidenced by double album releases over two compact discs not only by 90s rock bands like The Smashing Pumpkins or Wilco, but with hip-hop, electronic and others expanding their releases like from The Notorious B.I.G., Nine Inch Nails, The Orb, Tupac Shakur, and others.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - We're In This Together by Nine Inch Nails (from The Fragile)
21:26 - Bodies by The Smashing Pumpkins (from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
30:06 - Outta Mind (Outta Sight) by Wilco (from Being There)
46:40 - Brown Paper Bag (Single Remix) by Roni Size - Reprazent (from New Forms)
56:20 - The Sound by Swans (from Soundtracks For The Blind)
Outro - Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb (from The Orb's Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The moniker "jam bands" had been around for decades before their 90s counterparts in Phish, Rusted Root, and String Cheese Incident brought their own takes out on the road. Athens, Georgia based Widespread Panic draw on the southern sounds of The Allman Brothers Band as well as other guitar heroes like Eric Clapton and J. J. Cale to craft their guitar and keyboard driven sounds. The trick with jam bands, regardless of decade, has always been converting the energy and improvisation of the live performance into a crafted studio product. On 1997's Bombs and Butterflies, Widespread Panic smartly avoids overly long passages for trimmed down and concise songwriting.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - Radio Child
17:18 - Aunt Avis
19:06 - You Got Yours
41:18 - Glory
52:32 - Hope In A Hopeless World
Outro - Gradle
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Plenty of bands messed around with a lo-fi sound in the 90s, sometimes to euphoric effects, sometimes not so much. Swell dabbles: a white noise fractured guitar lead here, a flat acoustic guitar riff there. But on Too Many Days Without Thinking, they are merely small pieces of a more layered puzzle. Had it been played on Les Paul's through big amps, the album would have sounded very familiar, so dialing back the noise and putting it to sparing use helps elevate the band above their 90s rock peers.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - Make Mine You
14:27 - When You Come Over
19:08 - Throw the Wine
22:36 - What I Always Wanted
29:01 - (I Know) The Trip
Outro - F*ck Even Flow
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Well-regarded music historians often explain the 90s explosion of alternative music into the mainstream boiled down as the rise of Seattle grunge, the So-Cal pop-punk sound going national, and the movements that followed like the swing revival, electronica, nu-metal, and more. But lost in that simplicity is the more difficult and (quite frankly) weirder starting point of the decade, where bands were mixing and moshing across a spectrum of hard rock, funk, and more. A prime example is the one-and-done band Hash, who released their self-titled album on Elektra in 1993. The band sounds comfortable mixing Red Hot Chili Peppers-style funk with Living Colour-esque swagger and shredding with touches of 60s sitar-spiked psychedelia, all topped with big melodies and harmonies. It's a talented if at times overcooked stew, but finding bands that can play in this many sandboxes and maintain a level of quality is few and far between, even if some of the big swings are misses.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Twilight Ball
17:09 - In The Grass
22:08 - Ghetto
27:58 - Mr. Hello
29:36 - Traveling
Outro - American Chorus
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Lots of bands have brothers, but how about two pairs of brothers? Perhaps growing up with a musical sibling is the reason the Kerns and Dahle brothers are able to crafty such a hooky and satisfying album of power-pop tinged rock on their third and final released as The Age of Electric - 1996's Make A Pest A Pet. Along with fellow Canadian 90s rock bands like Sloan, Odds, and Zumpano, TAOE bring their own take to the nebulous power-pop genre, bashing through three-minute guitar lead bursts without sacrificing dynamics or melody.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Remote Control
18:56 - Mad at the World
21:34 - Nothing Happens
29:35 - Don't Wreck It
Outro - Unity or Grenadine
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Launched in 1991 by Perry Farrell as a farewell tour for Jane's Addiction, Lollapalooza immediately became the defining musical tour of the decade. Inspired by the UK festivals like Reading, Farrell concocted an underground music celebration based on the bands he wanted to see and tour with - Siouxsie and the Banshees, Living Colour, Nine Inch Nails, Ice-T & Body Count, Butthole Surfers, Rollins Band, Violent Femmes, and Fishbone. After it proved a success, the tour exploded in size until, but seemed to lose steam at point through the decade, as the once groundbreaking festival became another opportunity to chase trends and showcase already hugely popular bands. We look back at each tour in the 90s, as well as compare it to the current incarnation as a corporate-driven destination festival in Chicago.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - Smells Like Teen Spirit by Soundgarden (Nirvana cover, 7/22/92)
Outro - Sabotage by Beastie Boys (8/6/94)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Of all the bands to release big albums in 1994, there may be none bigger than Live's sophomore album Throwing Copper. In the studio heavyweights like Jerry Harrison (production), Lou Giordano (engineering), and Tom Lord-Alge (mixing) helmed the album that prepared the band for multiple radio singles, MTV hits, album sales around the globe. It also helped that they leaned into their successful influences, channeling U2, R.E.M., and Pearl Jam without coming across as imitators. Revisiting an album that was everywhere for over a year (it took fifty-two weeks to reach number one, the third-longest ever), digging into the lesser-known album tracks reveals a band that could embrace simplistic fun as easily as dour universalism.
Songs in this Episode
Intro - All Over You
17:19 - Selling The Drama
22:11 - Stage
33:13 - Lightning Crashes
44:19 - Waitress
Outro - I Alone
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.With vocals equal part sneer and sweet, supported by a thick and fuzzy bass, Moler is a little pop, a little punk, slightly grunge, and very interesting on their lone album from 1997, Golden Duck. The three-piece is at no loss for volume, cranking out over a dozen two and a half to four-minute gems that have plenty of attitude and energy. Lead singer and bassist Helen Cattanach, along with Julien Poulson on guitar and Steven Boyle on the drums, are a tight unit that only falters when the melodies don't shine, which happens a few times on the back half of an otherwise engaging album.
Songs on this Episode:
Intro - Mustang Base
11:35 - Pseudoephedrine
23:06 - I Do, I Do
31:39 - Warning Sign
Outro - Red Light Disco
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.We've revisited many 90s rock bands from Australia of various types, but Big Heavy Stuff is the first to nail the post-hardcore sound made (underground) famous by bands in D.C., Kansas City, and Chicago. On 1997's Maximum Sincere, the band takes full advantage of the spacious room recording to showcase the drumming via slowed tempos and minimal arrangements that spark and blaze sonically at just the right times. There is enough melody and interesting guitar work to keep the album interesting, always a tricky proposition when slowing down, but that leads to some less than stellar material on the back half the overall strong album.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - The Train Stops Here
14:07 - Maximum Sincere
25:31 - Cheating on a Dead Wife
29:43 - May
Outro - Big Mouth
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Few bands are more rightly associated with the rise of alternative music from the underground to the mainstream than Soundgarden. Starting out in the mid 80s as a prototypical Seattle band backed by Sub Pop, produced by Jack Endino, and indebted to the heavy thud of 70s Black Sabbath combined with punk aggression, the original line-up quickly coalesced, releasing a slew of material in just three years. With Sub Pop in financial dire straits, the band recorded the debut album for SST, and showcased Chris Cornell's unique falsetto paired with the band's growing technical proficiency. A year later, they would end the decade on A&M records and release Louder Than Love, which further evolved the band into the metal sound that drove original bassist Hiro Yamamoto to quit, unhappy with the musical direction of the band. Within these recordings are the DNA that would lead to the breakthrough Badmotorfinger, and set the band up as the pre-eminent hard rock band of the 90s.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Hands All Over (from Louder Than Love)
14:48 - Nothing To Say (from Screaming Life EP)
32:07 - Flower (from Ultramega OK)
42:26 - Head Injury (from Ultramega OK)
50:46 - Ugly Truth (from Louder Than Love)
Outro - I Awake (from Louder Than Love)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.For such a short career, Jellyfish managed to pack decades worth of musical ambition and melodic knowhow into just two studio albums. The comparisons are nothing new - The Beatles, Queen, The Beach Boys, Badfinger, Wings - but while plenty of bands have been tagged with the "power-pop" label over the years, Jellyfish occupy a unique space of both defining and transcending the label. On 1993's Spilt Milk, for as much Raspberries and Cheap Trick influence a listener can spot, the band is clearly going for a bigger, more grandiose sound that draws inspiration from the stage and screen.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Joining A Fan Club
17:36 - All Is Forgiven
28:13 - Brighter Day
32:55 - Sebrina, Paste and Plato
Outro - New Mistake
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.On their 1995 sophomore album Killjoy, New Zealand's Shihad might fool you with their opening Helmet-like salvo of "You Again" and "Gimme Gimme," two tracks of chugging down-tuned riffage with bass and kick locked-in. But this is not a Helmet clone, or a clone of any American post-punk band you might conjure, as the band shows off a variety of stylistic and rhythmic approaches that recall late 80s albums by The Cure. Somehow this band managed to slip under our radar in the mid-nineties, which is surprising considering the comparisons to bands such as Barkmarket and Jawbox.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - You Again
19:22 - Deb's Night Out
26:55 - The Call
34:34 - Bitter
41:49 - Silvercup
Outro - Gimme Gimme
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Eclectic bands can be a tricky proposition. Too much genre-switching and musical diversity can strip a band of an identity, with the disparate parts not adding up too much. But done right, and finding a unified sound in the song-to-song evolution, can make for an exciting listen. Luckily, with Boston's Tribe and their 1991 album Abort, it's the latter. While chronologically they're at the start of the emerging 90s rock scene, their sound harkens back to the 80s in a variety of ways, weaving in new wave, jangle pop, and underground college rock with layered harmonies, nods to shoegaze and dream pop, while keeping the arrangements tight.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Joyride (I Saw The Film)
19:19 - Abort
21:03 - Here At Home
29:42 - Jackpot
32:25 - Daddy's Home
Outro - Tied
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Regionality isn't talked about much outside Seattle with regard to 90s rock, but just like how the Pacific Northwest was experimenting with punk and metal in unique ways, other parts of the United States had an impact on the bands from their locales. Like our recent Better Than Ezra episode, Cowboy Mouth is from Louisiana, a state which boasts a deep and rich musical history that can't help but imprint on the latest generation. In the case of Cowboy Mouth and their 1996 album Are You With Me?, and the members' previous 80s bands Dash Rip Rock and Red Rockers, the influence of roots rock, blues, Americana, and more can be heard throughout in subtle nods and swinging rhythms. Unfortunately, some of the personality gets sanded off for a sound that is ready for mainstream radio, but also lacking some needed edge.
Song In This Episode
Intro - Jenny Says
20:39 - Man On The Run
30:27 - God Makes The Rain
34:28 - Love Of My Life
38:02 - How Do You Tell Someone
Outro - New Orleans
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Lo-fi isn't unique to the 1990s, but it is the first decade that the recording technique (meaning literally "lo-fidelity") merged with indie rock and take on a genre identity. Artists like Pavement, Sebadoh, Guided By Voices, Liz Phair, and more found their bedroom and basement recordings appealing to more than just a tape-trading crowd with the advent of cheap CD reproduction and small labels with better distribution. But it begs the question - is lo-fi simply a recording technique based on circumstance, or an aesthetic artists strive for to attain a particular emotional effect.
Song In This Episode
Intro - I Am A Scientist by Guided By Voices
12:57 - Splendid Isolation by The Bevis Frond
22:49 - Drive All Over Town by Elliott Smith
32:37 - Losercore by Sentridoh
45:56 - Parting Shot by The Grifter
1:06:38 - Anytime You Want by Eric's Trip
Outro - Summer Babe (Winter Version) by Pavement
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.After the early 90s explosions of Seattle grunge and alternative rock, labels swept up bands from across the country (and globe) that had any sonic resemblance to the chart toppers. By 1994, the signing frenzy was in full swing, and bands new and old found their way to major labels. Some were teenagers from Australia, while others might have veterans of midwestern hard rock and metal bands, as was the case with Sponge. If there is a reason why their major label debut Rotting Piñata from 1994 sounds so confident, it's because these weren't first timers figuring it out. That confidence shows as the album balances tight, melodic singles with album tracks that incorporate a wide pallet of influences from 80s Psychedelic Furs and R.E.M. to 90s shoegaze and metal.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Molly
16:32 - Miles
18:00 - Neenah Menasha
28:00 - Giants
31:36 - Pennywheels
Outro - Drowned
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Bands only get to make their debut album once, but for Jimmie's Chicken Shack, a few practice swings paid off. Taking tracks from several low-profile independent releases and combining them for the 1997 major label debut means the material on Pushing the Salmanilla Envelope sounds refined and well-thought-out without being stale and lifeless. Unlike some contemporaries who relied on thick, down-tuned guitars to push their angst, JCS work in layers of intricate guitar leads that recall 1970s progressive rock or 90s math rock but with a funk metal twist.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - High
21:00 - Dropping Anchor
24:16 - When You Die You're Dead
33:14 - This Is Not Hell
36:02 - Milk
Outro - Hole
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.We've listened to plenty of Australian 90s rock that made little to no impact in the United States many times but rarely has a band sounded so US-based in its influences as Hoss. On their third album Bring On The Juice, swinging punk rhythms recall Detroit's 70s action rock scene, while more dissonant moments sound like pre-90s grunge from the likes of Mudhoney or early Dinosaur Jr. Attitude, confidence, and swagger abound on these eleven tracks, sometimes leading the band into overly long excursions that could use some trimming. But overall, Hoss finds a way to sound off the moment and timeless concurrently, not an easy feat to pull off.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - 11:11 Again
21:36 - Mighty Hand
28:04 - Lip From Lip
31:27 - Gentle Claws
Outro - The Tiredest Man Awake
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.While 1996's Congratulations, I'm Sorry charted higher than 1992's New Miserable Experience for the Gin Blossoms, it failed to produce the same number of singles and managed only a quarter of the sales. The simplistic answer is to pin the decline on the loss of guitarist and songwriter Doug Hopkins, who penned their biggest and most enduring hit "Hey Jealousy." But as we have learned, the landscape changed fast for bands in 90s rock. NME singles made an impact in 1993 and 1994, and the band's contribution to the Empire Records soundtrack, "Til I Hear It From You," was also a hit. Is it possible listeners had Gin Blossoms fatigue in 1996? The album charted well upon release, and "Follow You Down" was a hit, but no other singles connected, and the band would break-up the following year for a four-year hiatus. So does Congratulations, I'm Sorry deserve its sophomore slump status, or is it worthy of redemption?
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Follow You Down
20:38 - Virginia
30:54 - Day Job
45:46 - Competition Smile
Outro - As Long As It Matters
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.By 1995, it was difficult for American "alternative" bands to make a dent in the US, let alone a rookie Australian band on a new label with just a handful of releases to crack MTV and radio. Ammonia did that with the quirky single "Drugs," which found singer/guitarist Dave Johnstone melding the quiet/loud bombast of Nirvana with a delivery more reminiscent of Wayne Coyne. But "Drugs" is the classic case of a single not exactly representing the sound of the record, as the rest of Mint 400 shifts between big fuzzed-out riffing in the vein of Swervedriver's shoegaze and Superchunk's early noise pop. The band works best in short, loud bursts, only losing focus when the tempo drops and running time drags.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Drugs
22:17 - Suzi Q
30:40 - Ken Carter
43:41 - Mint 400
Outro - Sleepwalking
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Of the all bands that scored alternative hits in the 90s rock, few managed to recapture that sales magic on ensuing albums. But that doesn't mean their follow-ups records were lesser, and in some cases they made superior albums that got overlooked by fickle record buyers. Case in point: Better Than Ezra. After having their 1993 self-released sophomore album Deluxe repackaged and reissued by Elektra in 1995, and scoring a hit single with "Good," the band quickly reconvened and recorded the follow-up Friction, Baby. What the 1996 album lacks is the killer-hook single, but what it gains is confidence. While still boasting a pair of quality radio friend tracks in "King of New Orleans" and "Desperately Wanting," the album overall has the air of a band confident and secure in the sound while still stretching. That can lead to some magic, like on the blazing "Long Lost" and somber "Speeding Up To Slow Down," but also some hubris to go too far on the bad funk of "Normal Town" and "Still Live with Cooley."
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - King of New Orleans
19:36 - Long Lost
27:33 - Scared, Are You?
31:24 - Speeding Up To Slow Down
34:31 - Normal Town
Outro - Desperately Wanting
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The balance between the "pop" and the "punk" in "pop-punk" can be tricky, especially when a band comes from the latter scene. On the Shades Apart 1999 album Eyewitness, the punk of the 90s (i.e. Green Day, The Offspring, Blink-182, Rancid, etc.) is represented more in the songwriting than the speed, something a lot of those bands would incorporate as time wore one. But Eyewitness goes one step further by adding subtle yet effective ska and reggae flourishes more akin to The Police than Less Than Jake. With producer Lou Giordano behind the board, the band crafts a well-manicured sonic pallet but like many, falls victim to the late 90s/early 00s guitar tones that haven't aged as well as the songwriting.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Edge Of The Century
19:35 - Stranger By The Day
31:14 - One Starry Night
37:03 - Chasing Daydreams
Outro - 100 Days
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Count to four. Do it seventy-five times, only interrupted by blistering feedback, screaming, and manic drums. And do it in about thirty-one minutes. That is Tokyo An*l Dynamite by The Gerogerigegege. In the world of experimental and avante-garde, noise has been tackled by artists as big as Neil Young and Lou Reed. Sonic Youth made a career out of crafting feedback into a symphony of melody. But if punk is about stripping rock 'n roll down to components and putting in the hands of the most rudimentary players, Tokyo Anal Dynamite might be the most punk rock album ever made.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Rock 'n Roll
Outro - Atama
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.
Despite what the million-dollar deal with Virgin Records might have implied, Royal Trux we're never going to be hitmakers. The label bought their cool factor based largely on the 1993 album Cats and Dogs, their first to embrace the songwriting end of their lo-fi aesthetic that danced on the edges of 90s rock via critical praise and underground hype. Part droning Velvet Underground, part deconstructed Exile On Main Street-era Rolling Stones, with touches of Sonic Youth and Pavement, Royal Trux concocted a stew of brittle, off-kilter blues without a hint of irony. The result is occasionally blistering, but not without fragile moments that sound like collapse is imminent.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - The Flag
15:48 - Let's Get Lost
18:38 - Up the Sleeve
25:42 - Turn of the Century
37:22 - Driving in That Car (with the Eagle on the Hood)
Outro - The Spectre
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Neil Young has always been one to buck convention and follow his own muse, but the 80s saw him fall out of favor with mainstream audiences as he explored rockabilly, synthesizers, hard rock, traditional country, etc. with half-baked results. By the end of the decade, he was back on solid footing with Freedom, setting up Young's renaissance in the 90s. 1990's Ragged Glory paired him again with Crazy Horse, marking the start of a decade that found him touring with a variety of taste-making young acts, like Sonic Youth, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam, who backed him on the generational crossover album Mirror Ball. Unlike many well-known acts from the 70s and 80s that continued in the 90s, Young might have been the most fully immersed in what was actually happening in 90s rock and pop culture.
Song In This Episode:
Intro - Downtown from Mirror Ball
17:47 - Love To Burn from Ragged Glory
22:25 - Harvest Moon from Harvest Moon
37:56 - Peace And Love from Mirror Ball
49:31 - Big Time from Broken Arrow
Outro - Arc
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.While stoner and desert rock has been associated primarily with California bands like Kyuss, Fu Manchu, and Sleep, in reality artists across the country were putting their own spin on Black Sabbath's tracks like "Sweet Leaf" for decades. Bands like Monster Magnet in New Jersey, Corrosion of Conformity in North Carolina, and Clutch in Maryland have each contributed to 90s rock and beyond. On Clutch's sophomore self-titled album from 1995, the band tone down their freshman punk and louder tendencies, dialing back the distortion and locking into 70s psychedelic head-nodding grooves paired with the occasional frantic jammy freak out. The dividing line for listeners is vocalist Neil Fallon, who possesses one of the most otherworldly heavy voices that can bellow with the best, but is unafraid to explore funkier, sing-songy melodies that may not be for everyone.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Big News II
15:31 - Rock N Roll Outlaw
23:42 - Spacegrass
30:40 - Droid
Outro - Seven Jam
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.With three decades of records to look back on, it's safe to say Polly Jean Harvey doesn't stand still for long. From the minimalist blues of To Bring You My Love to the eerie piano pieces of White Chalk, Harvey has become indie rock's David Bowie, evolving her style steadily and consistently, often at odds with expectations. On her second album as PJ Harvey, Rid Of Me stands the test of time thanks to her raw and intimate approach while unleashing Pixies-ish punk and Bo Diddley blues rhythms. Harvey plays in a big sandbox, and her handpicked producer Steve Albini is game, giving plenty of space for light and dark to crash and thrash.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - 50ft Queenie
16:19 - Rid Of Me
27:03 - Dry
32:52 - Me-Jane
44:03 - Yuri-G
Outro - Missed
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.While much is made of genres like punk breaking through and topping the mainstream of 90s rock, the late 80s success of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Living Colour and Faith No More just as successfully pushed underground/alternative funk metal onto MTV. In 1990, Primus unleashed their twist on the sound with the progressive rock-influenced debut Frizzle Fry. Within a few years, thanks to catchier and catchier tunes paired with creative videos, the band would graduate from Headbanger's Ball to 120 Minutes to daytime rotation, solidifying them as a definitive band of the decade. But what to make of their first studio release, which finds Les Claypool's unendingly inventive approach to bass paired with equally stellar musicians in drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander and guitarist Larry LaLonde. If progressive rock, funk metal, or Claypool's distinct vocal and melodic approach aren't to your taste, is there still something worth checking out?
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - John the Fisherman
18:18 - Too Many Puppies
28:50 - The Toys Go Winding Down
47:45: Harold of the Rocks
Outro - To Defy the Laws of Tradition
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Is there a more crucial turning point for 1990s music and 90s rock than 1991? Artists released important albums weekly that would shape the decade (and even entire careers) such as Pearl Jam, U2, Soundgarden, Gun 'n Roses, Smashing Pumpkins, R.E.M., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primal Scream, Blur, Metallica, and more. Then there were the underground bands that lurked on college radio and outside the Billboard charts like Slint, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Mr. Bungle, Fugazi, Ride, Uncle Tupelo, Mudhoney, and Throwing Muses. It's the debut of Lollapalooza, the year trip-hop and desert / stoner rock would begin their ascension, the year Freddie Mercury released one last album with Queen before his passing, and the year "grunge" became a word everyone knew. It's a super-sized episode with lots of guests and lots to cover.
Songs In This Episode:
1991 Medley (Unbelievable by EMF, Rusty Cage by Soundgarden, There's No Other Way by Blur, Girlfriend by Matthew Sweet)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Few bands can really be described as influential, most either affecting the latest pose or regurgitating a nostalgic vibe. On the other hand, some bands are so ahead of the curve, it can take time for the rest of the world to catch up. That's the case with Drive Like Jehu's sophomore 1995 album Yank Crime, which in the worlds of 90s rock, sounded like a runaway train of mixed up genres - post-hardcore, math rock, emo, post-punk, and more that weren't invented yet. It's not speculation to call this record and this band influential - members of At The Drive-in, Deftones, Modest Mouse, Jimmy Eat World, and more have weighed in over the years on DLJ's unique place in 90s rock canon.
Songs in this Episode:
Intro - Here Come The Rome Plows
22:22 - Luau
32:22 - New Intro
Outro - Do You Compute
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Our look back at Season Ten of the podcast, during which we hit milestone episode five hundred, is a great recap to a not so great year. Our Patreon community continued to support us and lead way, picking interesting and unexpected albums to revisit via individual selections and our monthly polls. It allows us to check out noteworthy 90s bands we had previously missed like Mudhoney, that dog., Neutral Milk Hotel, Dig, Morphine, and PJ Harvey, as well as discover a bevy of lesser-known acts such as Ricaine, Odds, Cosmic Psychos, Giants Chair, and more. From the Hindustani jazz fusion of Indian Ocean to the 70s funk of Big Chief, our sonic pallet was once again expanded thanks to our patrons, who also helped us launch our Discord community, which lead to our new weekly Box newsletter. We looking forward to moving into 2021 and Season Eleven!
Songs In This Episode:
Intro/Outro - Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Mudhoney may have written some of the most recognized pre-Nirvana breakthrough tracks associated with the Seattle sound of the 80s like "Touch Me, I'm Sick," "Suck You Dry," and "In 'n Out Of Grace," but the band has had as much in common musically with the sound of Detroit punk and garage bands like MC5, Iggy & The Stooges, The Gories, Sonic's Rendezvous Band, etc. On their second full-length album, Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge, released in 1991 just months before Nirvana's Nevermind changed the musical landscape, the band took their established template and added vintage organs, blazing harmonicas, and acoustic guitars to expand their sound. While it helps break up what can become a repetitive listen thanks to the eight-track lower-fidelity production, the band can't deliver on a killer melody or hook the way they had on their previous standout songs.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Let It Slide
14:05 - Generation Genocide
18:55 - Something So Clear
23:36 - Pokin' Around
28:03 - Fuzzgunn '91
Outro - Into The Drink
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.As we've discussed previously with episodes on Mötley Crüe and Skid Row, the 1990s were a weird evolutionary period for '80s hard rock and metal bands tagged with monikers "glam" or "hair" to describe their look even if it didn't describe their sound. So much so, there's always a caveat to their '90s releases as to whether the band tried to update their sound to fit in with the new alternative and grunge landscape, or if they kept chugging along with only minor tweaks. In the case of Boston funk-metal band Extreme, their fourth (and until 2008, final) album Waiting For The Punchline ditched the big rock production for a more immediate style that gives the rhythm section more punch but still allows virtuoso guitarist Nuno Bettencourt room to dazzle.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Hip Today
18:52 - Waiting For The Punchline
26:42 - There Is No God
30:30 - No Respect
Outro - Evilangelist
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.While the calendar confirms that 2020 was a standard 365 days, March seemed to last seven months, and in total the year seemed like one endless anxiety attack. Luckily, music still provided a momentary reprise via albums in a variety of forms. Some were unexpected, like from Hum, Shiner, Sparta, and Criteria. Some were long in the making, like albums from Fiona Apple, Pearl Jam, Alanis Morissette, and the Psychedelic Furs. Others were from active favorites, like The Lees of Memory, Guided By Voices, Local H, and Jeff Tweedy. There was something for everyone, and we talked about many.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Far Beyond by The Lees of Memory (from Moon Shot)
6:36 - Shameka by Fiona Apple (from Fetch The Bolt Cutters)
27:16 - Ghosts by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (from Letter To You)
34:32 - Step Into You by Hum (from Inlet)
48:33 - Lighthouse Spaceship by The Lickerish Quartet (from Threesome, Vol. 1 EP)
59:42 - Run Towards The Roar by Baby Chaos (from Apes Confronts Cosmos)
Outro - The Solution is Laughable by Godzillionaire (from Negative Balance)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Fictional bands and artists have been a staple of movies and television shows for decades, from the heavy metal send-up of This Is Spinal Tap to Dan Akroyd and John Belushi getting the band back together in The Blues Brothers. The 1990s were no different, as movies and television were filled with bands we wished had put out full albums and toured, to some that were best left to thirty-seconds of screen airtime. Whether it's capturing the sound of the decade in shows like My So-Called Life and Daria or films such as Singles and Empire Records, or revisiting past decades like the 70s glam rock of Velvet Goldmine and 60s garage rock of That Thing You Do!, there is plenty to rediscover or check out if you missed it the first time around.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Shrimp Shack by The Wonders (from That Thing You Do!)
5:05 - All Over The World by Strange Fruit (Still Crazy)
20:14 - Freakin' Friends by Mystik Spiral (Daria)
36:40 - More Bad Times by Ed's Redeeming Qualities (Ed's Next Move)
42:43 - The Bedrock Twitch by The BC-52's (The Flintstones)
53:36 - By My Side by The Suburbans (The Suburbans)
Outro - How Do You Talk To An Angel by The Heights (The Heights)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The third album by that dog. album didn't happen. 1997's Retreat From The Sun was intended to be lead singer Anna Waronker's debut solo album, but after pressure from her record label, it turned into a full-band effort. The result might be the highlight of the that dog. catalog, and one of the best guitar pop albums of the decade. Three minute mid and uptempo radio-friendly tunes with enough grit and subtly layered instrumentation allow Retreat From The Sun to work on two levels - a catchy pop record for casual fans, and a headphone experience for those desiring a deeper listen. With the talented Hayden sisters on vocals and multiple instruments, the record finds the balance between crafted and fresh.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Retreat From The Sun
18:27 - Never Say Never
21:39 - Annie
25:05 - Gagged and Tied
Outro - Long Island
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.On this episode, we invited Drew Zakmin of the Songs Gone Wrong podcast on to discuss his pick of the 1998 Jerry Cantrell solo debut, Boggy Depot. While his guitar prowess and backing vocals in Alice Chains were well regarded in the 1990s, it wasn't clear what a large part Cantrell played in the overall sound of the band until this album, which features plenty of riffs and melodies on part with tracks on Facelift or Dirt. The heavier and darker sounds associated with the band are significantly reduced, as Cantrell indulges his songwriter side on longer tracks like "Settling Down" and "Cold Piece," while adding horns, piano, and other non-AIC instrumentation to the mix. But producing his own record may have led to some choices that a seasoned producer might have questioned, such as the overlong run-time and (at times) oddly mixing choices that occasionally bury the guitar leads. Once you're done with this episode, make sure to head over to Songs Gone Wrong for the other half of our podcast swap to hear us discuss the 1997 single Tubthumping by Chumbawamba.
Songs In The Episode:
Intro - Cut You In
12:01 - Dickeye
17:21 - Settling Down
22:27 - Devil By His Side
26:01 - Hurt A Long Time
Outro - My Song
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Way back in season number one of Dig Me Out we were joined by an old friend (Chip Midnight, who would become a frequent guest on the show) to discuss one of his favorite bands and albums, the 1996 album Broadcaster by Triplefastaction. During that episode we talked about eventually revisiting the second and final album by the band, 1997's Cattlemen Don't. While we predicted it would be five thousand episodes later, it only ending up being five hundred episodes later, as we are joined by Brian and Kevin from the band, along with producer John Agnello popping in for a bit, to revisit the record and discuss the just-announced double LP vinyl reissue on Chicago's Forge Again Records. From the label, Justin Wexler joins us to share the in's and out's of how a vinyl reissue happens, and of course, our old friend Chip is back to share stories and more with the group.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Pure
11:31 - Heroes
35:09 - Eurogirl
1:11:33 - If
Outro - Duck And Run
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Instead of tackling an individual label for this roundtable, we decided to invite our Patreon patrons on the show to discuss some of their favorite record labels of the 1990s. While many started out with a narrow musical focus, some developed and expanded their roster of bands, while others stay true to their original mission. We talked about the pop-punk of Berkeley, CA's Lookout Records, the New York hardcore of Revelation, the garage punk of Bellingham, WA's Estrus Records, the post-punk of Chicago's Touch and Go Records, and many more.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - B.L.U.R.E.M.I. by Blur
6:43 - Mouth Breather by The Jesus Lizard (Touch & Go)
19:24 - The Young Influentials by Juno (Desoto)
31:31 - Graveyard Girlfriend by The Groovie Ghoulies (Lookout)
48:28 - Killing A Camera - Braid (Polyvinyl)
Outro - Mutate Me by Into Another (Revelation)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.For every obvious major label signing in the mid-90s trying to capitalize on the success of a variety of Seattle-sounding guitar bands, there was an equal number of head-scratchers that seem to make little sense in retrospect. Take Southern Culture on the Skids, a North Carolina rockabilly outfit that had kicked around since the mid-80s, but found a home on Geffen Records alongside Weezer, Sonic Youth, Veruca Salt, and White Zombie for their 1995 release Dirt Track Date. What the three-piece had going for them is a tight unit of skilled players steeped in American music history, smoothly transitioning from steel-pedal Hawaiian influenced ballads to B-52s-esque kitschy minimalist pop. Dirt Track Date may have only made the slightest dent thanks to its quirky single "Camel Walk," but like the swing revival, the attempt at recapturing the sounds of the past comes across as earnest rather than nostalgic.
Song In This Episode
Intro - Camel Walk
17:50 - Firefly
22:50 - Nitty Gritty
26:08 - Make Mayan A Hawaiian
Outro - 8 Piece Box
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.For our latest Dig Me Out '80s episode, available only to our Patreon community, we revisit the 1981 album Fair Warning by Van Halen. While tensions mounted within the Van Halen camp between Eddie, Dave, and producer Ted Templemen, the band explored dark sounds and themes, integrating dirty disco grooves, screaming slide guitar, and synthesizer mayhem that marked a turning point in the Van Halen story.
Check out the first thirty-five minutes of this two-hour and fifteen-minute episode for free, join the Dig Me Out Union to access the previous dozen '80s episodes, vote in our monthly album pick polls, and more.
The success of the 1993 Screaming Trees album Sweet Oblivion and the single "Nearly Lost You" may have put Mark Lanegan on the mainstream map, but as a solo singer/songwriter, Lanegan was already successfully forging a different path with 1990's The Winding Sheet. By the time 1994's Whiskey For The Holy Ghost was released after a protracted recording period, the split between the streamlined grunge of the Trees and Lanegan's forays into folk and blues were fully on display. With only one track, the escalating "Boracho," featuring prominent electric guitar and distortion, the album finds more similarities with fellow Seattle folksters The Walkabouts (with whom Lanegan appeared as a guest) than most of his Seattle contemporaries. The result is Lanegan's voice, sought after as a collaborator for decades to come, fully out front, which serves him well while exposing some of the cracks in the instrumental performances and production.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - House A Home
13:11 - The River Rise
17:47 - Boracho
31:18 - Sunrise
36:58 - Ride The Nightingale
Outro - Judas Touch
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.With a major label budget backing them, Doug Martsch and his rotating cast of Built To Spill members made something special with 1997's Perfect From Now On. While his previous indie releases, along with Martsch's original band Treepeople, pointed to a capable songwriter and inventive guitar player, Perfect From Now On raised the bar for nearly every guitarist who studied J Mascis' frenetic shredding, Neil Young's extended jams, or Kevin Shields layered shoegaze. Thanks to the time on their side, layers of guitar intertwine throughout, switching between clean picking and fuzzed leads, backed by an array of studio indulgences that include a cello, mellotron, organ, and more. The result is lush and dreamy without losing its bite, and a timeless record that influenced a generation of artists that none have equaled.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Untrustable, pt 2
19:36 - Randy Describes Eternity
22:03 - Stop The Show
29:00 - Out Of Sight
Outro - I Would Hurt A Fly
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.By 1998 the grunge bubble had burst even for the second wave, as sunnier, more eclectic alternative rock fought for radio airwave space against the upstart nu-metal bands and a resurgence of manufactured pop. One of the biggest hits was thanks to the Austin, Texas trio Fastball, whose sophomore album All The Pain Money Can Buy produced the cinematic single "The Way," which along with bands like Harvey Danger, The New Radicals, Imperial Teen, and others provided a momentary bubble of pop uncertainty. Fastball wasn't exactly a one-hit-wonder, charting two additional singles in the top 20. The album oscillates between the voices and styles of Tony Scalzo and Miles Zuniga, who craft concise tunes with enough diversity to touch on 60s pop psychedelics, 70s power-pop and 80s new wave without jarring inconsistencies.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - The Way
27:20 - Out Of My Head
33:38 - Sooner Or Later
48:20 - Warm Fuzzy Feeling
51:11 - Charlie, The Methadone Man
Outro - Fire Escape
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Noise rock is a moniker tossed around about a number of 1990s bands. Australia's Ricaine are no different, except that they are different, and their 1996 debut album Regret Is An Inevitable Consequence of Life is proof of it. While there are plenty of bursts of howling guitar feedback, grinding bass, and crushing drums, the band excels at balancing the noise with moments of tension-filled restraint, playing with the quiet/loud dynamic in a myriad of interesting ways. Did we say dynamics? This album is chock full of them, turning on a dime in ways that left us impressed, bolstered by a perfectly natural production style that compliments the sonic shifts throughout the record.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - The Failed Actor
18:13 - Three From Three
22:03 - Judith's Fence
28:14 - Meek
34:40 - Contradictory Black Muzzle
Outro - Even In Death
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.After the industrial noise rock of Cop Shoot Cop, lead singer/bassist Tod Ashley moved on to the eclectic sounds of Firewater, drawing on the sounds of American indie rock equally with European traditional music such as cabaret and Klezmer. With the help of future Gogol Bordello guitarist Oren Kaplan and a variety of skilled players, the band jumps from the Screaming Trees-esque alternative rock of "I Still Love You, Judas" to the Peter Gunn aping intro track "Ponzi's Theme." At their best, Firewater are a challenging and diverse listen thanks to the gravel-voice Tod A., but that's counterbalanced by some kitschy organ and piano sounds that sound more Smash Mouth than Tom Waits.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Green Light
10:23 - So Long, Superman
13:40 - Knock 'em Down
21:15 - Whistling In The Dark
Outro - Caroline
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Something must have been in the Missouri River that helped produced so many Kansas City post-hardcore heavy-hitters. We've already talked about Shiner and Giants Chair on this podcast, and this time we're checking out the 1994 sophomore album In A Perfect World by Season To Risk, who shared members with Shiner and Molly McGuire, also of K.C. Leaning more into the more chaotic noise rock of early Soundgarden, Killdozer, or The Jesus Lizard, with a manic rhythm section, and Lemmy-meets-Buzz Osborne, the fact that this was released on a major label at the height of Seattle radio and MTV dominance is a testament to the talent of the band and the free flow of major label money in the decade. There is a radio single on the sledgehammer of an album, but any attempt to reign in the mayhem would have resulted in a watered-down and inferior release.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Jack Frost
21:25 - Nausea
26:29 - Future Tense
34:50 - Timebomb
Outro - Remembered
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Portishead may remain the most interesting enigma of the 1990s. First is Beth Gibbons, who channels Liz Fraser of the Cocteau Twins, Billie Holiday, and Jane Birkin into an unmatched vocal for the decade. Second is Geoff Barrow, creating 60s and 70s sounding spy movie and spaghetti western sound scapes via downtempo, gothic, and hip-hop samples and influences, with the tone-perfect playing of Adrian Utley on guitar. Though cast with trip-hop peers Massive Attack, DJ Shadow, and Bjork, Portishead forge an entirely unique path.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Sour Times
21:07 - Glory Box
31:19 - Wandering Star
36:25 - Roads
Outro - Mysterions
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The Athens, Georgia music scene might have been put on the map by R.E.M., but in truth they were one piece of a vibrant, diverse puzzle that included Pylon, The B-52s, Love Tractor, and others. A college town with nowhere to play in the late 70s and early 80s, bands and artists made their own spaces happen. Thanks to day-long drive to New York City and an influential college arts program, the sleepy Georgia town transformed in the 80s into one of the most important centers of musical, political, and social expression in the country. The 90s continued that exploratory spirit, finding a home for The Elephant 6 Collective and its respective bands, and well into the 2000s. To help us track the decades worth of stories and details, we're joined by college professor Grace Elizabeth Hale, author of "Cool Town: How Athens, Georgia, Launched Alternative Music and Changed American Culture" and guitarist Mark Cline of Love Tractor.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Athens, GA Medley (Radio Free Europe by R.E.M., Rock Lobster by The B-52s, Party Train by Love Tractor)
13:46 - Cool by Pylon
47:30 - Sarcophag by Bar-B-Q Killers
1:11:03 - Grey Hats by The Glands
Outro - Jane by Elf Power
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Very few bands can claim the influence and legendary status as Athens, Georgia's Neutral Milk Hotel. While the band released just a pair of records, an EP, and single in their ten years, 1998's In The Aeroplane Over The Sea has grown from critically appreciated to cult status over the past two decades. With enough distance from the release, it's easy to see why, as 2000s bands such as The Decemberists, Arcade Fire, Beruit, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and more picked-up on the lo-fi, psychedlic sounds that countered the late 90s/early 00s mainstream push of processed and packaged third-generation grunge, comically aggressive nu-metal, and sanitized pop-punk. Maybe the mystique was assisted by the long step out of the spotlight by singer/songwriter Jeff Mangum, who has never attempted a follow-up. Did he make his magnum opus, or was there nowhere else to go?
Song In This Episode:
Intro - Two-Headed Boy
24:23 - King Of Carrot Flowers Pts. 2 & 3
39:03 - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
46:22 - [Untitled]
Outro - Holland, 1945
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Were the 90s just Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and various other grunge bands and their followers? Of course not, but revisiting Morphine's 1993 album Cure For Pain makes a strong case that the true alternative of the decade never bubbled up to MTV TRL, Clear Channel playlists, or Rolling Stone covers. A horn driven, blues and jazz influenced rock band that channeled Tom Waits and The Velvet Underground was never going to sell ten million albums. But along with fellow outsiders like those in Soul Coughing, The Jon Spencer Blue Explosion, and others, there was room on college radio and 120 Minutes for more askew views of what rock and pop meant.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Buena
24:28 - Thursday
29:53 - A Head With Wings
32:42 - I'm Free Now
35:56 - Let's Take A Trip Together
Outro - Cure For Pain
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.It's episode 500 of Dig Me Out! At our Patreon page, we asked our patrons to pick a record for this special occasion, but not just any record. We gave them the top ten best-selling rock albums of the 1990s, and let them choose from Alanis Morissette, Kid Rock, Santana, Hootie & The Blowfish, No Doubt, Matchbox 20, Metallica, Green Day, Creed and Nirvana. Thanks to their votes, we got the chance to revisit possibly the most iconic and legendary album of the decade - 1991's Nevermind. But we weren't alone, as we invited our patrons and past guests to join us via a group Zoom chat to dive into this record, the shifting musical landscape of the early 90s, the evolution of discovering new music over the past few decades, and much, much more during our two-hour extravaganza.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Outro - Territorial Pissings
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Aimee Mann. Jackson Browne. Jon Brion. Nicky Hopkins. Benmont Tench. Steve Nieve. Jim Keltner. What do all those names have in common? They played on Murray Attaway's 1993 album In Thrall. But wait, there's more! Pat Mastelotto of King Crimson and Mr. Mister. Robbie Blunt from Robert Plant's solo band. Alex Acuña of the Weather Report. Sid Page of Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks. Steven Soles and David Mansfield from Bob Dylan's band. How did all these people end up playing on the lone solo release by the former singer/guitarist of Athen's, Georgia jangle-pop band Guadalcanal Diary? We have no idea, but it makes for an interesting listen, as Attaway's indie-pop songwriting sensibilities are filtered through a variety of talented players on both sides of the recording booth window. Did we mention there is a Lord-Alge brother involved?
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Under Jets
18:58 - No Tears Tonight
22:16 - The Evensong
29:24 - Angels In The Trees
35:50 - Fall So Far
43:40 - Living In Another Time
Outro - Allegory
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The 1990s may have been the most bountiful of decades when it came to the concept of the B-side. Originally singles provided just one extra song on the second side of a 45 RPM single. That expanded to 12" singles for dance 1970s remixes and 1980s longer cassette singles. For music obsessives, the 90s provide the rare opportunity to hear three, four or more tracks from a band not included on an album. Non-album studio tracks were accompanied by demo, live, remix, acoustic, radio edit and more of album and non-album tracks, as well as covers, instrumental and acapella versions. Some bands, like Pearl Jam, Suede, and Oasis, even managed to score radio singles with their b-sides. We dive into the various interesting B-sides from a variety of bands and discuss some of the B-sides compilations released during the decade.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Yellow Ledbetter by Pearl Jam
13:28 - Landslide (Fleetwood Mac cover) by The Smashing Pumpkins
19:02 - Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd cover) by Catherine Wheel
28:09 - Heroin Girl (Acoustic) by Everclear
41:08 - Maquiladora by Radiohead
50:05 - Winnebago by Foo Fighters
Outro - Puppets by Hum
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Funk music might be most commonly associated with 1970s bands like Funkadelic, Parliament, Sly & The Family Stone, the Ohio Players, and other more, but the 1990s saw their fair share of funk enthusiasts slip into the alternative mainstream. The Red Hot Chili Peppers had become an MTV staple, Primus and Faith No More explored the outer edges, while bands like the Beastie Boys, Living Colour, Infectious Grooves and more put their own spin on the sound. In Ann Arbor, Michigan, the remnants of 80s hardcore bands the Necros, Laughing Hyenas, and others formed Big Chief, whose 1991 skewed towards the alternative metal sound. That would not be the case on their 1993 follow-up, Mack Avenue Skullgame. Dubbed an "Original Soundtrack" for a movie that does not exist, the album is a faithful throwback to the 70s blaxploitation sounds of soundtracks like Shaft, Superfly, Cleopatra Jones and others. The band lays down authentic if updated funk sounds and adds the necessary vocals of Thornetta Davis to add melodic punch. But like all soundtracks, can the concept work without the imagery to go with it?
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - My Name Is Pimp (Mack's Theme)
19:08 - One Born Every Minute (Doc's Theme)
24:18 - If I Had A Nickle For Every Dime
27:32 - No Free Love On The Street
32:55 - Cop Kisser (Mack F*cks Up The Scene At The Freezer)
Outro - Cut To The Chase
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In 1995 PJ Harvey was relatively unknown in the US, aside from college radio and others tuned into the underground. Thanks to the breakout single "Down By The Water," for a brief moment she was in the same spotlight as Tori Amos, Bjork, Sarah McLachlan, Liz Phair, and other female artists who transcended the dominance of Seattle grunge and guitar rock. On To Bring You My Love, Harvey bounces between the minimalist blues of the title track and the krautrock drive of Working For The Man, and the blistering distortion of Meet Ze Monsta and pounding drive of Long Snake Moan. But in the age of Spotify skipping, can minimalism and restraint with bursts of nasty distortion still catch an ear?
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Down By The Water
22:22 - C'mon Billy
26:09 - Long Snake Moan
34:10 - The Dancer
38:03 - Working For The Man
Outro - Meet Ze Monsta
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Thanks to our Patreon community, every so often we get to step outside the our 90s comfort zone of American, UK and Australian alternative and indie rock. Having previously gotten hip to the rock en español of Café Tacvba and the Indian/Britpop fusion of Cornershop, this time we're getting the fusion from a different starting point. On the 1997 live recording Desert Rain by Indian Ocean, the fusion starts with the North Indian style of Indian classical music known as Hindustani, and from there incorporates elements of jazz, rock and folk. Able to stand on its mightily on its own with regard to craft and technical ability, making sonic connects to artists such as Tool drummer Danny Carey and his use of the tabla or the mathematical improvisation of Steely Dan helped our understanding and deepened our appreciation for our latest discovery.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Village Damsel
20:17 - Euphoria
23:42 - From The Ruins
33:35 - Going to ITO
Outro - Melancholic Ecstasy
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Maybe more so than any other decade, the 90s pumped out tribute albums at a furious rate. Whether it was loving takes on beloved artists, exposing underground heroes to new audiences, or updates with kitschy and nostalgic themes, nearly every month a new tribute compilation CD was probably at your local record store. Our roundtable shares what makes a successful tribute album and what can derail an effort, whether it's simply cloning the original song, or completely ignoring it. We also investigate the phenomenon of random, lesser-known bands popping up in tracking listings alongside a group of heavy-hitters, and the one-off collaborations that showed up on occasion.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Tribute by Tenacious D
5:39 - Hard Luck Woman by Garth Brooks (Kiss My Ass - Classic Kiss Regrooved)
9:24 - Summer Of Drugs by Soul Asylum (Sweet Relief - A Benefit For Victoria Williams)
14:31 - Making Plans For Nigel by The Rembrandts - XTC: A Testimonial Dinner
21:02 - We Only Just Begun by Grant Lee Buffalo (If I Were A Carpenter)
27:02 - Clampdown by the Indigo Girls (Burning London: The Clash Tribute)
36:48 - She Don't Use Jelly by Ben Folds Five (Lounge-A-Palooza)
Outro - She's Lost Control by Girls Against Boys (A Means To An End: The Music Of Joy Division)
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The cross-pollination of punk and rock between the United States and Australia has been going on for decades, but one of lesser-known but most interesting (to us, at least!) is the 1980s and early 90s grunge scene, and how Australian bands like The Scientists, The Birthday Party, and Cosmic Psychos had an influence on their American Pacific Northwest counterparts. In the case of the Cosmic Psychos, it was finding commonality with bands like Mudhoney and the Melvins, and releasing their 1989 album on the then upstart Sub Pop label. In 1991 the band recorded with Butch Vig following the Nirvana's Nevermind sessions and produced Blokes You Can Trust, released on the influential Amphetamine Reptile label. For a three-piece, the sound is massive thanks to the fuzzed-out bass that will remind some of the desert and stoner rock scenes, while the old-school AC/DC riffs combined with punk and hardcore attitude of Black Flag and Motorhead lands on the spiritual kin of Seattle's grunge scene.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Dead Roo
20:16 - Back At School
29:40 - Loser
36:26 - Do It To Me
Outro - Nightshift
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If you remember the Smoking Popes, it's probably thanks to their Buzzbin / Clueless soundtrack single "Need You Around." Lead singer Josh Caterer got tagged as punk-rock Morrissey, and while the band continued on, many were left with the impression that the Smoking Popes were something of a novelty. As we dug into this album for the first time, the realization quickly set in that the early Morrissey comparisons were way off base, as both Caterer, along with his brothers Eli and Matt, and drummer Mike Felumlee, are significantly less punk than expected. Sure, you can hear the energetic down strums of Ramones across the record, but instead of 90s pop/punk, the band channels the likes of Wings, The Smithereens, Buddy Holly, Frank Sinatra and more in their quest to write exquisitely arranged pop-rock gems.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Need You Around
18:49 - Rubella
21:56 - Mrs. Me And You
25:46 - My Lucky Day
28:30 - Gotta Know Right Now
Outro - Midnight Moon
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Pollyanna's 1996 EP Junior and 1996 debut album Long Player scored them multiple hit singles in Australia and put them on the national radar, which means the sophomore follow-up Hello Halo in 1997 had expectations attached. As we discovered, the band expanded their pallet. While the record is full of radio-friendly alternative rock ("Peachy Keen" and "Brittle Then Broken)", where the group really excels is their willingness to take some detours, like on the horn-backed tracks "Pulling Teen" and "Butterman," or the Helmet-esque post-hardcore of "Tank." Thanks to the deft production of Paul McKercher (Violetine, Ratcat, Falling Joys, Spiderbait, You Am I), the diversity of approaches manages to stay consistent even if all the material isn't up to par.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Peachy Keen
12:01 - Pulling Teeth
15:20 - Butterman
20:03 - Tank
28:03 - Brittle Then Broken
Outro - Effervescence
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Thanks to a reliance on off-kilter retro sounds and lo-fi instrumentation, Eels were often compared to Beck (and not always favorably). On their second album, 1998's Electro-Shock Blues, they utilized one of the producers who helped Beck transition from one-hit-wonder status with Loser to the layered mastery of 1996's Odelay. But instead of matching the mayhem, singer/multi-instrumentalist Mark Oliver Everett constructs a sixteen-track somber affair with a few noisy interludes delving into personal loss at a bone-chillingly intimate level. What struck us was the deliberate shift from their debut that produced the hit single "Novocaine For The Soul," and wondering if like many, the lyrical content was too heady to digest, needing the growth and loss of maturity to fully appreciate the depths that E is willing to explore.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Last Stop: This Town
16:39 - 3 Speed
20:58 - Hospital Food
24:21 - Elizabeth On The Bathroom Floor
38:52 - Cancer For The Cure
Outro - Climbing To The Moon
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When they released their debut album Showbiz in the US in 1999, Muse were one of a number of bands compared to the Pablo Honey/The Bends era of Radiohead thanks to Matt Bellamy's Thom Yorke like tenor and Johnny Greenwood's guitar acrobatics. But Muse were doing it as a three-piece, and over time the band shed the unfair comparisons to forge a path that paid as much homage to the bombast of classic Queen to the aural assault of Rage Against The Machine, all the while releasing a slew of hit singles, moving from opening slots, to sheds, to arenas across the globe, and becoming one of the few bands to still carry the dying torch of rock. We revisit their debut, their early EPs, and touch on their 2000s releases to trace the origins of the band that has gained a global audience while splitting fans over their embrace of poppier and dancier material.
Songs In This Episode:
Muscle Museum (from Showbiz)
6:40 - Cave (from Showbiz)
17:28 - Falling Down (from Showbiz)
23:47 - Uno (from Showbiz)
42:14 - Plug In Baby (from Origin Of Symmetry)
1:02:49 - Agitated (B-Side)
Outro - Sunburn (from Showbiz)
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Thanks to old friend of the show Chip Midnight, when patron Dewey Cole suggested revisiting the 1993 self-titled debut album from Dig, Chip reached out to lead singer and guitarist Scott Hackwith to have him join us to revisit this record. Dewey only came to record recently, so he provides a unique perspective of discovering an album seventeen years after its release. Chip interviewed Scott when the band was just starting out, gigging around the country with frequent stops in Ohio in the early-to-mid 1990s. Scott, who started out as a guitarist in T.S.O.L., learned to be a producer on the spot making the debut album, which led him to work on records by the Ramones, Spiritualized and other, shares stories and insights on album artwork, demo'ing tracks on a four-track machine, making music videos, and working on new Dig music.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Believe
32:22 - Let Me Know
37:24 - Feet Don't Touch The Ground
1:00:33 - Conversation
Outro - Unlucky Friend
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If you've listened to this podcast long enough, you know that we are not always in agreement about what works and doesn't work for us on various albums. One of the earliest disagreements was back in Season One when we checked out the 1993 album Four by Seaweed. Thanks to a recent listener suggested poll on our Patreon site, we're back ten years later to check out the 1995 follow-up Spanaway, the band's only release on the Hollywood Records label. While the band faced the tired "sell-out" label for signing to a major, in reality, the band stayed close to what they did well - a bombastic combo of East Coast post-hardcore and PacWest grunge, with some extra nuance thanks to the skilled fingers of Andy Wallace behind the mixing board, as well as guest visits in the drum throne by Barrett Martin (of Screaming Trees) and Matt Cameron (of Soundgarden). The question remains - has anything changed in our diverging opinions?
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Start With
18:45 - Magic Mountainman
22:53 - Assistant (To The Manager)
31:59 - Free Drug Zone
Outro - Last Humans
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While we have chatted with many artists over the years, rarely have we been able to get the record label perspective on the various ups and downs of the 90s. For this episode, we're lucky to get singer/songwriter Michael McDermott, who has been making records for thirty years, and the A&R rep who helped kick off that career, Brian Koppelman. While Brian is better known for his screenwriting (Rounders, Ocean's 13) and showrunning (Billions), his life in the music industry dates back to high school with A&R stints at Elektra Records, Giant Records, SBK Records and EMI Records. We dig into the album Michael and Brian worked on together, 1993's Gethsemane, and the various trials and tribulations of releasing a singer/songwriter album in the heyday of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice In Chains, the producer and songwriter relationship in the studio, why being too sympathetic to the artist can be a negative, and much much more.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro/1:47 - Just West Of Eden
17:03 - The Idler The Prophet And A Girl Called Rain
46:54/Outro - Need Some Surrender
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While the 90s were dominated by the touring festival as opposed to the current day destination festival, the first half and second half had decidedly different approaches. Lollapalooza took a variety of artists from across genres with the intention of exposing artists across differing fanbases, whereas the Warped Tour, Ozzfest, H.O.R.D.E. Tour, and Lilith Fair each narrowed their focus. In the case of Lilith Fair, the simplistic history is that it was a female-centric folk tour, headlined by the likes of Sarah McLachlan, the Indigo Girls, Suzanne Vega, and Sheryl Crow. In reality, over the course of three years, the festival provided a much broader spectrum of female artists, including Queen Latifah, Bonnie Raitt, Letters To Cleo, Liz Phair, Dance Hall Crashers, K's Choice, Luscious Jackson, Nenah Cherry, The Pretenders, Missy Elliott, The Cardigans, Susanna Hoffs, Juliana Hatfield, and many many more. To help us revisit we invited back a pair of performers (Kay Hanley of Letters to Cleo and Jill Cuniff of Luscious Jackson) and a pair of attendees (friend of the show Matt Shiverdecker and show announcer Katie Minneci), along with special call-in guests performer Tracy Bonham and attendee John Cornish.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Angel (Live) by Sarah McLachlan with Emmylou Harris
17:20 - Naked Eye (Live) by Luscious Jackson
24:49 - Surrounded (Live) by Chantal Kreviazuk
34:05 - The One (Live) by Tracy Bonham & telephone interview
41:27 - Not An Addict (Live) by K's Choice & memories with John Cornish
Outro - Here And Now (Live) by Letters To Cleo
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Forging a sound out of American grunge and alternative along with British Invasion hooks and power pop melodies may seem like a recipe for disaster, but on their 1996 debut Less Is More, the Melbourne, Australian trio Even find the right balance. Channeling a Kurt Cobain cadence on one track and a John Lennon howl on another works best when the band keeps the songs short and tight, with plenty of catchy guitar riffs toss around. While we dug the high energy performances that pre-date the garage rock revival to come at the end of the decade, some of the production and rhythm choices (or lack of) left us wanting.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Karmic Flop
14:35 - End To End
19:45 - Don't Wait
26:02 - Eternal Teen
31:29 - No One Understands Me
Outro - Dean Morris
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Once the alternative gold rush hit for bands in the 90s, one song could make or break an album. But for every Sex And Candy, Cumbersome or Possum Kingdom, hundreds of other bands failed to make the Top 40 for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with the quality of the music. Take Vancouver, Canada's Odds, whose third album Good Weird Feeling is a smart combination of alternative guitar rock powered by two strong singers with a knack for lyrical twists. The two obvious singles, "Eat My Brain" and "Truth Untold" never found a home on American mainstream radio, and like so many of their northern counterparts, the band remains almost entirely unknown in the lower forty-eight.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Satisfied
17:41 - Oh Sorrow Oh Shame
20:55 - Break The Bed
24:56 - Truth Untold
31:07 - I Would Be Your Man
Outro - Eat My Brain
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Though not as lauded as grunge, Brit-pop, the rise of pop-punk or other 90s-centric genres, electronic music evolved throughout the decade as well thanks to subtler sounds coming out of the UK. While electronica and trip-hop each had their moments in the mainstream spotlight, groups like the brother-duo Boards of Canada from Scotland slid under the radar with slightly different takes, theirs being a more chill, downtempo approach utilizing vintage synths and drum machines, tape loops and field recordings. Music Has The Right To Children, their 1998 debut after several well-regarded singles and EPs, takes full advantage of the tools, creating atmospheric soundscapes backed by drum and bass loops that lived-in rather than dialed-up, giving the record a timeless element that so many of their contemporaries failed to achieve.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Telephasic Workshop
18:06 - Roygbiv
20:48 - Turquoise Hexagon Sun
27:09 - Aquarius
Outro - Open The Light
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Though the mid-to-late nights are more regarded for the commercial rise of electronic music, specifically in the form of UK electronica from the Chemical Brothers, Prodigy and others, the mainstream interest in high octane beats and synth-over-guitar was nothing new. As the 80s transitioned to the 90s, bands like Depeche Mode and New Order were firmly established global phenomenons, while up-and-comers like Ministry and Nine Inch Nails were bringing industrial sounds to the mainstream on MTV. Nitzer Ebb began in 1982 and established themselves throughout the decade as an Electronic Body Music (EBM) pillar, but when 90s arrives the band pivoted to a more pop sound, and on 1991's Ebbhead, the band fully embraced pop structure and sound, crafting catchy hooks at trimmed down lengths. But that evolution, while moderately successful in getting the band on mainstream rock radio, didn't necessarily sit well with the fans who discovered the band during their EBM period.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Reasons
12:52 - I Give To You
15:09 - Lakeside Drive
18:57 - Godhead
28:00 - Family Man
Outro - Sugar Sweet
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As we have learned in our Sophomore Slump Revisited roundtable series, there are many factors and circumstances that can sink a band's second album, especially when coming off a hit single. In the case of Dada and their 1994 release American Highway Flower, the lack of an obvious radio single to match Dizz Knee Land off their debut is a fair consideration. Rather than repeat a formula, the skilled trio of singer-guitarist Michael Gurley, singer-bassist Joie Calio and drummer Phil Leavitt pushed the band in a variety of directions while maintaining a more consistent sound than their first release. But pushing the envelope doesn't always result in a match with the cultural trends, and while the band flexes their muscle with harmonious power-pop and '60s psychedelic flourishes while unafraid to get extra noisy or delicately hushed. They may not have scored a Top 5 single or moved a million units with American Highway Flower, but that doesn't mean this sophomore release qualifies as a slump.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - All I Am
13:11 - Feet To The Sun
17:22 - Feel Me Don't You
23:00 - Real Soon
30:35 - S.F. Bar '63
Outro - Pretty Girls Make Graves
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Edward James "Ed" Hamell, better know as Hamell On Trial, has been writing, recording, and touring for over thirty years, bouncing from major labels to minor labels to his own, with either a studio or live album out almost every other year. While production values have shifted, the fiery anti-folk and spoken word approach has remained constant, and his 1999 album is definitely on the lower end of the recording quality spectrum. That doesn't impact the performances or songs, as Hamell On Trial makes stunning use of his Gibson acoustic guitar, plucking out staccato rhythms on one track before leading a dirty blues romp on the next. All of it adds up to a uniquely singular performance and vision, one that can definitely split opinions on what worked and didn't work.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Hamell's Ramble
17:56 - I'm Gonna Watch You Sleep
24:07 - The Lottery
28:10 - Nancy's Got a New Boyfriend
35:18 - When Bobby Comes Down
46:30 - Shout Outs
Outro - Bill Hicks
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Sunny Day Real Estate has famously been a band of influence but impermanence, with multiple break-ups and rumors of an unfinished album in the can for over a decade. On their second release, the 1995 self-titled or Pink Album or LP2, vocalist/guitarist/lyricist Jeremy Enigk left unfinished vocals as placeholders as the band splintered. What it creates is something unique, while words or phrases pop in occasion, the majority of the record utilizes the vocals as an instrument in a way that a band like My Bloody Valentine features vocalist Bilinda Butcher. But what makes SDRE special is the contributions from all four members - who each get their moment to shine in a way that recalls 1970s progressive rock without overly-long world-building and self-indulgence.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Red Elephant
16:38 - Rodeo Jones
22:45 - 5/4
30:36 - 8
Outro - J'Nuh
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So many bands got signed to major labels in the 1990s it could keep our podcast going well into the 22nd century. Rarely did artists get a second go-around as a new act, as was the case with vocalist Blake Smith and bassist Mike Willison after the breakup of their band Fig Dish. After recruiting a new guitarist and drummer, they formed Caviar and in 2000 released their self-titled debut on Island Records. While Smith's catchy melodies are still present, the band takes advantage of their second major-label chance by adding a variety of samples, including a bossa nova intro on the single "Tangerine Speedo." The band tries to walk a thin line between the quirky pop sounds of Sugar Ray, Smashmouth or Cake, the more aggressive pop-punk guitar of bands like Blink-182 or Weezer.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Tangerine Speedo
19:42 - OK Nightmare
22:09 - I Am The Monument
26:13 - Goldmine
30:39 - Looked So Hard I Nearly Wrecked My Eyes
Outro - Sugarless
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Lots of bands were successful in the 90s, but few reached the decade long highs and success that R.E.M. managed while constantly shifting their sound. Perhaps only U2 matched the same levels of critical acclaim and pushback, album sales and slumps, turmoil and triumph of R.E.M., conquering not only their home countries but stadiums around the globe. In our past "In The 90s" episodes, we've looked back at bands that first gained success and notoriety in the 1980s and traced their path through the alternative landscape of the 1990s, but it could be said that R.E.M. was leading the charge of the underground into the mainstream long before anyone else. As they entered the 90s, they were no longer college radio upstarts, but MTV and commercial radio regulars who would shoot through the stratosphere with "Losing My Religion" of 1991's Out Of Time. The rest of the decade would see them tackle everything from fuzzed-out 1970s glam rock to minimalist programmed beats to Beach Boys-esque harmonies. In other words, they evolved, but in doing so, did they lose the sound that made them stand out in the first place? We revisit the decade with a group of knowledgable R.E.M. fans who walk us through an often exciting and occasionally perplexing decade for the band.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro Medley - Losing My Religion/Everybody Hurts/What's The Frequency, Kenneth?/Bittersweet Me/Daysleeper
18:15 - Country Feedback from Out Of Time
28:45 - Drive from Automatic For The People
42:36 - Star 69 from Monster
55:02 - The Wake Up Bomb from New Adventures In Hi-Fi
1:09:53 - At My Most Beautiful
Outro - Man On The Moon from Automatic For The People
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Among the many signings by the legendary Sub Pop label in the 1980s and 1990s, a few bands get tagged with "the first" label. The Afghan Whigs were the first band from outside region to be signed to the label, and in the case of this week's episode, The Walkabouts were the first country (or folk, or Americana, or alt-country) band to be signed to the label. Core members vocalist Carla Torgerson and vocalist/songwriter Chris Eckman started playing together in 1984, and by the time of their sixth album Satisfied Mind released in 1993, the band had built up quite a following and list of friends in the area. Guests include Mark Lanegan of the Screaming Trees, Peter Buck of R.E.M., and Ivan Kral of the Patti Smith Band, who all manage to blend into this uniquely timeless sound channeling some expected artists (The Carter Family, Gene Clark, Charlie Rich) and some more unexpected choices (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, John Cale, Patti Smith) that all sound seamless together.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Satisfied Mind
15:09 - Free Money
20:51 - Buffalo Ballet
23:53 - Feel Like Going Home
28:44 - Dear Darling
Outro - Loom Of The Land
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You may ask yourself, why is a 90s-centric podcast revisiting an album from 2000? Well, we are nothing without our listeners, and if they suggest and then vote for an album that came out in 2000, but was from a band that got their start and had several releases in the 90s, who are we to argue. And it turns out revisiting Idlewild's 2000 album 100 Broken Windows gave us an excellent opportunity to look back upon the decade and see how its various sounds and genres were interpreted by younger artists. In the case of Idlewild, with veteran producers Dave Eringa and Bob Weston behind the board for the young band meant channeling the volume and chaos of their earlier releases into a weapon to be deployed skillfully, giving the band a blistering edge and allowing vocalist Roddy Woomble the opportunity to craft unique earworm melodies. It may not make the top 100 albums of the decade or the year, but there's a case to be made for 100 Broken Windows as one of the finest distillations of everything that went right musically in the 90s.
Songs In This Episode
Intro - Little Discourage
19:45 - Idea Track
24:26 - Roseability
29:52 - Mistake Pageant
Outro - These Wooden Ideas
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.It took twenty-three years for Giants Chair to follow-up their 1996 sophomore album Purity And Control with the 2019 album Prefabylon, which we discussed briefly in our 2019 New Albums Roundtable. Though we've covered plenty of 90s bands reuniting a decade or two later to make new records, prior to Prefabylon Giants Chair weren't on our radar. Thanks to one of Patreon patrons we got the chance to revisit this Kansas City, Missouri band's 1995 debut. While the post-punk math-rock sounds fit nicely into our previously expressed admiration for bands such as Jawbox, Shudder To Think and Quicksand, as well as the neighboring Shiner, we didn't expect to unearth a local scene that included Season To Risk, Molly McGuire, Boys Life, and others all dishing out their own versions of angular guitars, tricky rhythms, and indie/emo vocals. Perhaps a Digging Your Scene episode is in the future, but on this one, we got to dive into this three-piece and their unique take on mid-90s post-punk.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Gunshot And The Jogger
11:55 - New Orleans
24:03 - Mother Brother Sister Lover
26:31 - Weed Roses
Outro - Semi
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1990 is a strange, contradictory year for music. How else do you explain alternative and underground bands like Jane's Addiction, Concrete Blonde, Faith No More and The B-52's taking up regular MTV rotation slots next to MC Hammer, Warrant, Paula Abdul and Vanilla Ice? There's a good chance you saw They Might Be Giant's "Birdhouse In Your Soul" right after Billy Idol's "Cradle of Love," or "We Die Young" by Alice Chains on the same Headbanger's Ball episode as "Unskinny Bop" by Poison. What we're saying is, there was a lot going on, and we attempt an overview of some of the most interesting overlooked, under-appreciated, and influential albums of the year.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Stop! by Jane's Addiction
10:46 - Graveyard Shift by Uncle Tupelo
24:15 - Is She Weird by Pixies
36:12 - There You Are by Goo Goo Dolls
47:41 - Candy by Iggy Pop
Outro - Cliffs Of Dover by Eric Johnson
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One and done bands are always an interesting listen, whether they were full-formed bands, one-off side-projects or solo albums, or something else entirely. In the case of Bandit Queen, they formed out of the ashes of Swirl, retaining three of the four members and an indie rock sound. Gone were the jammy rhythms and chorus'd guitars for a more straightforward approach, reminiscent of American female-led alternative acts like Throwing Muses and The Breeders. While the harmony vocals and honest production kept us interested throughout, a few more soaring vocal hooks would have made Hormone Hotel a can't miss record.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Back In The Belljar
14:00 - Big Sugar Emotional Thing
18:54 - Blue Black
20:57 - Scorch
Outro - Give It To The Dog
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There are plenty of anomalies in what did and didn't become popular in the rise of alternative music during the 1990s. Take for instance They Might Be Giants, who's breakthrough 1990 album Flood with almost thirty tracks of weird and quirky songs that combine humor and musical knowledge into a wholly unique recording. So what then to follow it up? The band decided to produce themselves, and rock out a bit more on the 1992 follow-up Apollo 18. While the experimentation with a slightly more traditional pop-rock sound on songs like The Statue Got Me High and Dig My Grave made the band a bit more palatable to our ears, the stripped-down reliance on simplistic looped drums held back what expanded in year with a full band backing them.
Two notes: Tim was battling a cold, hence the nasal congestion you can clearly hear in his voice. Also, this was recorded prior to the death of Rush drummer/lyricist Neil Peart, which is why there was no mention of it when Rush was briefly brought up during the episodes. #RIPTheProfessor
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - I Palindrome I
11:48 - The Statue Got Me High
16:15 - My Evil Twin
24:17 - Mammals
38:47 - Spider
Outro - Dig My Grave
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By 1999, the musical landscape had seen the rise and fall of a variety of genres touted as the next big thing. The electronic sounds of The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy offered varying takes on electronica, which bands would incorporate elements of over the years that followed. In the case of Skunk Anansie and their 1999 album Post Orgasmic Chill, it means adding layers to an already layered sound. Guitars are buzzsaw aggressive on one track, followed by a pop ballad approach on the next. Feedback is replaced by orchestrated strings. Booming drums by breakbeats. And making it all work is the dynamic Skin, who vocally covers all the ground with thought-provoking lyrics and near-unparalleled range.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Charlie Big Potato
17:00 - The Skank Heads
21:32 - Good Things Don't Always Come To You
Outro - We Don't Need Who You Think You Are
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Our look back at Season Nine of the podcast really highlighted how much growth we've experienced and how much more we have ahead of us. We turned over the selection of our roundtable episodes to our Steering Committee and Board of Director level Patreon patrons, and the results did not disappoint. Our poll selected episodes were as interesting and diverse as ever, and our patrons selected reviews also provided us with a chance to revisit some familiar names (Nirvana, The Verve Pipe, etc.) as well as expand the sounds and genres to include rock en español, symphonic metal, avant-garde noise pop, and much more.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro/Outro - Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.For our final roundtable of 2019, we invited several of our Patreon patrons to discuss the new albums released this year from artists connected to the 1990s. Turns out, 2019 had dozens of albums that qualified, over a hundred in reality. We talked about new releases from bands like UK shoegazers Swervedriver and Ride, the long-awaited return of Tool, a stellar new release from The Sheila Divine, plus names you know like Bob Mould, Fastball, UNKLE, Beck, Sleater-Kinney, etc., as well as lesser-known releases like Giants Chair and New Rising Sons.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Saw Lighting by Beck from Hyperspace
10:07 - White Collar by Fastball from The Help Machine
18:42 - Russian Racehorse by Giants Chair from Prefabylon
31:34 - Future Love by Ride from This Is Not A Safe Place
40:25 - Age Is Just A Number by The Sheila Divine from Beginning Of The End Is Where We'll Start Again
1:06:07 - Can I Go On by Sleater-Kinney from The Center Won't Hold
1:15:07 - Miracle Pill by Goo Goo Dolls from Miracle Pill
Outro - Africa by Weezer from Weezer (Teal Album)
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Bands like Animal Bag were dime a dozen in the early 1990s. Getting signed, putting out a record, the musical landscape shifts, and suddenly your sound is outdated and the record label is in flux. Their 1992 self-titled debut has reverb-filled production that pins it to the start of the decade, and taking cues from fellow Californians like Faith No More, Jane's Addiction, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. But their funk and weirdness only shows up in short bursts, as this band could easily be lumped in with the jeans and t-shirt alternative metal and grunge bands like Raging Slab, Mind Funk, and label mates Mother Love Bone. Though they lack Andy Wood's penchant for an epic ballad, there is no doubt Animal Bag had their sights set on Seattle rather than the Sunset Strip. Does it all come together in a timeless way? Depends on the listener.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Another Hat
21:24 - Personal Demons
35:55 - Mirrored Shades
42:11 - Everybody
Outro - Moonsong
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Where is the line between rock and metal? What about stoner or desert? And what is doom besides a video game and bad movie? All questions worthy of discussion as we revisit the 1992 album Sleep's Holy Mountain by Sleep. Baked into the sound of Sleep is the ever-present influence of 70s Black Sabbath, but with an occasional pummeling dirge closer to The Melvins, while trafficking in the same sun-soaked low-end riffage of Kyuss. It's dark, heavy, psychedelic, drone-filled head-nodding rock that works best when the rhythm section gets to swing.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - The Druid
17:00 - Evil Gypsy/Solomon's Theme
25:20 - Holy Mountain
30:31 - Inside The Sun
Outro - Dragonaut
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San Diego may be known for beaches and year-round mild weather, but the second-largest city in California is also home to a vibrant if isolated music scene dating back to the 1960s with Gary Puckett & The Union Gap and Iron Butterfly. As per our "Digging Your Scene" episodes, we're interested in sounds of the 1990s - where those bands played, bought and sold records, recorded their music, read and listened to other bands, and all the other interesting and unique elements that help define a scene. What we discovered is a deep and vast collection of guitar rock heading off in multiple directions - from punk to post-punk, hard rock to nu-metal, industrial to experimental. To help us discover it all, we're joined by members of No Knife, Jejune and aMiniature to talk bands, venues, record stores, labels and more.
Songs In This Episode
Intro Medley (Academy Flight Song by No Knife / Peddler's Talk by aMiniature / Hileah by JeJune
28:16 - Does Not Compute by Drive Like Jehu
53:33 - Flexiclocks by The And/Ors
Outro - Deadbolt - Voodoobilly Man
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Greta was and is definitely not a household name when discussions of 90s bands come up. But like so many, major labels still found them and on occasion put out stellar releases that have gone forgotten, which is sort of the entire point of this podcast. Their second and final album, 1995's This Is Greta! may not fall into the stellar and must-have category, but it's got a lot going for it. Tight alt-rock songs with tinges of Beatle and Cheap Trick pop on a few tunes, hard-driving rockers with big guitars, all backed by a solid rhythm section has more than it's share of standout performances. They keep the songs tight, but perhaps a little too reliant on the well-worn verse/chorus/verse formula, that keeps everything familiar but also stale after a listen or two.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - About You
9:08 - Some People
11:35 - Charade
18:03 - Rocking Chair
23:47 - Nothing At All
Outro - Stained
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By 1994, shoegaze was no longer the hip, underground music scene the UK press was enamored with just a few years prior. The Britpop of Blur, Oasis, Elastica, and Pulp had taken over, My Bloody Valentine had collapsed, and blissing out on feedback and layers of guitar was no longer novel. Smartly, the singing/songwriting/guitar-slinging tandem of Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson of Lush evolved, and on 1994's Split, the band toe the line between the underground dream pop and shoegaze sounds that got them started, while mixing in some less noisy and more melodic tunes. It sounds both remarkably stamped to 1994 in its tones and production, but with the resurgence of dream pop and shoegaze in the 2010s, that doesn't mean it out of place.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Blackout
14:19 - Hypocrite
18:31 - Never-Never
23:49 - Undertow
Outro - Light From A Dead Star
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A lot of ink has been spilled on the biggest band of the 90s. Whether it was reviews, interviews or in-depth cover stories, or modern retrospective or anniversary pieces, it's not hard to find a "your favorite band's album ranked" clickbait article on nearly every "grunge" platinum seller. What is there anything left to say about these bands? When Nirvana's 1993 album In Utero enter into our review queue, it timed nicely with our recent Producers Of The 90s roundtable, because it's hard not to discuss In Utero without the sonic contributions of Steve Albini. For as slick and radio-friendly their sophomore album Nevermind sounded, Albini and the band take a utilitarian approach to In Utero. Effects are minimal, overdubs are minor, reverb is hardly noticeable, Cobain growls and howls with abandon. It's the sound of a band making a fast and deliberate record for themselves, with an undeniable ear for hooks and melodies that manages to stand the test of time.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Heart-Shaped Box
19:03 - Scentless Apprentice
31:13 - Milk It
Outro - Pennyroyal Tea
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Twenty years ago, emo wasn't a Hot Topic brand or a nostalgic DJ night. It was the sound of teenagers and twenty-somethings taking the urgency of punk, combining it with emotional and confessional (re: not sad) lyrics, and playing to a generation of kids too young for the early 90s grunge wave. If you were apart of that scene, hitting all-ages venues or DIY punk houses at the end of the 20th century, there's a chance you caught Saves The Day on one of those nights, perhaps after the release of their 1999 album Through Being Cool. Joining us to discuss the 20th anniversary of the record is lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Chris Conley, sharing thoughts on making and revisiting the album for its re-release, the emo label, touring then and now, being a rock 'n' roll parent, and much more.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Shoulder To The Wheel
23:15 - Third Engine
Outro - All-Star Me
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Steve Albini. Nigel Godrich. Butch Vig. Bob Rock. Jack Endino. Michael Beinhorn. J Robbins. Sean Slade. Paul Kolderie. Youth. Ric Ocasek. Dave Fridmann. Ken Andrews. Brendan O'Brien. Brad Wood. Rick Rubin. Ted Niceley. Stephen Street. Flood. Terry Date. Dave Jerden. Alan Moulder. Dave Ogilvie. Chances are, if you purchased a CD in the 1990s and read through the liner notes, whether it was a major label release or a regional indie label, there is a possibility their name, or someone else you may recognize, is listed as the producer. But what does a producer do, and how do they influence the sound of a record? We often talk about liking or not liking some aspect of the production, and on this roundtable, we dig into what exactly that means, who does what in the studio, and some traits, commonalities, and differences of producers who worked in the 1990s.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Stuck On You by Failure (Ken Andrews)
8:04 - Rusty Cage by Johnny Cash (Rick Rubin)
17:36 - Pull The Cup by Shellac (Steve Albini)
41:56 - Holes by Mercury Rev (Dave Fridmann)
49:04 - Buddy Holly by Weezer (Ric Ocasek)
1:08:59 - Girls And Boys by Blur (Stephen Street)
Outro - Never Said by Liz Phair (Brad Wood)
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When our listeners bring us an obscure 90s album to check out, it's usually something along the lines of a rock band on an indie label that managed one or two releases before fading into obscurity. On the flip side, we have Café Tacuba - a massively successful band around the world, including the United States. Unless you are tuned into the rock en español bands, you've probably never heard them or of them. While rock en español goes back decades, the 90s saw the incorporation of a variety of sounds, including ska, industrial and alternative rock. On their 1994 sophomore album Re, the band explores all that and more alongside norteño, huapango de mariachi, and bolero. With twenty tracks, it's easy to be overwhelmed, but that approach means whether your interested in more traditional sounds or newer flavors, there really is something for everyone.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - El Tlatoani del barrio
14:08 - El borrego
16:52 - Madrugal
21:51 - El metro
26:52 - Verde
Outro - La pinta
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If there is a new episode of Dig Me Out in your feed on a Thursday, that can only mean one thing - we are sharing with you a preview of our latest Dig Me Out '80s episodes. With the help of our Patreon Board of Directors and Steering Committee tiers, we're revisiting another album from the 1980s based on suggestions and votes of our patrons. This month we're checking out the 1982 album Junkyard by The Birthday Party. Join the DMO Union for as little as $2 a month and get access to bonus content like this episode, vote in our album review polls, get exclusive merchandise and more!
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Though best known for their string of pleasant if repetitive mid-to-late 90s alt-rock radio hits, Everclear started out as a scrappy, rough-around-the-edges early 90s trio with as much fire in their sound as their lyrical content. On their 1993 indie-label debut World Of Noise, singer/guitarist/songwriter Art Alexakis was able to channel the trendy soft/loud verse/chorus format made commercially successful by Nirvana without devolving into a Nirvana clone. The reported $400 recording sounds immediate and visceral, pairing well with his matured voice and lyrical content, and left us wondering what would have happened if the band had kept some of their raggedness going forward to keep from becoming too slick and sterile in comparison.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Your Genius Hands
14:10 - Nervous And Weird
18:31 - Fire Maple Song
Outro - Malevolent
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The 1993 debut Exile In Guyville by Liz Phair was declared a landmark album that helped define the 1990s almost as soon as it was released. To be a decade-defining artist can be a stifling burden, but Phair managed to release a worthy follow-up in 1994 with Whip-Smart, sticking with mostly the same group of players and studio folks for both. On her third album whitechocolatespaceegg from 1998, all the lo-fi was stripped away as 3/4's of R.E.M. and a bevy of other musicians and studio pros joined the team on Phair's quest to reinvigorate and reorient her sound. From touches of trippy psychedelia on the opening title track to the swinging sixties Baby Got Going, Phair isn't afraid to explore and expand. Layers of guitars and synths pair well with her songwriting, which switches between character-driven story songs and personal sketches of aging, motherhood, and marriage. But at sixteen tracks and over fifty minutes, the precise production can get fatiguing on the ears, and we wondered if some editing and rearranging would have been for the best.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Polyester Bride
11:26 - What Makes You Happy
13:44 - Whitechocolatespaceegg
22:02 - Baby Got Going
Outro - Johnny Feelgood
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Having a three-guitar band can often mean the lead singer simply strumming chords on an acoustic while the other two do the heavy lead lifting and riffing. That's not the case with Juno, and their 1999 debut album This Is The Way It Goes And Goes And Goes on DeSoto Records. Like their then label-mates Shiner, Juno unleashes a big, layered guitar sound, but Shiner sound much leaner in comparison, as Juno gets full usage out of their three axe attack. The sound shifts from a hoe-gaze influenced, wall of sound approach that dips its toes in the space and math rock sub-genres, as delayed guitar leads bleed over lush mid-range distortion, to straight-on instrumental jams that would find a nice spot on any Explosions In The Sky album.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Rodeo Programmers
11:26 - A Listening Ear
14:55 - The Great Salt Lake/Into the Lavender Crevices of Evening the Otters Have Been Pushed
20:33 - January Arms
27:15 - Leave a Clean Camp and a Dead Fire
Outro - All Your Friends Are Comedians
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What if Nick Cave or Mark Lanegan decided to record an album of Bob Marley, ZZ Top, War, and Slim Harpo covers? That's the question posed by the 1993 album The Honeymoon Is Over by The Cruel Sea, an instrumental blues and surf band from Australia that added Beasts of Bourbon frontman Tex Perkins to create a weird and oddly compelling album. Somehow, that combination managers to come together better than we could have ever expected, as the players involved completely buy into the swampy grooves with organ stabs, lurching bass lines and more. It may not be for everyone, and we may not even agree on it completely, but it's definitely worth a spin to reorient your understanding that the 90s weren't just grunge, pop-punk, industrial rock, etc.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Delivery Man
5:27 - Black Stick
14:36 - Naked Flame
21:48 - Woman With Soul
Outro - Better Than Love
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On their 1994 debut album Rubberneck, the Toadies managed to score a hit single that is still a staple of rock stations spinning 90s alternative hits. But like a lot of people, that one single is our starting point with the band. When we gave the entire album a listen, we discovered a band confident from the get-go in their style and strengths - energetic, concise, no-frills alternative riff-rock with a distinctive lead vocalist. Spending time with the record, the deeper layers revealed themselves - a circular rockabilly-esque riff on I Come From The Water, nods to the blues-based thump Led Zeppelin on Backslider - without being obvious or sounding dated. But the superior single Possum Kingdom also made us wonder what happened to the distinctive and inventive lead guitar driving that tune, and wonder if this material translated better to the live setting.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Possum Kingdom
17:59 - I Burn
20:17 - I Come From The Water
22:22 - Backslider
Outro - Quitter
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To paraphrase a rock 'n roll saying, you get a lifetime to make your first record, but six months to make your second. As we've discovered in our Sophomore Slump Revisited series, it is not always the case that limited time causes the dreaded Sophomore Slump. Record label management shake-ups, shifting radio playlists and various other factors have impacted the success or failure of second albums. But what about the opposite? Bands that made okay or solid freshman efforts, but kicked it up a notch on their sophomore album and finally "discovered their sound" or "delivered on their promising debut." Or bands that released massive, chart-topping first albums, only to equal or exceed with their follow-up. There's a lot to cover, and a lot to discuss as we talk about a bunch of bands and albums that reversed the curse of the Sophomore Slump.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Sophomore Jinx by Self
9:57 - Cut Your Hair by Pavement
24:34 - Not Too Late by Satchel
37:20 - Pen Pals by Sloan
48:41 - Until You Came Along by Golden Smog
Outro - Spice Up Your Life by Spice Girls
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While we've touched on some alternative country over the years on the podcast, we've never encountered a straight-up folk record. Until now. Thanks to a patron selection, we checked out the 1999 debut album Bareback by Hank Dogs. A family band with lineage to the Sex Pistols, we had no idea what to expect, though the name and album cover tipped us off to something country-ish. The reality is much more traditional, recalling the English folk of The Fairport Convention, Pentangle, Steeleye Span, Richard Thompson, etc. - all well outside our respective wheelhouses. But albums like this help expand our musical horizons, even if they fall victim to the overstuff compact disc era, and foreshadow the 2000s folk and freak-folk revival.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Lucky Break
13:06 - 18 Dogs
19:52 - I'm An Angel
25:27 - Take Back My Own Heart
Outro - Sun Explodes
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If we told you that a soul/blues singer from Detroit released a record on Sub Pop on 1996 backed by funk rockers Big Chief, who had themselves just released an album influenced by 70s Blaxploitation films, you'd think we'd have a crazy game of Mad Libs going on. But the end result of Thornetta Davis' debut solo album Sunday Morning Music is much more traditional than expected, find space between the 1990s neo soul of Maxwell, D'Angelo and Erykah Badu, and the new wave of young American blues artists like Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepard.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Helpless
10:38 - Only One
13:58 - Cry
21:01 - And I Spin
Outro - Come Go With Me
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If there is a new episode of Dig Me Out in your feed on a Thursday, that can only mean one thing - we sharing with you a preview of our latest Dig Me Out '80s episodes. With the help our Patreon Board of Directors and Steering Committee tiers, we're revisiting another album from the 1980s based on suggestions and votes of our patrons. This month we're checking out the 1989 album Freedom by Neil Young. Join the DMO Union for as little as $2 a month and get access to bonus content like this episode, vote in our album review polls, get exclusive merchandise and more!
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.Touring festivals were all the rage in the 1990s, with Lollapalooza kicking things off in 1991, following by Lilith Fair, the H.O.R.D.E. Tour, Ozzfest, Family Values Tour and others. We're heading back to 1995 to revisit the Warped Tour, from those who attended it and those who played it, gaining insight on the various line-up incarnations of the 90s, as well as the evolving line-up of artists, that started as a pop-punk-ska skate boarding, but morphed into a broader "youth-oriented" festival thanks to co-founder Kevin Lyman. We learn the various quirks (daily line-up shuffling!), the queasy (no showering for days! port-a-potties!) and the community that was built over twenty-five years of the Warped Tour.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Al's War by Less Than Jake
Outro - History Of A Boring Town by Less Than Jake
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When singer/guitarist Toni Halliday and multi-instrumentalist Dean Garcia paired up to form Curve in 1989, they already had established bonafides in the music world with previous releases on Anxious Records, set-up by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics. While those efforts failed to connect, their three 1991 EPs gained enough momentum that the 1992 debut album Doppelgänger, with assistance from soon to be in-demand producer Flood, was primed for widespread acclaim and respectable sales. Doppelgänger cracked the top twenty UK album chart, but their sound, an at times hypnotic combination of noisy-pop, shoegaze, dreamy textures and Madchester big beats, failed to connect with a larger audience, a sound that years later Garbage would refine for the mid-nineties radio waves. But for all the forward thinking and ahead-of-its-time accolades, there is a decidedly 1990s time stamp to the wall of sound approach, especially in the layered drums and percussion that left us equally fatigued and fascinated.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Horror Head
13:25 - Ice That Melts The Tips
19:41 - Sandpit
26:30 - Lillies Dying
29:48 - Split Into Fractions
29:57 - Mine All Mine (Van Halen)
Outro - Fait Accompli
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If you are checking us out for the first time, you'll quickly learn what our regular listeners already know: reggae and/or ska were not our thing back in the 1990s. Now, we're not going to claim to have fully converted to fandom, but the 1996 album Forever = 1 Day by Fighting Gravity left us with positive vibes. When the band locks into a relaxed mid-tempo groove, we're fully on board. When they occasionally pick up the pace to skanking speeds, or slow to a new age crawl, we found less reason to stay engaged. We got to explore all sides of the band, as well as the dig into the touring regional band phenomenon prevalent in the 1990s with access to cheap CD replication and an established college fraternity circuit that will no doubt come up again in future episodes.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - One Day
12:20 - Fools And Kings
21:35 - Ted's River Song
31:22 - Quiet Angel
Outro - Mission Bells
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Maybe you listened to Modest Mouse in 1996 or 1997 and thought, yes, this band will invade the public consciousness with a catchy single in the 2000s, launching them into elite status as a festival headliner, collaborate with a legendary guitarist, and influence a new generation of artists like Silversun Pickups, Future Islands, Car Seat Headrest and more. Most likely like us, you didn't, and figured a solid career in the indie music world was their destiny. We're okay with not foreseeing what may end up being the underground's last stab at infiltrating the mainstream, and decided to revisit for our second "Origins" roundtable the early years of Modest Mouse in the 1990s. Isaac Brock's unique songwriting style is present immediately, but the refinement of later years hasn't happened, allowing for exploration and experimentation across expansive (re: long) albums. It's in 1997's sophomore album The Lonesome Crowded West that the band gels, the focus sharpens, and the seeds of what were to come begin to sprout just enough at the intersection of distinct yet recognizable.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Teeth Like God's Shoeshine
10:30 - Novocaine Stain
16:18 - Talking Shit About A Pretty Sunset
23:29 - Sleepwalking
31:04 - Trailer Trash
39:48 - Float On
Outro - Gravity Rides Everything
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Albums made in 1990 or 1991 often have the "sound" of the 80s in their production - lots of reverb on the drums, particular guitar effects, etc. Sometimes in reviewing albums from this period, it can date the album, pinning it down to a certain time instead of receiving the "timeless" accolade that so many well-regarded albums receive. But what if big, booming reverb gives the album a personality instead of a stamp? That's the case with the 1990 album Bloodletting by Concrete Blonde, who mined the vampire novels of Anne Rice to deliver an album that matches lyrical content with its musical approach. "Goth" is the term thrown around, and the album plays with dark themes matched with occasional dissonance. But what is really on display is a singer fully in command of their voice, constructing unique melodies, wrapped around a diverse selection of songwriting styles and approaches that deliver over and over again.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - The Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)
17:47 - Tomorrow, Wendy
21:57 - The Sky Is A Poisonous Garden
24:14 - Caroline
35:05 - Joey
Outro - Darkening Of The Light
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Movie soundtracks, as we have learned, come in all shapes and sizes. The 1994 Backbeat soundtrack is an interesting concept - get a bunch of well-respected alternative musicians of the day, and have them tackle early cover songs played by The Beatles. The list is impressive even today: Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum and Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs sharing vocal duties, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth and Don Fleming of Gumball handling the guitars, Mike Mills of R.E.M. on bass guitar and vocals, and Dave Grohl, then of Nirvana, later of Foo Fighters, pounding away on the drums. On the one hand, you'd love to hear what this band could do with the restriction of making these period specific recordings to fit the film, or what actual Beatles tunes might sound like. On the other, hearing the band stick to the format, and tear through two-minute rock 'n roll classics is its own special thing. We hope they were having fun, because the energy and enthusiasm for the material is evident, leaving us to wonder what would/could happen if this line-up reunited every so often.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Money
12:11 - Rock and Roll Music
15:36 - Good Golly Miss Molly
24:26 - Please Mr. Postman
Outro - Carol
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By the end of the 90s, a number of bands had penetrated the mainstream with ambitious, layered albums. Like with OK Computer, The Soft Bulletin, Deserter's Songs and Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space, dEUS took a turn on their third album, 1999's The Ideal Crash. Dialing down the Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart influences and incorporating contemporary sounds from trip-hop, electronica and alternative rock slot The Ideal Crash nicely alongside the aforementioned, even managing to find spots for banjos and theremins. But like so many bands utilizing the compact disc format, too much of a good thing can be a negative, as the band often turns what could be a three minute gem into five-plus minutes.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Put The Freaks Up Front
11:44 - Instant Street
16:03 - The Ideal Crash
27:33 - Everybody's Weird
Outro - Magdalena
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If there is a new episode of Dig Me Out in your feed on a Thursday, that can only mean one thing - we sharing with you a preview of our latest Dig Me Out '80s episodes. With the help our Patreon Board of Directors and Steering Committee tiers, we're revisiting another album from the 1980s based on suggestions and votes of our patrons. This month we're checking out the 1983 album Flick Of The Switch by AC/DC. Join the DMO Union for as little as $2 a month and get access to bonus content like this episode, vote in our album review polls, get exclusive merchandise and more!
Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon.
Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.We're kicking off a new roundtable series with Slim Moon and Kill Rock Stars, who shares with the history of the Olympia, Washington (now Portland, Oregon) independent label that has been home to an amazing roster of musicians and bands, including Sleater-Kinney, Unwound, Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, The Decemberists, Elliott Smith, Huggy Bear, Mary Lou Lord, Gossip, Deerhoof and many more. We discuss how the label got started, leaning on K Records founder Calvin Johnson for advice, the riotgrrl scene and bands in Olympia, how bands were discovered, the impact of success with Elliott Smith and the importance of legacy catalogs, the end of the decade digital music revolution, and so much more.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - New Energy by Unwound
3:45 - Words and Guitar by Sleater-Kinney
1:07:45 - Between The Bars by Elliott Smith
Outro - I Could Have Loved You by The Peechees
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In 1991, Material Issue released their long-in-the-works debut album International Pop Overthrow. Along with bands and artists like Jellyfish, Matthew Sweet, The Posies, Redd Kross, major labels were taking chances on the hard-to-pin-down genre known as Power Pop, and the future looked bright until the steamroller known as Nirvana arrived in the fall. Rather than scoop up the next Big Star or Cheap Trick influenced outfit, the next Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains were the priority, and Beatles, Byrds and Badfinger devotees rarely found their favorite bands on mainstream radio or MTV. In retrospect, that might be what makes an album like IPO so listenable after so many years.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Valerie Loves Me
13:12 - Diane
18:02 - This Far Before
22:27 - This Letter
Outro - Li'l Christine
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What's your memory of The Verve Pipe? Are they filed away with the alternative rock one-hit wonders of the 90s thanks to the single "The Freshman"? Are they lumped in with other mid-decade "alt rock" bands like Live and Bush? Did you see them in their early indie days when the were Midwest up-and-comers? Did you bother to check out their 1999 post-hit follow-up album? Did you check out more than the singles? As listeners who reassess with an ear on the past and present, the 1996 album Villain provides lots to chew on. Album tracks reveal divergences into slightly more adventures territory while the singles show off noisy guitar licks and tones that sound foreign compared to the modern Top 40.
Songs On This Episode:
Intro - Cup Of Tea
18:01 - The Freshman
23:11 - Villains
26:39 - Photograph
37:28 - Real
Outro - Barely (If At All)
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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.The 1991 album Spiderland by Slint has taken on icon status since release, the bridge between Sonic Youth noise, Velvet Underground drone, Joy Division dread and the 1990s wave of post, math, indie and other alternative rock sub-genres. Like so many revered albums discovered via slow burn over years thanks to the accolades of musicians and rock journalists, the influence of Spiderland can be heard in bits and pieces in dozens of bands, yet tracing them back to the source leads us to a perplexing conclusion - what happens when an album of modest creation becomes mythic when listening with fresh years decades after the release?
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Breadcrumb Trail
8:49 - Good Morning Captain
25:06 - Nosferatu Man
35:33 - Washer
Outro - For Dinner...
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Twenty-five years after the release, Mike Gent of The Figgs stops by to tells us about their 1994 release Low-Fi At Society High. From the small town of Saratoga Springs in upstate New York, The Figgs spent years writing, recording and playing out long before the rest of the nation got a taste of their punk, mod, power-pop and rock sound that recalls the best of Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, Cheap Trick and The Jam, treading familiar ground with an updated take. We discuss their brief tenure on the Imago label, recording with producer Don Gehman (R.E.M., John Mellencamp, Hootie and the Blowfish), hooking up with legendary new wave/pub rocker Graham Parker to be his backing band, and much, much more.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Favorite Shirt
25:25 - Stood Up
38:47 - Step Back Let's Go Pop
1:16:16 - Tint
Outro - Chevy Nova
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We often discuss production as an aspect of what makes a record sound good to our ears, but the truth is that different styles of music often demand different production choices. On the 1995 sophomore album Hi Fi Way by You Am I, terms like organic or immediate get tossed around to describe the sound of a band that gives a performance not fussed over, but clearly considered. With Sonic Youth's Lee Renaldo behind the board, the band gets the most of out their limited recording schedule, as every instrument gets a chance to shine with minimal overdubs and effects. While other 90s alternative rock bands might have taken the opportunity to layer track upon track or head down indulgent tangents, You Am I focus on melody and concise song structures, resulting in an album that surpasses their debut in every way.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - She Digs Her
11:43 - The Applecross Wing Commander
15:15 - Handwasher
19:19 - Pizza Guy
26:45 - Ain't Gone And Open
Outro - Jewels And Bullets
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Some bands and artists leave you wanting more, with only a single album to their name. In some cases, they are one-off side projects or solo releases that act as an outlet for material not in-line with the primary band. Sometimes, personalities clash and bands quickly implode. In other cases, tragedy strikes down an artist at the start of their career. The 1990s, like every other decade, have their share of unique "one and done" albums from bands and artists for all different reasons. We revisit those lesser known albums worthy of revisiting, talk about those that came with hype but slipped off the radar, as well as those that didn't live up to it, our wish list for sophomore albums that will never come, and our personal favorite one and done albums of the decade.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Last Goodbye by Jeff Buckley
9:53 - Life's A Gas (T. Rex cover) by Replicants
20:30 - Shake My Tree by Coverdale/Page
30:20 - Burning Tree by Burning Tree
41:01 - Pushing Forward Back by Temple Of The Dog
Outro - River Of Deceit by Mad Season
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The 1997 album Nothing Feels Good by The Promise Ring lays at an interesting crossroad. On the one hand, vocalist Davey Von Bohlen can grind on a melodic hook like a power pop pro, giving the listener plenty of ear candy on this tightly constructed record, while backed by a tight and creative rhythm section that never looses the groove. On the other hand, there are enough jarring structures, repetitious lyrics and twin-guitar abrasiveness to keep the hardcore kids happy. With vet J. Robbins behind the board, they definitely add some muscle, but it's not the clean and beefy guitar sounds he would get out of Braid, or what Jimmy Ear World would accomplish with Clarity, leaving us slightly underwhelmed.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Nothing Feels Good
14:35 - Perfect Lines
19:06 - Is This Thing On?
20:56 - Raspberry Rush
Outro - Pink Chimneys
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By the time of their 2000 album Odyssey Number Five, Brisbane, Australia's Powderfinger had sharpened their sound and created an album that found a balance between sweet radio friendly alternative rock hooks and melodies, while also giving headphone listeners interesting bits to revisit the album over and over again. At home, this lead to a string of chart topping albums and singles, but abroad, the band failed to find a foothold. Not surprising, considering the band drew not from the popular sounds of the moment, but from a wide range of influences, both in terms of songwriting and production. With veteran producer Nick DiDia behind the board, the band swiftly moves from Oasis balladry to bluesy riffing to arena anthems with ease, finding cohesion among them all, albeit with perhaps too much cohesion among the tempos from song to song.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - My Happiness
17:19 - My Kind Of Scene
20:30 - Up And Down And Back Again
25:09 - Like A Dog
35:57 - Thrillology
Outro - Waiting For The Sun
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By the time of their fifth album Everclear from 1991, American Music Club was anything but a household name. If you caught their single "Rise" on late on night on MTV, or by chance on an adventurous radio station, you are among a lucky few. Considering the musical landscape for rock, where 80s hair/glam metal was still dominant while ascendent alternative had yet to be come a proper decade-defining brand name, it's easy to see why you may have missed it. AMC evokes ideas of genres without ever settling on one, making mainstream classification all but impossible. Touches of Americana thanks to acoustic guitars, but not really any twang. Downbeat and bleak slowcore until Mark Eitzel furiously strums an acoustic in bursts of kinetic release. The album feels timeless, yet could easily be the recollection of a single night of boozing and fury. It did make Rolling Stone take notice, granting the album "of the year" consideration and naming Mark Eitzel the preeminent songwriter of the moment, so maybe it's time everyone else finds the reverbed-out beauty in Everclear.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Rise
15:02 - Why Won't You Stay
17:21 - The Dead Part Of You
22:35 - The Confidential Agent
29:16 - Miracle On 8th Street
Outro - Sick Of Food
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If there is a new episode of Dig Me Out in your feed on a Thursday, that can only mean one thing - we sharing with you a preview of our latest Dig Me Out '80s episodes. With the help our Patreon Board of Directors and Steering Committee tiers, we're revisiting another album from the 1980s based on suggestions and votes of our patrons. This month we're checking out the 1989 album self-titled album by Max Q. Join the DMO Union for as little as $2 a month and get access to bonus content like this episode, vote in our album review polls, get exclusive merchandise and more!
To support the podcast, join us at Patreon.
Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.comNeither of us had any previous exposure to The Residents prior to this review, and it's a weird entry point. The avant-garde music collective celebrated their twentieth anniversary in 1992 not by released a greatest hits album, but instead taking bits and pieces of old songs and combining them into new works. The result is Our Finest Flowers, a rather low-key affair that relies on drum loops, synths, some occasional singing, and a variety of randomness that includes both female backing vocalists and possibly acetylene torches. This may be the least "rock" album we've ever done to date, but our appreciation for the material ultimately landed on whether the songs stand on their own, which on a sixteen-track album, unfortunately had a lot of misses for us.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Mr. Lonely
11:48 - The Sour Song
15:18 - Dead Wood
19:58 - I'm Dreaming Of A White Sailor
24:57 - Forty-Four No More
Outro - Ship Of Fools
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With their 1997 self-titled debut, Third Eye Blind charted five hit singles, three that made the Billboard top ten, while moving six million units worldwide. Over a year after the release, they were still logging hit singles and touring, and as we've learned over many episodes, the follow-up doesn't always get the same attention to detail. With the 1999 sophomore album Blue, their limited studio time didn't stop the band from stretching musically, conducting some interesting sonic experiments to compliment Stephan Jenkins rapid fire sing/speak delivery. But 1999 looked very different from 1997 - radio changed, Napster would become a thing, pop music was dominant - was their even room for a jangly rock band anymore? Whether trying to keep up with the times or not, they delivery the most pop-friendly single of their career in "Never Let You Go." While the music takes a leap forward on the rest of the album, the melodies and lyrics either sound under baked or over thought, leading to a potential dreaded sophomore slump.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Never Let You Go
18:47 - 1000 Julys
23:37 - Farther
32:06 - Darwin
46:51 - The Red Summer Sun
Outro - 10 Days Late
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Grindcore band Old Lady Drivers, or OLD, ended their four-album run in 1995 with the wildly eclectic Formula. Despite the title, Formula is anything but, swapping heavy guitar dirges for tape loops, synths, drum machines and lots of experimentation. Switching gears from Napalm Death to electronic instrumentals might have failed in the hands of lesser musicians, but James Plotkin and Alan Dubin manage to create a compelling, hypnotic record.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Last Look
14:27 - Under Glass
24:30 - Thug
29:53 - Devolve
34:49 - Amoeba
Outro - Break (You)
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When New Order entered the 1990s, they were coming off their first number one album on the UK charts along with two top twenty singles. So what did they do? Immediately split into multiple factions. While the well received 1993 album Republic would produce one of their finest singles in Regret, the 90s for New Order are defined by side projects. For bassist Peter Hook, it started with Revenge and continued with Monaco. For Bernard Sumner, he paired up with former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, and brought along a number of notable collaborators from bands such as the Pet Shop Boys, Kraftwerk and Black Grape to form Electronic, while Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert formed the slightly passive-aggressively named The Other Two for a pair of albums. Along with our guests, we revisit the entire decade for the band and their various extracurricular activities, and how that impacted the sound New Order in the 90s and 2000s.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Regret by New Order
8:51 - World In Motion by New Order
14:05 - Pineapple Face by Revenge
19:49 - Tasty Fish by The Other Two
28:47 - World by New Order
39:54 - What Do You Want From Me? by Monaco
56:36 - Rock The Shack
Outro - Getting Away With It
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Whenever we have a guest on to discuss an album either they made, had a hand in producing or releasing, our are suggesting for a review, we always come away with unique personal insights not always available from just a surface listen or new release review. For the sophomore 1996 album Aenima by Tool, our guest Patrick had a close personal connection to the music and the lyrics of the band that he shared with us that gave a deeper appreciation for one of the most original and trailblazing bands and albums of the decade.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Stinkfist
32:50 - Eulogy
42:50 - Aenima
51:41 - Third Eye
1:03:30 - Jimmy
Outro - Forty Six And 2
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Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.comSophomore albums are notoriously tricky, we've even dedicated a round table series to the phenomenon of hugely successful 90s debuts with follow-ups that, for a variety of reasons, didn't connect with audiences in the same way as their first release. Sometimes it record label politics scuttling the promotional support, sometimes its the shifting musical landscape after time off, and sometimes its artists evolving in ways listeners weren't expecting. To help us explore the 1995 sophomore Soup by Blind Melon, we're joined guitarist Christopher Thorn and longtime contributor Chip Midnight to delve into an album that, upon release, received a notoriously scathing review from Rolling Stone, but has since garnered praise and adulation upon it's twentieth anniversary. We discuss forming the band, the rollercoaster ride that was their debut, the legacy of "No Rain," writing and recording Soup, and the tragedy that followed it's release with the death of Shannon Hoon, and much, much more.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Galaxie
28:38 - Vernie
40:15 - Toes Across The Floor
53:11 - St. Andrew's Fall
Outro - 2x4
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Although Human Radio's debut self-titled album was released in 1990, their isn't much to the sound that pins it to the decade. Between the jazz-pop nods to Steely Dan, the funk flourishes reminiscent of Stevie Wonder, the new wave pop of XTC, along with a whole host of other subtle (and not subtle) influences we heard throughout the record. Thanks to the quirky lead-off track and single "Me And Elvis," we didn't quiet get off on the right foot with Human Radio, as some of the dated sounds left us less than enthusiastic, but luckily the record recovers quickly, revealing a masterfully produced and mixed record that, for better or worse, runs a wide gamut, sometime connecting, sometimes not.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Me And Elvis
9:37 - Hole In My Head
13:27 - My First Million
23:30 - N.Y.C.
Outro - Harsh Light Of Reality
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We've tackled metal in its various forms and sub-genres, but this week for the first time we're checking out the symphonic metal of Finnish band Nightwish via their 1998 album Oceanborn. Combining operatic vocals with shredding guitars, double kick-drum beats and classical-influenced strings, keyboards and pianos, we're left mouths agape at the musicianship and ambition of this band and album. While a few choices left us scratching our heads (odd synth choices, overly dramatic male vocals), for most of the run time we were on board with Oceanborn.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Gethsemane
14:47 - Stargazers
21:20 - Swanheart
24:37 - The Devil And The Deep Dark Ocean
28:21 - Sacrament Of Wilderness
Outro - The Pharaoh Sails To Orion
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After departing 1980s new wavers Berlin, bassist and vocalist John Crawford and drummer Rob Brill formed the rock power trio The Big F. With the addition of guitarist Mark Christian, the band manage to forge some interesting musical ground on their second and final album Is from 1993. Unfortunately, the band is caught between worlds, showing off more eccentric and ambitious choices (saxophone jazz jam, anyone?) while also firmly planted in the no frills early 90s riffing that at times recalls pre-fame Soundgarden or the heavier streamlined moments of King's X. With a tight rhythm section and talented guitarist, most of the fault falls on Crawford, a steady if unremarkable vocalist that never reaches the euphoric highs or a Chris Cornell or the showy lyricism of Mother Love Bone's Andrew Wood.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Patience Peregrine
12:49 - Way Low To Be Be Low
15:42 - Patience Peregrine
19:02 - Idiot Kid Heads Out
29:34 - Mother Mary
Outro - Lube
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You're probably wondering, why is there a new episode in my podcast feed on a Thursday? We wanted to share with you a preview of our first of six Dig Me Out '80s episodes in 2019. Starting this month, and continuing every other month this year, with the help our Patreon Board of Directors and Steering Committee tiers, we'll be revisiting an album from the 1980s based on suggestions and votes of our patrons. This month we're revisiting the 1980 album Panorama by The Cars. Join the DMO Union for as little as $2 a month and get access to bonus content like this episode, vote in our album review polls, get exclusive merchandise and more!
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The shadow of Kim Deal and Tanya Donelly looms large over 1990s alternative and indie rock. They were both members of seminal 1980s bands, Deal in the Pixies, and Donelly in Throwing Muses, and had second acts in the 90s in their own bands, The Breeders and Belly. For one album, before Kim's sister Kelley joined the band, Donelly joined forces with Deal on the 1990 album Pod by The Breeders, then conceived as a side project for the two. The result is a subtle and restrained record that only hints at the pop prowess the two would unleash with future singles like "Last Splash" and "Feed The Tree." With engineer Steve Albini behind the board, the album pushes the artists to work with space, finding equal footing for all the instruments. For some, the deliberate nature may turn plodding, but the atmosphere created is one truly unique, and it's clear why musicians like Kurt Cobain would find the tension between hard hitting drums, melodic bass lines and stripped down guitar lines so appealing.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - Happiness Is A Warm Gun
14:44 - Glorious
17:02 - Oh!
23:15 - Fortunately Gone
Outro - Hellbound
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The term "Pop-Punk" started showing up in the mid-90s - a hybrid of the breakthrough punk sound via bands like Green Day and The Offspring, but with a decidedly more pop (re: melodic) twist in the vocal department. It's not easy to pin down with what band or at what time pop-punk took off, but from what we discussed with our guests, we know artists such as Blink-182 helped set the proverbial table for what would be a full-on pop-punk explosion in the 2000s. We put our thinking caps on and try to determine the unique characteristics, good and not so good, that made pop-punk unique, and how it factors into the story of the 1990s music scene.
Songs In This Episode:
Intro - What's My Age Again? by Blink-182
15:56 - May 16 by Lagwagon
26:08 - Redundant by Green Day
38:15 - Come Out And Play by The Offspring
Outro - Nineties by Busted
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Compact discs were the predominant physical medium for music in the 90s that, like cassettes and vinyl before, came with positives and negatives. No more rewinding or fast forwarding to find a song. Mobility meant moving from your home stereo, to your Discman, to your car with ease. Plus, you had almost eighty minutes to work with. That last one, however, became a curse as much as a blessing with albums like the 1996 release Machine Fish by Galactic Cowboys. If you're into hard rock/metal with a melodic bent, this album is just up your alley. Alas, left to their own devices, the gentlemen of Galactic Cowboys man