Dig Me Out: 90s & 00s Rock

A lot of ink has been spilled on the biggest band of the 90s. Whether it was reviews, interviews or in-depth cover stories, or modern retrospective or anniversary pieces, it's not hard to find a "your favorite band's album ranked" clickbait article on nearly every "grunge" platinum seller. What is there anything left to say about these bands? When Nirvana's 1993 album In Utero enter into our review queue, it timed nicely with our recent Producers Of The 90s roundtable, because it's hard not to discuss In Utero without the sonic contributions of Steve Albini. For as slick and radio-friendly their sophomore album Nevermind sounded, Albini and the band take a utilitarian approach to In Utero. Effects are minimal, overdubs are minor, reverb is hardly noticeable, Cobain growls and howls with abandon. It's the sound of a band making a fast and deliberate record for themselves, with an undeniable ear for hooks and melodies that manages to stand the test of time. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Heart-Shaped Box 19:03 - Scentless Apprentice 31:13 - Milk It Outro - Pennyroyal Tea Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

Twenty years ago, emo wasn't a Hot Topic brand or a nostalgic DJ night. It was the sound of teenagers and twenty-somethings taking the urgency of punk, combining it with emotional and confessional (re: not sad) lyrics, and playing to a generation of kids too young for the early 90s grunge wave. If you were apart of that scene, hitting all-ages venues or DIY punk houses at the end of the 20th century, there's a chance you caught Saves The Day on one of those nights, perhaps after the release of their 1999 album Through Being Cool. Joining us to discuss the 20th anniversary of the record is lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Chris Conley, sharing thoughts on making and revisiting the album for its re-release, the emo label, touring then and now, being a rock 'n' roll parent, and much more. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Shoulder To The Wheel 23:15 - Third Engine Outro - All-Star Me Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

Steve Albini. Nigel Godrich. Butch Vig. Bob Rock. Jack Endino. Michael Beinhorn. J Robbins. Sean Slade. Paul Kolderie. Youth. Ric Ocasek. Dave Fridmann. Ken Andrews. Brendan O'Brien. Brad Wood. Rick Rubin. Ted Niceley. Stephen Street. Flood. Terry Date. Dave Jerden. Alan Moulder. Dave Ogilvie. Chances are, if you purchased a CD in the 1990s and read through the liner notes, whether it was a major label release or a regional indie label, there is a possibility their name, or someone else you may recognize, is listed as the producer. But what does a producer do, and how do they influence the sound of a record? We often talk about liking or not liking some aspect of the production, and on this roundtable, we dig into what exactly that means, who does what in the studio, and some traits, commonalities, and differences of producers who worked in the 1990s. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Stuck On You by Failure (Ken Andrews) 8:04 - Rusty Cage by Johnny Cash (Rick Rubin) 17:36 - Pull The Cup by Shellac (Steve Albini) 41:56 - Holes by Mercury Rev (Dave Fridmann) 49:04 - Buddy Holly by Weezer (Ric Ocasek) 1:08:59 - Girls And Boys by Blur (Stephen Street) Outro - Never Said by Liz Phair (Brad Wood) Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

When our listeners bring us an obscure 90s album to check out, it's usually something along the lines of a rock band on an indie label that managed one or two releases before fading into obscurity. On the flip side, we have Café Tacuba - a massively successful band around the world, including the United States. Unless you are tuned into the rock en español bands, you've probably never heard them or of them. While rock en español goes back decades, the 90s saw the incorporation of a variety of sounds, including ska, industrial and alternative rock. On their 1994 sophomore album Re, the band explores all that and more alongside norteño, huapango de mariachi, and bolero. With twenty tracks, it's easy to be overwhelmed, but that approach means whether your interested in more traditional sounds or newer flavors, there really is something for everyone. Songs In This Episode: Intro - El Tlatoani del barrio 14:08 - El borrego 16:52 - Madrugal 21:51 - El metro 26:52 - Verde Outro - La pinta Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

If there is a new episode of Dig Me Out in your feed on a Thursday, that can only mean one thing - we are sharing with you a preview of our latest Dig Me Out '80s episodes. With the help of our Patreon Board of Directors and Steering Committee tiers, we're revisiting another album from the 1980s based on suggestions and votes of our patrons. This month we're checking out the 1982 album Junkyard by The Birthday Party. Join the DMO Union for as little as $2 a month and get access to bonus content like this episode, vote in our album review polls, get exclusive merchandise and more! Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

Though best known for their string of pleasant if repetitive mid-to-late 90s alt-rock radio hits, Everclear started out as a scrappy, rough-around-the-edges early 90s trio with as much fire in their sound as their lyrical content. On their 1993 indie-label debut World Of Noise, singer/guitarist/songwriter Art Alexakis was able to channel the trendy soft/loud verse/chorus format made commercially successful by Nirvana without devolving into a Nirvana clone. The reported $400 recording sounds immediate and visceral, pairing well with his matured voice and lyrical content, and left us wondering what would have happened if the band had kept some of their raggedness going forward to keep from becoming too slick and sterile in comparison. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Your Genius Hands 14:10 - Nervous And Weird 18:31 - Fire Maple Song Outro - Malevolent Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

The 1993 debut Exile In Guyville by Liz Phair was declared a landmark album that helped define the 1990s almost as soon as it was released. To be a decade-defining artist can be a stifling burden, but Phair managed to release a worthy follow-up in 1994 with Whip-Smart, sticking with mostly the same group of players and studio folks for both. On her third album whitechocolatespaceegg from 1998, all the lo-fi was stripped away as 3/4's of R.E.M. and a bevy of other musicians and studio pros joined the team on Phair's quest to reinvigorate and reorient her sound. From touches of trippy psychedelia on the opening title track to the swinging sixties Baby Got Going, Phair isn't afraid to explore and expand. Layers of guitars and synths pair well with her songwriting, which switches between character-driven story songs and personal sketches of aging, motherhood, and marriage. But at sixteen tracks and over fifty minutes, the precise production can get fatiguing on the ears, and we wondered if some editing and rearranging would have been for the best. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Polyester Bride 11:26 - What Makes You Happy 13:44 - Whitechocolatespaceegg 22:02 - Baby Got Going Outro - Johnny Feelgood Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

Having a three-guitar band can often mean the lead singer simply strumming chords on an acoustic while the other two do the heavy lead lifting and riffing. That's not the case with Juno, and their 1999 debut album This Is The Way It Goes And Goes And Goes on DeSoto Records. Like their then label-mates Shiner, Juno unleashes a big, layered guitar sound, but Shiner sound much leaner in comparison, as Juno gets full usage out of their three axe attack. The sound shifts from a hoe-gaze influenced, wall of sound approach that dips its toes in the space and math rock sub-genres, as delayed guitar leads bleed over lush mid-range distortion, to straight-on instrumental jams that would find a nice spot on any Explosions In The Sky album. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Rodeo Programmers 11:26 - A Listening Ear 14:55 - The Great Salt Lake/Into the Lavender Crevices of Evening the Otters Have Been Pushed 20:33 - January Arms 27:15 - Leave a Clean Camp and a Dead Fire Outro - All Your Friends Are Comedians Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

What if Nick Cave or Mark Lanegan decided to record an album of Bob Marley, ZZ Top, War, and Slim Harpo covers? That's the question posed by the 1993 album The Honeymoon Is Over by The Cruel Sea, an instrumental blues and surf band from Australia that added Beasts of Bourbon frontman Tex Perkins to create a weird and oddly compelling album. Somehow, that combination managers to come together better than we could have ever expected, as the players involved completely buy into the swampy grooves with organ stabs, lurching bass lines and more. It may not be for everyone, and we may not even agree on it completely, but it's definitely worth a spin to reorient your understanding that the 90s weren't just grunge, pop-punk, industrial rock, etc. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Delivery Man 5:27 - Black Stick 14:36 - Naked Flame 21:48 - Woman With Soul Outro - Better Than Love Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

On their 1994 debut album Rubberneck, the Toadies managed to score a hit single that is still a staple of rock stations spinning 90s alternative hits. But like a lot of people, that one single is our starting point with the band. When we gave the entire album a listen, we discovered a band confident from the get-go in their style and strengths - energetic, concise, no-frills alternative riff-rock with a distinctive lead vocalist. Spending time with the record, the deeper layers revealed themselves - a circular rockabilly-esque riff on I Come From The Water, nods to the blues-based thump Led Zeppelin on Backslider - without being obvious or sounding dated. But the superior single Possum Kingdom also made us wonder what happened to the distinctive and inventive lead guitar driving that tune, and wonder if this material translated better to the live setting. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Possum Kingdom 17:59 - I Burn 20:17 - I Come From The Water 22:22 - Backslider Outro - Quitter Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

To paraphrase a rock 'n roll saying, you get a lifetime to make your first record, but six months to make your second. As we've discovered in our Sophomore Slump Revisited series, it is not always the case that limited time causes the dreaded Sophomore Slump. Record label management shake-ups, shifting radio playlists and various other factors have impacted the success or failure of second albums. But what about the opposite? Bands that made okay or solid freshman efforts, but kicked it up a notch on their sophomore album and finally "discovered their sound" or "delivered on their promising debut." Or bands that released massive, chart-topping first albums, only to equal or exceed with their follow-up. There's a lot to cover, and a lot to discuss as we talk about a bunch of bands and albums that reversed the curse of the Sophomore Slump. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Sophomore Jinx by Self 9:57 - Cut Your Hair by Pavement 24:34 - Not Too Late by Satchel 37:20 - Pen Pals by Sloan 48:41 - Until You Came Along by Golden Smog Outro - Spice Up Your Life by Spice Girls Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

While we've touched on some alternative country over the years on the podcast, we've never encountered a straight-up folk record. Until now. Thanks to a patron selection, we checked out the 1999 debut album Bareback by Hank Dogs. A family band with lineage to the Sex Pistols, we had no idea what to expect, though the name and album cover tipped us off to something country-ish. The reality is much more traditional, recalling the English folk of The Fairport Convention, Pentangle, Steeleye Span, Richard Thompson, etc. - all well outside our respective wheelhouses. But albums like this help expand our musical horizons, even if they fall victim to the overstuff compact disc era, and foreshadow the 2000s folk and freak-folk revival. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Lucky Break 13:06 - 18 Dogs 19:52 - I'm An Angel 25:27 - Take Back My Own Heart Outro - Sun Explodes Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

If we told you that a soul/blues singer from Detroit released a record on Sub Pop on 1996 backed by funk rockers Big Chief, who had themselves just released an album influenced by 70s Blaxploitation films, you'd think we'd have a crazy game of Mad Libs going on. But the end result of Thornetta Davis' debut solo album Sunday Morning Music is much more traditional than expected, find space between the 1990s neo soul of Maxwell, D'Angelo and Erykah Badu, and the new wave of young American blues artists like Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepard. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Helpless 10:38 - Only One 13:58 - Cry 21:01 - And I Spin Outro - Come Go With Me Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

If there is a new episode of Dig Me Out in your feed on a Thursday, that can only mean one thing - we sharing with you a preview of our latest Dig Me Out '80s episodes. With the help our Patreon Board of Directors and Steering Committee tiers, we're revisiting another album from the 1980s based on suggestions and votes of our patrons. This month we're checking out the 1989 album Freedom by Neil Young. Join the DMO Union for as little as $2 a month and get access to bonus content like this episode, vote in our album review polls, get exclusive merchandise and more! Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

Touring festivals were all the rage in the 1990s, with Lollapalooza kicking things off in 1991, following by Lilith Fair, the H.O.R.D.E. Tour, Ozzfest, Family Values Tour and others. We're heading back to 1995 to revisit the Warped Tour, from those who attended it and those who played it, gaining insight on the various line-up incarnations of the 90s, as well as the evolving line-up of artists, that started as a pop-punk-ska skate boarding, but morphed into a broader "youth-oriented" festival thanks to co-founder Kevin Lyman. We learn the various quirks (daily line-up shuffling!), the queasy (no showering for days! port-a-potties!) and the community that was built over twenty-five years of the Warped Tour. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Al's War by Less Than Jake Outro - History Of A Boring Town by Less Than Jake Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

When singer/guitarist Toni Halliday and multi-instrumentalist Dean Garcia paired up to form Curve in 1989, they already had established bonafides in the music world with previous releases on Anxious Records, set-up by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics. While those efforts failed to connect, their three 1991 EPs gained enough momentum that the 1992 debut album Doppelgänger, with assistance from soon to be in-demand producer Flood, was primed for widespread acclaim and respectable sales. Doppelgänger cracked the top twenty UK album chart, but their sound, an at times hypnotic combination of noisy-pop, shoegaze, dreamy textures and Madchester big beats, failed to connect with a larger audience, a sound that years later Garbage would refine for the mid-nineties radio waves. But for all the forward thinking and ahead-of-its-time accolades, there is a decidedly 1990s time stamp to the wall of sound approach, especially in the layered drums and percussion that left us equally fatigued and fascinated. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Horror Head 13:25 - Ice That Melts The Tips 19:41 - Sandpit 26:30 - Lillies Dying 29:48 - Split Into Fractions 29:57 - Mine All Mine (Van Halen) Outro - Fait Accompli Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

If you are checking us out for the first time, you'll quickly learn what our regular listeners already know: reggae and/or ska were not our thing back in the 1990s. Now, we're not going to claim to have fully converted to fandom, but the 1996 album Forever = 1 Day by Fighting Gravity left us with positive vibes. When the band locks into a relaxed mid-tempo groove, we're fully on board. When they occasionally pick up the pace to skanking speeds, or slow to a new age crawl, we found less reason to stay engaged. We got to explore all sides of the band, as well as the dig into the touring regional band phenomenon prevalent in the 1990s with access to cheap CD replication and an established college fraternity circuit that will no doubt come up again in future episodes. Songs In This Episode: Intro - One Day 12:20 - Fools And Kings 21:35 - Ted's River Song 31:22 - Quiet Angel Outro - Mission Bells Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

Maybe you listened to Modest Mouse in 1996 or 1997 and thought, yes, this band will invade the public consciousness with a catchy single in the 2000s, launching them into elite status as a festival headliner, collaborate with a legendary guitarist, and influence a new generation of artists like Silversun Pickups, Future Islands, Car Seat Headrest and more. Most likely like us, you didn't, and figured a solid career in the indie music world was their destiny. We're okay with not foreseeing what may end up being the underground's last stab at infiltrating the mainstream, and decided to revisit for our second "Origins" roundtable the early years of Modest Mouse in the 1990s. Isaac Brock's unique songwriting style is present immediately, but the refinement of later years hasn't happened, allowing for exploration and experimentation across expansive (re: long) albums. It's in 1997's sophomore album The Lonesome Crowded West that the band gels, the focus sharpens, and the seeds of what were to come begin to sprout just enough at the intersection of distinct yet recognizable. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Teeth Like God's Shoeshine 10:30 - Novocaine Stain 16:18 - Talking Shit About A Pretty Sunset 23:29 - Sleepwalking 31:04 - Trailer Trash 39:48 - Float On Outro - Gravity Rides Everything Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

Albums made in 1990 or 1991 often have the "sound" of the 80s in their production - lots of reverb on the drums, particular guitar effects, etc. Sometimes in reviewing albums from this period, it can date the album, pinning it down to a certain time instead of receiving the "timeless" accolade that so many well-regarded albums receive. But what if big, booming reverb gives the album a personality instead of a stamp? That's the case with the 1990 album Bloodletting by Concrete Blonde, who mined the vampire novels of Anne Rice to deliver an album that matches lyrical content with its musical approach. "Goth" is the term thrown around, and the album plays with dark themes matched with occasional dissonance. But what is really on display is a singer fully in command of their voice, constructing unique melodies, wrapped around a diverse selection of songwriting styles and approaches that deliver over and over again. Songs In This Episode: Intro - The Bloodletting (The Vampire Song) 17:47 - Tomorrow, Wendy 21:57 - The Sky Is A Poisonous Garden 24:14 - Caroline 35:05 - Joey Outro - Darkening Of The Light Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

Movie soundtracks, as we have learned, come in all shapes and sizes. The 1994 Backbeat soundtrack is an interesting concept - get a bunch of well-respected alternative musicians of the day, and have them tackle early cover songs played by The Beatles. The list is impressive even today: Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum and Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs sharing vocal duties, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth and Don Fleming of Gumball handling the guitars, Mike Mills of R.E.M. on bass guitar and vocals, and Dave Grohl, then of Nirvana, later of Foo Fighters, pounding away on the drums. On the one hand, you'd love to hear what this band could do with the restriction of making these period specific recordings to fit the film, or what actual Beatles tunes might sound like. On the other, hearing the band stick to the format, and tear through two-minute rock 'n roll classics is its own special thing. We hope they were having fun, because the energy and enthusiasm for the material is evident, leaving us to wonder what would/could happen if this line-up reunited every so often. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Money 12:11 - Rock and Roll Music 15:36 - Good Golly Miss Molly 24:26 - Please Mr. Postman Outro - Carol Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

By the end of the 90s, a number of bands had penetrated the mainstream with ambitious, layered albums. Like with OK Computer, The Soft Bulletin, Deserter's Songs and Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space, dEUS took a turn on their third album, 1999's The Ideal Crash. Dialing down the Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart influences and incorporating contemporary sounds from trip-hop, electronica and alternative rock slot The Ideal Crash nicely alongside the aforementioned, even managing to find spots for banjos and theremins. But like so many bands utilizing the compact disc format, too much of a good thing can be a negative, as the band often turns what could be a three minute gem into five-plus minutes. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Put The Freaks Up Front 11:44 - Instant Street 16:03 - The Ideal Crash 27:33 - Everybody's Weird Outro - Magdalena Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

If there is a new episode of Dig Me Out in your feed on a Thursday, that can only mean one thing - we sharing with you a preview of our latest Dig Me Out '80s episodes. With the help our Patreon Board of Directors and Steering Committee tiers, we're revisiting another album from the 1980s based on suggestions and votes of our patrons. This month we're checking out the 1983 album Flick Of The Switch by AC/DC. Join the DMO Union for as little as $2 a month and get access to bonus content like this episode, vote in our album review polls, get exclusive merchandise and more! Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

We're kicking off a new roundtable series with Slim Moon and Kill Rock Stars, who shares with the history of the Olympia, Washington (now Portland, Oregon) independent label that has been home to an amazing roster of musicians and bands, including Sleater-Kinney, Unwound, Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, The Decemberists, Elliott Smith, Huggy Bear, Mary Lou Lord, Gossip, Deerhoof and many more. We discuss how the label got started, leaning on K Records founder Calvin Johnson for advice, the riotgrrl scene and bands in Olympia, how bands were discovered, the impact of success with Elliott Smith and the importance of legacy catalogs, the end of the decade digital music revolution, and so much more. Songs In This Episode: Intro - New Energy by Unwound 3:45 - Words and Guitar by Sleater-Kinney 1:07:45 - Between The Bars by Elliott Smith Outro - I Could Have Loved You by The Peechees Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

In 1991, Material Issue released their long-in-the-works debut album International Pop Overthrow. Along with bands and artists like Jellyfish, Matthew Sweet, The Posies, Redd Kross, major labels were taking chances on the hard-to-pin-down genre known as Power Pop, and the future looked bright until the steamroller known as Nirvana arrived in the fall. Rather than scoop up the next Big Star or Cheap Trick influenced outfit, the next Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains were the priority, and Beatles, Byrds and Badfinger devotees rarely found their favorite bands on mainstream radio or MTV. In retrospect, that might be what makes an album like IPO so listenable after so many years. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Valerie Loves Me 13:12 - Diane 18:02 - This Far Before 22:27 - This Letter Outro - Li'l Christine Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

What's your memory of The Verve Pipe? Are they filed away with the alternative rock one-hit wonders of the 90s thanks to the single "The Freshman"? Are they lumped in with other mid-decade "alt rock" bands like Live and Bush? Did you see them in their early indie days when the were Midwest up-and-comers? Did you bother to check out their 1999 post-hit follow-up album? Did you check out more than the singles? As listeners who reassess with an ear on the past and present, the 1996 album Villain provides lots to chew on. Album tracks reveal divergences into slightly more adventures territory while the singles show off noisy guitar licks and tones that sound foreign compared to the modern Top 40. Songs On This Episode: Intro - Cup Of Tea 18:01 - The Freshman 23:11 - Villains 26:39 - Photograph 37:28 - Real Outro - Barely (If At All) Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.

The 1991 album Spiderland by Slint has taken on icon status since release, the bridge between Sonic Youth noise, Velvet Underground drone, Joy Division dread and the 1990s wave of post, math, indie and other alternative rock sub-genres. Like so many revered albums discovered via slow burn over years thanks to the accolades of musicians and rock journalists, the influence of Spiderland can be heard in bits and pieces in dozens of bands, yet tracing them back to the source leads us to a perplexing conclusion - what happens when an album of modest creation becomes mythic when listening with fresh years decades after the release? Songs In This Episode: Intro - Breadcrumb Trail 8:49 - Good Morning Captain 25:06 - Nosferatu Man 35:33 - Washer Outro - For Dinner... Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com

Twenty-five years after the release, Mike Gent of The Figgs stops by to tells us about their 1994 release Low-Fi At Society High. From the small town of Saratoga Springs in upstate New York, The Figgs spent years writing, recording and playing out long before the rest of the nation got a taste of their punk, mod, power-pop and rock sound that recalls the best of Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, Cheap Trick and The Jam, treading familiar ground with an updated take. We discuss their brief tenure on the Imago label, recording with producer Don Gehman (R.E.M., John Mellencamp, Hootie and the Blowfish), hooking up with legendary new wave/pub rocker Graham Parker to be his backing band, and much, much more. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Favorite Shirt 25:25 - Stood Up 38:47 - Step Back Let's Go Pop 1:16:16 - Tint Outro - Chevy Nova Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com

We often discuss production as an aspect of what makes a record sound good to our ears, but the truth is that different styles of music often demand different production choices. On the 1995 sophomore album Hi Fi Way by You Am I, terms like organic or immediate get tossed around to describe the sound of a band that gives a performance not fussed over, but clearly considered. With Sonic Youth's Lee Renaldo behind the board, the band gets the most of out their limited recording schedule, as every instrument gets a chance to shine with minimal overdubs and effects. While other 90s alternative rock bands might have taken the opportunity to layer track upon track or head down indulgent tangents, You Am I focus on melody and concise song structures, resulting in an album that surpasses their debut in every way. Songs In This Episode: Intro - She Digs Her 11:43 - The Applecross Wing Commander 15:15 - Handwasher 19:19 - Pizza Guy 26:45 - Ain't Gone And Open Outro - Jewels And Bullets Support the podcast, join the DMO UNION at Patreon. Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com

Some bands and artists leave you wanting more, with only a single album to their name. In some cases, they are one-off side projects or solo releases that act as an outlet for material not in-line with the primary band. Sometimes, personalities clash and bands quickly implode. In other cases, tragedy strikes down an artist at the start of their career. The 1990s, like every other decade, have their share of unique "one and done" albums from bands and artists for all different reasons. We revisit those lesser known albums worthy of revisiting, talk about those that came with hype but slipped off the radar, as well as those that didn't live up to it, our wish list for sophomore albums that will never come, and our personal favorite one and done albums of the decade. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Last Goodbye by Jeff Buckley 9:53 - Life's A Gas (T. Rex cover) by Replicants 20:30 - Shake My Tree by Coverdale/Page 30:20 - Burning Tree by Burning Tree 41:01 - Pushing Forward Back by Temple Of The Dog Outro - River Of Deceit by Mad Season To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

The 1997 album Nothing Feels Good by The Promise Ring lays at an interesting crossroad. On the one hand, vocalist Davey Von Bohlen can grind on a melodic hook like a power pop pro, giving the listener plenty of ear candy on this tightly constructed record, while backed by a tight and creative rhythm section that never looses the groove. On the other hand, there are enough jarring structures, repetitious lyrics and twin-guitar abrasiveness to keep the hardcore kids happy. With vet J. Robbins behind the board, they definitely add some muscle, but it's not the clean and beefy guitar sounds he would get out of Braid, or what Jimmy Ear World would accomplish with Clarity, leaving us slightly underwhelmed. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Nothing Feels Good 14:35 - Perfect Lines 19:06 - Is This Thing On? 20:56 - Raspberry Rush Outro - Pink Chimneys To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

By the time of their 2000 album Odyssey Number Five, Brisbane, Australia's Powderfinger had sharpened their sound and created an album that found a balance between sweet radio friendly alternative rock hooks and melodies, while also giving headphone listeners interesting bits to revisit the album over and over again. At home, this lead to a string of chart topping albums and singles, but abroad, the band failed to find a foothold. Not surprising, considering the band drew not from the popular sounds of the moment, but from a wide range of influences, both in terms of songwriting and production. With veteran producer Nick DiDia behind the board, the band swiftly moves from Oasis balladry to bluesy riffing to arena anthems with ease, finding cohesion among them all, albeit with perhaps too much cohesion among the tempos from song to song. Songs In This Episode: Intro - My Happiness 17:19 - My Kind Of Scene 20:30 - Up And Down And Back Again 25:09 - Like A Dog 35:57 - Thrillology Outro - Waiting For The Sun To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

By the time of their fifth album Everclear from 1991, American Music Club was anything but a household name. If you caught their single "Rise" on late on night on MTV, or by chance on an adventurous radio station, you are among a lucky few. Considering the musical landscape for rock, where 80s hair/glam metal was still dominant while ascendent alternative had yet to be come a proper decade-defining brand name, it's easy to see why you may have missed it. AMC evokes ideas of genres without ever settling on one, making mainstream classification all but impossible. Touches of Americana thanks to acoustic guitars, but not really any twang. Downbeat and bleak slowcore until Mark Eitzel furiously strums an acoustic in bursts of kinetic release. The album feels timeless, yet could easily be the recollection of a single night of boozing and fury. It did make Rolling Stone take notice, granting the album "of the year" consideration and naming Mark Eitzel the preeminent songwriter of the moment, so maybe it's time everyone else finds the reverbed-out beauty in Everclear. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Rise 15:02 - Why Won't You Stay 17:21 - The Dead Part Of You 22:35 - The Confidential Agent 29:16 - Miracle On 8th Street Outro - Sick Of Food To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

If there is a new episode of Dig Me Out in your feed on a Thursday, that can only mean one thing - we sharing with you a preview of our latest Dig Me Out '80s episodes. With the help our Patreon Board of Directors and Steering Committee tiers, we're revisiting another album from the 1980s based on suggestions and votes of our patrons. This month we're checking out the 1989 album self-titled album by Max Q. Join the DMO Union for as little as $2 a month and get access to bonus content like this episode, vote in our album review polls, get exclusive merchandise and more! To support the podcast, join us at Patreon. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Neither of us had any previous exposure to The Residents prior to this review, and it's a weird entry point. The avant-garde music collective celebrated their twentieth anniversary in 1992 not by released a greatest hits album, but instead taking bits and pieces of old songs and combining them into new works. The result is Our Finest Flowers, a rather low-key affair that relies on drum loops, synths, some occasional singing, and a variety of randomness that includes both female backing vocalists and possibly acetylene torches. This may be the least "rock" album we've ever done to date, but our appreciation for the material ultimately landed on whether the songs stand on their own, which on a sixteen-track album, unfortunately had a lot of misses for us. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Mr. Lonely 11:48 - The Sour Song 15:18 - Dead Wood 19:58 - I'm Dreaming Of A White Sailor 24:57 - Forty-Four No More Outro - Ship Of Fools To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

With their 1997 self-titled debut, Third Eye Blind charted five hit singles, three that made the Billboard top ten, while moving six million units worldwide. Over a year after the release, they were still logging hit singles and touring, and as we've learned over many episodes, the follow-up doesn't always get the same attention to detail. With the 1999 sophomore album Blue, their limited studio time didn't stop the band from stretching musically, conducting some interesting sonic experiments to compliment Stephan Jenkins rapid fire sing/speak delivery. But 1999 looked very different from 1997 - radio changed, Napster would become a thing, pop music was dominant - was their even room for a jangly rock band anymore? Whether trying to keep up with the times or not, they delivery the most pop-friendly single of their career in "Never Let You Go." While the music takes a leap forward on the rest of the album, the melodies and lyrics either sound under baked or over thought, leading to a potential dreaded sophomore slump. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Never Let You Go 18:47 - 1000 Julys 23:37 - Farther 32:06 - Darwin 46:51 - The Red Summer Sun Outro - 10 Days Late To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Grindcore band Old Lady Drivers, or OLD, ended their four-album run in 1995 with the wildly eclectic Formula. Despite the title, Formula is anything but, swapping heavy guitar dirges for tape loops, synths, drum machines and lots of experimentation. Switching gears from Napalm Death to electronic instrumentals might have failed in the hands of lesser musicians, but James Plotkin and Alan Dubin manage to create a compelling, hypnotic record. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Last Look 14:27 - Under Glass 24:30 - Thug 29:53 - Devolve 34:49 - Amoeba Outro - Break (You) To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

When New Order entered the 1990s, they were coming off their first number one album on the UK charts along with two top twenty singles. So what did they do? Immediately split into multiple factions. While the well received 1993 album Republic would produce one of their finest singles in Regret, the 90s for New Order are defined by side projects. For bassist Peter Hook, it started with Revenge and continued with Monaco. For Bernard Sumner, he paired up with former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, and brought along a number of notable collaborators from bands such as the Pet Shop Boys, Kraftwerk and Black Grape to form Electronic, while Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert formed the slightly passive-aggressively named The Other Two for a pair of albums. Along with our guests, we revisit the entire decade for the band and their various extracurricular activities, and how that impacted the sound New Order in the 90s and 2000s. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Regret by New Order 8:51 - World In Motion by New Order 14:05 - Pineapple Face by Revenge 19:49 - Tasty Fish by The Other Two 28:47 - World by New Order 39:54 - What Do You Want From Me? by Monaco 56:36 - Rock The Shack Outro - Getting Away With It To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Whenever we have a guest on to discuss an album either they made, had a hand in producing or releasing, our are suggesting for a review, we always come away with unique personal insights not always available from just a surface listen or new release review. For the sophomore 1996 album Aenima by Tool, our guest Patrick had a close personal connection to the music and the lyrics of the band that he shared with us that gave a deeper appreciation for one of the most original and trailblazing bands and albums of the decade. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Stinkfist 32:50 - Eulogy 42:50 - Aenima 51:41 - Third Eye 1:03:30 - Jimmy Outro - Forty Six And 2 To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Sophomore albums are notoriously tricky, we've even dedicated a round table series to the phenomenon of hugely successful 90s debuts with follow-ups that, for a variety of reasons, didn't connect with audiences in the same way as their first release. Sometimes it record label politics scuttling the promotional support, sometimes its the shifting musical landscape after time off, and sometimes its artists evolving in ways listeners weren't expecting. To help us explore the 1995 sophomore Soup by Blind Melon, we're joined guitarist Christopher Thorn and longtime contributor Chip Midnight to delve into an album that, upon release, received a notoriously scathing review from Rolling Stone, but has since garnered praise and adulation upon it's twentieth anniversary. We discuss forming the band, the rollercoaster ride that was their debut, the legacy of "No Rain," writing and recording Soup, and the tragedy that followed it's release with the death of Shannon Hoon, and much, much more. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Galaxie 28:38 - Vernie 40:15 - Toes Across The Floor 53:11 - St. Andrew's Fall Outro - 2x4 To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Although Human Radio's debut self-titled album was released in 1990, their isn't much to the sound that pins it to the decade. Between the jazz-pop nods to Steely Dan, the funk flourishes reminiscent of Stevie Wonder, the new wave pop of XTC, along with a whole host of other subtle (and not subtle) influences we heard throughout the record. Thanks to the quirky lead-off track and single "Me And Elvis," we didn't quiet get off on the right foot with Human Radio, as some of the dated sounds left us less than enthusiastic, but luckily the record recovers quickly, revealing a masterfully produced and mixed record that, for better or worse, runs a wide gamut, sometime connecting, sometimes not. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Me And Elvis 9:37 - Hole In My Head 13:27 - My First Million 23:30 - N.Y.C. Outro - Harsh Light Of Reality To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

We've tackled metal in its various forms and sub-genres, but this week for the first time we're checking out the symphonic metal of Finnish band Nightwish via their 1998 album Oceanborn. Combining operatic vocals with shredding guitars, double kick-drum beats and classical-influenced strings, keyboards and pianos, we're left mouths agape at the musicianship and ambition of this band and album. While a few choices left us scratching our heads (odd synth choices, overly dramatic male vocals), for most of the run time we were on board with Oceanborn. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Gethsemane 14:47 - Stargazers 21:20 - Swanheart 24:37 - The Devil And The Deep Dark Ocean 28:21 - Sacrament Of Wilderness Outro - The Pharaoh Sails To Orion To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

After departing 1980s new wavers Berlin, bassist and vocalist John Crawford and drummer Rob Brill formed the rock power trio The Big F. With the addition of guitarist Mark Christian, the band manage to forge some interesting musical ground on their second and final album Is from 1993. Unfortunately, the band is caught between worlds, showing off more eccentric and ambitious choices (saxophone jazz jam, anyone?) while also firmly planted in the no frills early 90s riffing that at times recalls pre-fame Soundgarden or the heavier streamlined moments of King's X. With a tight rhythm section and talented guitarist, most of the fault falls on Crawford, a steady if unremarkable vocalist that never reaches the euphoric highs or a Chris Cornell or the showy lyricism of Mother Love Bone's Andrew Wood. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Patience Peregrine 12:49 - Way Low To Be Be Low 15:42 - Patience Peregrine 19:02 - Idiot Kid Heads Out 29:34 - Mother Mary Outro - Lube To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

You're probably wondering, why is there a new episode in my podcast feed on a Thursday? We wanted to share with you a preview of our first of six Dig Me Out '80s episodes in 2019. Starting this month, and continuing every other month this year, with the help our Patreon Board of Directors and Steering Committee tiers, we'll be revisiting an album from the 1980s based on suggestions and votes of our patrons. This month we're revisiting the 1980 album Panorama by The Cars. Join the DMO Union for as little as $2 a month and get access to bonus content like this episode, vote in our album review polls, get exclusive merchandise and more! To support the podcast, join us at Patreon. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

The shadow of Kim Deal and Tanya Donelly looms large over 1990s alternative and indie rock. They were both members of seminal 1980s bands, Deal in the Pixies, and Donelly in Throwing Muses, and had second acts in the 90s in their own bands, The Breeders and Belly. For one album, before Kim's sister Kelley joined the band, Donelly joined forces with Deal on the 1990 album Pod by The Breeders, then conceived as a side project for the two. The result is a subtle and restrained record that only hints at the pop prowess the two would unleash with future singles like "Last Splash" and "Feed The Tree." With engineer Steve Albini behind the board, the album pushes the artists to work with space, finding equal footing for all the instruments. For some, the deliberate nature may turn plodding, but the atmosphere created is one truly unique, and it's clear why musicians like Kurt Cobain would find the tension between hard hitting drums, melodic bass lines and stripped down guitar lines so appealing. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Happiness Is A Warm Gun 14:44 - Glorious 17:02 - Oh! 23:15 - Fortunately Gone Outro - Hellbound To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

The term "Pop-Punk" started showing up in the mid-90s - a hybrid of the breakthrough punk sound via bands like Green Day and The Offspring, but with a decidedly more pop (re: melodic) twist in the vocal department. It's not easy to pin down with what band or at what time pop-punk took off, but from what we discussed with our guests, we know artists such as Blink-182 helped set the proverbial table for what would be a full-on pop-punk explosion in the 2000s. We put our thinking caps on and try to determine the unique characteristics, good and not so good, that made pop-punk unique, and how it factors into the story of the 1990s music scene. Songs In This Episode: Intro - What's My Age Again? by Blink-182 15:56 - May 16 by Lagwagon 26:08 - Redundant by Green Day 38:15 - Come Out And Play by The Offspring Outro - Nineties by Busted To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Compact discs were the predominant physical medium for music in the 90s that, like cassettes and vinyl before, came with positives and negatives. No more rewinding or fast forwarding to find a song. Mobility meant moving from your home stereo, to your Discman, to your car with ease. Plus, you had almost eighty minutes to work with. That last one, however, became a curse as much as a blessing with albums like the 1996 release Machine Fish by Galactic Cowboys. If you're into hard rock/metal with a melodic bent, this album is just up your alley. Alas, left to their own devices, the gentlemen of Galactic Cowboys manage to stuff nearly every minute of this compact disc with riff upon riff, sometimes burying a gem behind walls of guitars, turning what could be three minute pop metal masterpieces into bloated five minute head scratchers. If this were an eight or nine songs album released on vinyl in the 1970s, that wouldn't be as much of an issue, but at fourteen songs and almost seventy minutes, even the most hearty will start to fatigue. And if that wasn't enough, we even conducted a bonus review of the Feel The Rage EP exclusive at our Patreon page. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Feel The Rage 18:25 - 9th Of June 30:33 - Fear Not 35:15 - Easy To Love 43:47 - Patting Yourself On The Back Outro - Psychotic Companion To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Sometimes we revisit albums that have little to no internet presence, reviews that only appeared in print, and barely managed to slip into the big name publications. When that happens, there is little baggage or preconceived notion of what we're getting into. On the other end of spectrum, we have the 1991 album Goat by The Jesus Lizard. Now heralded as one of the defining alternative rock albums of the 90s, specifically of the "noise rock" sub genre, the list of bands that draw influence back to this band and album are numerous. But it left us questioning - what exactly is noise rock? To us, this was another example of Steve Albini's sharp and clean production paired with top notch musicianship. We split on our appreciation for David Yow's vocals, which shouldn't be a surprise - they are an acquired taste, but we agreed that this compact, thirty-minute recording is worth revisiting. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Mouth Breather 15:08 - Then Comes Dudley 17:24 - Nub 22:44 - Monkey Trick Outro - Rodeo In Juliet To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

The release of Nirvana's album Nevermind in 1991 shaped the musical landscape of the 1990s in numerous ways, but 1999 may be the year that truly upended everything. Along with our favorite albums, our hidden gems, our late discoveries, and our long forgottens, we also dig into the year that foretold the re-emergence and dominance of pop music that has never been challenged since, the year that gave us Napster, the return of Woodstock, the rise of Nu-Metal and Rap-Rock, and much more. Songs In This Episode: Intro - 1999 Medley (Wilco, Blur, Nine Inch Nails, Live) 7:16 - Driftwood by Travis from The Man Who 21:10 - Church On Sunday by Stone Temple Pilots from No. 4 38:47 - Muscle Museum by Muse from Showbiz 51:03 - Swingin' by Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers from Echo 1:02:28 - Shooting Stars by The Black Halos from s/t Outro - Fast As You Can by Fiona Apple from When The Pawn... To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

We're not sure what album Mantissa intended to make with their 1992 debut Mossy God. On the one hand, it's got the guitar riffage that would find allies in heavier/dirtier 1980s hard rock/metal bands like Circus Of Power or Faster Pussycat. On the other hand, with producer Terry Date onboard, there is a tinge of the Seattle sound, like early Alice In Chains or pre-Superunknown Soundgarden. There is even a touch of Red Hot Chili Peppers funk. What does this all add up to? Kind of a mess, but not surprising considering the shifting landscape of early 90s hard rock/metal, where band either stuck to their quickly out-of-date guns or attempted an alternative makeover. Along with a confused albums comes and evening confusing (and exasperating) back story of an Australian band trying to "break" in America. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Sanctify 23:02 - Ruby's Mind 27:44 - Dream Alone 32:41 - Extro 36:52 - Mystery Line Outro - Mary Mary To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

The term "album tracks" gets thrown around to describe perfectly fine songs that are clearly not going to be a radio single for a band. It represents what the band does, but maybe is less melodic in favor of a sound that expands, experiments or diverts enough to make it worthy of inclusion. For a band like Stanford Prison Experiment, we tossed around the term "album track" a number of times for a band that subtly takes turns inhabiting the styles and sounds of a variety of contemporaries. On their third and final record, 1998's Wrecreation, we found a lot to like in a band that touched on punk, post-punk, post-hardcore, emo, math-rock and grunge, but do they ever find themselves? Tune in to find out. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Hightower 15:14 - Contusion 18:09 - Burner 24:27 - I'm A War 32:44 - Machaca Outro - But Of Course To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com