Artist: Gin Blossoms
Album: New Miserable Experience
Released: August 4, 1992
OK, I'm just going to say it now: Gin Blossoms is one of the most underrated bands of the past generation. Many people, if you refresh their memory, might vaguely remember one or two of their big radio hits from back in the '90s, but today they are basically an afterthought. I'm not sure exactly why that is, but I have a few ideas... for one thing, they weren't as groundbreaking or, dare I say, outlandish as several other more well-known bands from that era. And it certainly doesn't help that they only released two major label albums before splitting up, only one of which was with renowned songwriter/guitarist Doug Hopkins, who was kicked out of the band for his alcoholism and committed suicide soon after. (The band would later reunite and put out two more albums, one in 2006 and another in 2010.)
Another thing working against them is that it is not easy to classify exactly what type of rock they play. Typically they've been classified as pop, jangle, and/or alternative, somewhat lost in an era that was dominated by grunge. I would argue that they sound as much as anything like post-grunge; indeed, they sound more like Collective Soul or Matchbox Twenty than they do Pearl Jam or Soundgarden. If this is the case, then Gin Blossoms may have actually been a band that was ahead of their time, their (temporary) demise coming at around the same time that the music world may have finally been ready for them.
Anyway, regardless of their shortcomings, there might not be a band that does a better job of capturing what the '90s was all about than Gin Blossoms (watch the video for "Hey Jealousy" and you'll see what I mean). What makes them so unique is their down-to-earth, relatively mature sound, dealing with failing romances, missed opportunities, and overcoming past demons, with a tone that, if not positive, at least has a feeling of contentment and trying to move forward. One can listen to this album and relate to the frustrations coming from Robin Wilson (lead singer) and, instead of becoming more depressed, walk away feeling ok. How many albums are like that?
The band scored four hits from this album... "Hey Jealousy" and "Allison Road" are probably the two most well-known and also remain two of my all-time favorites. "Found Out About You" is also great, though it has moved down on my list slightly over the years, perhaps because of it's overly dramatic tone (one of the few songs on the album with which this is an issue). It took me a while, but I have really come to appreciate "Until I Fall Away" more and more over time... if you could classify any of Gin Blossoms's songs as "beautiful", this might be the one.
Overall, the rest of the album is very solid. At the beginning they demonstrate their calm yet upbeat sound with "Lost Horizons" and "Mrs. Rita". While I don't think Gin Blossoms are at their very best with the more intense rock, I still think they do a great job with "Hold Me Down" and "Hands Are Tied" later on in the album... I slightly prefer the former, even if it is a little drawn out. These latter two tracks actually convey a similar tone to the former two while providing a little variety of sound. "29" and "Pieces of the Night", towards the end, seem like slightly watered down versions of the previous songs, though they are still solid.
One thing I've never understood about Gin Blossoms is their need to occasionally dabble into country... "Cheatin'" is definitely the low point of the album, although what makes it tolerable is that (a) it's the Gin Blossoms, so I'm willing to give it the benefit if the doubt, and (b) I suspect it wasn't really meant to be taken seriously. And then there's "Cajun Song", which isn't without it's charm, but again seems really out of place. I guess it could be argued that it provides a little break between the more intense "Hold Me Down" and "Hands Are Tied".
If there's one thing I can say about Gin Blossoms, it's that it's a shame that not more people listen to them. For one thing, it's really great music that can be appreciated even more when their career is put into full context. At the same time, though what happened to Hopkins is a tragedy, one can listen to New Miserable Experience and, instead of hearing nothing but whining that is prevalent on so many popular albums today, be able to put the past behind and feel more optimistic about the future.
Track #, Name of Song, Duration, My Rating
1. Lost Horizons (3:21) - 9/10
2. Hey Jealousy (3:57) - 10/10
3. Mrs. Rita (4:26) - 9/10
4. Until I Fall Away (3:53) - 10/10
5. Hold Me Down (4:51) - 9/10
6. Cajun Song (2:57) - 7/10
7. Hands Are Tied (3:18) - 9/10
8. Found Out About You (3:53) - 9/10
9. Allison Road (3:19) - 10/10
10. 29 (4:20) - 8/10
11. Pieces of the Night (4:35) - 8/10
12. Cheatin' (3:25) - 5/10
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
I wonder what it's like to be a superhero...
Artist: Matchbox Twenty
Album: Yourself or Someone Like You
Released: October 1, 1996
The late 1990s was a confusing time for music, rock in particular. By 1997, the grunge era had unofficially come to a close; Nirvana and Soundgarden had both disbanded, while Pearl Jam, never fully comfortable embracing mainstream success, took their career in new and interesting directions. The slightly heavier alternative metal of the 2000s, embodied by the likes of Breaking Benjamin, Seether, and Chris Cornell-led Audioslave, was still a few years away. Something had to fill the void.
During this time, several bands tried to keep the grunge sound somewhat going. Bands such as Bush, Collective Soul, and Foo Fighters (the latter led by Dave Grohl of Nirvana) emerged with more polished and radio-friendly lyrics and guitar riffs that were largely but not fully realized in many popular grunge albums from a few years earlier. Although they didn't emerge on the scene until a couple of years after these other bands, Matchbox Twenty's breakthrough Yourself or Someone Like You is one of my favorite albums from this time.
I don't remember when exactly I first listened to or obtained my copy of this CD... but I know that I was 12 years old when "Push" was on the radio constantly during the summer of 1997. The song didn't grab my attention right away, but after listening to it many times on the radio, I really started to appreciate it. It's a slow-paced song with simple lyrics ("I wanna push you around/Well I will...I wanna take you for granted"); yet the awesome riffs and angst-ridden voice of Rob Thomas blend together to create an emotionally powerful song. (Some feminist groups were upset that they would release a song about a man physically abusing a woman, until the band later explained that it is actually about a woman emotionally abusing a man.) Today, "Push" remains one of my all-time favorite songs.
Within the next year or so, I heard two more songs played frequently on the radio: the slightly faster "3AM", about Thomas's mother; and the even faster and slightly more upbeat "Real World", in which Thomas contemplates how life would be if he were someone else. I decided that I had to hear the rest of the album. I think I may have borrowed it from a friend first, and I can't even remember whether I bought it or received it as a gift. Nonetheless, it quickly became one of my favorite CDs. "Back 2 Good" was later released as a single and may have been the most commercially successful song from the album. I really like the song, but not quite as much as the other three hits I mentioned, possibly because it is so tough to follow those up. I will say that it's longer and not as tightly composed as most of their other songs, which is why it surprised me that it was so popular.
The tone of this album is mainly that of depression, anger, anxiety, and frustration. However, I wouldn't call this a "dark" album, and it certainly isn't overly dramatic. What's nice is that there is a solid balance between slow, contemplative tracks and faster, more positive ones. With the exception of "Push", I personally have always preferred Matchbox Twenty when they are a little more upbeat, such as in "Long Day", "Argue", and "Girl Like That". "Busted" and "Damn" are both kind of in between the two. "Busted" used to be one of my favorites, and while I still like it, over time it has moved down my list slightly. Meanwhile, "Kody", which is maybe the most "depressing" (for lack of a better term) track on the album, didn't used to be one of my favorites. However, it has really started to grow on me over the years. The album does end with a slight thud, as I think that "Shame" and "Hang", two of the most low-key tracks on the album, are probably my two least favorites as well.
If I had one very small issue with this album, it's that several of the songs are a little repetitive. However, it's difficult to get upset about that when most of the songs are so good. After many years, this is still a CD that I find myself frequently listening to, and it is certainly one of the best albums to come out of what was in many ways a lost era for music.
Track #, Name of Song, Duration, My Rating
1. Real World (3:51) - 10/10
2. Long Day (3:45) - 9/10
3. 3AM (3:47) - 10/10
4. Push (3:58) - 10/10
5. Girl Like That (3:45) - 9/10
6. Back 2 Good (5:40) - 9/10
7. Damn (3:20) - 8/10
8. Argue (2:57) - 9/10
9. Kody (4:03) - 9/10
10. Busted (4:17) - 8/10
11. Shame (3:34) - 8/10
12. Hang (3:47) -7/10
Album: Yourself or Someone Like You
Released: October 1, 1996
The late 1990s was a confusing time for music, rock in particular. By 1997, the grunge era had unofficially come to a close; Nirvana and Soundgarden had both disbanded, while Pearl Jam, never fully comfortable embracing mainstream success, took their career in new and interesting directions. The slightly heavier alternative metal of the 2000s, embodied by the likes of Breaking Benjamin, Seether, and Chris Cornell-led Audioslave, was still a few years away. Something had to fill the void.
During this time, several bands tried to keep the grunge sound somewhat going. Bands such as Bush, Collective Soul, and Foo Fighters (the latter led by Dave Grohl of Nirvana) emerged with more polished and radio-friendly lyrics and guitar riffs that were largely but not fully realized in many popular grunge albums from a few years earlier. Although they didn't emerge on the scene until a couple of years after these other bands, Matchbox Twenty's breakthrough Yourself or Someone Like You is one of my favorite albums from this time.
I don't remember when exactly I first listened to or obtained my copy of this CD... but I know that I was 12 years old when "Push" was on the radio constantly during the summer of 1997. The song didn't grab my attention right away, but after listening to it many times on the radio, I really started to appreciate it. It's a slow-paced song with simple lyrics ("I wanna push you around/Well I will...I wanna take you for granted"); yet the awesome riffs and angst-ridden voice of Rob Thomas blend together to create an emotionally powerful song. (Some feminist groups were upset that they would release a song about a man physically abusing a woman, until the band later explained that it is actually about a woman emotionally abusing a man.) Today, "Push" remains one of my all-time favorite songs.
Within the next year or so, I heard two more songs played frequently on the radio: the slightly faster "3AM", about Thomas's mother; and the even faster and slightly more upbeat "Real World", in which Thomas contemplates how life would be if he were someone else. I decided that I had to hear the rest of the album. I think I may have borrowed it from a friend first, and I can't even remember whether I bought it or received it as a gift. Nonetheless, it quickly became one of my favorite CDs. "Back 2 Good" was later released as a single and may have been the most commercially successful song from the album. I really like the song, but not quite as much as the other three hits I mentioned, possibly because it is so tough to follow those up. I will say that it's longer and not as tightly composed as most of their other songs, which is why it surprised me that it was so popular.
The tone of this album is mainly that of depression, anger, anxiety, and frustration. However, I wouldn't call this a "dark" album, and it certainly isn't overly dramatic. What's nice is that there is a solid balance between slow, contemplative tracks and faster, more positive ones. With the exception of "Push", I personally have always preferred Matchbox Twenty when they are a little more upbeat, such as in "Long Day", "Argue", and "Girl Like That". "Busted" and "Damn" are both kind of in between the two. "Busted" used to be one of my favorites, and while I still like it, over time it has moved down my list slightly. Meanwhile, "Kody", which is maybe the most "depressing" (for lack of a better term) track on the album, didn't used to be one of my favorites. However, it has really started to grow on me over the years. The album does end with a slight thud, as I think that "Shame" and "Hang", two of the most low-key tracks on the album, are probably my two least favorites as well.
If I had one very small issue with this album, it's that several of the songs are a little repetitive. However, it's difficult to get upset about that when most of the songs are so good. After many years, this is still a CD that I find myself frequently listening to, and it is certainly one of the best albums to come out of what was in many ways a lost era for music.
Track #, Name of Song, Duration, My Rating
1. Real World (3:51) - 10/10
2. Long Day (3:45) - 9/10
3. 3AM (3:47) - 10/10
4. Push (3:58) - 10/10
5. Girl Like That (3:45) - 9/10
6. Back 2 Good (5:40) - 9/10
7. Damn (3:20) - 8/10
8. Argue (2:57) - 9/10
9. Kody (4:03) - 9/10
10. Busted (4:17) - 8/10
11. Shame (3:34) - 8/10
12. Hang (3:47) -7/10
Friday, September 2, 2011
One Maniac Goes Solo
Artist: Natalie Merchant
Album: Tigerlily
Released: June 20, 1995
I first listened to this album about 15 years ago, when a friend bought it on cassette for me for my 11th birthday. The previous year, "Carnival" was being played on the radio all the time, and it instantly became the soundtrack to my summer when I was 10. The slow, soft, melodic grunge-type sound blended perfectly with Natalie's vocals and she described walking through New York City. A few months later, "Wonder" was the next song to receive lots of airtime, and I loved it just as much, even if it had a much different tone from "Carnival" - much more joyous and upbeat. Yet it had the same great blend of sound and vocals. I quickly came to realize how talented she was.
Natalie Merchant is the former lead singer of the band 10,000 Maniacs, an alternative rock/pop band that enjoyed steady success during the 1980s and early 1990s. (They continued on later with a new lead singer.) This was her first solo album, and in many ways it was a fairly strong departure from her days with the band. To this day, she still is my favorite female vocalist, and on this album her voice plays a more prominent role than in many 10,000 Maniacs songs. She has a beautiful voice - but not in the way that term is often used. It is a rich, passionate voice capable of conveying a wide range of emotions, whether it be contemplation ("Carnival"), optimism ("Wonder"), sadness ("Beloved Wife", told from the perspective of a grieving widower), anger ("Seven Years"), or mourning ("River", about the late actor River Phoenix).
Since I owned (actually, still do own) this album on cassette, I still think of it in terms of side one (tracks 1-5) and side two (tracks 6-11). Side one still just totally blows me away every time I hear it. "San Andreas Fault" is a great opener - the sound is very simple and mellow, but Natalie herself does most of the work. It's a great way to give the listener an idea of what the rest of the album will be like. "Wonder" (#2) and "Carnival" (#5) are also on here... but "Beloved Wife" and "River" are also both incredible and emotional songs.
I do think there is a little bit of a dropoff in the second part of the album, as Natalie departs a little bit from the sound of the first part. It starts with "I May Know the Word" and ends with "Seven Years," sounding much like the first part. The former is a little drawn out, but still very good, while the latter is solid but maybe a little overly dramatic. In between, she experiments a little bit, starting with the piano-based "The Letter" - pretty decent, but I really wish she had developed it a little more. The quasi-country "Cowboy Romance" and "Where I Go" aren't bad, but definitely not her strong point. "Jealousy" was released as a single after I got this album, and I really don't understand why. Not only is it my least favorite track on the album, but it's not a radio-friendly song either.
I wouldn't really know how to classify this album. It's not really rock... I guess technically it is pop, but it doesn't sound at all like most of the popular music that came out during the mid-90s, or anytime since then for that matter. In trying to think of another female vocalist to compare her to, the best I could come up with is Alanis Morrisette... but I still don't think that's a really strong comparison. In any case, this album doesn't get anywhere near the attention that other albums that came out around that time do, and that's a shame. To me, it's a hidden treasure that I still enjoy just as much as I did years ago.
Track #, Name of Song, Duration, My Rating
1. San Andreas Fault (3:57) - 9/10
2. Wonder (4:26) - 10/10
3. Beloved Wife (5:03) - 10/10
4. River (5:32) - 10/10
5. Carnival (5:59) - 10/10
6. I May Know the Word (8:07) - 9/10
7. The Letter (2:12) - 7/10
8. Cowboy Romance (4:39) - 7/10
9. Jealousy (2:41) - 7/10
10. Where I Go (3:59) - 8/10
11. Seven Years (5:31) - 8/10
Album: Tigerlily
Released: June 20, 1995
I first listened to this album about 15 years ago, when a friend bought it on cassette for me for my 11th birthday. The previous year, "Carnival" was being played on the radio all the time, and it instantly became the soundtrack to my summer when I was 10. The slow, soft, melodic grunge-type sound blended perfectly with Natalie's vocals and she described walking through New York City. A few months later, "Wonder" was the next song to receive lots of airtime, and I loved it just as much, even if it had a much different tone from "Carnival" - much more joyous and upbeat. Yet it had the same great blend of sound and vocals. I quickly came to realize how talented she was.
Natalie Merchant is the former lead singer of the band 10,000 Maniacs, an alternative rock/pop band that enjoyed steady success during the 1980s and early 1990s. (They continued on later with a new lead singer.) This was her first solo album, and in many ways it was a fairly strong departure from her days with the band. To this day, she still is my favorite female vocalist, and on this album her voice plays a more prominent role than in many 10,000 Maniacs songs. She has a beautiful voice - but not in the way that term is often used. It is a rich, passionate voice capable of conveying a wide range of emotions, whether it be contemplation ("Carnival"), optimism ("Wonder"), sadness ("Beloved Wife", told from the perspective of a grieving widower), anger ("Seven Years"), or mourning ("River", about the late actor River Phoenix).
Since I owned (actually, still do own) this album on cassette, I still think of it in terms of side one (tracks 1-5) and side two (tracks 6-11). Side one still just totally blows me away every time I hear it. "San Andreas Fault" is a great opener - the sound is very simple and mellow, but Natalie herself does most of the work. It's a great way to give the listener an idea of what the rest of the album will be like. "Wonder" (#2) and "Carnival" (#5) are also on here... but "Beloved Wife" and "River" are also both incredible and emotional songs.
I do think there is a little bit of a dropoff in the second part of the album, as Natalie departs a little bit from the sound of the first part. It starts with "I May Know the Word" and ends with "Seven Years," sounding much like the first part. The former is a little drawn out, but still very good, while the latter is solid but maybe a little overly dramatic. In between, she experiments a little bit, starting with the piano-based "The Letter" - pretty decent, but I really wish she had developed it a little more. The quasi-country "Cowboy Romance" and "Where I Go" aren't bad, but definitely not her strong point. "Jealousy" was released as a single after I got this album, and I really don't understand why. Not only is it my least favorite track on the album, but it's not a radio-friendly song either.
I wouldn't really know how to classify this album. It's not really rock... I guess technically it is pop, but it doesn't sound at all like most of the popular music that came out during the mid-90s, or anytime since then for that matter. In trying to think of another female vocalist to compare her to, the best I could come up with is Alanis Morrisette... but I still don't think that's a really strong comparison. In any case, this album doesn't get anywhere near the attention that other albums that came out around that time do, and that's a shame. To me, it's a hidden treasure that I still enjoy just as much as I did years ago.
Track #, Name of Song, Duration, My Rating
1. San Andreas Fault (3:57) - 9/10
2. Wonder (4:26) - 10/10
3. Beloved Wife (5:03) - 10/10
4. River (5:32) - 10/10
5. Carnival (5:59) - 10/10
6. I May Know the Word (8:07) - 9/10
7. The Letter (2:12) - 7/10
8. Cowboy Romance (4:39) - 7/10
9. Jealousy (2:41) - 7/10
10. Where I Go (3:59) - 8/10
11. Seven Years (5:31) - 8/10
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)