Sunday, August 2, 2009

MCMXCIV

There are several years that I can wax nostalgic about when it comes to music (is that correct, Americans? “wax nostalgic”? My good friend the Internet seems to think so). 1992, when I discovered Good Music. 1995, when the Best Album Ever was released. But when it comes to Best Music Year Ever, there's only one contender, really.

1994. Seriously. What the hell happened that year? There are so many outstanding records that came that year. Some I still listen to. Some I listened to a lot back then. Some I discovered on the way from then to now, and then left on the side of the road, others are still on my CD shelf. Whatever the case, it was a spectacular year in music.

How spectacular, you ask? Here's a list of good stuff that came out that year, interspersed with some videos.

Alice In Chains - Jar of Flies
Tori Amos - Under the Pink
Beastie Boys - Ill Communication



Biohazard - State of the World Adress
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Let Love In
Dinosaur Jr - Without a Sound
Drown - Hold on to the Hollow
Failure - Magnified
Front Line Assembly - Millennium
Helmet - Betty
House of Pain - Same As It Ever Was
Korn - S/t



Kyuss - Welcome to Sky Valley
Killing Joke - Pandemonium
Live - Throwing Copper
Machine Head - Burn My Eyes



Marilyn Manson - Portrait of an American Family
Mary Beats Jane - S/t
Massive Attack - Protection
Misery Loves Co – S/t
Nailbomb - Point Blank
Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral



Pantera - Far Beyond Driven
Peace, Love and Pitbulls - Red Sonic Underwear



Pop Will Eat Itself - Dos Dedos Mis Amigos
Portishead - Dummy



The Prodigy - Music for the Jilted Generation
Prong - Cleaning
Soundgarden - Superunknown



Stone Temple Pilots - Purple
Therapy? - Troublegum

Then again, 1994 gave us “The Sign” by Ace of Base and Cradle of Filth released their debut album...

What do you think? Any other records released in 94 that should be on this list? Or some other year that tops this? And oh yeah. Thåström should always, always sound like that.

6 comments:

EGE said...

Well, naturally, we have very different tastes in music (although Geoff Buckley's Grace would also be on my list). But here are a few from 1994 that I found while digging through my CD piles this afternoon:

Johnny Cash, American Recordings (The first one)
Robert Earl Keen, Gringo Honeymoon
Ted Hawkins, The Next Hundred Years
Greg Brown, The Poet Game
Various Artists, Rhythm, Country & Blues

beardonaut said...

Naturally. Johnny Cash was something I got from my father, though the other stuff you're listing isn't anything I've listened to. Which is probably true for you and a lot of stuff on my list too.

Magnus Tannergren said...

One helluva year.

Need to make a Spotifyplaylist now...

Death by nostalgia.

Anonymous said...

Well, you forgot downset. - s/t, which is the rapmetal/hardcore album to rule all rapmetal/hardcore albums. All so, Corrosion of Conformity - Deliverance, and as you got some hip-hop on that list Gang Starr - Hard to Earn.

beardonaut said...

Indeed. Downset. Nothing I listen to now, but back then for sure. Corrosion is one of those bands that I've always meant to check out but never gotten around to. Shame on me.

And House of Pain is just about the only hip hop I've ever listened to.

beardonaut said...

Unless you count the Judgment Night soundtrack.