Top 10 '90s Alternative Albums

Honorable Mention: Welcome to Sky Valley - Kyuss (1994)

Honorable Mention: Either/Or - Elliott Smith (1997)

While from a critics' perspective XO might win me over a little bit more, I do think personally I have bonded with Either Or just a tad more. But not by much.

Honorable Mention: The End of Silence - Rollins Band (1992)

10. The Lonesome Crowded West - Modest Mouse (1997)

The '90s weren't really defined by a singular musical genre as the preceding decades seemed to be. New genres such as rap-rock and nu-metal were forming; but The Lonesome Crowded West brought in some indie/punk Pixies inspired sounds that fit into their own corner. On first listen, the dynamic rollercoaster of "Teeth Like God's Shoeshine" wasted no time in grabbing my attention. Followed by "Heart Cooks Brain", Isaac Brock's signature harmonic guitar sound soon became apparent. There's a lot of teenage angst explored in "Doin' the Cockroach" along with "Trailer Trash" - songs which allow Modest Mouse to seemingly explode out of a cannon with energy and spite.

9. The Soft Bulletin - The Flaming Lips (1999)

The Lips ushered in the turn of the millennium with this release, touching on relatable themes of love and taking an honest approach to songwriting by talking about the emotions that many people shy away from. It has a very light and childlike touch - some of their songs feel as though they could even be appropriate for a feature on Sesame Street. Likewise, their forward thinking is evidenced in tracks like "The Spark That Bled", which include experimentation with a quantized triplet hi-hat feel that would become popularized in trap music years later. The album's wistful presence has a clear direction and flow (listen for subtleties like the instrumental "The Observer" referencing "Race for the Prize"). While the lyrics and song format can prove to be eccentric at times, that is given/engrained in the band's image and vibe. This is a great overall starting point to get acquainted with the Lips, especially with great production choices and songs such as "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate" & "Waitin on a Superman". This honest reflection of an album shows the Lips are not afraid to embrace the unknown.

8. Doolittle - Pixies (1989)

Even though Doolittle was released roughly 8 months before the start of the '90s, its sound and timing come close enough (I'm not making a Top 10 '80s list)! Doolittle's raw and edgy appeal helps to win listeners over with its authenticity. There's a nice throwback inspired song in "Here Comes Your Man" - which I swore to be a cover of some kind. Yet this quickly turns into a raw and edgey sonisphere found in "Tame" and "Hey". Even goof-off songs like "Tame" and "Crackity Jones" are quite enjoyable. And perhaps the closer "Gouge Away" is the sleeper song of the Pixies' entire catalogue. Albums like Doolittle helped the Pixies to reach a new fanbase; but ultimately Doolittle's sound would go even further to inspire the countless bands that would follow in the '90s.

7. Insomniac - Green Day (1995)

Green Day's simple pop-punk formula is best demonstrated through Insomniac. Their straight ahead approach gives off little surprises as the chaotic album cover sets the tone for this fast paced album. 14 songs are packed into the collage coming in at a length of 33 minutes; yet even the off songs like "Geek Stink Breath", "Westbound Sign", and "Armatage Shanks" still rock hard. Personal favorites like "86" and "Walking Contradiction" never seem to get old as well.

6. Foo Fighters - Foo Fighters (1995)

Who knew the "drummer guy from Nirvana" could sing? Likewise, who knew he could write great songs and play guitar? In a way, Dave Grohl defined his musicianship after the dissolution of Nirvana by being undefinable. With Foo Fighters' debut release, Grohl's versatility is on display: as all instruments and vocals parts were recorded by the frontman except for a guitar part on "X-Static" (it's essentially a sneaky solo project). The grunge scene had roughly ended by '95 and alternative tracks like "I'll Stick Around" and "Alone + Easy Target" helped to give the decade a new direction.

5. The Battle of Los Angeles - Rage Against the Machine (1999)

The summer after eighth grade led me to "Guerilla Radio", which was the song that first introduced me to RATM. It took awhile to get acquainted with such aggressive bursts of anti-conformity, but even songs like "Born of a Broken Man" began to take shape with time. Tom Morello's eccentric guitar style paired up with Zack de la Rocha's in your face attitude is truly set on uprooting the establishment. The Battle of Los Angeles conjures up bleak depictions of the immigration process on "Maria" (such an awesome bassline by Tim Commerford), along with heavy lyrics dealing with racial prejudice and the corruption of the American elite on "Testify".

4. Summerteeth - Wilco (1999)

It's hard to not resonate with Summerteeth. Its accessibility features a Beatles influence on "When You Wake Up Feeling Old", along with a perfect mix of melancholy yearning and serious songwriting on songs like "Via Chicago" & "She's a Jar".

Man, do I find myself coming back to "When You Wake Up Feeling Old" a lot. I discovered this song right around the time I turned 21. I don't know what it was, but from the ages of 17 though 20 I felt relatively the same (just a young dumb kid). At 21 I looked in the mirror and realized that the next chapter of my life was unfolding. The "can you be where you want to be?" part hits me every single time I hear it.

Who knows anything

I don't know

There are so many things

I must leave alone

Some strange person is calling you their home

Can you be where you want to be?

While these lyrics mean something tangible and definite to me, you can also hear Jeff Tweedy's lyrics begin to take a vague / ambiguous turn on Summerteeth - allowing the listener to connect the dots on their own terms. This mixed bag of an album ultimately helped to bring Wilco out of the alt-country scene by taking a confident step forward in a new direction. Within 10 years, Jeff Tweedy had evolved from a proto-garage punk covering A.P. Carter to an established lyricist calling his own shots.

3. Blood Sugar Sex Magik - Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991)

"Power of Equality" starts off Blood Sugar Sex Magik with one of the most badass opening tracks an album could deliver. The momentum continues with strong elements of funk on "If You Have To Ask" - with Flea dropping a stellar bassline. Moreover, it's hard to believe John Frusciante was just 21 when he laid down some of the most iconic guitar musings that the past 30 years have seen. There's an obvious funk influence in Frusciante's vocal playing; but at times you can hear spots of Hendrix with the guitar solos or even a Zeppelin influence on the double tracked guitar riffs ("The Righteous & the Wicked"). Also, the solo on "Funky Monks" is incredibly badass. To me, this is easily RHCP's best work especially with songs like "Mellowship Slinky in B Major" and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik".

2. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness - Smashing Pumpkins (1995)

This double release has the greatest range of musical dynamics in an album that I have ever heard (granted there are 28 songs). Such a well crafted work that includes tear invoking slow ballads along with low bellowing metal riffs is hard to find. Take a moment to compare the deafening "Jellybelly" and "Zero" with the reflections in "Galapogos" and "Cupid de Locke"; you'll see what I mean. Billy Corgan might not be the ideal vocalist, but I'll always admire how he always goes for it in both a studio and live setting. The contrast accounted for on all levels can make any listener appreciate even just a few songs at the minimum. If Corgan had delivered 2-3 more albums of this length/quality, I truly do think he would be up there with some of the all time songwriting greats. I liken this to The Beatles' White Album in terms of what it has to offer.

1. Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine (1992)

RATM burst onto the scene with hard elements of civic anguish dissolved in their heavy sound. Their debut message was aimed at the hypocrisy of the American political system; calling out lies and demanding social justice. But regardless of the message, I was always attracted to this album based on its sound (see "Bombtrack and "Bullet in the Head"). It's rare a band can blend elements of funk, hip-hop, and metal riffing so seamlessly as Rage does. Songs like "Wake Up" and "Killing in the Name" prove that this timeless classic is not meant for the meek.