Dig Me Out: 90s & 00s Rock

To help us discuss the one and only (and legendary) album Do You Know Who You Are? by Texas Is The Reason, we're joined by Eric Grubbs, fan of the show and author of Post: A Look at the Influence of Post-Hardcore 1985-2007. We dive into the unique story of Texas Is The Reason, as well as their influences and influence on emo and post-hardcore bands that followed. And of course, we dissect one damn...

Jason has a pick for our latest episode, and it's an oddball among oddballs. Ian Astbury and The Cult towed the line between goth, hard rock and alternative, and after their break-up, he continued down the road less taken and formed Holy Barbarians . Their lone album, 1996's Cream, stands out with it's nods to '60s psychedelia combined with modern keyboard-centric twists. Our review of the self-ti...

To wrap up our Fall of New Releases by 90s Bands schedule, we revisit the 1999 album Emergency & I by Dismemberment Plan, who recently reunited to release the new album Uncanney Valley out this week. Emergency & I combines a whole bunch of alternative rock royalty, like the Pixies, Pavement, Talking Heads and Gang of Four just to name a few, and produces a wholly individual sound. One of us is on...

Monster Magnet has a new record out, so you know what that means - we ignore it and review an album from their 1990s output. Before their breakout single 'Space Lord," MM scored a minor hit with 'Negasonic Teenage Warhead' off their 1995 album Dopes to Infinity. Does the whole album live up to the promise of the single, or this a case where stoner rock experimentation turns into a big mess? And wh...

With their first new release in eleven years, it about time we got around to one of the most unique bands of the 90s, Girls Against Boys, and their sophomore release from 1993, Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby. With a pair of bass slingers and a vocalist buried in the mix that sounds like he's gargling rocks (that's a compliment), GVSB explores the dark and dirty side of alternative, combining elements of...

With a new record out, we added Mazzy Star to our list of 90s bands with new releases that we needed to check out, so this week we're revisiting their 1990 debut album She Hangs Brightly. Know for the single "Fade Into You" from their sophomore release, She Hangs Brightly showcases the band in their familiar slow-to-midtempo dreamy, shoegaze, blues-influenced sound, albeit with the occasional jazz...

Toad the Wet Sprocket just wrapped up their new album Kickstarter campaign, and with that new record out next month, founding members Glen Phillips and Dean Dinning stopped by to revisit their 1994 album Dulcinea, talk songwriting, maintaining independence in a major label world, the importance of maintaining the mailing list and much more. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Fall Down4:59 - Fly from H...

With a new Placebo album out this month, we thought it would be the perfect time to revisit the breakthrough album from this confusing and confrontational UK act. Their sophomore release, Without You I'm Nothing, moves between wholly unique sounds like Pure Morning and Allergic, to songs that conjure memories of New Order and the Smashing Pumpkins, although with the very unique vocal style of lead...

For his latest suggestion, friend-of-the-show Dirty Gert drops some shoegaze on us in the form of 1993's  Blonder Tongue Audio Baton by Swirlies . Calling it "the greatest American shoegaze record" puts some high expectations on this album, but also raises a number of question, like actually defining "shoegaze." Songs in this Episode: Intro - His Love Just Washed Away2:39 - History of the Band9:48...

For our latest interview, Jeff Robbins from  Orbit  stops by to revisit their 1997 album  Libido Speedway , which featured the heavily-rotated single Medicine as well as dig into the history and formation of Orbit, various approaches to songwriting, the legendary 90s music scene in Boston, the important role of the shaker, and much, much more. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Bicycle Song3:02 - Bicy...

For our latest episode, Tim makes a pick from his favorites-of-the-past archive: 1997's  Good Feeling , the debut album by  Travis . Combining the brit-pop guitar bombast of Oasis with the melodies and hooks of The Beatles and Kinks, topped off with stellar production thanks to Steve Lillywhite, Good Feeling failed to connect with audiences, something their sophomore release The Man Who did thanks...

Thanks to our latest Facebook poll, we're tackling our first tribute album -  For The Masses , featuring sixteen covers of Depeche Mode songs. Both Tim and Jason were familiar with this release back in the 90s, but haven't revisited it in quite awhile. Does it stand the test of time? Are any of the covers better than the originals? And can any explain the temporary fascination with Rammstein? Tune...

This week Jason picks one of his favorites from North of the border, Vancouver's  Moist  and their 1994 debut album  Silver . On the surface, the five-piece are a slightly alternative and mainstream radio-friendly band. But dig deeper, into the use of keys and organs, and a moodier and darker sound emerges. But does it go far enough to make is truly unique? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episo...

Tom Mullen of the  Washed Up Emo Podcast  stops by to help us dissect one of the key albums of the 90s emo scene: 1999's  Clarity  by Jimmy Eat World. Although it didn't sell as well as later  Jimmy Eat World  albums, it's impact on a generation of musicians and music fans would be heard for years to come. Combining gritty, angular guitars and rhythms with introspective lyrics, layered with a vari...

Australian listener and friend of the show Gavin decided to use his free pick for 2013 to bust out the legendary (?) 1993 soundtrack to the movie  Judgement Night . Featuring a roster packed with rock bands and hip-hop artists collaborating in a way that only the 1990s could produce. Some are hits, some are misses, and we talk about them all, as well as the legacy of a record possibly responsible...

In our latest episode, Tim brings an oddball to the table - The Rolling Stones and Small Faces inspired fourth album from  Primal Scream , 1994's Give Out But Don't Give Up. As fans of Vanishing Point, XTRMNTR and Screamadelica can tell you, Give Out... is a hard one to figure out, where honky tonk piano, blues guitar riffs and soul singers abound. Does Primal Scream make take successful detour, o...

For Jason's latest pick, we're back in metal mode, this time revisiting the 1995  Subhuman Race  by  Skid Row . Many of the hair/glam rock and metal bands of the 1980s made failed attempts to update their sound in the 90s, how does Subhuman Race fare? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - My Enemy3:33 - History of the Band10:31 - Subhuman Race12:55 - Eileen21:46 - Frozen26:45 - Break...

The requested review for this week is from our familiar friend Gavin, who takes us back down under with the Hoodoo Gurus . Coming late in a successful career, 1994's Crank marks the Hoodoo's attempt at injecting some alternative rock sound into their trademark power pop. Does it work? Tune into find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - The Right Time3:39 - History of the Band10:13 - Crossed Wires13...

One of our frequent suggestors, Dirty Gert, gave us three challenging records to review this year, so we thanked him for his generosity by giving a bonus review of his choosing. With that, he picked the 1993 album Love Tara by Eric's Trip . His first three picks confused and confounded us, with this follow suit, or do we finally connect witha a Dirty Gert selection? Tune in to find out. Songs in t...

To help us revisit the suggested review of Lotion's 1996 sophomore album 

We're back with another pick by Jason, and we've got some good old fashioned disagreement! Unique and original, or familiar and predictable? Where does the the 1996 album  Year of the Rat by NY Loose fall? Tune in to find out. Songs in the Episode: Intro - Rip Me Up 2:33 - History of the Band 7:10 - Detonator 8:53 - Sunday Morning 12:23 - Broken 17:37 - Rip Me Up Outro - Trash the Given Chance Fol...

#125: I Love You by I Love You We're back with another requested review, and this one has left us a bit confused.  I Love You is a band with little history or output, but what they did leave us is a self-titled debut album that shifts between Jane's Addiction-like alternative funk and Guns N' Roses riffing. See what we mean by confused? Songs in the Episode: Intro - Open You 1:58 - History of the...

For Jason's latest pick we return to 1994 and tackle the debut album Naveed by Our Lady Peace. Following this record, the band found greater success with the second release Clumsy, but is Naveed actually the better album? We dig into Naveed, discuss the merits of the second wave of alternative in the 1990s, and ponder the origins of the nasally Canadian singer. Songs in the Episode: Intro - Supers...

On episode #123 our frequent suggestor Dirty Gert throws his third requested review of the year into the ring with the Swedish duo  Sportsguitar and their 1996 album Fade/Cliche. Like Radial Spangle and Space Needle, Sportsguitar is a challenge upon first listen. Hidden beneath layers of guitar noise are pop melodies, some deeper than others. Are they too deep, or just right? Tune in to find out....

For episode #122, we turned over selection to our Facebook followers to decide what would be our first soundtrack review. The response was overwhelming - it's the soundtrack to the  1992 Cameron Crowe film Singles . Logically, a movie about Seattle in the early 90s features bands like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, but curveballs like Paul Westerberg and The Lovemongers add some unexpected highlights....