2008 Woodie Awards
Underappreciated bands: The '90s
Tim Elliott, Kaylen Hoffman, Frank Sloan, Pete Wissinger & Steve Wissinger
Issue date: 5/4/07 Section: The Arts
1) Blur: They had lyrics that all English kids, or Anglophile Americans, could relate to. They had a cute music video with a walking emotive milk carton. They had an egotistical lead singer named Damon Albarn, who still makes great music today (a few bands you have probably heard of-Gorillaz and The Good, the Bad & the Queen). Sorry to any Oasis fans out there, but Blur was the superior band of the Britpop movement.
Recommended: Parklife (Food/SBK 1994)-If you never get the chance to go to England, then turn on this album and you'll get about as close as you can to the real thing. Although they later expanded their sound and put out many other great albums over the entire decade, this is indisputably the one that everyone must own.
2) Pavement: A band of contradictions. They were a rock band that could jam. They were playful but dark. They were silly but serious. They had mud thrown at them at the last Lollapalooza but, in the wake of their breakup, Stephen Malkmus, one of the frontmen for the band, is going to be at the hip Pitchfork music festival this year. They were a good band that was before their time. They were a solid band that never ceased to impress.
Recommended: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (Matador 1994)-The band's sophomore effort is their most fully developed album, but Slanted and Enchanted (Matador 1992) stands as their most recognizable album. Both have been re-issued with a bevy of bonus tracks.
3) The Magnetic Fields: The Magnetic Fields is less of a band and more the lovechild of Stephin Merritt. Merritt, simply put, is a musical genius, able to jump to any genre to write fantastic songs. Magnetic Fields started out as mostly electronic-pop, but Merritt has since branched out musically, never losing his hilarious skill for witty lyrics.
Recommended: 69 Love Songs (Merge 1999)-With 69 Love Songs, Merritt took on a massive project, writing 69 songs about every aspect of love. While some duds fall through the cracks of this project, it is still a massive achievement and a true testament to Merritt's songwriting ability.
Recommended: Parklife (Food/SBK 1994)-If you never get the chance to go to England, then turn on this album and you'll get about as close as you can to the real thing. Although they later expanded their sound and put out many other great albums over the entire decade, this is indisputably the one that everyone must own.
2) Pavement: A band of contradictions. They were a rock band that could jam. They were playful but dark. They were silly but serious. They had mud thrown at them at the last Lollapalooza but, in the wake of their breakup, Stephen Malkmus, one of the frontmen for the band, is going to be at the hip Pitchfork music festival this year. They were a good band that was before their time. They were a solid band that never ceased to impress.
Recommended: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (Matador 1994)-The band's sophomore effort is their most fully developed album, but Slanted and Enchanted (Matador 1992) stands as their most recognizable album. Both have been re-issued with a bevy of bonus tracks.
3) The Magnetic Fields: The Magnetic Fields is less of a band and more the lovechild of Stephin Merritt. Merritt, simply put, is a musical genius, able to jump to any genre to write fantastic songs. Magnetic Fields started out as mostly electronic-pop, but Merritt has since branched out musically, never losing his hilarious skill for witty lyrics.
Recommended: 69 Love Songs (Merge 1999)-With 69 Love Songs, Merritt took on a massive project, writing 69 songs about every aspect of love. While some duds fall through the cracks of this project, it is still a massive achievement and a true testament to Merritt's songwriting ability.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Steve Wood
Steve Wood
posted 5/08/07 @ 7:32 AM EST
I understand this paper currently has bigger problems on its hands, but Pavement's frontman is Stephen Malkmus and if this is a true ranking, it should be No. (Continued…)
Adam LeRoy
posted 5/21/07 @ 8:38 AM EST
I can see how was 'one of the frontmen'...Spiral Stairs had a big part in everything, too...there's an argument that can be made there.
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