::From the CMJ New Music Report (#796, Jan 6, 2003)
It's unavoidable. When a music publication prints a list of top albums, regardless of how the recordings are chosen, folks will start barking. When CMJ decided to kick off its 25th year by compiling a list of the Top 25 College Radio Albums Of All Time, there was much deliberation; how would we choose the albums?
Should the selections be based on cultural significance or statistical data? Exactly how many e-mails will we get from readers with a subject that reads: "Where the hell is the Replacements' Pleased To Meet Me?" How could the Pixies' Doolittle not have been a year-end No. 1, yet Bush's Sixteen Stone was? These are all good questions, of course.
In the end, we chose to base our Top 25 on statistical data. From 1978 through 2002, we simply selected College Radio's most-played album from each year. After all, why shouldn't College Radio itself select the Top 25 College Radio Albums Of All Time? With that said, we still expect to hear more yelping and barking than one would hear in a dog pound during euthanization hour, but these were the albums that College Radio spun the most, year-by-year, for the past quarter-century.
Enjoy!
::SOUND OFF ON THE LIST::
Contributing Writers: Kevin Boyce, Steve Ciabattoni, Brad Filicky, Ryan Jones, Justin Kleinfeld, Doug Levy, Louis Miller, Antonia Santangelo, Christopher R. Weingarten and Greg Winter
THE LIST
1978: BLONDIE Parallel Lines (Chrysalis)
Musically and artistically, there was a lot happening in New York City in the late 1970s (no wave, the Talking Heads, the Ramones, a little mag called CMJ starting up) and Blondie was among the first "underground" bands that managed to sneak something new, something sexy and something punk into the mainstream. It didn't hurt that the group had an ex-folk singer/ex-Playboy bunny named Debbie Harry as its frontwoman either. After initially getting more love in the U.K. than the U.S., Blondie finally broke through in the States with this, its third full-length album. On Parallel Lines, British producer Mike Chapman (The Knack) helped balance the tension between punk, disco and pop and Harry's sensuality and cool. Songs like "Heart Of Glass," the band's first No. 1 hit in the U.S., proved that
pop music could have a little flair disco didn't really suck; it was just being done all wrong before.Meanwhile, the album's other hit, "One Way Or Another," showed off Harry's aggressive sexuality, and female fronted bands have been taking notes ever since. SC
Debut On Chart: Nov. 10, 1978
Weeks On Chart: 34
Peak Position: No. 1
1979: THE KNACK Get The Knack (Capitol)
Less overblown than Cheap Trick (but, oddly, more arrogant), less cynical than Squeeze, less defunctby- 1978 than the Nerves, the Knack had the recipe (and, supposedly,
the knack) to be a populist power-pop sensation although a suspicious mountain of
pre-signing Capitol hype didn't exactly hurt. Get The Knack is 12 tracks of hooky-as-fuck, no-frills power pop, but the obvious money shot is six-week chart-topper "My Sharona." Featuring one of the most immediately ubiquitous riffs in pop history, the song was such a target for idolatry and derision that both a young Weird Al and an in-their-prime Dead Kennedys couldn't resist swiping at it. Critics labeled The Knack derivative and sexist ("Good Girls Don't," anyone?) as Get The Knack climbed to No. 1 on both the CMJ and Billboard charts in the fall of 1979. But despite the backlash, these Cali boys reenergized the long-dormant powerpop scene (opening the floodgates for chart success by bands like the
Romantics and the Vapors) and still influence contemporary hooksmiths like Weezer.My, my, my, yi, yi, wooo! CW
Debut On Chart: July 20, 1979
Weeks On Chart: 20
Peak Position: No. 1
1980: PINK FLOYD The Wall (Columbia)
Concept albums can wreak havoc on an artist's career quicker than a twister can hurl a RV from Oklahoma to Arkansas. For instance, few would disagree that Dennis DeYoung should have
been mercilessly flogged for Styx's Kilroy Was Here. Conversely, there are a handful of essential, careerdefining concept albums in existence; The Who's larger-than-life rock operas (Tommy and Quadrophenia) and Genesis' epic The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway undoubtedly set the standard, but Pink Floyd's The Wall reigns supreme. Released in 1979, The Wall is Floyd mastermind Roger Waters' semi-autobiographical peek into the crumbling psyche of a fictional rock star, whose disillusionment with his life and fans leads to
self-imposed isolation and a cataclysmic psychotic event that makes Michael Jackson seem relatively normal. Everything needed for a solid episode of E! True Hollywood Story is here: Drugs ("Comfortably Numb"), sex ("Young Lust"), bizarre parent-child relationship
("Mother"), suicide attempt ("Goodbye Cruel World"), reckless destruction ("One Of My Turns") and blatant disregard for educational institutions ("Another Brick In The Wall Part 2"). As warped as it may be, The Wall sold over 23 million copies and is the third best-selling album of all time. Beat that, Radiohead. KB
Debut On Chart: Dec. 31, 1979
Weeks On Chart: 32
Peak Position: No. 1
1981: ADAM AND THE ANTS Kings Of The Wild Frontier (Epic)
Before riding a glammy train into pop immortality with 1982's "Goody Two Shoes,"Adam and his then-Ants were angular post-punks tinkering with an idiosyncratic new wave style. In 1980, notorious punk rock spindoctor Malcolm McLaren had just hijacked Adam's entire team (for upstarts Bow Wow Wow), leaving him forced to set up a new Ant farm. Armed with the serrated guitar sounds of Marco Perroni and two count 'em two drummers, these musical sav-Ants created a sound they dubbed "Antmusic," injecting the throbbing syncopation of Burundi rhythms into the gaudiest of T. Rex riffs. Kings Of The Wild Frontier was a smash in the U.K., spawning the clackity "Antmusic," the chicka-chicka of "Dog Eat Dog" and the chuckachucka of the title track. Dressed in garish Romantic-era-cum-Road-Warrior garb, the Ants were naturals for the burgeoning MTV, paving the way for the especially gaudy Culture Club, inspiring the detached demiglam of Brit-poppers Suede and even giving Nine Inch Nails enough inspiration to warr-Ant a creepy take on Frontier's "Physical (You're So)."A signific-Ant, brilli-Ant, flamboy-Ant extravag-Ant-za. CW
What We Said Then: "It's music for those who are slightly bored with
what is now common pop fare... There's cleverness in them there ant
hills."CMJ, Issue #11, 3/16/81
Debut On Chart: March 2, 1981
Weeks On Chart: 32
Peak Position: No. 3
1982: SOFT CELL Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret (Sire)
Listening to Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret means taking a stroll down the electro superhighway to meet the originators of a sound that's still as futuristically fresh today as it was
back in 1980. Before Berliniamsburg (the Brooklyn club at the epicenter of New York's electroclash scene) had a place on the map of cool, Leeds, England art students Marc
Almond and Dave Ball were kicking it in Soft Cell. The group's debut LP, Cabaret was enormously successful due in large part to three songs: "Bedsitter," "Say Hello,Wave Goodbye" and an unforgettable cover of Gloria Jones' "Tainted Love" a smash single that boasted the combination of wacky, sing-along lyrics and futuristic bells and whistles that made the Cell so infectiously fun. The band's follow up, 1983's The Art Of Falling Apart, was also a success, but proved to be an omen of sorts Soft Cell broke up prior to the release of its third album, 1984's This Last Night In Sodom. Not content with living on in
karaoke heaven, the group has reformed, recorded a new album and recently completed a U.S. tour. Spread the word: sex, drugs and electronically produced rock 'n' roll is back. JK
Debut On Chart: Feb. 15, 1982
Weeks On Chart: 30
Peak Position: No. 1
1983: U2 War (Island)
Released in the spring of 1983, War catapulted U2 to the front lines and established the Irish quartet as true rock 'n' roll crusaders. Fueled by the politically charged "Sunday Bloody Sunday," the album gives listeners anthem after anthem consisting of fervent appeals to stop world violence, bold calls for unity and unbridled love songs that come across with both an idealistic innocence and a sobering despair. The band's first gold record, War made U2 arena rock stars and the album's corresponding tour (dubbed the "War Tour") resulted in the live Under A Blood Red Sky EP - the best-selling live recording in British history. "New Year's Day" and "Two Hearts Beat As One" also served to set up the group's future masterpieces (1987's The Joshua Tree, 1991's Achtung Baby and 2000's All That You Can't Leave Behind), which would alter the face of music forever. While the 10 songs on War proved that music had changed U2, U2 was well on its way to changing the world with its music. -LM
What We Said Then: "This is U2's most developed and mature
album, both lyrically and musically." CMJ, Issue #10, 2/28/83
Debut On Chart: March 14, 1983
Weeks On Chart: 33
Peak Position: No. 1
1984: R.E.M. Reckoning (I.R.S.)
Modesty was a quality rarely seen in music during the 1980s; the reign of Ronald Reagan was in full throttle and hair and metal bands saturated the radio airwaves, while it was the D.I.Y. aesthetics of punk and hardcore that served to inspire the nation's youth. All things considered, there was little room to be soft-spoken in 1984. Impressively,
R.E.M. overcame these barriers and recorded one of the most sincere albums of the decade. By the time Reckoning, the Georgia group's sophomore effort, hit the airwaves, R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe and his bandmates had already established themselves on the college radio circuit with their acclaimed debut, 1983's Murmur. Reckoning, fueled with radio friendly cuts like "Pretty Persuasion" and "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)," further secured the band's budding reputation, clearing the way for future album gems like Automatic For The People, Out Of Time and Monster. R.E.M. arrived at a point in time when music needed
serious assistance, and its influential guitar pop was more help than anyone could have asked for. GW
What We Said Then: "A reckoning? Hardly just another fine LP
which promises even more great things from the group." CMJ, Issue
#38, 4/9/84
Debut On Chart: May 7, 1984
Weeks On Chart: 32
Peak Position: No. 1
1985: TEARS FOR FEARS Songs From The Big Chair (Mercury)
Tears For Fears' "Shout" was one of the best singles of the '80s, and it's
only one of many highlights that can be found on Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith's ultra-successful 1985 album, Songs From The Big Chair. The hit song's accompanying video conjured up memories of a certain Coke commercial filmed on a hill ("I'd like to teach the world to sing...") and helped it become a sort of mid-'80s anthem; people
across the musical spectrum took notice whenever it played, becoming
eerily entranced. The album's other big hit, "Everybody Wants To
Rule The World,"went straight into orbit, thanks to big production and
once again prime MTV placement. As a result, Big Chair sold
millions of copies. With additional tracks like "Mothers Talk,""Head
Over Heels" and "I Believe" rounding out this memorable effort, it
remains legendary to this day. This was one of the first records that
MTV "made" and thus helped mark the beginning of the 24/7 music
network's substantial influence on the record buying public. JK
What We Said Then: "Their debut, The Hurting, was full of warmth
and same goes for Songs From The Big Chair, plus some." CMJ, Issue
#60, 3/18/85
Debut On Chart: March 5, 1985
Weeks On Chart: 31
Peak Position: No. 1
1986: PETER GABRIEL So (Geffen)
Home to chart-topping singles, moving love songs and larger-thanlife dance numbers, Peter Gabriel's fifth album, So, is now a well-worn classic. With its big horns, funky bass and Gabriel's trademark vocals, the mega-hit "Sledgehammer" introduced this record to the world, pushed it to multi-platinum status and made the former Genesis frontman into a
superstar. In addition, the single's wildly imaginative and stake-raising video swiped MTV's "Video Of The Year" award among eight others and did almost as much for MTV as MTV did for Gabriel. "Sledgehammer" boosted the singer from cult hero to household name
and allowed the enigmatic performer to finally leave his Genesis past behind (though who could forget that loveable fox-in-a-dress costume?). So's follow-up singles only solidified this monkey shocker's status as one of rock's greatest luminaries; the unforgettable "In Your Eyes," the prophetic "Big Time,""Red Rain" and the haunting duet with Kate Bush,"Don't Give Up," added depth and beauty to Gabriel's best album. RJ
What We Said Then: "The first single, 'Sledgehammer,' features an
irresistible soul groove and should be Gabriel's first huge hit." CMJ,
Issue #92, 5/23/86
Debut On Chart: June 20, 1986
Weeks On Chart: 26
Peak Position: No. 1
1987: U2 The Joshua Tree (Island)
By 1987, the members of U2 were already college rock heroes. However, they became worldwide
superstars with the release of The Joshua Tree. Aided by the epic singles "Where The Streets Have No Name," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "With Or Without You," the album became U2's biggest seller and is today considered by many to be the band's
masterpiece. What stands out the most is how American the Irish band sounds here; by the mid-'80s, U2 had become obsessed with the geography and music of the United States and the band used its fixation with the Lower 48 to great effect on The Joshua Tree, both lyrically and musically. The influence of country and western music is easily heard in the texture of "Running To Stand Still," while frontman Bono is at his most political on the Reagan-critical "Bullet The Blue Sky." Regardless of what side of the Atlantic its roots were planted in, though, U2's The Joshua Tree is a significant cultural landmark. BF
What We Said Then: "Bono's vocals burn, channeling his emotional
excesses into passion rather than exuberance, and the band matches
that performance with an equally precise and powerful one." CMJ,
Issue #113, 3/13/87
Debut On Chart: March 27, 1987
Weeks On Chart: 32
Peak Position: No. 1
1988: MIDNIGHT OIL Diesel And Dust (Columbia)
Many artists are remembered solely for being one-hit wonders, particularly those who topped the charts during the 1980s. While most were simply worthy of being mere flashes in the pan (Haircut 100, anyone?), numerous artists from the Decade of Decadence have been undeservedly dropped into the bottomless
pit of forgotten hit makers.
Such is the case with Midnight Oil
and its chart-topping "Beds Are
Burning," the hit single from Diesel
And Dust, the Australian band's
sixth album. While many groups
drop into obscurity following their
15-minutes of fame,Midnight Oil used its success to voice its strong
political messages most concerning its homeland and continued
to do so until breaking up at the tail end of 2002. The band, under the
direction of charismatic frontman Peter Garrett, had been outspoken
since its 1978 debut, but it was Diesel And Dust that made the world
aware of the plight of Australia's aboriginal settlers. Similar to anti-war
folk icons from the 1960s and modern activists like the now-defunct
Rage Against The Machine,Midnight Oil made its music for the people
and about the people. GW
What We Said Then: "The key track is 'Beds Are Burning,' which
sports an undeniable sing-along chorus." CMJ, Issue #136, 1/29/88
Debut On Chart: Feb. 12, 1988
Weeks On Chart: 38
Peak Position: No. 2
1989: THE CURE Disintegration (Elektra)
The Cure's follow-up to its acclaimed
1987 outing, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss
Me, the haunting Disintegration
crept into daylight early in 1989. The
album, packed with darkly poignant
songs, was swiftly embraced by the
band's cult-like following.Odes such
as "Lullaby,""Pictures Of You,"
"Fascination Street" and "Lovesong"
(which became the band's most
popular American single at the time)
painted a picture of an anxious soul
crumbling in love as frontman
Robert Smith openly acknowledged.
While he was writing songs
for this release, the singer claimed
that he knew it would be the last time that he would address things that
troubled him. The timing was perfect; Smith's cathartic material came
during the final stages of a highly indulgent decade and the timelessness
of Disintegration was instantly recognizable. As a result, the album
became The Cure's commercial breakthrough. With memorable
melodies and honest lyrics,Disintegration offered listeners both vivid emotions
and masterful layers of sound, resulting in a classic record that still
soothingly kisses the brokenhearted with red lipstick, of course. AS
What We Said Then: "At a time when The Cure could have turned
shamefully predictable, they've produced a decidedly downbeat album
that's as far from a sell-out as they could have possibly have gone."
CMJ, Issue #169, 5/5/89
Debut On Chart: May 19, 1989
Weeks On Chart: 28
Peak Position: No. 3
1990: DEPECHE MODE Violator (Sire-Reprise)
Depeche Mode began its career in
1980, using only synthesizers and
keyboards as its instruments of
choice an action that was heavily
criticized by the press, who continuously
bashed the Basildon,
England band to pieces throughout
its early days. Despite the incessant
condemnation, though, the Mode
developed an enormous cult following,
aided by early singles such
as "Just Can't Get Enough" and
"People Are People."However, it
wasn't until 1990's Violator, a
record filled with haunting lyrics and catchy dance beats, that Depeche
Mode broke into the mainstream. Full of masterpieces like "Enjoy The
Silence," "Personal Jesus," "Policy Of Truth" and "World In My Eyes,"
Violator went on to sell over two million copies in the U.S. alone.
Depeche Mode has been and still remains the guiding light for some of
today's brightest acts what would Trent Reznor have done without
its leading hand? And how about Underworld? We don't dare think of
what might have been without Violator as a musical anchor. JK
What We Said Then: "Violator is a disturbing album of uncertain
happiness and certain gloom." CMJ, Issue #193, 4/13/90
Debut On Chart: March 30, 1990
Weeks On Chart: 38
Peak Position: No. 4
1991: R.E.M.: Out Of Time (Warner Bros.)
If any band ever personified "college rock," it's arguably R.E.M. Over the course of several acclaimed albums, the group mastered the guitar-drums-bass approach to songwriting; with 1991's Out Of Time, it decided the time was right to expand its sound. Adding strings,
keyboards and guest appearances by rapper KRS-One and the B-52's Kate Pierson to the mix, the album was an ambitious effort and a huge commercial success. "Losing My Religion" was a radio smash, while its corresponding video became an instant MTV staple that's still considered a classic today. The release's other notable single, the bouncy "Shiny Happy People," was also a moderate hit, helping it maintain a place at the top of the charts (admit it you may have thought it was an annoying song, but you were humming it under your breath). Out Of Time was highly effective at capitalizing on the band's growing notoriety and R.E.M. was never more comfortable with its success than it was right here. BF
What We Said Then: "Only time knows where this record fits into
the grand and rapturous career of Athens' most-loved sons, but we like
where it fits into our collection of hallowed records just fine, nestled
somewhere between Lou Reed and the Replacements." CMJ, Issue
#226, 3/8/91
Debut On Chart: March 22, 1991
Weeks On Chart: 39
Peak Position: No. 1
1992: U2 Achtung Baby (Island)
Sometimes one can judge a book by
its cover. U2's Achtung Baby immediately
screamed revolution with its
colorful cover montage, contrasting
the dreary grayscale images that
adorned the majority of the band's
previous album covers. In 1992, U2
was in a creative transition and
that was instantly evident with the
shocking distortion of this album's
opening track, "Zoo Station."Aside
from the musical and visual alterations,
Achtung Baby also saw U2
breaking with tradition by putting
its usual political banter on the
back burner in favor of more introspective
and personal themes. In addition to the new sound, Bono
began emerging decked out in leather to introduce the world to his
arena rock god alter-ego, The Fly. All the ensuing fuss over the band's
new direction and image almost overshadowed the strength of Achtung
Baby's beautifully crafted songs, most notably "One,""Mysterious Ways"
and "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses." Boasting reflective ballads
and dance-oriented singles adorned with swirling guitars and intense
bass lines, Achtung Baby remained on the CMJ charts for an astonishing
54 weeks and marked a new chapter in U2's history. AS
What We Said Then: "Achtung Baby should dispel any notion that
popularity and maturity has made them 'uncool.'" CMJ, Issue #262,
11/29/91
Debut On Chart: Nov. 29, 1991
Weeks On Chart: 54
Peak Position: No. 3
1993: STONE TEMPLE PILOTS Core (Atlantic)
San Diego's Stone Temple Pilots
hitched onto the grunge bandwagon
just before the entire music industry
was smothered in flannel. The
band's platinum-plus debut, Core,
was released on September 29, 1992
roughly a year after Nirvana's
Nevermind, Pearl Jam's Ten and
Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger
dropped like hellfire missiles on
countless unsuspecting spandexclad
rockers. As a result, critics were
merciless in comparing STP to the
aforementioned Seattle conquistadors
most frequently Pearl Jam but the similarities were palpable.
In addition to jacking some inspiration from the Zeppelin-meets-heroin
blueprint drawn up by Alice In Chains ("Sex Type Thing") and tinkering
with the Sabbath goes psychedelic formula of Soundgarden, STP dished
out a marble-mouthed hit that sure as hell sounded like a leftover from
Ten ("Plush"). Furthermore, Core's dejected lyrics read suspiciously
familiarly, as if frontman Scott Weiland got a peek at Kurt Cobain's journals
before Courtney Love whored them out for the world to see (see
"Creep"). So, yes, at the onset of its impressive career, STP had more in
common with Seattle than Starbucks, but cut the band some slack;
Eddie Vedder is from San Diego too. KB
Debut On Chart: Nov. 13, 1992
Weeks On Chart: 43
Peak Position: No. 28
1994: GREEN DAY Dookie (Reprise)
Green Day's major label debut,
Dookie sparked a '90s musical revolution
second only to Nirvana.
The band's three-chord pop-punk
"shenanigans" launched a thousand
rowdy copycat bands that
dreamed of riches and fame or
at least a chance to play the Bay
Area's όber-punk Gilman club
(the celebrated non-profit punk
venue in Berkeley, California).
Dookie became so popular, so fast,
that Green Day went from being
virtually unknown to playing to
the mud-soaked legions of
Woodstock '94 and the Gen-Xers
of Lollapalooza in just a matter of months. And while the 1994 suicide
of Kurt Cobain heralded the death of grunge more than any
other signifier, Dookie definitely helped pound a few nails in its coffin.
Audiences were growing tired of the woe-is-me humorlessness
dominating the airwaves, and Green Day supplied the perfect snotty
antidote, thus proving that music could be fun again. Debate all you
want about whether or not Green Day is punk; no one can deny the
band's influence. BF
What We Said Then: "Green Day happily eschews ego-boosting guitar
maneuvers in favor of a crunchier, more explicit sound. And that's
why GD taps so directly into our present (or dormant) post-teen angst."
CMJ, Issue #365, 1/31/94
Debut On Chart: Feb. 7, 1994
Weeks On Chart: 45
Peak Position: No. 2
1995 BUSH Sixteen Stone (Trauma-Interscope)
It's difficult to think of any other
act that could have released a debut
album that spawned a staggering
five hit singles, yet still ends up
coming off as a bit of an underdog.
Regardless, Sixteen Stone is where it
all began for the U.K.'s only major
contribution to the grunge movement.
Initially written off by many
as sheer Nirvana mimicry, Bush
faced the additional challenges of
hitting the scene at the tail end of
the grunge explosion and, unusually
for a British act, finding more
success in the States than back home, where it went virtually unnoticed
for years. However, what all the naysayers consistently overlook is
frontman Gavin Rossdale's uncanny ability to write the kinds of songs
that not only stay with you long after they're over, but also stand the
test of time. "Everything Zen," "Little Things," "Comedown,"
"Machinehead" and, of course, "Glycerine" hold up as well today as
they did the first time you sang along to them when no one was looking
(and you know you did). Besides, this album didn't just put itself
on the CMJ charts for nearly seven months straight. DL
Debut On Chart: Dec. 12, 1994
Weeks On Chart: 27
Peak Position: No. 1
1996: BECK Odelay (DGC)
Beck Hansen unintentionally
proved to the listening public that
white boys can have rhythm.
Through the years, we've seen the
many faces of Beck; he can be
revealing and introspective
(Mutations, Sea Change) experimental
(Mellow Gold), even funky
like Prince (Midnite Vultures), but
it was Odelay, the self-proclaimed
virtuoso's second major-label
release, that stood out like a wolf
among sheep in 1996. While his
pop music counterparts saturated
the radio with punk, ska and
regurgitated rock, Beck with
superb production assistance from the Dust Brothers mixed up
rap, folk, country, soul and blues using a comprehensive pallet of
instruments, including bongos, sitars, samplers, a hefty dose of vinyl,
two turntables and a microphone. The result was a mid-'90s masterpiece.
Despite the fact that Beck had scored a mainstream hit two
years earlier with the 1994 single "Loser," his star didn't really begin
to shine until Odelay and miraculously, he's outdone himself with
each subsequent release. GW
What We Said Then: "Si Beck es un perdidor, todos los otros son
perdidores muy grandes." (Translation: "If Beck is a loser, then we are all
bigger losers.") CMJ, Issue #480, 6/24/96
Debut On Chart: June 24, 1996
Weeks On Chart: 25
Peak Position: No. 1
1997: PAVEMENT Brighten The Corners (Matador-Capitol)
Just like it did with Beck, the dubious
"slacker" tag hung around
Pavement's neck for the majority
of the 1990s. In hindsight, that tag
probably wasn't based on an evaluation
of the band's ambition or
work ethic. Pavement made five
consistently excellent records in the
'90s, which essentially helped
define indie-rock and its flirtation
with the big time during the
decade. In retrospect, the slacker
thing really only seems fit to
describe the sprawling guitar jangle
and ambling rhythmic scatter
that the Stockton, California five-piece laid down. Brighten The
Corners, the band's fourth record, found Pavement searching (with
non-slacker producer Mitch Easter) for some cohesion in all of that
freeform. What the band never failed to do on any of its records was
unload tracks that, while disjointed, were still jubilant little pop songs.
The blistering frenzy of "Stereo" and the hummable and strummable
"Shady Lane" remind you why "alternative rock" still matters. There
should be more songs like that on the radio. SC
What We Said Then: "After five years, the little band from
Stockton, California, still churns out brilliantly garbled pop that's as
dazzlingly crafty as ever, a testament to the band's originality."
CMJ, Issue #509, 2/17/97
Debut On Chart: Feb. 24, 1997
Weeks On Chart: 27
Peak Position: No. 1
1998: BEASTIE BOYS Hello Nasty (Grand Royal-Capitol)
Hello Nasty is the funkiest anachronism
in Hip-Hop history. Taking
the "Three MCs And One DJ"
idiom full-circle (courtesy of pal
Mixmaster Mike), the Beasties reinvented
their past on this release,
krush groovin' though analog
synths and vintage drum machines
and riding a super disco-break
DeLorean all the way back to 1982.
Yeah, the Beasties were actually a
lousy hardcore band back then, but
the intergalactic body-rock tracks
on Nasty rewrote them as cardboard-
spinnin', Adidas-bodysuit-clad Hip-Hop historians, filtering ol'
skool B-boyage and electrofunk through contemporary syncopation
and intellectual constructs. Nasty is a present-day look at a past's future
as if Spielberg shelved A.I. to remake Logan's Run. Futuristically nostalgic
records like Missy Elliott's "Work It" certainly owe a debt of gratitude,
and maybe nostalgically futurist records like Clipse's "Grindin'" do
too. Plus, the Beasties did it all with untouchable New York cool. Who
else (besides maybe Lou Reed) could get away with lines like, "If you try
to knock me you'll get mopped/ I'll stir fry you in my wok"? CW
What We Said Then: "Hello Nasty strips away the fat and concentrates
on the core elements that made the B-Boys such a phenomenon
in the first place."CMJ, Issue #578, 7/13/98
Debut On Chart: July 27, 1998
Weeks On Chart: 20
Peak Position: No. 1
1999: BUILT TO SPILL Keep It Like A Secret (Warner Bros.)
While rap-metal drivel (hello, Limp Bizkit!) was dominating commercial
rock radio and big box record stores were selling Backstreet Boys
albums quicker than Jive could produce 'em, Boise, Idaho's Built To
Spill was making tsunami-like waves at College Radio. Keep It Like
A Secret, the band's second album for Warner Bros., followed 1997's
highly respected Perfect From Now On and is widely regarded as the
Spill's most accessible effort. The 10-song outing spent roughly six
months on CMJ's charts, attracting a boatload of listeners to the left
end of the radio dial in the process. Fueled by the undeniable brilliance
of vocalist/guitarist Doug Martsch, Keep It Like A Secret is a genre-defining
classic of immense value and indie-rock significance. In the future,
this album will be studied and mimicked by countless kids in small
towns across America who, after turning up their guitars in the basement,
will blast out their own little secrets to the world. RJ
What We Said Then: "Keep It Like A Secret is a luminously poetic
expression of good old-fashioned crash-and-burn sonic beauty, validating
the case that true rock isn't dead, it just doesn't camp near the polluted
mainstream anymore." CMJ, Issue #603, 2/1/99
Debut On Chart: Feb. 15, 1999
Weeks On Chart: 23
Peak Position: No. 1
2000: YO LA TENGO And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out (Matador)
Following nine albums of shoegazing feedback (Painful), gritty jams (President Yo La Tengo)
and indie-pop gems (I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One), And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out found Yo La Tengo turning down the amplifiers and replacing dirty guitar squabble and artsy noisemakers with tranquil vibes, brushed drumbeats, intricate arrangements and telling vocals that harmoniously relayed both affection and adoration. This newly found sensitive side offered listeners a glance into the intimacy that husband-and-wife team Ira Kaplan (vocals/guitars) and Georgia Hubley (drums/vocals) shared with bassist James McNew, proving that sometimes more really can be said with less noise. Tracks like "Our Way To Fall," "Let's Save Tony Orlando's House" and "You Can Have It All" pulse with a flesh-and-blood type of warmth that can be rivaled by few other acts. And while the album doesn't have the immediacy of some of YLT's other releases, its innate beauty allows it to further reveal itself
with each listen. LM
What We Said Then: "The trio has truly turned its muse inside
out here, creating a work of magnitude and heart." CMJ, Issue
#656, 3/6/00
Debut On Chart: March 6, 2000
Weeks On Chart: 16
Peak Position: No. 1
2001: BUILT TO SPILL Ancient Melodies Of The Future (Warner Bros.)
Ancient Melodies Of The Future
performed the dual feat of simultaneously
alienating many of Built
To Spill's longtime fans and drawing
in a whole new herd of
acolytes less concerned with indie
purism and more drawn to great
rock 'n' roll tunes. While mainman
Martsch was always lauded for
both his supernatural grasp of
melody and his guitar theatrics, it
was in taking a more understated
approach that he arrived at this
treasure trove of a disc. Of course,
the added production and the move away from indie quirk-pop
towards more classic-influenced rock is what pissed off the oldschool
crowd, but those folks still had songs like "Strange" and "In
Your Mind" to revel in, while "Alarmed" and "Trimmed And
Burning," with their Neil-Young-fronting-rock-era-Radioheadmeets-
Oasis vibe, did the trick of proving that this band could deliver
truly formidable guitar epics. Even a dud like "Fly Around My Pretty
Little Miss" couldn't stop Ancient Melodies Of The Future from reaching
a level BTS had only grasped at before. DL
What We Said Then: "BTS just keeps getting more self-assured with
each release.Melodies shows Built To Spill finally getting it all right."
CMJ, Issue #718, 6/11/01
Debut On Chart: July 16, 2001
Weeks On Chart: 22
Peak Position: No. 1
2002: SONIC YOUTH Murray Street (DGC-Interscope)
Most bands never reach their 21st birthday, and those that do often spend more years as a nostalgia act than anything else. Sonic Youth, which formed in 1981 (er, Mφtley Crόe formed the same year), is truly rare in that it continues to innovate, intrigue and even incite as
it begins its third decade. Like 2000's New York City Ghosts And Flowers, the brooding Murray Street was always meant to be a "New York" record, but as the events of September 11, 2001 interrupted the recording at the band's Lower Manhattan studio (on Murray Street, where an engine from one of the hijacked planes landed), the album only seemed to gather more weight, more grit and more importance. By officially adding multi-tasker Jim O'Rourke to the group, Sonic Youth has grown immensely in its ability to focus its ambitious sprawls of guitar, most notably on "Karen Revisited," where giant sheets of noise almost harmonize. It's powerful stuff, and there's no reason Murray Street won't inspire as many new
bands as SY's 1988 landmark, Daydream Nation. SC
What We Said Then: "Like its hometown, Sonic Youth is going
through some serious rebuilding, and the result should make a lot of
folks remember why they loved this band to begin with." CMJ,
Issue #768, 6/24/02
Debut On Chart: July 1, 2002
Weeks On Chart: 22
Peak Position: No. 1
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