In Our Nineteen-Nineties

Das Efx's Dead Serious is one of those albums from the '90s that was incredibly influential for a very short time, but what a tiggedy time it was. But if inferior rappers were openly stealing from Das Efx, a host of emo and pop punk bands might not have even realized they were stealing from Placebo's self-titled debut album well into the 2000s. See our full rankings Official Spotify Playlist

This week's show sets out to shatter all your illusions. We reveal that the title of the Church's follow-up to the beloved Starfish is not a reference to doing heroin, and that the Reading in the Sunday's debut album title has nothing to do with books. See our full rankings

We return after numerous home studio difficulties with a new episode featuring two albums that couldn't be farther apart. First there's Promenade, Neil Hannon's extremely mannered followup to the Divine Comedy's break out album, Liberation. Then there's the second coming of Mick Jones' post-Clash dance rock band, Big Audio Dynamite. The Globe is a fun snapshot of early '90s British rave culture, and we'll answer the question of just how much TB-303 filter knobs were abused in its creation (the answer might surprise you!). See our full rankings Official Spotify Playlist

WE'RE NOT DEAD! However, some new gear purchases did necessitate a complete teardown and rebuild of our recording studio, and getting this episode edited and posted did just got lost in the shuffle of cables and hardware. We start this long awaited (?) episode by taking on Jane's Addiction's beloved Ritual de lo Habitual, a very '90s clash of transcendent music and troubling lyrics about doing heroin with your high school girlfriend. Then we venture into the no less troubling or smack-filled world of the Tiger Lillies and their more cartoonish, if no less disturbing, take on the world's gutters. See our full rankings Official Spotify Playlist

This week we examine Moby's Play, a landmark in electronic music whose legacy turns out to be as fraught as its creator has turned out to be in his...proclivities. Then we re-evaluate Stick Around For Joy, the possibly underrated and definitely over-European final record by the Sugarcubes. See our full rankings Official Spotify Playlist

In our second obligation special, we're back with four more records that couldn't really carry a full length segment, encompassing some of the best and worst of what the '90s had to offer. See our full rankings Official Spotify Playlist

On our first official episode of spring, we look at new beginnings. Jeff Tweedy strikes out on his own after the breakup of Uncle Tupelo, with Wilco's debut, A.M. Then we go back to the early '90s for Ride's shoegaze milestone, Nowhere. See our full rankings Official Spotify Playlist

We return after some much needed time off with No Doubt's troubled breakout album; and because we love a good contrast, Switchblade Symphony's first experiment with their goth/industrial/classical hybrid sound. See our full rankings Official Spotify Playlist

For our first Valentine's Day episode, we had to cover Stephin Merrit's magnum opus, 1999's three disc set, 69 Love Songs. Over 20 years later, does this sprawling effort live up to its reputation as a hipster classic? That's what we hope to discover this week as we dig into the funny, the miserable, and the beguiling of this collection. See our full rankings Official Spotify Playlist

This week it's the real Brits vs. the fake Brits. Radiohead and Material Issue both had somewhat unassuming debuts (the massive worldwide success of "Creep" aside), but one would go on to become the most famous rock band in the world while the other would go on to record "Kim the Waitress." See our full rankings Official Spotify Playlist

In honor of the passing of the great MF DOOM, we rank his first solo album (and sadly the only one we'll get to talk about here) Operation: Doomsday. Then we move on to the world of accidental goth rock with Concrete Blonde's biggest, most vampiric record, Bloodletting. In honor of the passing of the great MF DOOM, we rank his first solo album (and sadly the only one we'll get to talk about here) Operation: Doomsday. Then we move on to the world of accidental goth rock with Concrete Blonde's biggest, most vampiric record, Bloodletting. See our full rankings Official Spotify Playlist

As one career goes into decline (at least for a while), another starts to bloom. Wild Mood Swings was the Cure's disappointing (to everyone but Robert Smith, apparently) followup to their masterpiece, Wish. Meanwhile in Germany, Rammstein was starting to blossom from an industrial metal band heavily influenced by KMFDM into artists with their own distinct voice. See our full rankings Official Spotify Playlist

Do you want to go in the box? Alice In Chains sounds like the want to go in the box. Pulp, on the other hand, breaks out of the C86 box and into the land of disco and Petula Clark. See our full rankings. Official Spotify Playlist

After our week off, we return with an album that took trends and made them sound somewhat timeless, and an album that took somewhat timeless sounds and made them nearly unlistenable with obnoxious vocals. The '90s! See our full rankings. Official Spotify Playlist

The La's were one of the biggest one-hit wonders of the '90s, but did their one and only album contain even greater things than "There She Goes"? We also revisit Bjork's solo (technically not) debut and discover that this was trip-hop before we knew what that was. See the full rankings here. Official Spotify playlist

It's a brand new podcast for 2020! If we really wanted to try, we could probably come up with a "Particle Man" joke about the Man In Black, but we already ranked these albums—what more do you want from us?! See the full rankings here. Official Spotify playlist

Unprecedented events go down this week as we discuss Pavement's landmark indie rock album Slanted and Enchanted and David Bowie's better-than-you-remember foray into drum and bass, Earthling. See the full rankings here. Official Spotify playlist

Not going to lie, the world has made it a little tough to get new podcasts out lately, but please accept this belated look at songs about steaks and the stoves we cook them on. See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s Official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

It's Halloween, so we kick off with some spooky goth (butt) rock, the Sisters Of Mercy's final album Vision Thing. Then we break the theme entirely with the Cardigans' debut Emmerdale which...well, it has a discofied cover of "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath," so it counts, right? See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s Official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

It's time for cake and sawtooth waves, as we delve into Marilyn Manson's ostensibly shocking debut album, and the Messiah's ecstasy-fueled hardcore beats. See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s Official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

From Manchester to Lancaster, we continue our dive into the music of the '90s. This week we watch as James dips their toe into trendy baggy beat then quickly reverts to jangle on their first record of the '90s. Meanwhile, there was nothing trendy about Suddenly, Tammy!'s piano pop in the midst of the grunge movement, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hold up today. See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s Official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

Our list is like water, uploaded and abused for being strange. Also, something something Velvet Goldmine. See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s Official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

Travel with us to a fey world of wit and whimsy (and Jesus) as we chronicle the analog fairy tales of Joy Electric's We Are the Music Makers and the disreputable dandyism of the Auteurs' New Wave. See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s Official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

The Summer of Root Canals (both literally and metaphorically) continues as we explore the swamp rock of the Toadies' debut, then contrast that with Lush at their most gorgeous, the Robin Guthrie produced dream pop magnum opus Spooky. See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s Official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

We get back to our regularly scheduled two-albums per episode this week. The Muffs' self-titled debut provides a refreshingly sunny (at least musically) respite from the nihilism of its grunge contemporaries. Meanwhile, on the other side of the decade, Voltaire would debut with a darkness that makes most of grunge look sunny by comparison.See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990sOfficial Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

This week we celebrate our 20th episode by reviewing a bunch of albums we don't have much to say about, but twice as many of those married couple fights you love! Pork roll egg and cheese. See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990sOfficial Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

(Apologies for the late upload; life got in the way this week.) It's another clash of styles this week! The Pet Shop Boys *come out* swinging with Very, a return to their dance club roots and a powerful statement of gay pride. Meanwhile, the Screaming Trees break on through to the other side of the looking glass with the groovy psychedelia of Uncle Anesthesia. See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s Official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

In our longest episode yet, it's the virgin Speech vs. the chad Andy Partridge. See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s Official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

The Blue Rags were Sub Pop's attempt to inject some punk rock attitude into the late '90s swing revival, though they were neither punk rock nor swing. On the other hand, Cascade was Peter Murphy's attempt to inject some U2-esque prestige into his goth rock reputation. This week, we decide which was more successful. See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s Official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

Attack and dethrone God! That's the theme of Gary Numan's Exile, as blasphemous a record as you're ever likely to hear. But it could also be a lyric from Melt-Banana's 1994 debut Speak Squeak Creak. Tune in and listen to us rank both! See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s Official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

Whether you're the kind of nerd who lives D&D or just plays it, we have an album for you this week. First we calculate our THAC0 with Harvey Danger's Weezer-esque star turn, then we journey into the elven lands with Milla's one and only solo album. See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s Official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

This week we have a double feature of depression, from Placebo's drug-soaked sophomore effort to the bleak romanticism (and occasional manic euphoria) of the Magnetic Fields' crowning synth pop achievement. Get lost in the k-hole that is our newest episode! See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s Official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

This week we take a trip into the dreamier side of '90s music, with Anxiety, Faye Wong's ambitious tribute to the Cocteau Twins, which scored contributions from the band themselves. Then we dive into Siouxsie & the Banshees' voluptuous (and ahead of its time) goth-pop crossover, Superstition. See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s Official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

We start off this week's episode by going to *ahem* Sundays school with Sixpence None the Richer's derivative but pleasant The Fatherless & the Widow. Then Natalie has a different kind of religious experience revisiting Pearl Jam's debut album. See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s Official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=C8SgrQiATbOhumy-H9wCIA

Experimental shoegaze meets late '90s slacker folk in this week's episode, filled with sex, candy, and reverb.See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990sOfficial Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=5tBth1CURJevwcpI4N09_g

In our least contentious episode yet, we examine two relics of the ‘90s. First, we talk about The Caulfields’ debut album, Whirligig, a slice of ‘80s power pop that landed out of time in 1995. Then we explore the hippie goth pagan fantasy land that is The Mission’s Carved In Sand, an album that could only have existed in 1990.See the complete rankings here: bit.ly/InOur1990sOur official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tH3ujR23fnqH2OlZPOxXR?si=2JwCqzIkTqKh_GV6tkwA0A

You might think we go too heavy on British bands for an American podcast, so this week we're talking about two American bands who...well, sound pretty damn British. First we cover Sparks' attempt to reinvent themselves from glam rock to synth pop, then get into the early American shoegaze oddity that is Swirlies' What To Do About Them. See the full rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s

This week, our passions oscillate wildly as we discuss the debuts of forgotten one-hit wonders Primitive Radio Gods, and the unforgettable (for better or worse) Hole. How did that phone booth get broken? Possibly by Hadrian's grunge-inspired rage! View the complete rankings: bit.ly/InOur1990s

In this week's highly refined episode, we discuss the super smooth debut from Digable Planets, Reachin' (A New Refutation Of Time and Space), a largely forgotten entry in the alternative hip hop catalog that was a crossover hit in its day. Then we expound on the greatness of The Divine Comedy's sort of debut, Liberation, which gives Hadrian a chance to give an impromptu lecture on decadence and harpsichords.

Do you want to hear Natalie get unreasonably angry about an album? If so, skip to the second half of this episode, because our discussion of Veruca Salt's Eight Arms To Hold You is quite restrained and civil. Spacehog's Resident Alien, on the other hand, angries up the blood for at least one of us... See the full rankings here: https://bit.ly/InOur1990s

Natalie and Hadrian return for another week of ranking the alternative albums of the '90s. This week we witness Oasis creating Britpop's future by mining its past on (What's the Story) Morning Glory?; and Momus imagining the future of art and sex by way of Japanophile synthpop on The Philosophy Of Momus.

In our new podcast, Natalie and Hadrian set out to rank every alternative album from the 1990s. Our first episode is surprisingly contentious as we tackle Monster, R.E.M.'s departure into gross sex rock; and Manscape, Wire's ambitious-but-dated dalliance with full-on electronica.