1) Blur: They had lyrics that all English kids, or Anglophile Americans, could relate to. They had a cute music video with a walking emotive milk carton. They had an egotistical lead singer named Damon Albarn, who still makes great music today (a few bands you have probably heard of-Gorillaz and The Good, the Bad & the Queen). Sorry to any Oasis fans out there, but Blur was the superior band of the Britpop movement.
Recommended: Parklife (Food/SBK 1994)-If you never get the chance to go to England, then turn on this album and you’ll get about as close as you can to the real thing. Although they later expanded their sound and put out many other great albums over the entire decade, this is indisputably the one that everyone must own.
2) Pavement: A band of contradictions. ?They were a rock band that could jam. ?They were playful but dark. ?They were silly but serious. ?They had mud thrown at them at the last Lollapalooza but, in the wake of their breakup, Stephen Malkmus, one of the frontmen for the band, is going to be at the hip Pitchfork music festival this year. ?They were a good band that was before their time. ?They were a solid band that never ceased to impress. ?
Recommended: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (Matador 1994)-The band’s sophomore effort is their most fully developed album, but Slanted and Enchanted (Matador 1992) stands as their most recognizable album. Both have been re-issued with a bevy of bonus tracks.
3) The Magnetic Fields: The Magnetic Fields is less of a band and more the lovechild of Stephin Merritt.? Merritt, simply put, is a musical genius, able to jump to any genre to write fantastic songs.? Magnetic Fields started out as mostly electronic-pop, but Merritt has since branched out musically, never losing his hilarious skill for witty lyrics.
Recommended: 69 Love Songs (Merge 1999)-With 69 Love Songs, Merritt took on a massive project, writing 69 songs about every aspect of love.? While some duds fall through the cracks of this project, it is still a massive achievement and a true testament to Merritt’s songwriting ability.
4) Neutral Milk Hotel: The Elephant 6 Collective was a group of psychedelic pop bands that recalled the sounds of late Beatles work and Pet Sounds with an experimental twist. ?Neutral Milk Hotel, the most impressive band to emerge from the movement, played music described by mastermind Jeff Mangum as “fuzz folk.” The short-lived band’s unique instrumentation (accordion, theramin, horns, banjo, fuzzed-out/acoustic guitars) and raw emotion made them the best band that no one listened to in the ’90s.
Recommended: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (Merge 1998)- A true masterpiece, this dream-like concept album’s impact on modern indie rock cannot be denied.
5) Tony! Toni! Tone!: This R&B outfit is comprised of two brothers and a cousin, none actually named Tony, combined the band-driven sound of ’60s and ’70s soul and funk greats with modern technology to create songs that never lost their sense of groove. Equally adept at up-tempo dance workouts and chilled-out slow jams, these guys are worth a listen
Recommended: Sons of Soul (Mercury, 1993)-The highlight of their catalogue, this album showcases the band’s musical diversity and songwriting ability without sacrificing accessibility.
6) Toad the Wet Sprocket: Named after a Monty Python sketch, Toad’s music isn’t quite that different from the famous comedy troupe. Glen Phillips’ band provokes a bittersweet, reflective sound that allows its listeners to recollect past thoughts and get lost in their own nostalgia. They were only together for about 12 years, but their sound is everlasting.
Recommended: Fear (Columbia, 1991)-This album has songs about everything, from not taking things for granted to telling stories, but the best song, by far, is a little ditty called “Walk on the Ocean.” Listen to it at the beach this summer.
7) Teenage Fanclub: A power-pop band like no other, they gleefully coupled the best aspects of classic rock, including gorgeous harmonies and showy guitar solos, with their distinctly modern lyrics about love, loss and life. Mellowing and improving with age, the band’s body of work has a timeless grace that never fails to impress, especially in rock circles where everyone still pretends that they’re under 25 (Rod Stewart, anyone?).
Recommended: Bandwagonesque (DGC)-The band’s considerable talents gel to form an album that would appeal to fans of Van Halen and the Beach Boys, without sacrificing any of their uniqueness.
8) Sunny Day Real Estate: This band has been through more drama than Courtney Love, and their music reflects that. With songs about politics, religion, sex and even love, Sunny Day formed in 1992 in Seattle, and immediately decided that they would not be grunge. With carefree tunes chock full of rousing intimacy, their albums sold to the premiere indie-rock crowd in the early ’90s, before their first break-up.
Recommended: Diary (Sub Pop, 1994)-This is the album that made emo indie-rock accessible to all. Jeremy Enigk’s crooning vocals perfectly contrast with the languid melodies provided by the rest of the ground. “In Circles” is the perfect track.
9) Belle & Sebastian:?One of the best pop bands of the ’90s,?this group of shy, young Scottish men and women created the band’s first album, Tigermilk, as a final project for Stuart Murdoch’s (the band’s lead singer/songwriter) music business class in college.? The band writes sensitive songs that can be categorized as folk-pop spiced with some wonderful string and horn sections.? Truly fun and accessible, Belle & Sebastian is one of the most underappreciated bands ever!
Recommended: If You’re Feeling Sinister (Matador 1996)-The band’s follow up to Tigermilk is their real masterpiece.? An album full of instant classics, the charm comes from Murdoch’s witty, bittersweet lyrics.? It’s a guaranteed winner for any fan.
