Part 2 of my "100 Favorite Albums of the 1990s" list covers a period of time when I was finishing up middle school and about to head into high school.
Despite having very limited knowledge or context for anything at the time, I was internalizing all the corporate-curated alternative rock "authenticity" propaganda of the era and, without much sense of irony, had become somewhat of a purist.
For the most part, only bands with at least one clearly defined guitarist, bassist, drummer, and vocalist would do. Extra points for lyrics conveying some sense of tortured realism. Nirvana and Red Hot Chili Peppers were my favorites. Doc Martens, Chuck Taylors, flannels, and band t-shirts from Sam Goody were my uniform. I'd also picked up my first Discman (a Sony D-111) for my birthday in '92, so now I was mobile. Music as identity - that is, "you are what you listen to" - now seemed like a very big deal.
- Will G
The Black Crowes: The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (5/12/92)
The Black Crowes, hailing from Marietta, GA, were an unusual success in '92 - a boho throwback to early 70's southern-fried classic rock amidst a new wave of flannel and rage from Seattle, WA. Despite my heavy predilection for grunge at the time, Southern Harmony held real sway for me and there was a moment there when I could've gone down a different musical path with the Stones, the Allmans, the Band etc. Stuff I didn't explore until many years later. A big favorite then, a bigger favorite now.
Helmet: Meantime (6/23/92)
With Helmet's sophomore LP, Meantime, there was an engaging dichotomy between the NYC band's clean cut image as short-haired normies and the punishing sounds found therein - a blend of industrial-strength riffage, precision drum rhythms, progressive jazz chops, and upfront vocals either barked, yelled, or sometimes sung. Meantime was the heaviest album I owned in '92 and for some time afterward. Still a huge favorite, and possibly enjoyed even more now than then.
Various Artists: Singles, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (6/30/92)
I usually omit compilations from my favorite albums lists, but here we go. The same older cousin who put me onto Live's Mental Jewelry gifted me this crucial grunge artifact for Christmas '92. I can't remember whether I'd seen Cameron Crowe's Seattle-set romcom yet but this soundtrack album hit right on target. With exclusive contributions from "Seattle Sound" stalwarts like Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and the Screaming Trees, this album captured a time and place like none other.
Sonic Youth: Dirty (7/21/92)
Sonic Youth's strongest commercial bid yet, Dirty had alternative rock super-producer Butch Vig at the controls but didn't skimp on the band's usual abrasive, confrontational style. Despite being well ensconced at a major label by '92, helping Nirvana do the same the year prior, Sonic Youth were no sell outs. As if to preempt criticism, Dirty came fully loaded with harrowing political lyricism about sexual harassment, spousal abuse, corporate abuse, fascism, and racism. Anita Hill even got a shout out.
Peter Gabriel: Us (9/27/92)
My older brother gifted this one to me on my birthday in '92. An unusual choice for a fourteen year old, but I really enjoyed Us right out of the gate. I knew Peter Gabriel as the "sledgehammer" guy but this album, his first since his mid-80's commercial peak, was something more striking. Gritty pan-global instrumentation, moody film score vibes, and aching vocals permeated Us, helping establish a formula shared with, or later adopted by, the likes of Massive Attack, Portishead, and Bjork.
Alice In Chains: Dirty (9/29/92)
Alice in Chains were among Seattle's pantheon but their music was darker in tone and topic compared to their peers. Arguably somewhere on the "metal" spectrum before Nevermind hit, they leaned hardest into the Black Sabbath aesthetic many grunge bands drew from - sludgy drop-tuned riffs and morbid lyricism. Dirt was almost entirely about heroin abuse, with frontman Layne Staley frequently endorsing the drug in song and predicting his own demise by it. Even Ozzy wasn't that fatalistic. Still, a classic.
Stone Temple Pilots: Core (9/29/92)
Being a poser, a rip off, or a sell out, was a high crime for any band in '92 and Stone Temple Pilots were often accused of being one, two, or all those things. They were derisively considered Pearl Jam or Alice in Chains impersonators riding a commercial trend. So, with little self-awareness, I dutifully avoided them for as long as I could - but their omnipresent singles were irresistible. I ended up buying a used copy of Core from a friend in the fall of '93 and lapped it up like a pint of Ben & Jerry's on cheat day.
Nirvana: Incesticide (12/14/92)
Radiohead: Pablo Honey (2/22/93)
Radiohead's debut album, Pablo Honey, is now widely considered their worst - an anomaly of pop flirtation within a larger catalogue of more challenging progressive rock - but heading into '93 their hit single "Creep" was unavoidable and the album it promoted dominated my summer. Pablo Honey was downright cheery compared to the dingy grunge I'd been steeped in for several years. Radiohead drew from a broader and brighter spectrum of musical influence and softened me up to do the same.
Smashing Pumpkins: Siamese Dream (7/27/93)
I came around to Chicago's Smashing Pumpkins late, having convinced myself early on that I wasn't a fan. I didn't know then that they were also widely reviled by scene gatekeepers. However, with their sophomore opus, Siamese Dream, they could no longer be dismissed. I would argue now that Billy Corgan was the most talented rock musician of the 90's and that Siamese Dream is the greatest rock album of the era - certainly the one I revisit most frequently. Monolithic, timeless, flawless.
Part 3 of 10 (1993 - 1994) coming soon and if you missed it, check out Part 1 of 10 (1990 - 1992) here.
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