Reflecting on Sound Mind

      Sound Mind has been a long, strange trip. It's hard to believe my first post was September 2, 2012. I believe 153 posts were written over a decade ago. Recently, I've been thinking about the future of this exercise, as well as reflecting on its past. It's been enjoyable doing these deep dives and Mt. Rushmores, and I intend to continue with them. My tastes and opinions regarding many aspects of music, and my collection in particular, have change quite a bit over a dozen years. These deep dives and various YouTube channels have greatly expanded my exposure to artists and albums I may never have sought out otherwise. I have also reassessed artists I'm all too familiar with. 

     In retrospect, I came to the realization that many of my old posts haven't aged well. Some are straight up rubbish. One reason I haven't tried to promote or monetize this blog is I'm embarrassed by a sizable chunk of what I've written. The number of times I've attempted to encapsulate the career of a band, or an entire musical genre, in a three-paragraph post is mind boggling. Doves, Cheap Trick, Genesis, Bowie, Miles Davis, Midnight Oil, Michael Jackson, Tobin Sprout, Pink Floyd, YES, Elvis Presley, Queen, Power Pop, Heavy Metal, etc. I intend to revisit some of these artists and genres with a decade's more thought behind it. 

     I would also like to get back to a focus on pieces in my collection. This would be new additions, as well as considerations of the 2200+ albums already in my collection. When I started this blog, my son was 5 years old. He's now finishing his junior year of high school. I'm thinking about gauging his interest in my collection and introducing him to some bands before he leaves home someday. I've been doing this casually in the car, but not in a concerted way. I have plenty of colored vinyl to lure him in. Ideally, he will keep some of my best albums. Then my wife won't have to sell them all on Discogs or get pennies on the dollar at the record store. I have also considered a buying moratorium or a "one in, one out" policy, but that seems unlikely to happen. In fact, I'm meeting my friend Mike at the Record Den tomorrow. Also, I'd like to get to Jerry's Records in Pittsburgh this summer. I do have some duplicates again from my recent record haul, but most of them are different pressings so I'd like to hang on to them for the time being. It's not hoarding if it's a curated record collection! Peace.

Sound Mind Collection Update

      You might recall about a year ago, my father-in-law passed away and I "inherited" his record collection. It took several months to catalog and clean and I eventually sold off some duplicates and stuff I would never listen to. Well, a couple months ago, his brother, who lived with him, passed away and I "inherited" another couple hundred records, plus some of my father-in-law's records we had missed last year. Thankfully, my wife's uncle took much better care of his records than her dad and I was able to quickly add them to the collection. There are some duplicates and things I likely won't listen to, but I'm going to hang on to them for the time being. 

     The main idea behind Sound Mind is what will happen to my collection after I die, so whenever something like this happens, I reflect on this mission. Obviously, since I began this blog in 2012, Discogs has come along and partially solved this problem. My father-in-law and his brother were good guys and music was very important to them. Luckily for me, they had good taste. Well, mostly good taste. In this last batch of records there were several by Neil Young, Warren Zevon, Jackson Browne, Kate Bush and The Talking Heads. Nice! 

     The significant update to my collection is I have added records from artists I had no intention of owning. Of course, I'm talking about The Eagles, The Grateful Dead and Mr. Zimmerman himself, Bob Dylan. Old me would have already sent these albums packing. New me is going to respect that these records were important to someone else and maybe even give them a spin before I die. On the positive side, there was only one Grateful Dead album and it's the one with "Alabama Getaway", which I remember liking back in the 80's. He had most of The Eagles catalog and I will at least check out the pre-Hotel California stuff and The Long Run. There were only four Zimmerman albums and I believe they are all D-list; Infidel, Basement Tapes, Nashville Skyline and Empire Burlesque. Truthfully, I have no idea. At some point, I will muscle through and give them a spin as well. Maybe on the day Dylan dies. 

     To the best of my knowledge, there are no other family record collections that I will be "inheriting". I know my parents don't have any. However, I had no idea in 2012 that I would come into possession of two collections from people I had no relation to. That was the original impetus of Sound Mind. If I'm meant to save any more record collections it will happen. In the meantime, I will keep collecting one album at a time, until I die. Peace.

1994 Top 25 Songs

      This could easily be a top 50 songs list for 1994 just with Bee Thousand and CRCR and Twice Removed, but I will stick with the parameters of the exercise. After pick #5 the rest of these rankings are more or less arbitrary. 6-25 could all be tied with each other. Going forward, I will look at 2004 and 1974 to see which year I can knock out in a couple weeks. Since I turn 60 in December, I will do something for 1964 at that time. 

25. Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden

       The vibe and lyrics of this song are the perfect representation of Grunge. 

24. Natural Grace - Ride

       Beautiful pop gem. Britpop meets The Byrds.

23. Big Dipper - Built to Spill

       This song has a great, hooky chorus and reminds me of childhood. 

22. We Are the Pigs - Suede

       Britpop meets Queensryche meets Mancini.

21. Spoonman - Soundgarden

       That opening riff is phenomenal. "Steal the rhythm while you can".

20. What's the Frequency, Kenneth? - R.E.M.

       "I never understood. Don't fuck with me". Probably the last great R.E.M. song.

19. Wow and Flutter - Stereolab

       Great vibe, chorus and bleeps and bloops. 

18. She - Green Day

       Had a hard time getting down to one track from Dookie. Ask me again tomorrow.

17. Queen of Cans and Jars - Guided by Voices

       "To see the light and try but fail on jagged seas that can't be sailed". 

16. Sunshine Country - Victoria Williams

       Americana on a stick. Love it!

15. Silence Kit - Pavement

       The song that defines slacker rock. The opening riff is perfection.

14. Penpals - Sloan

       The best song on Twice Removed. Could be four more songs on this list. Sorry guys.

13. Unglued - Stone Temple Pilots

       The same with Purple. Maybe I should've done a top 50 list. 

12. Fell on Black Days - Soundgarden

       My favorite track on Superunknown. 

11. Hardcore UFO's - Guided by Voices

       Possibly my favorite Pollard lyrics.

10. X - Bailter Space

       Muscular power pop from New Zealand. It's Rickenbacker-tastic!

9. Buddy Holly - Weezer

       Easily a top 3 music video. Exquisite song.

8. Something's Always Wrong - Toad the  Wet Sprocket

       "Another day I called and didn't speak". 

7. Seether - Veruca Salt

       Can't fight the seether...you can only hope to contain it. 

6. Cut Your Hair - Pavement

       A stinging indictment of the music industry. "Songs mean a lot when songs are bought and so are you"

5. Loser - Beck

       The lyrics are fantastic. Get crazy with the Cheez Whiz!

4. Sabotage - Beastie Boys

       Great jam! Apparently it was about a producer that they really hated. 

3. Headache - Frank Black

       "My heart's crammed in my cranium and it still knows how to pound".

2. Parklife - Blur

       The most British song ever. Brilliant!

1. Supersonic - Oasis

       "You need to find a way for what you want to say, but before tomorrow". 

     I'm trying to think of a video from this list that i haven't posted on here before. Got it. Peace.

       

2024 Rock Hall Inductees

      Alright, let's do this thing. I mentioned before that apart from The White Stripes, Midnight Oil, Crowded House and a few 90's acts everyone who belongs in the Rock Hall is in the Rock Hall. I don't recall any clamoring for any of these new inductees anywhere. I'm happy for their fans, but the Rock Hall has been watered down even more. It gets harder to argue with people who hate the Rock Hall or want to change it to the Music Hall. I still love the Rock Hall, but the actual Rock Hall foundation is problematic. And then this year they did an end around to induct extra artists because they died. Hopefully they aren't setting a precedent with that move. Anyhow, here are my thoughts on the inductees, in alphabetical order. 

MARY J. BLIGE - I'm sure she's a great singer, but I literally don't know any of her songs or albums.

CHER - Watched Sonny and Cher when I was a kid. My sister had the Cher doll. Cher married a bunch of weird dudes. I know a handful of her songs and don't care for them. 

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND - I don't like DMB, Dave's vocal stylings or his fanbase. Sorry, not sorry.

FOREIGNER: I love the first four albums. Lou Gramm is a great singer. That said, they are borderline Rock Hall material at best. 

PETER FRAMPTON - Phenomenal guitarist, master of the vocoder and childhood friend of David Bowie. Got in mostly on the strength of a live album, but so did Cheap Trick, so congratulations Mr, Frampton. 

KOOL AND THE GANG - Sure, why not. They had some hits.

OZZY - I voted for Ozzy, but his solo career is borderline as well. Those Randy Rhoads album are fantastic, but downhill after that. His induction speech should be epic...if you can understand him.

A TRIBE CALLED QUEST - Oddly enough, with all the blow back the Rock Hall gets for inducting rap artists, I think ATCQ was the most deserving group in this bunch of nominees. 

     The three artists who will be inducted for "musical excellence", even though they weren't nominated, are Jimmy Buffett, Dionne Warwick and the MC5. Meh. Whatever. I had the single of "Cheeseburger in Paradise" when I was a kid. This just reminds me that they waited until Chris Squire was dead to induct YES. But hey, congratulations Parrotheads. I wish I was in Key West to celebrate your victory. Peace.

Record Store Day 2024

      Since I promised this, here's a quickie about Record Store Day. I had an extended list in the event some of my targeted titles were sold out. I didn't make it out until 1 pm, but surprisingly they still had everything I wanted. Kudos to the Record Den in Mentor, Ohio. I picked up seven titles, so my wife wouldn't kill me. I wasn't conscious of it at the time, but my selections were mostly from the same genre. I will likely go back tomorrow to see what's left over from my list, such as, Blur, Elton John, Gene Clark, Flying Burrito Brothers and Foghat. Yes, I love Foghat. Anyhow, here's what I added to the collection. I haven't listened to them yet.

TINTED WINDOWS: This is a reissue of the 2009 album by power pop supergroup, Tinted Windows. It was comprised of a Hanson kid, Adam from Fountains of Wayne, James Iha from Smashing Pumpkins and Sound Mind favorite on drums, Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick. 

NOEL GALLAGHER: This is a 7' single of demos from 2023.

DREAM SYNDICATE: This is demos and what not from the Days of Wine and Roses period.

RAIN PARADE: This is a reissue of Emergency Third Rail Power Trip, with a bonus LP.

THE VERLAINES: This is a reissue of their 1993 album Way Out Where.

THE CHILLS: The Lost EP

CLOUD NOTHINGS - FINAL SUMMER: This is not an RSD title. It's the new album by local heroes, Cloud Nothings. 

     Tomorrow will be the top 25 songs from 1994. Peace.

1994 Deep Dive : Part Five

      I probably don't need to go too in depth on the top 5, since I already did a Mt. Rushmore for 1994. However, there is a new album on the Mt. Rushmore. I even considered jumping it to #1. The next year deep dive is 1974, but I haven't even started yet, so it will be a while for that. I might try to slip in a 2004 before that. That is the year of Modest Mouse and Franz Ferdinand. Crazy it's been twenty years. I may post again today depending how Record Store Day goes. Okay, on to the 1994 top 5.

5. Stone Temple Pilots - Purple ( 5 Stars )

     What a great band! I haven't done this exercise, but Scott Weiland would certainly be on the Mt. Rushmore of '90's frontmen. Purple has so many classic tracks; "Vaseline", "Interstate Love Song", "Big Empty", "Meatplow" and "Unglued". "Still Remains" is a great sleeper song. I love the line, "If you should die before me ask if you can bring a friend". It's a testament to STP that this is my second favorite album by them, behind Tiny Music. The first three are all 5 stars. As I'm typing, "Silvergun Superman" is playing and it's also phenomenal. The guitar solo is amazing. 

4. Sloan - Twice Removed ( 5 Stars )

     How the hell did I forget Twice Removed during the Mt. Rushmores? I have listened to Sloan more than any other artist over the past two years. I saw them about a year ago on their most recent tour and they were so fun. Twice Removed starts with the bonkers Chris Murphy track "Penpals". According to the internet, the lyrics are actual quotes from fan letters to Nirvana. My favorite is "I worship all your handsome words. To me you seem giant". Then Chris and Jay Ferguson trade off lines on "I Hate My Generation". It's a fanstastic, jangly pop gem. "People of the Sky" is one of Andy Scott's best songs. I consider him the "Stephen Malkmus" of Sloan. His songs are usually off-kilter and slacker-y. "Coax Me" is another great Chris Murphy track. It's about the death of Kurt Cobain. It has a line that Kurt probably would have endorsed; "It's not the band I hate, it's their fans". If I had to pick a favorite songwriter in the band it would be Patrick Pentland and he only has three songs on this album; "Loosens", "Worried Now" and "I Can Feel It". "Snowsuit Sound" is another standout track by Jay Ferguson that features prodigious hand clapping and an exquisite chorus. I love these guys.

3. Oasis - Definitely Maybe ( 5 Stars )

     Widely regarded (mostly in the U.K.) as the greatest debut album of all time. The opening track, "Rock 'N' Roll Star", is the set up. "I live my life in the city and there's no easy way out". And on the track "Bring it on Down" it's the mission statement. "You're the outcast, you're the under class. But you don't care, because you're living fast". This record is a punch in the face and a middle finger to 90's Britain. And it had it coming. "Live Forever" and "Up in the Sky" are fantastic songs. "Cigarettes and Alcohol" starts with that homage to T Rex's "Bang a Gong". But the outstanding track, by far, is "Supersonic". It starts with that amazing Noel Gallagher guitar riff and pick scrape, Then Liam comes in with that beginning section: "You need to be yourself. You can't be no one else. I'm feeling supersonic, give me gin and tonic. You can have it all, but how much do you want it?" I realize there are countless Oasis haters out there, but in 1994 they were the band the world needed. 

2. Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain ( 5 Stars )

     I've posted about this album before and nothing has changed. I love it and it's tremendous. Go listen to it now!

1. Guided by Voices - Bee Thousand ( 5 Stars )

     Is every song on Bee Thousand (stick out your tongue, hold it and try to say Pete Townshend) a 5 star song. Probably not. Is Bee Thousand a 5 stars album. Fuck yeah! If there were a Mt. Rushmore for Lo-Fi albums, this would be the George Washington. Pollard's lyrics are in top form, whether they be word collage or straight forward poetry. "Are you amplified to rock? Are you hoping for a contact?" "Count the days that we have wasted from the start. Speak the words and build a playground in your head." And that's just from the opener "Hardcore UFO's". I've posted about GbV quite a bit on Sound Mind, so I won't go on and on about Bee Thousand. In the future, I may write some posts about the run of Pollard's current lineup of the band, who I just bought tickets to see in July. Rock will never die as long as Robert Pollard is still alive. Peace.

1994 Deep Dive : Part Four

      At this point, I should probably say something about my rating philosophy. All of the albums in my 1994 top ten are 5 stars. Some people are quite literal about 5 stars and feel every song on the record has to be a 5 star song to amount to a 5 star album. I'm not one of those people. I factor in many different parameters. Overall vibe, it's place in a genre, have I listened to it 20+ times and still love it, even critical consensus. As I mentioned last time, Green Day's Dookie will most likely get bumped up as well. The group of 6-10 is a varied and odd group of albums, but they're all fantastic. Two of them are new discoveries.

10. Jeff Buckley - Grace ( 5 Stars )

     This is one of the new discoveries. I have no recollection of Grace in the year 1994. The first time I heard of it was when pop culture started shoving "Hallelujah" down everyone's throat. Of course, this caused me to dig my heels in about Jeff Buckley. When I joined the Tastes Like Music discord group, they had a track elimination game starting for Grace. I decided to stop being a dick and listen to it for the elimination. Turns out, it's great. I still hate "Hallelujah" and wish there was a moratorium on artists covering it, but the rest of Grace is very moving. It was interesting that my favorite tracks were the first ones to be eliminated in the discord group. The consensus last place song was "Corpus Christi Carol", which I agreed with, but it's still interesting. I prefer the edgier songs like; "Mojo Pin", "So Real", "Dream Brother" and my favorite "Eternal Life". I've never heard anyone mention this, but I love the drumming on Grace. I will be adding this to my collection.

9. Nirvana - Unplugged ( 5 Stars )

     I wasn't going to included this because it's not a studio album, but it was being counted in the discord group so...it's in. I haven't listened to this album in quite some time, because it's still too raw and emotional for me. I'm not listening to it for this exercise either. But I remember that it's great. It captures a moment where, looking back, Kurt was staging his own memorial service. His performance on "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" is visceral and heart-wrenching. This album exposed the world to the Meat Puppets and Vaseline and an obscure David Bowie song that has been retconed into Bowie's lore. The Nirvana songs in this show are great unplugged, but I prefer to listen to the actual albums. For me, this is a 5 star album based mostly on its context.

8. Digable Planets - Blowout Comb ( 5 Stars )

     Unlike the much celebrated Illmatic by Nas, this album is the style of hip-hop that's in my wheelhouse. I went out of my way to find a hip-hop album in 1994 that I liked. Glad I did, because Blowout Comb is phenomenal. Great flow. Great vibes. Very jazzy. Fantastic lyrics. I will probably write a separate post for this album at some point, but I'd like to spend some more time with it first. However, after just a couple listens it's easily a 5 star. If all hip-hop were like this or Del Tha Funkee Homosapien I'd be all about it. 

7. Weezer - Blue Album ( 5 Stars )

     So, this is the album that fell out of my Mt. Rushmore. Not that I love it less, it's just I hadn't really done a deep dive when I made those Mt. Rushmores. Despite the way Weezer's career has progressed, there's no denying the greatness of The Blue Album. Their sound was so fresh in 1994. My mind was blown the first time I saw the video for "Buddy Holly". Rivers' lyrics on this record are so clever. "If you want to destroy my sweater, hold this thread as I walk away". "My Name is Jonas" is an amazingly bombastic opener. However, I love at the end when they bring the bombast down and Rivers sings "My name is Jonas" over acoustic guitar. "No One Else" probably doesn't hold up as well in our current cultural climate, but I think it's a fun rocker. I love the line in "Say It Ain't So" : "This way is a water slide away from me that takes you further every day, so be cool". And that slow riff at the beginning is great. "In the Garage" is the unofficial anthem for every music nerd kid ever. Oh Weezer, why did you forsake us?

6. Soundgarden - Superunknown ( 5 Stars )

     This is another album I hadn't listened to in probably 20 years. I have long moved on from Grunge. When I heard it again recently, I was reminded what a powerful rock album it is. Soundgarden are in top form on Superunknown. Spoiler alert: They have three songs in my top 25. And that doesn't include "My Wave", which is a grooving jam. Obviously, Chris Cornell was an outerworldly singer and Kim Thayil is a guitar wizard. And the rhythm section is pretty awesome too. I will be discussing them more during the song list. Peace.

1994 Deep Dive : Part Three

      Ok kids, it's time for albums 11-15. Next time we'll be in the top 10. The fact that these records didn't make the top 10 is a testament to the strength of releases in 1994. Just a heads up, I might interrupt the 1994 dive to post about Record Store Day 2024, which is Saturday, if I find some good pickups. There are a few things on my radar. 

15. Ride - Carnival of Light ( 4.5 Stars )

     I almost didn't listen to Carnival of Light, because other than the track Vapour Trails I don't like Ride's early shoegaze stuff. While most people dislike this record because they abandoned shoegaze and fully embraced Britpop, I think it's amazing. Even though the opening track, "Moonlight Medicine", is almost seven minutes long it's a muscular, psychedelic rock song. This album also has tons of jangle. It's interesting that Carnival of Light was released a couple months before Oasis' debut album, because the track "Moonlight Spring" is straight out of the Oasis playbook. "I Don't Know Where It Comes From" is an exquisite pop tune. Other standouts are "Birdman" and "Don't Let it Die". Ride just put out a new record a few weeks ago and are still going strong. 

14. Built To Spill - There's Nothing Wrong With Love ( 4.5 Stars )

     If, like myself, you are into distorted guitars and fragile, idiosyncratic vocals; this is your jam. Doug Martsch's lyrics and delivery are sublime. I can't list all the great lyrics in this post. Just take my word and check it out. If I had to pick a favorite it would be "Big Dipper". 

13. Sebadoh - Bakesale ( 4.5 Stars ) 

     This album is an indie rock classic with just enough production to not be lo-fi, but it's lo-fi adjacent. Sebadoh is one of Lou Barlow's non-Dinosaur Jr. side projects. Bakesale is kind of all over the place; sludgy, sloppy, aggressive, poppy. In an alternate universe, "Skull" would have been a one hit wonder. "Got It" is really the only track that's reminiscent of Dinosaur Jr. 

12. Bailter Space - Vortura ( 4.5 Stars )

     New Zealand strikes again! I love these guys. Oddly enough, I don't own this album or Wammo, which are my two favorite Bailter Space records. They are difficult to come by in The States if you don't buy records online. I do have a bunch of their other CDs though. They are classified as noise rock, but I think they are just intense guitar rock. There is plenty of melody and songcraft on this record, as illustrated by the tracks "X" and "No. 2". Fun fact: Bailter Space was formed from the Flying Nun band The Gordons.

11. Green Day - Dookie ( 4.5 Stars )

     I'm having a hard time with Dookie. It's been all over this top 25. I hadn't listened to it in quite a while and forgot how tremendous it is. As of now, I have it at #11 and 4.5, but it probably is a 5 star record. Every song on here is a banger. At some point this year I should do a separate post for Dookie. My least favorite song on here is "Longview" if that's any indication of how much I like these tracks. It's sad that they've gone the way of Weezer and have sucked for the past twenty years. Dookie and Nimrod are all the Green Day I need in my life. Peace.

     

1994 Deep Dive : Part Two

      Alright, here's part two of my 1994 album deep dive where picks 16-20 will be revealed. Overall, I was rather disappointed with the quality of Britpop albums in 1994, but I managed to get a handful in the top 25. Two of them are in this group. 

20. Seal - Seal ( 4.5 Stars )

     Back in the day, I listened to this CD all of the time. "Kiss From a Rose" was huge and it was one of my favorite songs. I hadn't listened to Seal in probably 20 years and wondered how it would hold up today. Well, it's still great. His voice is so distinctive. Smooth, but powerful. The vibe on all of these songs is laid back. "Bring It On" is a fantastic opener with slinky bass and Seal's unique vocal delivery. "People Asking Why" has some nice, jazzy piano and great lyrics. And really there is no denying "Kiss From a Rose". I love how it builds to that chorus. 

19. Veruca Salt - American Thighs ( 4.5 Stars )

     It was love at first listen when I heard "Seether". Veruca Salt was the whole package. The looks, the guitars, the lyrics. I'm a sucker for when Nina and Louise sing together. This whole album is excellent, as is their follow-up Eight Arms to Hold You, which featured "Volcano Girls". The Seether IS Louise!

18. Suede - Dog Man Star ( 4.5 Stars )

     As promised, some Britpop. I wasn't familiar with this album going into the deep dive, but I really dug it. I was instantly struck by the track, "We Are the Pigs". It's a great guitar rocker, but they sneak in some "Theme From Peter Gunn" horns. "Heroine" starts with a Lord Byron quote while singer Brett Anderson sounds like lower-register Geoff Tate from Queensryche. The band seem to straddle hair metal and Britpop. It's an effective combination. The song "New Generation" is prototype Britpop. I'll have to check out the rest of their discography. This was one of my favorite discoveries from the dive. 

17. David Kilgour - Sugar Mouth ( 4.5 Stars )

     This is a phenomenal solo album by the Flying Nun label veteran, David Kilgour, of The Clean. It's a guitar pop masterpiece. He has moved on from the lo-fi of early The Clean records to a more polished, straight forward delivery. The guitar sound is Tommy Keene adjacent. The track "1987" is the standout in this set. I really need to get this album in my collection. I have some of his more recent CDs with his band The Heavy Eights and those are very good as well. New Zealand must have more brilliant musicians per capita than any other country in the world. 

16. Blur - Parklife ( 4.5 Stars )

     I should go back and reread my post on Oasis vs. Blur, because I have no recollection of what I wrote. I know that in 1994, I was Team Oasis and wasn't familiar with Blur at all until Song No. 2. Even a couple years ago I wouldn't have had Parklife on a top albums list. Over that time, I have been deep diving Blur and now this is one of my favorite albums. The title track is tremendous. It's insanely British, in a fantastic way. I love Damon Albarn's accent and Graham Coxon's guitar style. "Girls and Boys" and "End of a Century" are also standout tracks. I feel that for sheer British-ness, you can draw a line from The Kinks to XTC to Blur. As you have already guessed, I do have Definitely Maybe rated higher than Parklife. It's like how I rate The Beatles higher than The Kinks, even though I love them both. Blur's music is certainly artier and more interesting than Oasis, but Oasis is more visceral and direct. That's probably why "Jubilee" is one of my favorite songs on Parklife. Ask me again in another few years and I may have changed my mind. Peace.

1994 Deep Dive : Part One

      I'm going to change up the format for these deep dives. In order to go a little more in-depth on these albums, I will divide the top 25 into 5 posts and then another post for songs. Unlike 1984, my Mt. Rushmore for 1994 has changed. But more about that later. Also, unlike 1984, there are no 3.5 albums in my top 25 and there are 10 5 stars. Before I reveal albums 21-25, here are some 4 star runners up: Morrissey, Grant Lee Buffalo, Beastie Boys, Hole, Toad the Wet Sprocket and The Grays.

25. R.E.M. - Monster (4 stars)

     When I began this dive, I didn't think Monster would make the cut. It's probably my 10th favorite R.E.M. album. However, it's still a really good record and a much needed change from Out of Time and Automatic For the People. As much as I love Peter Buck's jangly Rickenbacker sound, it was refreshing to hear him just rock out. "What's the Frequency Kenneth?" is a classic. Stipe's song about Kurt Cobain, "Let Me In" is another standout track. Monster gets a lot of hate, but it's solid top to bottom. Give it a re-listen.

24. Frank Black - Teenager of the Year ( 4 stars )

     It's interesting that Teenager of the Year came out the same year as Guided by Voices' Bee Thousand. It has 22 tracks, but it's twice as long, coming in at over 60 minutes. Free of the constraints of The Pixies sound, Frank Black bangs out a phenomenal collection of tight, idiosyncratic rockers. The highlight is the single "Headache". While overall this album doesn't have the highs of Bee Thousand there are very few throw away tracks. 

23. Stereolab - Mars Audiac Quintet ( 4 stars )

     Stereolab were one of those bands that I never got around to checking out back in the day. I love guitar rock. My lose, because this album is great. Turns out I like French / English, leftist, organ-centric space rock. Who knew. It was a bit of an adjustment getting the chord changes from a droning organ, rather than crunchy guitars. For the most part, the guitar and bass are way back in the mix, but on occasion they come to the front and it's a great change of pace. Interesting story, the track "International Coloring Contest" is a tribute to an eccentric album from 1969 by Lucia Pamela called Into Space. I was hoping it was a cool space-age, lounge album, but it's just a bonkers novelty record. I would imagine it being in Paul Ruebens' record collection. I gave it a 4 mostly because it's a little same-y and goes on for over an hour. I'm not sure what could have been cut, though. 

22. Velvet Crush - Teenage Symphonies to God ( 4 stars )

     Rick Menck is one of the unsung heroes of power pop. His solo album, The Ballad of Rick Menck, is brilliant as is all his other work, including with Matthew Sweet. He is mostly known, if at all, for his band Velvet Crush. Teenage Symphonies to God is a solid collection of power pop gems. It even has covers of Matthew Sweet and Gene Clark of the Byrds  and was produced by Mitch Easter. If you like this genre, this album is a must listen. 

21. Victoria Williams - Loose ( 4.5 stars )

     I discovered this album from a recommendation in the Tastes Like Music discord group. Victoria was a talented, struggling singer who was critically acclaimed, but couldn't breakthrough to the mainstream. She came down with M.S. and didn't have insurance, so in 1993 a tribute album, Sweet Relief, was put out to raise money for her medial bills. In 1994, Victoria recorded Loose with the help of artists like Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Dave Pirner. The combination of Victoria's vocals, at once fragile and powerful, and the sweeping Americana sound of the players, is revelatory. Highlights include, "Century Plant", "You R Loved", "Crazy Mary" and my favorite "Sunshine Country". She also does a solid cover of Spirit's "Nature's Way". My only gripe with Loose is no one needed another cover of "What a Wonderful World". Other than that, it's an album full of child-like wonder. Peace.