Part I's getting a little humungous, isn't it? Anyway, here's my take on '94 (probobly my most mainstream oriented list. I can't help but feel a little dirty ):

1994:

“A Girl Like You” Edwyn Collins
Probobly the only memorable thing to emerge from the film Empire Records (well, this and Liv Tyler). Collins' vocal may be the best David Bowie impersonation I've ever heard a singer do.

“Better Man” Pearl Jam
About the last song Pearl Jam did that i really enjoy. A great example of later day folk rock (I just invented that term, so don't ask me what exactly it means)

“Black Hole Sun” Soundgarden
Wow. This is what a truly briliant piece of music sounds like. To me, "Black Hole Sun" recalls "Brain Damage"-mode Pink Floyd, which is always a VERY high complement. (and let's not forget that bad acid trip of a video, either)

“Buddy Holly” Weezer
And now for something completely different (is there really any way to gracefully transition between Soundgarden and Weezer?) In a lot of ways, this tune owes more to The Cars than the fellow in the title, but the song is just so gosh darn FUN! Isn't it keen? (I'm trying to cover up my inability to make a Happy Days joke)

“Come Out And Play” Offspring
If for no reason other than the great riff.

“Great Lengths” PFR
Here's a VERY out of time selection. Bouncy, string driven baroque rock in the vein of The Left Banke. I think about ten people heard it when it came uot, but it deserved better.

“I Am One” Smashing Pumpkins
An nice, Sabbath-style slice of distortion. I have to confess that my memory's a little hazy on this one, but I remember that I like it.

“Interstate Love Song” Stone Temple Pilots
The only STP song from the "Oh, they are SO ripping off Pearl Jam" era that I like, and why not? This is classic rock, pure and simple.

“Loser” Beck
Again, my sources list this one as being a year later than yours, Benn. I must not be trying hard enough. Anyway, "In a time of chimpanzess I was a Monkey"... now why didn't I think of that?

“Love Is Strong” The Rolling Stones
Dang. Who knew they still had it in 'em? As good as anything they've ever done.

“Ping Pong” Stereolab
It's hard to come up with different things to say about Stereolab songs when one of the basic trademarks of their sound is it's repeditiveness. It's a nice, hummable tune, though, and that's enough for me.

“Rock And Roll Lifestyle” Cake
Ironicaly, this came out a little before "The Distance" turned them into rock stars.

“Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” Oasis
Speaking of Rock and Roll lifestyles, the brothers Gallagher break onto the sceen in their big, boozy, boastful way.

“Sabotage” Beastie Boys
Just some big, trashy, fun, walking that fine line dividing funny and REALLY obnoxious.

“Self Esteem” Offspring
Another song that hits uncomfortably close to home

“Shaker Maker” Oasis
Sort of the mold from which "Oasis style rock songs" are stamped out. One heck of a mold, though.

“Shine” Collective Soul
Another one that I've got listed a year after you, Benn. I have to confess that I'm a little sick of this one at the moment, but that's not really the song's fault so I would throw it off the list for it.

“The Man Who Sold The World” Nirvana
One of the few covers of a song by a major artist that truly beats out the original. This is THE definative version of the song

“Undone-The Sweater Song” Weezer
Maybe my favorite Weezer song, certainly one of their creepiest. Someone was obviously listening to Pink Floyd's "Bike" th day before this was recorded.

“What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?” R.E.M.
Hands down my favorite R.E.M. song.

“Welcome to Paradise” Green Day
Why does everyone play "Longview" instead of this? It's Green Day's second best song! (the very best is coming soon, stay tuned!)

“Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” Nirvana
Yikes, what a send off. This is in a deadlock with "Heart Shaped Box" as my favorite Nirvana song

Good to see The Offspring rate a mention. I would rate "Bad Attitude" as another gem of theirs from that year.

If I can digress a little- has anyone else heard their new album "Splinter"? And what happened to their original drummer?

I think I've heard their new one, but I have to confess that I have a little trouble telling them appart (...and now I sound totally lame)

“Loser” Beck
Again, my sources list this one as being a year later than yours, Benn. - Blitz

Yeah, double checking this one, instead of just going along with the source I found this listed on, would've been nice. It was a '94 release. Now I'm going to have further adjust my '93 list.

“Shine” Collective Soul
Another one that I've got listed a year after you, Benn. - Blitzed again

I went by the copyright date on my copy of the Hints & Lies & Allegations, disc; the album from which the song in question hails. It's a 1993 copyright. So...

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

I usually run to either Launch or VH1.com and just copy the date off there. (not always a good idea, the good folks at launch seem to have a habit of confusing reissue dates with the original).

Hey, I'm trying to remember a song, but I'm drawing an absolute blank on the year, the title, heck even the artist. It's a bit embarassing, 'cause it was apretty big hit when it came out (won a grammy, as I recall). It has a kind of mexican folk tune kind of melody, and is about this elderly couple who just up and leave their lives in favor of driving around on the highway. Anyone know what the heck I'm thinking of?

That would be "The Way" by Fastball, 1998.

AH HA! Thanks!

Oops, left one off the '94 list:

"This Is A Low" Blur
The brit-rock boys at their best (and, not coincidentaly, most psychedelic)

I've been under the weather for the past couple of weeks so I have been more useless than usual. In any event, my 1994 list is up and ready to go:

“Cut Your Hair”- Pavement
“Songs mean a lot/ when songs are bought/ and so are you”- the right attitude and loads of gleeful anarchy in all the right places. “No Big Hair!!!”

“Burden of the Angel/ Beast”- Bruce Cockburn
A great groove and social/ spiritual commentary, no surprise, in a masterful Cockburn song- “Kill for money, die for love/ whatever was God thinking of?”

“Mingus Eyes”- Richard Thompson
A superb mood piece with keen insights.

“Beeswing”- Richard Thompson
A rare thing, indeed. A touching and regretful narrative about “the price you pay for the chains that you refuse” and negotiating one’s way between inner desires and society’s demands.

“Freedom Rock”- Frank Black
About trying to break free from that phase where what you wear and what you listen to defines you, but there’s a real playfulness about the performance as well.
.
“Ole Mulholland”- Frank Black
A mammoth track from Black- equally hard driving and avant garde, with shades of the Residents with Snakefinger- essentially likening Los Angeles to a thirsty monster in the dunes.

“Your Favorite Thing”- Sugar
A buoyant and hook filled pop song, though its dark side concerns objectifying one’s self in the name of love.

“Believe What You’re Saying”- Sugar
A classic, well crafted breakup song from Mould and co.

“Guinevere”- Lucy Kaplansky
A charming song from Lancelot’s point of view, full of self-awareness, willing to bring about the fall of the crown for love.

“Barn Burning”- Dave Alvin
Great roots rock track from Alvin that’s not really about what it’s about.

“Going, Going, Gone”- Posies
Solid Posies track from the Reality Bites soundtrack, probably their most well known due to that fact.


“Old Empire”- Nova Mob
Comes close to lecturing but Grant Hart pulls it off with some effective phrases and imagery- the she in “She’s still clinging to the old empire” is the Statue of Liberty “with broken promises in one hand…”

“Evergreen Memorial Drive”- Nova Mob
An anthemic and catchy hidden track from the eponymous disc, about how places and times in one’s memories are intertwined. Notable also because at the same time that ex-Huskers mate Mould was getting more polished, Hart was getting more ‘garage’- going back to his roots.

“My Wave”- Soundgarden
Soundgarden brings on the groove and psychedelia in a standout track.

“Fell on Black Days”- Soundgarden
The best ballad they’ve recorded, with an insistent rhythm track propelling it.

“Both Belong”- The Grays
A pop music masterpiece. More people should hear this.

“Not Long for This World”- The Grays
Seeking escape through ending it all is not normally the topic for explosively energetic anthems, but the “I’m outta here” attitude has significant universality and they pull it off with style to spare.

“Ain’t But the One Way”- Julian Cope
It’s such an ‘over the top and beyond all reasoning’ type statement of environmental activism with unflinching language that I suppose I love it for that fact alone- its sheer audaciousness. And I do think of it more as a statement of frustration than a call to action (I’m sure Cope does as well- there are probably people who preach ‘time to up the ante and assassinate all of the greedheads’ and mean it- Cope isn’t one of them).

“Miles From Nowhere- Smithereens
Probably the last great Smithereens song.

“Can’t Get Out Of Bed”- Charlatans UK
A terrific swaggering and rocking pop track.

“Zombie”- Cranberries
It’s been played and talked about ad nauseum…I still like it.

“Buckskin Stallion Blues”- Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Mudhoney
Superbly slapdash cover of the Townes Van Zandt song. Jimmie, I’ll follow your muse wherever it takes you, especially into places like this. Yee-Ha!


“Bad Reputation”- Freedy Johnston
Johnston at the top of his game, got a lot of airplay too.

“This Perfect World”- Freedy Johnston
The word ‘haunting’ would be an understatement. Very poignant and tragic, when he gets to the line “and these pills won’t even let me cry” you really feel it.

“Same Changes”- Sam Phillips
Phillips pays homage to Revolver era Beatles with the arrangement, but brings some mighty songwriting chops to the table as well- melody, lyrics, hooks. A simply superb track in every way.

“I Need Love”- Sam Phillips
Jangly guitars, intelligent lyrics- another winner from her incredible Martinis and Bikinis disc.

“Plowed”- Sponge
You mean this wasn’t by Social D? No matter, great track.

“Interstate Love Song”- Stone Temple Pilots
Yeah, it's their best song.

All right, I'm NOT the only one still interested in this thing! Good list, baring "Zombie" perhaps (I don't really care that it's over played, I though it was too repeditive the first time)

On one hand, I have some discs out ready to put together my 1994 list. On the other, I am kinda bored with this project now. Or more accurately, I've gotten burned out. Also, I am also a bit discouraged by the fact that my '93 list is so flawed. In getting out CDs for '94, I found out I left out songs from one of 1993's best, if not the best, albums - Exile In Guyville by Liz Phair. In other words, my 1993 list is hopelessly inaccurate and I'm not too thrilled with the thought of correcting it right now. Still, give me a little more time and I'll get my 1994 list made and posted in a day or two. Hopefully, it'll be more accurate than '93's is.

np - Stripped - Christina Aguilera (It's better than you might think.)

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

See, that's why I started putting together my '90s lists back while the '80s ones were still going on. There's no way I could have done any of these things half-way competently otherwise.
Hope you can hold on for a least a little while longer, though.

Yeah, I've been doing these things two years at a time lately, though it probably has more to do with a faulty memory than anything else. An example: my preliminary '94 list had many songs that turned out to be '95 songs on it upon verification. So now I've got a list for '95 complete, and a few already on '96 for the same reason.

I've also missed a bunch in hindsight (D'oh on the Liz Phair as well as Daniel Lanois' "The Collection of Marie Claire" from '93), but I still find this to be a worthwhile experience because I'm digging out a lot of 'old friends' and playing them again as I go along.

Well, this is fitting. As long as we're talking about mistakes, I just remembered a vast hole in my '94 list: "I Alone" by Live. I mean, it's only the single greatest song they ever did, after all.

Good one, I forgot about it as well.

Got my 1995 list fleshed out:


“Fisherlid”- Klezmatics
This epic nearly-9 minute track has been on my heavy rotation list since I first heard it and to this day each new playing reveals another layer. If you’ve ever wondered why the Klezmatics have been referred to as “Klezmer by way of Coltrane” then your answer is right here- the solos are astoundingly expressive and intense, and the piece ends with an air of distilled exuberant joy. Glorious!

“Open Arms (Don’t Explain)”- Patty Larkin
Mellow and hypnotic. This could easily fit in with Richard and Linda Thompson’s best work. When Patty is on, she’s On.

“Tell Her This”- Del Amitri
Their quieter moments were their best ones on Twisted, and this one leads the pack.

“Beach Boys”- Pere Ubu
David Thomas’ obsession with Brian Wilson and the Boys turns up in the strangest of places- even as the title of a song about “marching on the home of the blues”. PoMo, I guess…

“My Friend is a Stooge for the Media Priests”- Pere Ubu
Are you ?

“The Sky Above, the Mud Below”- Tom Russell
One of Russell’s ‘big three’- about human justice’s taking place somewhere between heaven and hell.

“The Rose of the San Joaquin”- Tom Russell
Written with Ian Tyson, another shoulda-been jukebox classic.

“Try, Try, Try”- Julian Cope
Seemingly out of nowhere Cope returns to short form pop music, part Blue Eyed Soul/ part Krautrock, and scores a surprise hit in the UK. Great song.

“I’d Run Away”- Jayhawks
The years have been very good to their blend of lush pop and Americana. A solid contender for their best song.

“Blue”- Jayhawks
A solid contender for their most well known song, especially now that the Thorns covered it (and didn’t really add anything, IMO). Still got that classic vibe.

“I Must Be High”- Wilco
A great combination- a song that sounds as worn in and comfortable as an old pair of sneakers but fresh and vital at the same time.

“Should’ve Been in Love”- Wilco
A classic Jeff Tweedy song, and one of the main highlights from their debut, a sign of things to come.

“Windfall”- Sun Volt
“May the wind take your troubles away…” Terrific song that sticks in your head balanced with Jay Farrar’s moodiness (imported from Uncle Tupelo). Farrar sounds like the sort who knows troubles when he sees them.

“Congo Square”- Sonny Landreth
Landreth finally gets around to recording the New Orleans standard that he penned years before, and gives the Neville Brothers a run for their money.

“Great Gulf Wind”- Sonny Landreth
Breathtaking and atmospheric take on the Allan Toussaint song.

“Same Old Way”- Pete and Maura Kennedy
Instantly familiar Byrdsian jangle folk-pop tune, straightforward and wonderful.

“Choice in the Matter”- Aimee Mann
From her second solo disc. She really started to come into her own with this one- poppy, folky and literate all at once.

“That’s Just What You Are”- Aimee Mann
Another great one, same disc.

“Caves of Missouri”- Brooks Williams
Rhythmic and haunting with strong imagery and some mighty nifty guitar picking.

“Wanderer’s Song”- Brooks Williams
“The first mile is the hardest/ The last mile is the longest/ So it goes, so it goes” I always bring this one along on a long trip.

“Sick of Myself”- Matthew Sweet
Just a great one to be played really loud. Still.

“We’re the Same”- Matthew Sweet
The ironic sucker punch this one packs after the first couple of lines will keep it off of most peoples’ “Most Romantic Songs” list (hey, ain’t it great that we’re both codependent liars? ), but it also keeps the hooks and harmonies from veering too far into bubblegum territory.

“You Do Something to Me”- Paul Weller
Another memorable one from Weller, as soulful as it is folky.

“Fake Plastic Trees”- Radiohead
Mood, drama, intensity- classic Radiohead…it didn’t take these guys that long to mature.

Good list. I've got my '95 one about ready, but I was waiting for Benn to get his '94 list

Uhhh, you may want to go ahead with your list, Blitz. I've currently have put away all the discs I had out as references. As I've noted earlier, I'm kinda burned out on the project. I'll probably come back to it later, once I've recharged my batteries for it.

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

Awwwwww, that's too bad. Well, in the mean time:

'95

“Brain Stew” Green Day
The best song they've ever done. VERY big and extremely menacing. It's intentions (to challenge their reputation as sell-outs to punk) are a little obvious, but it doesn't let them overpower the important stuff. At least, it's far more memorable than the bulk of their work.

“Breakfast At Tiffany’s” Deep Blue Something
Speaking of memorable, here's one that gets on my list simply in hopes that I might please it's evil and all-powerful chorus and MAKE IT FINALLY GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!

“Bullets With Butterfly Wings” Smashing Pumpkins
OK, in a lot of ways this personifies some of the worst cliches of the Pumpkins (there's not a whole lot you can do about a song that starts "the world is a vampire"), but it still manages to remain listenable 'till the end.

“California” Wax
I only recently stumbled onto this one. It's a very nicely constructed little punk pop ditty, with some fine harmonies to boot. (Apparently, it caused a hubbub over it's video: a long, sustained shot of a man running down a street on fire. Seems pretty tame to me, though)

“Champaign Supernova” Oasis
Hey, how can we have a list of 1995 songs without mention this monster somewhere. Sure, most rock stations have played it more times than they do their own call letters, but it's still one of the best things the Brothers Gallagher have ever done.

“Christmas At The Zoo” The Flaming Lips
This should have been the hit follow-up to "SHe DOn't Use Jelly", but for some reason it wasn't. In fact, nothng off of Clouds Taste Metallic did well enough to sustain their chart mementum. The follow up project, Zaireeka (a set of 4 discs designed to be pplayed simultaniously) didn't help things much, either. It's too bad, too, because this is a great ditty about a fellow who decides to celebrate Christmas by releasing all of the animals at the zoo (always makes me think of 12 Monkeys), only to find that they're more comfortable in their cages.

“Common People” Pulp
One of the core songs of any Brit-Rock collection, and a good example of many of the genres favorite ingredients (formost of which being the tweaking of the social structure of England)

“Dancing Days” Stone Temple Pilots
In my humble but accurate oppinion, this absolutely demolishes Led Zepplin's original version. Largely accustic (with the occasional loud guitar blast), there's a lot more subtlety in STP's arrangement than in Zep's more ham fisted approach.

“Don’t Speak” No Doubt
Forget "Just A Girl" (though that is a pretty catchy little number), THIS is the real keeper off of Tragic Kingdom. The melody is as gorgeous as it is haunting, and Gwen Stefani provides one of her greatest vocal performances.

“Flood” Jars of Clay
Not a whole lot to say on this one. It's just a solid, compelling bit of rock with a strong folk gloss.

“Free As A Bird” The Beatles
No, it's not exactly the best song they ever did. In fact, it sounds more like Oasis trying to sound like The Beatles than The Beatles. But the fact is, it's a beautiful song. So there. Now leave me alone.

“French Disko” Stereolab
See that "K"? That means that their being hip, or something like that. This one actually puts a pretty interesting spin on the otherwise unchanging Stereolab sound by throwing a more moody, minor chord sound into the mix. One of my personal favorites.

“Green Machine” The Apples (in stereo)
And then the heavens opened wide and all of the heavenly host sang praises and all of the Earth weeped with joy because THE APPLES (in stereo) HAD ARRIVED!!! In case you can't tell, these guys are one of my favorite bands ever, and I'm not ashamed to say it whenever I darn well please.

“Heaven Beside You” Alice In Chains
This may be my favorite Alice In Chains tune. Like pretty much everything they did, it takes a bit too much time to say a bit too little, but that heavy, vaugely south of the border tune is about worth it.

“I’ll Be There For You” The Rembrants
Obviously, better known as "The Friends Theme". Actually, I've never been a fan of the show, but I still love this song. Nice to hear a good old fashion riff again.

“I’m Only Happy When It Rains” Garbage
Yes, the tune is great. Yes, the arangement works like a charm. Yes, Shirley Manson sings it perfectly. But none of that is why I've got it listed. It made the list because (drum roll please) I'M only happy when it rains, too!

“In The Meantime” Spacehog
And now for another visit to the World of Brit-Rock, with a brief stop at Planet Glam. Funny thing is, I really liked this song back when it was all over the place and had absolutely no idea who it was, then I found out and I didn't hear it on radio again for years. Guess I'm just some kind of jinx, huh?

“Love You Alice/D” The Apples (in stereo)
Ooh, a two part song. To be honest, it could probobly have been billed as one and not made much of a difference, but that really doesn't matter. Another perfect slice of pop/rock from the Elephant 6 stables

“Lump” Presidents of The United States of America
Hey, they deserve a nod simply for the feat of getting a hit with a name like that. Of course, it helps that this is one of the best good old fashion rock songs of the year. Like "I'll Be There For You", this thing manages to dust off the seeminly forgoten concept of the riff with tremendous ease (though this has more in common with The Kinks than "I'll Be There For You" and it's Monkees resemblance)

“My Friends” Red Hot Chili Peppers
One Hot Minute took a lot of flak as being an inferior follow-up to Blood Sugar Sex Magik, and I guess it's doesn't exactly get the funk out like "Give It Away", but in terms of sheer song writing, I think it stands up great. Best of all is this song, which I think comes within inches of knocking "Breaking The Girl" off it's throne as the prettiest song they've ever done.

“Nothing At All” Third Day
Well, I gotta give this band some love, being fellow Georgia boys. Technically, this falls into the whole Grunge thing, but not in a bad way. The verses are great, jumping from 4/4 to 6/8 and back with the greatest of ease, not to mention the edge of psychedelic middle eight. Seeing that Third Day has since decayed into making totally faceless cookie cutter dross, this song is all the more compelling.

“Rock And Roll Is Dead” Lenny Kravitz
At some point in time, this might have seemed like a significant thing to say, or at least ironically novel. Then again, at one point in time, Lenny Kravitz wouldn't have been concidered retro. In any case, this baby rock hard enough that he could be saying any cliche he wanted and no one would care.

“Satellite” Elliott Smith
Confession time: even though I proudly proclaim that Elliott Smith is one of the greatest songwriters to ever have lived (he was certainly the greatest of our generation), I don't have the album this is on at the moment (Roman Candle). I mention this because it's very possible that I've got the wrong title for the song I'm thinking off. If I do, then it's the only all out rocker amid a collection of otherwise Nick Drake style man-and-guitar music.

“She’s Just Like Me” The Apples (in stereo)
OK, at this point, I'm just randomly throwing tracks up on the page. I ought to just say "Oh, and the rest of Fun Trick Noisemaker too", but that would be a little cheep, wouldn't it?

“Shine” Newsboys
PErhaps the most pun-laden song ever written. Interestingly, no single line of the song really catches fire on it's own (as I discovered when I tried to figure out which one I should quote), but taken together, this thing is brilliant.

“$tupid Girl” Garbage
Obviously, not to be confused with the Rolling Stones song (which it kills). You gotta love the little piano part at the end. That's the sort of thing that makes hits, right there. (do I even have to make a smart alek comment on the sillyness of the board making be do that creative spelling?)

“Tomorrow” Silverchair
Yes, we all know that this song sound like Grunge's Greatest Hits, and we all know that Silverchair looked like a Nirvana boy band. But, you know what? I don't care. "Tomorrow" is easilly a moe enjoyable song than anything Pearl Jam ever recorded. In fact, it's downright beautiful, in a loud, Seattle-y kind of way.

“The Climb” No Doubt
Now here's a real suprise. I stumbled onto this little gem hiding in the back of Tragic Kingdom. It's written by Eric Stefani, who was gone from the band by the time the album made it out to the world. It's a pseudo-bluse/gospel song, with a layer of mellotron flutes that give the whole thing a "Strawberry Fields Forever" kind of mistique.

“Wonderwall” Oasis
OK, remember all that stuff I said about how I still love "Champaign Supernova" even though it's played more times than shoul be legal and I still love it? Well, it's not a common thing. I gotta be honest, I'm VERY tired of this song at the moment. However, I really loved it back and the day and it's still better than anything most of us mere mortals could ever do.

“Zero” Smashing Pumpkins
Not much to say here; just some great Sabbath-style heavy metal

Huh? There was supposed to be a comment on MrPorter's list somewhere up there, I wonder where it is? Well, lemme try again.

“Fake Plastic Trees”- Radiohead
Mood, drama, intensity- classic Radiohead…it didn’t take these guys that long to mature.

Just heard this for the first time in a while last week or so, and my oppinion's still pretty much the same. Not bad, but just not that terribly interesting.

Huh? There was supposed to be a comment on MrPorter's list somewhere up there, I wonder where it is? Well, lemme try again.- Blitz

That's because I used my force of will to zap it. Only works once, though...

I found that "Fake Plastic Trees" grew on me over time.

Something tells me that we're probably going to be in agreement about Radiohead come 1997, though.

That's because I used my force of will to zap it. Only works once, though...

Wow, can you teach me how to do that?

Well, anyway...
Whoa, just two short of thirty this time. And I used to feel insecure because my lists were so short. Well, this is where my lists are really going to start getting interesting; far fewer "big hit" stuff than the previous few years (hopefully, that'll encourage sme more conversation around here, too). And, to top it all off, I finally started spell checking these things! So, without further ado:

1996

“Anything” PFR
One of the best pop-rock songs of the decade, hands down. The music's got a slightly Rubber Soul-ish Beatles feel, and a set of exceptionally well formed lyrics don't hurt either. Surprisingly, this almost the only listenable song of off the otherwise embarrassing album Them, and the only one at all that follows in this folk rock vein. Too bad.

“Beautiful Freak” eels
The first of several artist you’ll be seeing a lot of in my upcoming lists, and the title track off of their debut album. An eels (yes, it’s supposed to be written without a “the” and all lower case) song is the kind of thing that sounds like it’s supposed to be a joke, yet is delivered with far too earnestly not to be taken seriously. I mean, the title sounds like it’s meant to be an insult rather than a love song, doesn’t it? Actually, the lyrics are pretty slight on this song, but that’s not really the point anyway. The important part is the absolutely perfect music, which is both innocent and creepy in a Tim Burton sort of way (seriously, “Beautiful Creep” could easily be slipped onto the soundtracks of Edward Scissorhads or The Nightmare Before Christmas and seem to have been meant for it all along)

“Big Bang Baby” Stone Temple Pilots
Poor guys. First everyone bashes them for ripping off Pearl Jam, then they go and do something different and what happens? The critics (or a least the ones I hear) bash 'em for that too! Now, I don't know what you all think, but it is my heartfelt opinion that STP was at it's best when they strove for more of a psychedelic pop sound, and this is their crowning achievement. When it bursts from grungy guitar riffs into that harmony drenched bridge, you can’t get much closer to perfection than that.

“Birthday Cake” Cibo Matto
Gang violence, drug use, domestic disputes, rap has often tackled tough issues, but surely no song has ever carried as much weight as this tribute to that deep, dark reality that is baking one's son a cake for his 30th birthday. Okay, this is just a load of silliness, but that's why I like is. How can you not like a song with the hook "Shut up, sit down, and eat!", with a heavy Japanese accent for added fun?

“Black Hole Sun” The Moog Cookbook
And you though "Birthday Cake" was a goofy addition to the list. This may be the weirdest cover song since Devo did "Satisfaction", if not more so. Soundgarden’s big bad and scary epic is here turned into, of all things, an instrumental slice of lounge music rendered entirely on electric keyboards. One of the funniest things you’ll ever hear, largely because the song almost sounds better this way (at least, it stays in your head a lot longer)

“Cybele’s Reverie” Stereolab
The first Stereolab song I ever heard, actually, so I’ve got a real soft spot for this one. Once again, I find myself at a loss for any description that I haven’t already used on two or three other Stereolab songs, so I guess I’ll just refer any curious mind back to one of my previous lists.

“Define A Transparent Dream” Olivia Tremor Control
Another of the Elephant 6 crew enters the music scene. Olivia Tremor Control is perhaps the only band currently in action to record a piece of sunny psyche-pop one minute, a reel of John and Yoko avant-garde noise the next, and then mix them into the same song. That’s certainly what’s going on here, and most of the other songs off (music from the unrealized film script) Dusk At Cubist Castle.

“Hard On Through The Summer” The Red Krayola
Surprise, surprise! That psychedelic figure of infamy, Mayo Thomson, rears his funny little head again! “Acquired taste” is the key word here. In purely technical terms, this song is a sloppy mess, more like a rehearsal that was accidentally stuck on the album. Still, it’s quite hummable and I like it.

“Holiday Surprise 123” Olivia Tremor Control
More lo-fi psyche-pop from Dusk At Cubist Castle. This stuff is totally enjoyable simply for it’s musical charm, but it also helps to appreciate the loose narrative behind it. Cubist Castle, along with much of their library, tells the tale of a massive Earthquake called “The California Demise” that strikes the west coast on Christmas Day. At least, I’m pretty sure that’s how it goes. It’s not really that obvious if you don’t know what to listen for, but it’s an interesting idea.

“Hometown Unicorn” Super Furry Animals
Speaking of psychedelic pop, here’s the best Welsh band I’ve ever hear (and, unless someone tells me otherwise, the only Welsh band I’ve ever heard, so it was easy to choose). Fun, easygoing yet majestic stuff in that rare Magical Mystery Tour sort of way, plus a bit of a David Bowie flavor if I do say so myself (maybe just because it borrows a few chords from “Changes”).

“I Believe You” The Monkees
I really wanted to include more stuff off of Justus than I wound up picking (two songs total), but as nice as the album is, there’s just a whole lot of truly average stuff that doesn’t sound a lot better than the garage band down the street. Thankfully, my hero Peter Tork comes to the rescue with this VERY drastic change of pace. Is this new age jazz? I want to say it is, but I don’t really listen to that much of the stuff, so I don’t want to use the wrong word. In any case, it’s really beautiful.

“If You Could Only See” Tonic
Well, it’s not ALL psychedelic revival, college radio fodder, and shear weirdness on this list; might as well be one or two bits of hit material to keep things interesting. To be honest, I’m still shaking off the last traces of overplay-syndrome on this one, but it’s still well put together and I respect it for that.

“Jumping Fences” Olivia Tremor Control
More indie rock, in an especially Apples (in stereo) mood. The resemblance can’t be accidental, seeing that Apples’ main man Robert Schnider handled the producing chores and is all over this album. Few bands should be so lucky.

“Make My Mind” Screaming Trees
The first great Seattle band’s last gasp, it would seem. Most traces of the acid rock band that emerged back in the ‘80s are gone at this point, replaces by a far more traditional sounding group that reminds me more of Oasis than… well, the old Screaming Trees didn’t really remind me of anybody, that’s why I’m sad to see the change. Still, they play their new sound well, so they can’t be faulted too much.

“Pepper” B-Hole Surfers
Gee, would the ever watchful board language scrubber have allowed the band’s full name? Who knows. In any case, I’m a bit at a loss for stuff to say about this one, largely because The Surfers don’t cross my path much. Still, the always dependable raga-rock model is still in fine shape even after all these years.

“Pour Me Out” PFR
The other song off of Them after “Anything”, and it’s safe to say that nine out of ten listeners would never have guessed that they both came from the same band, much less the same album. Rather than continuing in the Beatles/Byrds footsteps of “Anything”, “Pour Me Out” is the kind of riff heavy Hendrix/Sabbath heavy metal that makes up the rest of the album. Unfortunately, it’s the only one that really works. Too bad, ‘cause it works VERY well.

“Man from Milwaukee” Hanson
* sigh * The future seemed so bright back then. There actually seemed to be hope that these boys might survive as an honest rock band rather than fading into bland pop obscurity. Then This Time Around came out and that was all she wrote. Where did you go wrong, guys? Oh well, at least we’ve still got this perfect relic to remind us of those blissfully naive days. This is easily the best song the ever did, rocking far harder than “Mmmbop” would ever suggest they knew how, not to mention the bizarre lyrics. We’ve all sat next to a guy who told you he was an alien, right? Oh, it’s just me?

“My Beloved Monster” eels
One day, before I depart from this Earth, I’m going to find out just what the heck they used to make the sounds on this song. In keeping with the eels’ so cheerful it’s creepy sound, it sounds kind of like a Sesame Street tune, just piped through the sound system of Hades.

“Never Enough” The Monkees
Man, I was SOOOO caught of guard by the contents of Justus. I mean, the lion’s share of the writing was done by MICKY? Who knew? Well, not to slight the more widely known (and quite good) “Regional Girl”, but this very old fashion bit of rock is my favorite out of his contributions. True, it’s played a little too slow for its own good, but it’s still catchy enough for me.

“Never There” Cake
Oh, so they can actually sing? What are the odds of that? Personally, I enjoy this song much more than “The Distance”. A real tune beats dorky white boy rapping any day, even if it’s dorky on purpose.

“New Pollution” Beck
“Doo doodoo doodoodoo doodoodoo doodoo”
Deep lyrics as always, ol’ boy J Seriously, this is perhaps the catchiest thing I’ve ever encountered from our boy Beck. Does any body else think of The Jetsons when this oh-so futuristically retro tune hits the airwaves?

“Novocaine For The Soul” eels
Why wasn’t this one of the biggest hits of the 1996? The world will never be able to repay A Man Called “E” for the repeated injustice dealt to him and his long-suffering project by not making him a millionaire many times over. “Novocaine For The Soul” is built up from a toy piano lick and sing-along melody that is both innocent and unsettling - the eels entire catalog in a nutshell – and gradually morphs into a lush yet lean pop masterpiece. E’s lyrics are the weak link in the equation, but only because see seems to stop writing once he’s got half a brilliant song done and fills the rest with fluff. Very frustrating when you hear the simple her hilariously twisted imagery he produces when he’s on top of his game (“Jesus and his lawyer are coming back”, well, it makes me laugh)

“One Headlight” The Wallflowers
Just between you and me, I think The Wallflowers are over rated. I don’t hold any grudges or unrealistic standards for Jakob Dylan to scale because of who’s son he is, I just think that the sub-Tom Petty music he puts out is more average than their success would indicate. Still, they really got it right here. Easilly one of the best songs Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers never did.

“Real Love” The Beatles
As with “Free As A Bird”, this sounds as much like a band trying to sound like The Beatles as it does The Beatles (or, as the case was, a John Lennon solo recording trying to sound like The Beatles), but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great tune. In fact, it may be even catchier than “Free As A Bird”

“Touch The Water” The Apples (in stereo)
Off of the rarities/B-Side collection Science Faire. I could easily bring up the question of whether or not a band that had only been around long enough to put out one album can honestly claim to have any “rarities”, but I think it’s best not to go there right now. Instead, let’s just say that this is a great, tuneful example of The Apples’ knack for hooks (even if it is a little too lo-fi for it’s own good)

“That Thing You Do!” The Wonders
HERE we go, the signature tune of Lake Erie’s finest. Am I totally off base in declaring That Thing You Do! To be the best rock film since A Hard Day’s Night? Probably, but that’s never stopped me before. This could easily have been just as big a hit in real life as it was in the film if it were released back in the day, and it actually made it into the modern day top 40! (peaked at 33 if I remember correctly). How cool is that? Another interesting tidbit; the band actually responsible for this song is Fountains of Wayne, who have gained one-hit wonder status of their own (or so the critic would have us believe) with “Stacy’s Mom”.

“Thinking Of You” Hanson
Why was “Mmmbop” the big hit off of Middle Of Nowhere instead of this? Another of life’s little mysteries, I guess. Honestly, “Thinking Of You” is almost as good as “Man From Milwaukee”, not quite as great but far more pop radio friendly. More importantly, it’s nowhere near as annoying the hundredth time around as “Mmmbop”. Like I said, one of life’s little mysteries.

“Your Lucky Day In Hell” eels
This time around, E and the gang adopt a Brian Wilson meets lounge music sound that ends up sounding like The High Llamas in a really bad mood. To be honest, the production on this one is a little shaky, like they were intending to add a few extra layers of overdubs but ran out of time, but it still gets the job done. Besides, how can you not love a song with the lines “Waking up with an ugly face/Winston Churchill in drag”?

“You’ve Got A Gift” Of Montreal
Unfortunately, this list is ending on a rather shoddy note on my part. I tried to look up some kind of information on these guys to go along with this song, but I came up empty handed (of course, it was 2 in the morning at the time). Has anybody else heard of these guys? Can you tell me if they’re really from Montreal? Well, anyway, this is a real favorite of the local college radio station, and it’s easy to see why. Just pop enough to be memorable, but still indie enough to… well, be indie rock.

Good to see eels get numerous mentions, especially "Novocaine..." I still like everything about that one.

“Pepper” B-Hole Surfers
Gee, would the ever watchful board language scrubber have allowed the band’s full name? - Blitz
See the 1993 lists...

Just between you and me, I think The Wallflowers are over rated.- Blitz
Depends on who's doing the rating , but I agree with your general point.

the band actually responsible for this song is Fountains of Wayne, who have gained one-hit wonder status of their own (or so the critic would have us believe) with “Stacy’s Mom”. - Blitz
Maybe I'm experiencing a bit of a disconnect here, but the song that I've heard almost ad nauseum by FoW was "Hackensack".

And isn't that 'The O-Need-ers'?

Hey, that's "Ah-Ned-ers"

Maybe I'm experiencing a bit of a disconnect here, but the song that I've heard almost ad nauseum by FoW was "Hackensack".

Really? That's odd, I've only been hearing "Stacy's Mom" around here. Haven't actually heard "Hackensack" anyplace so far.

And it's nice to see I'm not the only eels fan around here!

Really? That's odd, I've only been hearing "Stacy's Mom" around here. Haven't actually heard "Hackensack" anyplace so far. - Blitz
Maybe it's because Hackensack NJ is in my listening area. Hey, who said that regional radio is dead?

About eels- I'll second your picks as well. Also, Jon Brion was a member on Beautiful Freak after the Grays broke up. Worth checking out if you haven't heard them.


Got my 1996 list done:

“I’m Not Listening”- Maria McKee
It’s an ultra-powerful song about getting fed up with your circumstances to the point where you absolutely explode with a combination of spitefulness, rage and autonomy; if you’re familiar with McKee’s career the subtext is clear. The emotion in this performance is very real and very raw. At about 1:30 in (at the line “you nearly killed me once!”) her voice cracks with anger, you can just see her eyes roll back into her head and feel the spittle on your face- as is said: yeah, she went there. Amazing.

“Absolutely Barking Stars”- Maria McKee
A great slice of early 70’s Bowie style glam run through a ragged cowpunk filter. I remember that upon hearing this for the first time I called a college friend and told him “this wasn’t recorded for many people, but you’re one of them.” He went on to become a big fan.

“Afraid Himself to Be”- Jason Falkner
Falkner, formerly of the Grays, creates another lush pop masterpiece. The chord changes are wonderful, but the melody dominates.

“Fort Knox, King Solomon”- Bob Mould
Just saturated with sound- big 12 string, multi-tracked vocals, cascading synths…

“The Ghost of You Walks”- Richard Thompson
A very haunting ballad of regret (no pun intended).

“Matrimony”- Whiskeytown
One of Caitlin Cary’s more memorable moments.

“Mother, Mother”- Tracy Bonham
Gimicky? Perhaps, at least that’s the way it sounded on the radio, but the full force of it on disc is another story. I bought the disc for other songs and then came to love this one as well.

“Song #1”- Posies
If one were to make the case that, though the Posies borrowed heavily, they eventually created their own identifiable sound- this song would be the cornerstone of that case. It’s the most Posies-like song in their catalog, and probably a good place to start.

“Men in Black”- Frank Black
Rockin’ sci-fi paranoia. Yeah!

“The Pagan Birth of Jesus”- Cracker
A CD single bonus track, most likely about Ireland’s conversion to Christianity, though I could be all wet on that. Great sound, though, featuring what sounds like an amped up cittern.

“She Goes to Bed”- Jason Falkner
More Falkner magic, it starts acoustically and builds to a soaring climax.

“Deep Karma Canyon”- Bob Mould
Mould tackles what could be a weighty subject with hooks and a light touch.

“Grant Hart”- Posies
This tribute is the most raucous thing they’ve done.

“Transylvanian Concubine”- Rasputina
Gothic music made by three women and their cellos.

“I Was Wrong”- Social Distortion
There’s a fine line between inspired and formulaic three chord rock and Social D comes out on the right side with this one.

“The One”- Tracy Bonham
Tracy’s folk/punk channels Husker Du rather than Nirvana on the best written song of the set.

“Velvet Glove”- The Kennedys
Their brand of jangle-pop sounds fresh and innocent, and it’s the freshness that makes an impact.

“I Am Anastasia”- Sponge
Their best song, though “Molly” probably created unrealistic expectations that couldn’t be matched and not too many people paid attention.

“Hide It Away”- Richard Thompson
A well crafted as anything he’s recorded, and a highlight of the You, Me, Us? sessions.

“Useless Stuff”- Cracker
It’s an anthem, it’s a goof, and it’s got a memorable opening line (unsuitable for this board)! More words to live by from David Lowery.

“Indigo Rider”- Country Dick Montana
Montana makes terrific use of his deep brooding voice on this moody shoulda-been-a-jukebox-hit track, recorded just before his death.

“Tall Ships”- Wolfstone
A great “things are changing and it ain’t for the better” type drinking song, full of celtic rock energy.


“Fight It (If You Want)”- Posies
More great punk/pop attitude and hooks from Jon and Ken.

“I Got You (At the End of the Century)”- Wilco
Wilco expands their repertoire and adds 60’s soul to the mix. Driving and catchy.

Maybe it's because Hackensack NJ is in my listening area. Hey, who said that regional radio is dead?

Oh, I see. I guess that's why they refuse to lat that horrific relic "Carolina Girl" die around here (Raleigh).

“I Was Wrong”- Social Distortion
There’s a fine line between inspired and formulaic three chord rock and Social D comes out on the right side with this one.

You know, I was pretty close to including this on mine too. I always like a rock song where the singer questions himself rather than everyone else.


“Song #1”- Posies

Nicely done, VERY nicely Done.

np Heros and Villans- The Powerpuff Girls - Various (Apples in stereo, Shonen Knife, AND Devo? Heck yeah!)

Thanks, Blitz.
(and...heck yeah, as well)

It looks like whoever gets to 1997 first should start a new board.

Also, for the record I just wanted to add that I have been informed that Cracker did re-release the song "Pagan Birth of Jesus" on their 2000 compilation Garage d'Or but changed the title to "Eyes of Mary" so if anybody's heard that one it's the same song.

That's odd, any idea why they changed it?

Also, I've got some school issues for the rest of this week and the next, so don't go looking to me to do it any time soon.

Re: Cracker
Just a guess, but I think that it got played a lot at shows either as part of a set or a shout-out request. The phrase "Pagan Birth of Jesus" doesn't appear in the lyrics, but "Let the eyes of Mary carry you away" is the chorus. Odds are that fans who didn't get the CD single started shouting out for them to play "Eyes of Mary" and effectively changed the title.

Good luck with the school issues, they're imminently more important.

Hey, Blitz, my brother lives in Raleigh. He works for NC State in the AV department. My sister also went there and my dad worked in the athletic office back in the sixties.

You don't say. I've got a couple friends who go there.
Anyway, I THINK I'll be out of the woods (for a little while, at least) by the end of the week, if not sooner.