Dig Me Out: 90s & 00s Rock

The Melvins  have a new album out, so it's the perfect time to revisit their 1994 release Stoner Witch. With their combination of metal, psyche and punk, Melvins have carved out a loyal fan base of their brand of "sludge metal." Stoner Witch is the second of their three albums on a major label, but the that doesn't make them any less metal, psyche or punk, as the band turns in some of the most exc...

With a new solo album released by Johnny Marr, we decided to check out his post-Smiths band  Electronic  along with Bernard Sumner of New Order and their third album from 1999, Twisted Tenderness. Steeped in the dance electronic music of the 1990s, Sumner and Marr each bring their respective sounds to the band. While this frees Sumner to explore more pop melodies, Marr can occasionally get lost in...

With a new  Living Colour  on the horizon, you figure now would be a good time to revisit a 90s Living Colour release. But we take a detour, and dig deep for the debut solo release by Living Colour frontman  Corey Glover , and his 1998 album Hymns. Steeped in r&b and soul, this record finds Glover exploring Steve Wonder, Al Green and Sly Stone territory, while injecting it with some rock 'n roll s...

Shellac  have a new record out, so we're revisiting their debut release from 1994, At Action Park. Abrasive and metallic, Shellac are the post-punk grinding underbelly of the 90s alternative explosion thanks to producer/guitarist/singer Steve Albini. We dissect the record, and then chat about the recent U2 release through iTunes. Songs in this Episode: Intro - My Black Ass4:19 - History of the Ban...

Ex- Soul Coughing  frontman  Mike Doughty  has a new solo record out, so we decided to revisit his former band's first release, 1994's Ruby Vroom. One of us rated this a worthy album, and one of gave it a decent single, so it's fair to say we don't see eye to eye on this album. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Bus to Beelzebub4:22 - History of the Band15:20 - Casiotone Nation19:34 - True Dreams of W...

With a new solo album about to be released, we decided to revisit where it all started for  Ryan Adams  with the 1995 debut release Faithless Street from his band Whiskeytown. Steeped in the alternative country that rose to prominence thanks to bands like Uncle Tupelo and The Jayhawks, there is plenty to like about a band forging its own path while still staying ground in traditional country rhyth...

We travel back to 1995 to revisit the debut album Subliminal Plastic Motives by  Self . Chock full of production goodness, S.P.M. is a dense, inventive record with a power pop heart, which is both a plus and minus. Self aren't afraid to mix-up genres, sometimes within a single song, but is there too much of a good thing? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Borateen4:19 - Cannon5:19...

The Rentals  have a new album out, so it's the perfect time to revisit their debut album from 1995, Return of The Rentals. The band scored a minor hit with Friend of P, and this debut is full of even more radio-friendly singles, but can the keep the vocal and musical hooks flowing throughout the record with the analog synth, fuzz bass and boy/girl vocal set-up? Tune in to find out, and to hear Jas...

With a new album out soon and twenty years since their sophomore release Twice Removed, we thought now was a good time to head north of the border and investigate  Sloan . We dive into the four-singer/songwriter band, try to figure out if this is  the best Canadian album of all time , or even the best by the band, and end up trying to figure out the best decade for Canadian rock 'n roll. Songs in...

Along with Guided By Voices,  Sebadoh  flew the lo-fi flag in the 90s with a similar gift for short, punchy rock songs. We revisit their 1994 release Bakesale, and dive into a discussion on the two-singer/songwriter band set-up. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Magnet's Coil 2:49 - Rebound 4:29 - History of the Band 14:57 - License to Confuse 17:22 - Skull 20:54 - Temptation Ride 23:26 - Not Too Amu...

This week we revisit the 1994 release Second Coming by  The Stone Roses . Joining us to dissect this divisive sophomore release is old friend and music professor  Neal Schmitt , who provides a deep knowledge of band and provides insight into the recording technology that went into an album that sounds before it's time while borrowing heavily from earlier influences. That leads us into an extended...

Thanks to another  Requested Review , for the second time in as many weeks, we're tackling another overlooked gem from an Australia This week, it's  Bluebottle Kiss , and their 1999 album Patient. Combining a variety of tasty guitar tones, a tight and original rhythm section, and interesting melodies, Patient is truly a start to finish album. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Smoother It In Honey2:24...

We're heading back to Australia for this week's Requested Review and checking out the 1994 album The Plastic Hassle by  Ripe . Lots of shoegaze influenced bands spent less time on vocals and melody than dialing in the perfect tremolo and delay settings on their guitar pedals, but not Ripe, who manage to craft to genuinely catchy melodies and memorable lyrics. And like those same bands, Ripe aren't...

This week Jason dug through his cd stacks picked an album having no recollection what it sounded like -  I Mother Earth 's 1993 debut release Dig. Sometime that leads to a welcome surprise, and other times reminds you why you stopped listening. I Mother Earth hits a lot of our sweet spots - big guitar and drums, crisp production, slight progressive elements - but also manages to work in some mutua...

To celebrate the release of a new album by one of our favorite bands, we decided to travel back twenty years in their catalog and tackle the most challenging album of their career - 1994's The Holy Bible by the  Manic Street Preachers . To help us dissect this dense masterpiece, we've enlisted the help of fellow stateside Manic's aficionado and previous guest Andy Derer of  The Andy Derer Show . S...

This week we're joined by producer/musician  Steve Fisk , best known as one-half of the duo known as Pigeonhed, but also behind the board for such bands as Unwound, the Screaming Trees, Soul Coughing, Soundgarden, the Geraldine Fibbers and Nirvana. Steve talks about his history with recording and electronic music, the challenges of producing in the modern era compared to the 80s and 90s, his colla...

This week's album, the 1995 debut Prize by  Wanderlust , begs a lot of questions? Can the youth appreciate power pop? Can music be too good for radio? And how did Collective Soul manage to pump out six singles from their second album? We dig deep through the depths of Wanderlust, take a few detours, and arrive a sorely overlooked and appreciated gem. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Wanna Feel New2:...

Our  requested review  for this week takes us back to the UK to check out the 1997 self-titled debut album from  Silver Sun . Hooks, harmonies and loud guitars sum up Silver Sun's freshman release, and it's chock full of them. Song after song is a sugar sweet power pop attack, with nods to Cheap Trick, Jellyfish, The Beatles, Beach Boys and more. But is it too much of a good thing? Tune in to find...

Our latest  requested review  requires us to ask a question - when is it showing your influences, and when is it ripping them off entirely? On their one and only release, the 1998 self-titled album by  The Din Pedals  walk the precarious line between the two, thanks to lead singer James Grundler's Thom York-like tenor, and a band that easily recreates the dramatic bombast and minor chord melanchol...

What's a good way for an otherwise musically incompatible band to find an audience in the 1990s? Enlist the most popular country artist, several popular alternative bands, a few respected metal bands, and for the hell of it, and Japanese artist, to cover your songs. That's exactly what KISS did for the 1994 tribute album  Kiss My Ass - Classic KISS Regrooved . We dive into the songs, and reasoning...

This week we tackle one of those on the edge of Britpop bands we always kinda, sorta heard about and kinda, sorta remember,  The Auteurs , and their 1994 sophomore album Now, I'm a Cowboy. The lead track and single, Lenny Valentino, gets rave reviews from both of us, but how does the rest of the not-so-similar album stack up? Tune int to find out, and chime in on our discussion on how music discov...

Friend of the show Gavin provides another  requested review  from down under, this time it's the 1993 self-titled debut album by  Front End Loader , who describe themselves as Australia's "least popular, relatively well-known band." FEL perfectly encapsulate the odd and uneasy transition of 80s metal and punk into 90s alternative, jumping from Metallica-influenced thrash to moodier grunge sounds....

Thanks to our most recent  Requested Review , we're tackling the sophomore release by Dallas, Texas power-pop quartet  Bobgoblin , 1997's The 12 Point Master Plan. Big guitars and big hooks make the Bobgoblin sound, but they've got to some hidden tricks up their sleeves thanks to a nimble rhythm section and tastefully used synths. Is The 12 Point Master Plan the best album you haven't heard? Tune...

Thanks to a listener, this week we're checking out the 1999 debut album Three Hundred by The Stereo. Big hooks and loud guitars dominate this pop-punk record, with an occasional piano detour to mix things up. It was the right sound released at the right time, so why isn't The Stereo mentioned along side early 2000's successes like Fall Out Boy and New Found Glory - was it merely the public overloo...

This week's  request review  takes us to the unexplored world of  Mars Accelerator , and their sophomore release from 1998, Frankfurt: Telephonics. Exploring the mathematical side of indie rock, Mars Accelerator aren't afraid to incorporate long sections of noise and dissonance paired with Built To Spill and Polvo-esque guitar riffage. Frankfurt: Telephonics is an interesting album, but is it for...