1997 in music. • Page 4

Nice blurb - and very true. I was fortunate enough to see 311 play Transistor in full at their Pow Wow festival in Florida in 2011 - (which Deftones also played at!) and is still one of the more memorable live music experiences of my life.

I was a 311 'singles' fan until around 2001-ish, and when I first saw them live in 2003, I was converted forever. I completely understand them being the butt of some jokes from a 'music critic' perspective, they are definitely a pretty easy target. But they are also very self-aware, and I find that endearing.

For those that may only know a few 311 songs, check out "Use Of Time", "Jupiter", "Stealing Happy Hours", and "Running" from Transistor. If you don't find something to like there, then it's understandable that this is not a band for you.

 

One of my best friends who is nearly 50, 311 is his favorite band (saw them in the 90's when they had the likes of Korn and Sugar Ray opening for them haha). Amazing the connection that band makes with people which is lifelong. I've always been a big fan but my complaint is that they play it WAY too safe, to the point where people can finish Nick Hexum's sentences live for him haha. Transistor is the one lone experimental release they've done and the, at the time, lukewarm reception essentially scared them enough to course-correct on Soundsystem while continuing to streamline on From Chaos and Evovler. Don't Tread On Me was a slightly interesting forray into lighter reggae-tinged music but, otherwise, it's just been refueling the tank for the tour since 2009.

 

Camp Lo made my list too via a backdoor

 

The Hexum quotes are so true - especially on summer tours. "This next one goes out to all you "Beautiful Disasters" out there". LOL.

And honestly - the last 3 studio albums have branched out a bit. I know they won't be gaining any new fans or having a random radio hit now, but I think they are keeping it interesting for the diehard fans. Voyager in particular has a really nice balance of the 'heavier/spacier' kind of tunes (Check out "Stainless"), and the 'chill/catchy' songs ("Good Feeling").

 

This one though

From demos to limos, N J 900 to Timbo's

 

Next had another song besides "Too Close"? haha

 

Next was good

 

Yo - this is really good stuff too, I had never heard of this band, and I DID pay attention to alt-rock radio in 97-98. Did they have a 'minor hit' that I missed?

 

"Wash It Away" and "Time Ago" were all minor hits on both modern and mainstream rock radio in 97/98. Also, this was never on a proper album, but was a GREAT soundtrack song by them:

 

1. Radiohead - OK Computer
2. Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind
3. Oasis - Be Here Now

ALSO
Elliot Smith - Either/Or
blink-182 - Dude Ranch
The Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death
Modest Mouse - The Lonesome Crowded West
Daft Punk - Homework
Lifetime - Jersey's Best Dancers
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Let's Face It
Wu-Tang Clan - Wu-Tang Forever
Green Day - Nimrod
Deftones - Around the Fur
Foo Fighters - The Colour & The Shape
Dispatch - Bang Bang
Incubus - S.C.I.E.N.C.E.
Everclear - So Much For the Afterglow
Goldfinger - Hang-Ups
AFI - Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes

 

1. Bjork - Homogenic
2. Mogwai - Young Team
3. Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out

Homogenic replaces the variety and spontaneity of her first two albums, with a focused and consistent sound, with big classical strings and electronic beats. It's arguably the most beautiful of her records, with the songs absolutely soaring with her vocals and the string backing. Of all her albums, this is probably the best as a singular 50 minute piece of music - even if I'd just give Post the edge on it overall.

Young Team is just a classic and often copied post-rock album, with the slow build ups leading to epic crescendos and really loud parts. Mogwai are a more dynamic band than a lot of the other early-ish post rock bands, and when this album gets loud, it's really loud. They were also by far the loudest band I've ever seen live, I wear ear buds at gigs, but my head and ears were rattling for days afterwards.

Dig Me Out is just a really great bit of punk rock from Sleater-Kinney, and probably my favourite album of theirs overall. Loud and anthemic, full of attitude, but with absolutely great songwriting behind it to back it up.

Honourable Mentions;

Elliott Smith - Either / Or: The first great Elliott Smith album, and I can't separate this from the two that would follow, just beautiful folky music.

Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole: Worth it just for opening track "Block Rocking Beats", which is one of the absolute best opening songs to any albums - guaranteed to blow the cobwebs away if you're feeling a little drowsy.

Fugazi - End Hits: Just another wonderful and remarkable Fugazi record, an absurdly consistent band - they never miss.

Radiohead - OK Computer: I have to admit, I don't listen to Radiohead that much, but every time I do, I think I should listen to Radiohead more often. And then I don't.

Blink 182 - Dude Ranch: Not going to repeat the conversation earlier, but I listened to this and Blink pretty much constantly in my teens, so deserves at the very least an Honourable Mention.

Green Day - Nimrod: Probably my least listened to "classic" Green Day record, there's a lot going on here and a lot of filler, but when it works, it's fantastic.

Lifetime - Jersey's Best Dancers: A great, short and to the point record that's the middle ground between pop punk and hardcore.

The Promise Ring - Nothing Feels Good: A fantastic second wave emo band who could write brilliant pop songs, and a shame that they never quite broke through like JEW or others did.

 

1. Blink 182 - Dude Ranch
2. An album nobody cares about
3. Another album that won’t crack the top ten in voting.

 

Nothing Feels Good is amazing. Forgot about that.

 

Which one of them is the MJG album

 

I'm gonna be trying to listen to more stuff while these threads are happening. I've heard The Lonesome Crowded West and Perfect From Now On before a long time ago but they're both standing out to me a lot more than they did back then. Built to Spill especially sounds like something I should have been listening to for a while.

 

built to spill fucking rules

 

Neither. Never listened to a solo mjg album.

 

Around the Fur
Lonesome Crowded West
Third Eye Blind

OK Computer and Perfect From Now On would probably round out my top 5.

 

Ween - The Mollusk is super fun so far. The title track is especially fantastic.

 

Gotta be honest I don't know as many albums from this year as I did '96.

1. Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape
2. Blink-182 - Dude Ranch
3. Shania Twain - Come On Over
4. The Offspring - Ixnay on the Hombre
5. Green Day - Nimrod

I feel like I'll hurt Craig's feelings if I don't listen to Third Eye Blind.

 

1.) Radiohead - ok computer
2.) third eye blind - ST
3.) foo fighters - colour and shape

 

1. Fleetwood Mac - The Dance
2. Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind
3. Ben Harper - The Will to Live

Others I love:
Metallica - ReLoad
Bob Dylan - Time Out of Mind
Janet Jackson - The Velvet Rope
Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - The Boatman's Call
Raidohead - OK Computer
Buena Vista Social Club - Buena Vista Social Club
Our Lady Peace - Clumsy

Good ones:
Whiskeytown - Stranger's Almanac
Mineral - The Power of Failing
Smoking Popes - Destination Failure
The Promise Ring - Nothing Feels Good
Everclear - So Much for the Afterglow
Old 97s - Too Far to Care
Paul McCartney - Flaming Pie
Elliott Smith - Either/Or
Green Day - Nimrod
Chantal Kreviazuk - Under These Rocks and Stones
Megadeth - Cryptic Writings
Savage Garden - Savage Garden
The Get Up Kids - Four Minute Mile
Afro-Cuban All-Stars - A Toda Cuba Le Gusta
Erykah Badu - Baduizm
Oasis - Be Here Now
Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death
Aerosmith - Nine Lives
Ben Folds Five - Whatever and Ever Amen
Boyz II Men - Evolution
U2 - Pop
Sister Hazel - Somewhere More Familiar
Will Smith - Big Willie Style
Elton John - The Big Picture

Not a fan:
Sevendust - Sevendust
Creed - My Own Prison

Targets for listening:
2pac - R U Still Down? (Remember Me)
Mariah Carey - Butterfly
Daft Punk - Homework
Days of the New - Days of the New
Death Cab for Cutie - You Can Play These Songs with Chords
Faith No More - Album of the Year
Incubus - S.C.I.E.N.C.E.
Michael Jackson - Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix
Blur - Blur
The Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole
Cornershop - When I Was Born for the 7th Time
The Dandy Warhols - The Dandy Warhols Come Down
Divine Comedy - A Short Album About Love
Finley Quaye - Marverick A Strike
David Holmes - Let's Get Killed
Missy Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly
Primal Scream - Vanishing Point
Prodigy - The Fat of the Land
Roni Size/Reprazent - New Forms
Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out
Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating in Space
Supergrass - In it for the Money
The Verve - Urban Hymns
Robbie Williams - Life Thru a Lens
Robert Wyatt - Shleep
Bjork - Homogenic
Shania Twain - Come on Over
Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One
Loreena McKennitt - The Book of Secrets
Steve Earle - El Corazon
John Fogerty - Blue Moon Swamp
Garth Brooks - Sevens
Natalie Imbruglia - Left of the Middle
Modest Mouse - The Lonesome Crowded West
David Bowie - Earthling
Deftones - Around the Fur
Pavement - Brighten the Corners
The Weakerthans - Fallow
George Strait - Carrying Your Love With Me
Puff Daddy - No Way Out
Blink-182 - Dude Ranch
Guster - Goldfly
Matthew Ryan - May Day
Limp Bizkit - Three Dollar Bill, Y'all $
Mogwai - Young Team
Mase - Harlem World

 

I'm late posting my list ONE time and you knobs start nitpicking each other's taste. Cut that shit out. Love you all.

 

100%

dude ranch is way better

 

Always worth a watch if you haven't seen it before, is the incredible music video for Bjork's All is Full of Love (Song is 97, video is 99, so doesn't quite count for this...);

Even 20 + years later, it still looks and feels remarkable and far ahead of its time. Absolutely worth 4 minutes of your time if you haven't seen it before.

Edit: Oh wow, flagged as "age restricted" by Youtube. How bizarre.