Dig Me Out: 90s & 00s Rock

To understand "Desert Rock" and the Palm Desert Scene, you have too look further than Queens Of The Stone Age, as we learned on our Desert Rock episode. That's when you discover a number of bands and important figures, including Chris Goss and his band Masters Of Reality, contemporaries of Kyuss and others who helped bring the bass heavy guitar dirges of the desert to the mainstream. But there is more to it than that as we discover on 1993 album Sunrise On The Sufferbus, which explores quieter moments that left us scratching our heads at times. With the propulsive pulse of Cream drummer Ginger Baker behind the kit for this album, songs like She Got Me (When She Got Her Dress On) bounce to life, but in a grunge dominated era it's no wonder this is relegated to cult status. Is it worthy of revisiting? Song In This Episode: Intro - Gimme Water 12:40 - T.U.S.A. 20:18 - She Got Me (When She Got Her Dress On) 25:04 - Gimme Water 32:08 - Moon In Your Pocket Outro - J.B. Witchdance To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

2018 seem to fly by, and with it another slate of reviews, roundtables and interviews that we look back upon with equal parts amazement and exhaustion. Thanks to our great community of folks at Patreon, the burden of actually picking records to revisit was lifted off our shoulders this year, and we got to check out some completely new discoveries like Fini Scad, Sheena Ringo and The Gathering, while also going deep on records by The Posies, Scott Weiland and Mansun we already knew but hadn't fully connected with over the years. Of course, our roundtables continued to be a highlight, digging the scenes of New York City and Dayton, Ohio, diving into the origins of Spoon, dissecting 90s Power Pop and Desert Rock, and much more. Thanks to all who helped make 2018 a great year, see you in 2019! Songs In This Episode: Intro - Dig Me Out by Sleater Kinney 12:08 - I Am A Liar by Sheena Ringo 17:13 - Soaked In Cinnamon by Ultimate Fakebook Outro - Dig Me Out by Sleater Kinney To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Although we host a 90s-focused music podcast, if you think Fugazi is a no brainer for us, think again. While we both had passing interest and exposure, neither of us were ardent followers of punk, hardcore or post hardcore during that time, and really only came to it years later thanks to our varied appreciations for bands like Jawbox, Sonic Youth and At The Drive-in. This makes revisiting Fugazi's 1993 third album In On The Kill Taker an even more enlightening experience. The band stretches their sound, we won't call it jamming, incorporating long musical passages that teeter on the edge of ambient dissonance. With their stellar rhythm section, the guitars and vocals play off each other with increasing confidence. Songs On This Episode: Intro - Returning The Screw 15:18 - Facet Squared 24:43 - Great Cop 29:31 - Rend It Outro - Smallpox Champion To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

With his work as Sparklehorse, Mark Linkous left behind a collection of music wholly unique - masterfully combining the intimacy of his home recording setup paired with his singular lyrical approach. His songs shift from abrasive guitar driven "Pig" and "Ghost Of His Smile" to the laid back pop of "Sick Of Goodbyes" with little interruption, managing to find common ground in melody with such contemporary artists as Grandaddy, The Jayhawks and Guided By Voices. During this episode we discussed our current partnership with Sudio. Check them out online and use the discount code "DMO" to receive 15% off your purchase. For the holiday season, each purchase includes a gift box, and shipping is free worldwide. Songs On This Episode: Intro - Painbirds 11:53 - Pig 14:58 - Ghost Of His Smile 22:19 - Sick Of Goodbyes 30:27 - Chaos Of The Galaxy/Happy Man 34:04 - Maria's Little Elbows Outro - Hundreds Of Sparrows To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

While the Seattle record label Sub Pop is primarily associated with "grunge," the list of artists and catalog of releases is far more broad. Take for example Eric Matthews, whose whispered vocal and orchestral arrangements couldn't stray further from the so-called Sub Pop sound. On his sophomore solo release from 1997, The Lateness Of The Hour, Matthews expertly and often densely constructs songs that would sound at home on either an Elliott Smith album or coming out of Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys, never forgetting to layer sweet melodies on top of his sometimes classical arrangements. While the vocal approach took some getting used to, we discovered an album that reveals more musicially and emotionally upon repeated listens. During this episode we discussed our current partnership with Sudio. Check them out online and use the discount code "DMO" to receive 15% off your purchase. For the holiday season, each purchase includes a gift box, and shipping is free worldwide. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Ideas That Died That Day 12:02 - My Morning Parade 14:48 - Festival Fun 16:49 - Pair Of Cherry 26:07 - Everything So Real Outro - Dopeyness To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

There are not many 1990s albums that fall under the "alternative rock" banner that prominently feature harp and horns the way the lone 1997 album Free Mars by Lusk does. The fact that it does so featuring a wide cast of characters from bands such as Tool (Paul D'Amour), Failure (Greg Edwards), Guns 'n Roses (Chris Pitman) and Medicine (Brad Laner) only adds to the unique and intriguing charm of this one-and-done release. During this episode we discussed our current partnership with Sudio. Check them out online and use the discount code "DMO" to receive 15% off your purchase. For the holiday season, each purchase includes a gift box, and shipping is free worldwide. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Backworlds 16:15 - Savvy Kangaroos 23:02 - The Hotel Family Affair 30:31 - Free Mars Outro - Kill The King To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Power pop, as we have learned over the years, is a hard subgenre of rock 'n roll to pin down. The 1999 self-titled debut by Owsley has been referred to as power pop, with some calling it a masterpiece. It's not hard to hear why, as the album is chock full of catchy hooks, harmonies, tasteful nods to The Beatles and checks all the boxes of retro without being nostalgic. For as much as we've enjoyed debating the merits of what is and isn't power pop, we can't overlook the fact that this record didn't quite live up to the masterpiece billing, as we often struggled with slower tunes that slid into a jangle pop plod. Songs In This Episode: Intro - I'm Alright 14:44 - Zavelow House 17:57 - Coming Up Roses 25:26 - Oh No The Radio Outro - Sonny Boy To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Our "In The 90s" series exploring successful 1970s and 80s artists and bands has discovered a common theme - sometimes it was not the rise of grunge and alternative music that through a wrench into their success, sometimes overwhelming success created a watershed moment leaving the band in flux. What was Metallica to do after the Black album? And in this case for our latest episode, what was Aerosmith to do after they fully rebounded from their early 80s descent into drugs with a pair of successful albums to close out the decade (Permanent Vacation and Pump) leading into the ubiquitous 1993 chart topper Get A Grip. Becoming MTV darlings and radio mainstays pushed the band into more pop territory, culminating in the 1998 Diane Warren-penned single "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" for the Armageddon soundtrack. We walk through the decade and wonder if the apparent wedge driven between lead singer Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry started when the band reached its cultural and chart apex. Songs In This Episode: Aerosmith Medley - Cryin', Crazy, Amazing from Get A Grip 17:09 - Livin' On The Edge from Get A Grip 25:29 - Fever from Get A Grip 33:50 - Pink from Nine Lives 40:47 - Crash from Nine Lives Outro - I Don't Want To Miss A Thing from the Armageddon soundtrack To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Many musical genres and subgenres previously found in the cultural underground bubbled to the mainstream surface in the 1990s thanks to a major label feeding frenzy and the ever expanding definition of "alternative." Like punk, ska, swing and even grunge, industrial and electronic music had their moments in various ways, and gave rise to interesting iterations that briefly snuck onto MTV and commercial radio. God Lives Underwater is one such example, who wrote traditional structures and melodies wrapped with an electronic and industrial exterior. Thanks to uber-producer Rick Rubin, their 1995 debut Empty has a unique reverb-free sound at odds with many of their peers, providing more intimacy and less expanse without sacrificing quality, even if all the songs themselves cannot match the stellar production. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Still 13:08 - Empty 18:00 - All Wrong 21:10 - No More Love 27:03 - We Were Wrong Outro - Weaken To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

For some, metal shock rockers Gwar are more style than substance. In fact, we were in that camp, having paid little attention to the band beyond their notorious stage antics and costumes. But thanks to our second annual Halloween-themed episode, we're checking out the 1990 sophomore album Scumdogs Of The Universe. While we expected over the top lyrics with various R-rated subject matter, we did not anticipate how musically diverse the band would sound, managing to integrate New York thrash ala Anthrax along side Quiet Riot-esque glam metal riffs, and even some hardcore punk attitude. It all made for interesting sound they may have slightly overstayed its welcome by the end. Songs In This Episode: Intro - Sick Of You 13:44 - Vlad The Impaler 22:59 - Slaughterama 26.52 - Sick Of You 30:27 - Cool Place To Park Outro - King Queen To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Built To Spill have remained an anomaly in a number of ways throughout their career - a band steeped in classic rock conventions that seamlessly integrates 1990s indie rock guitar shredding, but does so without sacrificing vocal melodies, and doing in on major label Warner Bros. for twenty years. On 1999's Keep It Like A Secret, Doug Martsch shortened the length and kept the six plus minute long jams to a minimum, but still manages to concoct his stew of six string wizardry and even throw in a kitschy tune (You Were Right) that would have sounded at home on a Ben Folds Five album. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Carry The Zero 19:49 - The Plan 22:49 - Time Trap 29:55 - You Were Right Outro - Center Of The Universe To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

After the success of the Sound Of White Noise album with new lead singer John Bush, New York city thrashers Anthrax took the band in a direction that angered and alienated longtime fans. For Stomp 442 from 1995, the band relied less on the chugging thrash riffage of their past, and played with sounds that would be at home in Helmet's post hardcore and alternative metal sound, or the mainstream hard rock that Metallica had cultivated on their Black album. While tag as a "grunge" sell-out, over twenty years later we find it hard to locate an trace of Seattle sound, and find a band brimming with confidence and swagger. Perhaps they made the wrong album at the wrong time, but looking back, it's not hard to hear why so many were confused by the new direction - hopefully this time around they'll give it another spin. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Fueled 11:19 - Fueled 15:22 - In A Zone 23:14 - Perpetual Motion 29:21 - Nothing 33:36 - Bare Outro - Random Acts Of Senseless Violence To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Cleveland is the home of the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, Cincinnati is home to legendary soul label King Records and The Afghan Whigs, Akron has Devo and the The Pretenders, but if there is a 1990s alternative and indie rock epicenter of Ohio, it's Dayton, known for its Air Force Base and (alleged) alien cover-ups. The Breeders, Guided By Voices and Brainiac all call Dayton home, breaking through in their own unique ways, but Dayton's musical roots dig deep into 1980s punk and 1970s funk all the way into the 2000s. We discuss the venues, record stores, bands and more that made and make Dayton unique. Songs in this episode: Intro - Dayton Medley (Guided By Voices, The Amps, Brainiac) 12:56 - No Wrong Track by The Method 23:48 - God Bless America by Toxic Reasons 30:33 - Flying Pizza by Swearing At Motorists 41:40 - Listen To The Quiet by Mink 45:13 - Toilet Knife by Dirty Walk Outro - Weapons Of Love Destruction by Shesus To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

For his 1998 album Since, Richard Buckner enlisted a strong supporting cast (John McEntire of Tortoise, The Sea And Cake / Dave Schramm of Yo La Tengo, The Schramms / David Grubbs of Squirrel Bait, Gastr Del Sol, Bastro) to shape an Americana/Alt Country record that feels out of place for the time, but perfectly in sync with the Jason Isbell's and John Moreland's of today's musical landscape. It helps that Buckner's poetic approach eschews the compact disc bloat and hones a tight sixteen track / thirty seven minute album that actually left us wanting more in spaces rather than wishing for restraint and editing. Songs in this episode: Intro - Believer 12:04 - Raze 16:56 - Brief & Boundless 20:12 - Lucky Buzz 29:34 - Coursed Outro - Goner w/Souvenir To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

We revisit Beck's major label debut Mellow Gold, was it a warm-up for the multi-platinum Odelay, or is Loser the only worthwhile nugget? Songs in this episode: Intro - Loser 12:54 -Soul Suckin' Jerk 17:58 - Beercan 26:28 - Truckdrivin Neighbors Downstairs (Yellow Sweat) Outro - Sweet Sunshine To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Wondering about our exclusive content over at Patreon? Here's a sample of the first five minutes of our extended twenty minute discussion on Power Pop as we chat about the 2000s. Hear the entire bonus content, be eligible for quarterly contests, vote in our polls, and support the podcast at patreon.com/digmeout.

For a lot of people, the rock music subgenre known as "power pop" is one of those "you know it when you hear it" situations. However, over the years many have tried to describe and dissect what makes power pop unique from musical cousins such as pop rock or jangle pop. Like the 70s and 80s before them, 90s power pop bands put their own spin on the sound, adding a little more guitar crunch while incorporating the hallmark harmonies, British Invasion influenced melodies and arrangements, and other key elements, thanks bands like Sloan, Jellyfish, Teenage Fanclub, Superdrag, Fountains Of Wayne and The Posies, and artists like Matthew Sweet, Tommy Keene and Jason Falkner. With our panel, we dig into the sounds, the songs, the albums and the artists of 90s power pop. Songs in this episode: Intro - Sick Of Myself by Matthew Sweet 32:14 - Buddy Holly by Weezer 37:05 - Bottle Of Fur by Urge Overkill 46:17 - Money City Maniacs by Sloan 52:41 - What You Do To Me by Teenage Fanclub Outro - Red Dragon Tattoo by Fountains of Wayne To support the podcast, join us at Patreon for bonus content and more. Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Craig Finn is best known for his distinctive vocal and lyrical style thanks to The Hold Steady in the 2000s. But while that band channeled Bruce Springsteen, The Replacements and The Band for musical inspiration, his 1990s outfit Lifter Puller took a decidedly more angular approach with nods to Television, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Pavement. Digging into 1997's sophomore released Half Dead and Dynamite, the drugged up and drunken stories familiar to Finn fans are there, but the band backing him presents a different sonic approach, eschewing bombast and power chords for jagged rhythms and Radioshack keyboards. Intro - The Gin and the Sour Defeat 10:45 - Half Dead and Dynamite 17:03 - Nassau Coliseum 21:18 - I Like The Lights 29:17 - Rock for Lite Brite Outro - The Bears Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Concept albums are as old as albums themselves, though defining what exactly qualifies as a concept album is flexible. The 90s were no different, as many bands and artists took loose ideas and strung together narratives and themes to form a cohesive idea. Of all the bands you were probably expecting to do so back in day, Local H was probably not high on that list, but songwriter/guitarist/singer Scott Lucas has dipped into the concept album well often during the past several decades, first with their 1996 break-through As Good As Dead, and then the 1998 follow-up Pack Up The Cats. Lucas and drummer Joe Daniels weave a tale not unfamiliar to rock fans - the rise and fall of a musician, but with the decade specific twists and turns that make it a uniquely 90s affair, both lyrically and sonically, and craft a concept album worthy of the decades medium of choice: the compact disc. Intro - All The Kids Are Right 32:13 - All-Right (Oh Yeah) 34:49 - Cool Magnet 36:58 - Laminate Man 40:47 - Deep Cut 43.46 - Lucky Time 50:16 - Hit The Skids Outro - What Can I Tell You Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

The 1990s are known as the grunge decade, but really Seattle's reign was contained to the first half, which is when The Posies power-pop tour de force Frosting On The Beater happened to be released in 1993. It's not hard to understand why this band from the Pacific Northwest struggled to find an broad audience - the singles are teeming with Big Star, Cheap Trick, The Beatles, and other classic power pop influence, and only Matthew Sweet was able to crack mainstream radio playlists and MTV video rotation with a similar but equally melodic approach. It doesn't help that in an era of Discman players and vinyl decline, Don Fleming's beefed up production truly only finds its sweet spot when the stereo speakers are pushing serious air, which we are happy to oblige. Intro - Dream All Day 9:54 - Definite Door 13:28 - Love Letter Boxes 19:51 - How She Lied By Living 29:37 - Solar Sister Outro - Flavor Of The Month Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

When musicians aren't busy writing, recording and touring with their main band, often times you'll find them in side projects, mixing it up with new sounds and new collaborators. The 1990s were no different, as folks from the biggest bands to lesser known indie artists often found a new creative outlet outside their main gig. But what exactly makes it a side project, as opposed to just putting out a solo album, or recording with a fabled "super group?" We try to lay down some (admittedly) shaky criteria to figure out what makes a side project, revisiting those that worked, a few that didn't, some that left us scratching our heads and some that left us wanting more. Intro - Side Project Medley (Friends Of P by The Rentals, Hunger Strike by Temple Of The Dog, Tipp City by The Amps) 7:17 - That's Just How That Bird Sings by The Twilight Singers 20:06 - Gimme Indie Rock by Sebadoh 26:48 - Wasting Away by Nailbomb 40:57 - Song For A Dead Girl by Three Fish 46:54 - 20th Century by Brad Outro - Yoo Hoo by Imperial Teen Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

After Nirvana exploded in the 1990s, bands across the globe got signed for sounding just enough like the Kurt, Krist, and Dave, an inevitable result of major labels hoping to find "the next Nirvana." It was also inevitable that young artists would be influenced by the band dominating radio and MTV, and so began the delicate balance of imitation and influence, recycling and reinterpretation. On their sophomore album Into The Pink, Verbena had a lot to shoulder. With the multi-pronged assault of electronica, nu-metal and manufactured pop, some decried the end of rock'n'roll in the later half other decade, and searched for a savior. With a single that tipped a nod to Cobain vocally and Nirvana sonically, and with Dave Grohl onboard as producer, the hype machine declaring Verbena to be "the next Nirvana" was in full swing, coloring the band before most got to hear the record in full. We try to get beneath the marketing and figure out what really worked, what didn't, and why rock music fans in general are so intent on tearing down the latest thing. Intro - Into The Pink 15:09 - Baby Got Shot 19:06 - John Beverly 24:41 - Monkey, I'm Your Man Outro - Pretty Please Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

On their 1996 major label debut Tin Cans With Strings To You, the Sacramento, CA band Far find themselves at an interesting crossroads. By this point in the decade, grunge is well past its expiration date, so how do you describe a rock band that can synthesize New York City post-hardcore and Washington D.C. emo, with hints of the burgeoning San Diego screamo scene? Thanks to our Patreon patrons suggestion, we revisit a record that on the surface hits all of our respective musical sweet spots, but gave us some some head scratching moments as well with regard to production choices and track list order. Intro - Love, American Style 13:14 - Girl 22:30 - Celebrate Her 36:25 - Joining The Circus Outro - Seasick Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

For the tens of thousands of bands who signed to a major label, put out a record, scored a minor hit and disappeared, there just as many divergent stories of what happened after the temporary spotlight dimmed. In the case of Jonny Polonsky, his tale started in the suburbs of Chicago, home recording cassette albums as a teen in his bedroom and dialing up famous guitarists for feedback, which lead him to move to Boston, the support of Frank Black of the Pixies, and a deal with Rick Rubin's American Recordings. His 1996 debut Hi My Name Is Jonny scored a college radio hit with "In My Head," but like so many in the mid and late 90s music industry machine, the churn happened quickly and soon after he find be looking to new outlets for releasing music and relocating to Los Angeles to start anew. There is a chance you've heard or seen Jonny in the 2000s without even realizing it, playing on records by Pete Yorn, Puscifer, Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash, Minnie Driver and more, while hitting the road with many more. Jonny shares with us his story, his approaches to songwriting, recording, learning new instruments, his love of David Bowie's side-project Tin Machine, and much much more. Intro - In My Mind Outro - Love Lovely Love Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

When an established name like Trent Reznor shows up in the credits of a 90s industrial album, the natural starting point is to compare it Nine Inch Nails. But what about when the artist is not a contemporary or disciple, but a predecessor? That's the case with Kevin McMahon, veteran of new wave group Lucky Pierre going back to the 70s, and where the Reznor connection occurs in the late 80s. Thanks to having over a decade worth of experience, on the 1995 eponymous debut by Prick, Reznor acts as less an overwhelming force upon McMahon and his band and more of a slightly different flavor. It's not hard to pick out which tracks Reznor had a hand in, but compared to the majority of the album, they pair nicely with the overall experience rather than stick out like the proverbial sore thumb. While so many industrial acts can either get weighted down by lyrical dreariness, musical repetition or underwhelming vocal performances, McMahon uses his new wave background wisely, crafting melodic hooks and not losing the rock aspect of industrial rock thanks to some well-produced guitar riffing. Intro - Animal 9:36 - Tough 12:19 - Crack 14:44 - Other People 18:12 - No Fair Fights 25:42 - I Apologize Outro - I Got It Bad Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

In the first of a new roundtable series, we're taking a look back at the 90s origins of Spoon, and how they went from devotees of Frank Black and Robert Pollard, to one of the most consistently interesting and successful bands of the 2000s. Britt Daniel and Jim Eno, the core singer/songwriter/guitarist and drummer/producer of Spoon, have been at it for almost thirty years. In the 2000s, starting with Girls Can Tell, and up to their most recent release Hot Thoughts, the band has managed to expertly toe the line between slick songwriting worthy of radio, television and film placement, while keeping a shape-shifting edge that expertly slips back and forth between minimalist and embellished production, tied together with Daniel's emphatic but easy on the ears delivery that manages to inhabit Ray Davies, Tom Petty and Prince all at the same time. But before they began their run of successful 2000s releases, the band was almost another tragic tale of the 1990s major label signing frenzy, bouncing between taste-maker Matador for their debut Telephono and EP Soft Effects, to then jump to the majors on A Series Of Sneaks at Elektra that saw them dropped four months after their sophomore release. Like so many before that have carved out long careers, the early years of Spoon reveal a band struggling to channel their influences into something wholly unique while Daniel's begins the process of finding his own voice. Intro - Utilitarian (A Series Of Sneaks) 14:42 - Theme To Wendell Stivers (Telephono) 18:54 - Nefarious (Telephono) 22:43 - Mountain Of Sound (Soft Effects EP) 33:49 - The Minor Tough (A Series Of Sneaks) 47:39 - Metal Detektor (A Series Of Sneaks) Outro - The Agony Of Laffitte (Laffitte 7" single) Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Let's get this out of the way - thanks to the ridiculous nature of regional rights and legal mumbo-jumbo surrounding album releases, we are occasionally stuck reviewing the edited and inferior US release of an album rather than the original UK or Australian version that the artist intended. That's what happened when one of our Patreon patrons selected the sophomore album Six by Mansun for us to check out. The original 1998 UK release features extra songs, a different track list and mixes, and is overall considered to the superior to the chopped-down and rearranged US version released in 1999. Back in the day, we would have made a visit to the local Virgin Megastore and dropped twenty to thirty bucks on an important version, but that option is long gone, so we're playing the hand as dealt. While the band made no secret on their debut Attack of the Grey Lantern that straight-up Brit-pop was of no interest, the band managed to craft radio-friendly pop melodies with twisted instrumentation and odd embellishments. Six takes it one step further, honing the pop songs while doubling-down on the twisted and odd, taking long divergences into instrumental passages, drastic tempo shifts and, uh, The Nutcracker? Intro - Six 14:23 - Negative 20:23 - Legacy 26:06 - Anti-Everything 34:48 - Being A Girl Outro - Fall Out Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Mark E. Smith of The Fall was a divisive character, turning people on or off with his kinetic one-note, occasionally slurred, stream of consciousness vocal delivery. After a decade and a half of abrasive post punk, line-up changes and restlessness led to a stylistic change, accounting for several electronic and IDM influenced albums. 1993's The Infotainment Scan falls into this era, while still featuring a jagged guitar line, clean (or sterile) production on programmed drums and synth keyboards dominates the overall sound, featuring odd cover song choices and sonic stretches that left us scratching our heads. There's a lovable cantankerous aspect to Smith's vocals that endears us to his limitations, but hearing the band go full rave seemed to a bridge too far. Intro - Paranoia Man In Cheap Sh*T Room 14:17 - Glam Racket 19:30 - It's a Curse 28:44 - Ladybird (Green Grass) Outro - Lost In Music Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

The story of The Nixons is not unlike a number of 1990s bands. Record some demos and release them on your own, find a small regional label to release your first album recorded on a shoe-string budget, get some buzz, the major labels swoop in, offer to re-release the album with a few new tracks, new cover art and a fresh mastering job, then throw out a single or two in hopes of a "next big thing" hit, only to see the follow-up album a year or two later (if they got one) get lackluster promotion and be promptly dropped. If bands like this were lucky, they managed one single that made an impression. With their 1995 album Foma, The Nixons managed just that with "Sister," which finds itself at the perfect crossroad of early Pearl Jam earnestness and Matchbox 20 radio pleasantry. What struck us and our guest about Foma was not the second wave of grunge sound that pins it so specifically to the decade, but the unexpected amount of social and political commentary in the lyrics that come across equally daring and off-putting. Listeners can still hear "Sister" on alternative rock radio stations across the country today, but thanks to a sound that covers all the 90s alternative rock touchstones, do they even know their listening to The Nixons? Intro - Sister 17:37 - Sweet Belief 30:45 - Drink The Fear Outro - Happy Song Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Fini Scad only managed to release one album during their short existence, but thanks to one of our listeners we're giving it a new lease on life. 1998's Wider Screen, and their EP from two years early, got the band onto Australian radio and television, but they burned out quickly and were gone the same year the album came out. We don't know what exactly happened, but we do know they left behind an interesting album, partially thanks to the production work of John Agnello (Buffalo Tom, Dinosaur Jr.), who helps gives the guitars twin guitar attack the right amount of punch. Singer/guitarist Dave Thomas kept us guessing, as his vocals morphed from bellowing hard rock one moment to whispered and intimate the next, which worked on most if not all the album. As our listener noted, it's a shame Fini Scad never managed to follow-up Wider Screen, because what they do well could have easily been refined and expanded upon, and the few nitpicks we had could easily be rectified. Intro - Coppertone 5:45 - Sonic Boy 8:13 - Just A Show 17:12 - Wider Screen 20:27 - It's Not Real Outro - More Of The Same Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Every decade of rock music and its various sub genre offshoots has produced oft-debated lists of notable drummers, and the 1990s is no exception. From the jazz-influenced speed of The Smashing Pumpkins Jimmy Chamberlain, to the technical progressive prowess of Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy, there is drummer for every style and flavor. Rather than discuss "the best," we're talking favorites, both well known and not-so-well known. Who gave us fills we still air drum to at our desks? Who pounded rhythms that make us shake our heads in awe? Whose beats influenced the next generation of drummers? From the groove metal of Pantera's Vinnie Paul to the skittish bounce of Dismemberment Plan's Joe Easley, we're scratching the surface and a bit more to get the conversation started on drummers of the 1990s. Intro - Drum Medley (I Am One by The Smashing Pumpkins / Pacific 231 by Burning Airlines / Jesus Christ Pose by Soundgarden / The City by Dismemberment Plan) 8:04 - Rhinosaur by Soundgarden 18:34 - Would? by Alice In Chains 34:37 - Hello by Oasis 41:32 - Wiser Time by The Black Crowes 58:06 - Puppets by Hum 1:02:30 - Andalusia by Shiner 1:15:07 - Milwaukee Sky Rocket by Braid Outro - Enjoy The Silence by Failure Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

By the time William and Jim Reid of the Jesus And Mary Chain put out the 1998 album Munki, the band had been through several iterations. From the noise drenched simplicity of Psychocandy to the pulsing beats of Automatic and the lazy strums of Stoned and Dethroned, the brothers had covered plenty of musical territory while still maintaining the attitude and sound unique to the band. In what would be their last release together until 2017's Damage And Joy, they manage to revisit nearly every phase of the band, and even explore some new ideas. But at seventeen songs and seventy minutes, the sheer length of the album, especially with some ill-advised forays into overlong noodling and keyboard driven tracks, left us wondering if the lack of an outside voice (i.e. a producer with a surname other than Reid) would have shaped a more concise, cohesive and ultimately satisfying listen. Intro - I Love Rock'n'Roll 11:46 - Degenerate 16:14 - Moe Tucker 20:37 - Perfume 23:03 - Commercial Outro - I Hate Rock'n'Roll Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Hailing from Canberra, Australia, the 1992 sophomore album Psychohum by the Falling Joys is what alternative or college or indie rock, however you want to classify it, looked to be heading pre-Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Eclectic and unpredictable, with guitar tones and vocals that easily slip between shoegaze, jangle pop, new wave and mainstream rock riffing, the Falling Joys sound like a band hitting their stride as songwriters and musicians. Led by vocalist/guitarist Suzie Biggie, who manages to invoke 79/80 Blondie one moment and Spooky era Lush the next, pulls off a wide array of styles with melodic cohesion. Paired with bassist and vocalist Pat Hayes on tunes like Incinerator, and Stuart Robinson's effected riffage on a song like God In A Dustbin, there is a lot to like about Psychohum. At the same time, that uninhibited approach can take a band down some lesser advised paths, with odd tangents into Chili Pepper funk and Sinatra swing. Which approach wins out? Tune in to hear our take on Psychohum. Intro - Dynamite 10:16 - Black Bandages 15:05 - Incinerator 19:50 - A Winter's Tale 22:17 - Lullaby 24:36 - Fortune Teller Outro - God In A Dustbin Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Our Patreon patron Brandon wanted to check out the 1999 (or 2000, if you bought the Sony rerelease) album This Will Be Laughing Week by Ultimate Fakebook. Through the magic of our Facebook page, we ended up connecting with lead singer and guitarist Bill McShane and drummer Eric Melin, and they ended up joining us as well. In addition, we gave away a pair of Sudio Regent headphones to one of our lucky Patreon patrons. It's a jam-packed episode! In addition to talking about the actual record, we also discuss what went on with the band signing to a major label at the end of the 1990s, touring, songwriting, band origins, vinyl reissues, Manhattan vs. Lawrence, new music and much more. Special thanks to Sudio Sweden for providing our May giveaway. On episodes 381 and 382 we followed up on our previous Tre and Regent reports, if you like what you hear and want to grab a pair, use the code DIGMEOUT for 15% off your purchase during the month of May. Intro - She Don't Even Know My Name 32:58 - Soaked In Cinnamon 59:46 - Real Drums 1:07:27 - Little Apple Girl Outro - Tell Me What You Want Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

By 1998 Tori Amos was already established an artist who balanced both commercial success and critical praise. With her fourth album, From The Choirgirl Hotel, Amos dialed down the piano and dialed up the band, exploring a fuller sound that moved between electronic(a) beats, Beatle stomps and a slew of new sounds. In surrendering her confessional piano ballad comfort zone, a broader approach does reveal some cracks that left us scratching our heads both from a songwriting and production standpoint. Gone are the unmistakable hooks of "God" or "Crucify" while the vocals, now competing with a bigger sounds from the background players, get compressed and pushed up front to a dizzying degree. It's a frustrating episode for as much as we liked about the album, we found ourselves unable to connect with the material like expected. Special thanks to Sudio Sweden for providing our May giveaway - a pair of Regent headphones. Join us at Patreon by May 15th to be eligible to win, winner announced on episode 384. We’re following up on our previous Tre and Regent reports, if you like what you hear and want to grab a pair, use the code DIGMEOUT for 15% off your purchase. Intro - Spark 10:46 - Raspberry Swirl 14:33 - Cruel 19:11 - She's Your Cocaine 27:32 - Jackie's Strength Outro - Iieee Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Through the 1980s, U2 had gone from upstart punks to political firebrands to stadium superstars, reaching the critical crossroad of either delivering what people expected and remaining creatively stagnant or reinventing their sound and risk alienation. By all accounts, 1991's Achtung Baby managed to position the band as a force at the beginning of the decade creatively, commercially and critically. That comes with its own risk, as one reinvention begets another - as the earnest and sincerity of the past is replaced with irony and spectacle. With Zooropa and the Passengers project with Brian Eno, the band continued to evolve sonically, but the U2 of The Unforgettable Fire and War was essentially retired. Depending on who you talked to, the band reached their 90s apex or nadir on 1997's Pop, forcing the band to release their greatest hits collection shortly after, and then to dial back the disconnect and on 2000's All That You Can't Leave Behind. With our guests, we dig deep into the U2 of the 90s, and try to figure out what what right, went went wrong, and where it left the band at the start of the new millenia. Special thanks to Sudio Sweden for providing our May giveaway - a pair of Regent headphones. Join us at Patreon by May 15th to be eligible to win, winner announced on episode 384. We’re following up on our previous Tre and Regent reports, if you like what you hear and want to grab a pair, use the code DIGMEOUT for 15% off your purchase. Intro - Discothèque from Pop 25:17 - The Fly from Achtung Baby 30:37 - Mysterious Ways from Achtung Baby 40:28 - Numb from Zooropa 43:47 - Stay (Faraway, So Close!) Outro - Staring At The Sun from Pop Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Nada Surf scored a quirky one-hit wonder with "Popular," and as with most one-hit wonders, pressure from the record label to follow it up caused a divide. In this case, Nada Surf were dropped, record in hand, which they were able to release on their own label. While The Proximity Effect received some positive press upon release in 1998 (in the UK, 2000 in the US), it went mostly unnoticed. It wasn't until Let Go in 2002 that the band fully arrived, garnering rave reviews, following that up with Chris Walla-produced The Weight Is A Gift in 2005. Upon reflection, The Proximity Effect comes across as a transition album, with the band sound clearing, fuller and more confident, while not quite hitting the highs they would reach on their next two releases. Special thanks to Sudio Sweden for providing our May giveaway - a pair of Regent headphones. Join us at Patreon by May 15th to be eligible to win, winner announced on episode 384. We’re following up on our previous Tre and Regent reports, if you like what you hear and want to grab a pair, use the code DIGMEOUT for 15% off your purchase. Intro - Hyperspace 14:34 - Firecracker 21:23 - Dispossession 28:18 - Spooky 36:29 - Amateur Outro - Robot Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

While we have traveled, musically speaking, to Europe and Australia quite often, Japan has been a much rarer trip, and we've never revisited an album that wasn't primarily recorded in English. Until now. Thanks to a patron selection, we're checking out the 2000 album Shōso Strip by Ringo Sheena. It's hard to nail down the sound or style of Ringo Sheena on her second album, which bounces from electronic pop to metallic distortion to cabaret swing, all backed by a talented band and produced to the nth degree, using every studio trick in the book. For a pop record, there is almost no western comparison. The better comparisons are trailblazing iconoclasts Bjork or Tori Amos, but even that fails to truly capture the twisted and wild ride that is Shōso Strip. Intro - I Am A Liar 7:30 - Instinct 14:47 - Excuse Debussy 25:37 - Sickbed Public 32:31 - A Broken Man and Midnight 38:27 - Stoicism Outro - Bathroom Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Do you remember 1995? If you do, you probably remember "In The Meantime" by Spacehog off their debut album Resident Alien. The single went to number one on the US mainstream chart, number two on the US modern rock chart, and top fifty in about every country that had a radio station. The album went Gold in the US and Platinum in Canada, and the video was in constant rotation on MTV. So what happened with their second effort, 1998's The Chinese Album? We don't know because neither the album nor any single charted in the US. So it's time for a sophomore slump revisited, and decide once and for all if we need to revisit Mungo City, or leave it a ghost town. Intro - Mungo City 15:45 - Goodbye Violent Race 18:15 - Captain Freeman 23:07 - Beautiful Girl Outro - One Of These Days Subscribe at Patreon Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

By 1993, James were already established with a string of successful UK singles on their four previous album. But with the release of Laid, they managed to crack wide open United States college and mainstream radio playlists with the quirky and catchy title track. However, like so many albums released in the 90s, a hit single does not always represent the sound of the band overall. While James had their fair share of uptempo tunes, including the New Order-esque Say Something from the same album, with the help of our Patreon patron Patrick (of Three Bines Hopped Spirits) who picked the album, we discovered a moodier, more melancholy sound, driven by bass and atmospheric guitars. While some of that credit is probably due to legendary musician/producer Brian Eno, the band themselves unveil a unique combination of post-punk edge, folk storytelling, Madchester bounce and Brit-pop swagger. It all makes for a listen that bares repeated listens to discover the layers, which also reveal some deficiencies that grew over time. Intro - Laid 13:23 - Say Something 16:51 - Out To Get You 27:27 - Five-O Outro - Sometimes Subscribe at Patreon Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Our Patreon patrons often surprise us. Our poll for April of 1998 included revered and critically acclaimed albums, but instead the votes went a surprising way. Stabbing Westward's third album Darkest Days, could (and was) written off in some circles as a Nine Inch Nails wannabe. In revisiting this, and other records there were not critical darlings in the 1990s, it is easy to see why. Following up a hit single (one-hit wonder?) on their previous record, the odds were against them pulling out another, especially while wrapping it all in a sixteen track, sixty-four minute concept album, in a genre (industrial rock) as pinned to the 1990s as grunge. But a funny thing happened, while lesser bands were layering oodles of synths and metallic guitars on top of mechanical drum beats, Stabbing Westward remember to write the hooks and keep it grounded in the more rock end of industrial rock. Sure, it's loud and abrasive one minute and whisper quiet serious the next, but with production master Dave Jerden assisting behind the board, the band manages to make it all in work despite the odds. Intro - Save Yourself 12:15 - Waking Up Beside You 23:23 - Haunting Me 27:23 - When I'm Dead 33:13 - Goodbye Outro - You Complete Me Subscribe at Patreon Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Upon release in 1996, Skinny Puppy's eight album The Process divided and confused longtime fans, some accusing the band of selling out and writing rock and metal singles for a major label. While a band like Ministry was able to slip the heavier/noiser end of industrial into periphery of mainstream of MTV and commercial radio with Psalm 69, neither reached the heights of a band like Nine Inch Nails, or the legion of wannabes who followed. Thanks to our patron Josh "funkdoc" Ballard bring this record to us, we're able to not only check out a diverse and divisive album fraught with creative tension and tragedy, but also examine the shifting concept of what "commercial" and "selling out" meant in 1996 versus today. Check out Josh's article on Medium, "The Billion-Year Voyage”: Skinny Puppy’s Last Rights. Intro - Candle 14:18 - Curcible 19:36 - Hardset Head 23:02 - Amnesia 34:31 - Jahya Outro - Blue Serge Subscribe at Patreon Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

New York City has been a global epicenter for music and culture in general for decades, so it is no surprise that the the 1990s are no different. From the legendary Velvet Underground, KISS and Blondie, to indie rock progenitors Sonic Youth, Talking Heads and Television, to the punk of the New York Dolls, Ramones and The Dictators, as well as the hip-hop, disco, electronic and dance scenes, the 1990s combined it all into a stew of unique sounds interpolated by artists such as the Beastie Boys, Living Colour, White Zombie, Girls Against Boys, Helmet, Biohazard, and more. Like every scene we've dug into, finding the venues, the media, the record stores, recording studios and labels that fostered the sound for the band, New York City has its own spin. How do you get gear to shows in a city most travel by subway? How do you get your band noticed in a sea of competition? How do you not get robbed and randomly punched in the face on the street? To help us unpack it all, we're joined by Eli Janney of Girls Against Boys and The 8G Band from Late Night with Seth Meyers, Mike Lustig of Ruth Ruth, and Mike Stuto from Brownies and Beggars Banquet Records. Intro - New York Medley (New York City by The Cult, New York State of Mind by Billy Joel, Back in the New York Groove by Ace Frehley, New York City by T. Rex) Outro - Safe In New York City by AC/DC Subscribe at Patreon Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

During our revisit of the one and only Talk Show album featuring the three guys not named Scott Weiland from Stone Temple Pilots during their infamous 1997 hiatus, we remarked how the music remained steady but the vocals and melodies were less interesting. Now we get to examine the other side of that temporary split with Weiland's 1998 solo debut 12 Bar Blues. Would the lack of the DeLeo brothers inventive riffing similarly hamper the lead singers creative output? The simple answer is no, thanks to Weiland's willingness to experiment, filling the record with interesting sounds and surrounding himself with accomplished musicians. It is an admirable, if occasionally messy, attempt to shatter the perceptions of what it meant to be "the lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots," but more often than not, the influences start to show. Sadly, this left us wondering if the lukewarm critical reception, albums sales and radio play pushed Weiland back into the easy embrace of Stone Temple Pilots too quickly, who churned out successive radio friendly if bland riffage that palled to their primer-era output. Weiland never pushed the envelope like he did on this record, and we try to figure out why. Intro - Barbarella 13:20 - Mockingbird Girl 18:05 - About Nothing 29:28 - Son Outro - Lady, Your Roof Brings Me Down Subscribe at Patreon Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Like any decade of rock music and commercial radio, the 1990s had plenty of one hit wonders, many of which we talked about in our One Hit Wonders Roundtable. Marcy Playground managed their own, with Sex and Candy in 1997 spending fifteen weeks at number on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, and top ten on four other US charts, as well as top ten in Canada and Australia, and top thirty in the UK. In other words, it was a massive hit, so how did they follow it up? In 1999 they released Shapeshifter, the whips between more radio friendly pop, Americana-folk, Butthole Surfer weirdness and Nirvana riffage. In other words, it is all over the place. Sometimes an eclectic approach provides a interesting and diverse selection of tunes, other times it is a mess of one-off attempts and half-way-there ideas. Where does Shapeshifter fall? Tune in to find out. Intro: It's Saturday 12:25 - America 14:09 - Love Bug 19:33 - All The Lights Went Out 24:14 - Secret Squirrel Outro - Bye Bye Subscribe at Patreon Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Going into this episode, we thought desert rock and stoner rock were the same thing. We were wrong. We thought the "desert rock sound" started with the Sabbath influence lowend fuzzed riffs of Kyuss. We were wrong on that as well. There is an important lesson here - makes sure you are open to preconceived notions being challenged because the truth maybe more interesting than the vision in your head. That wasn't only the case for us. We invited on Jason Georgiades, director of Desert Age, a film about the 80s and 90s desert rock scene, who also had to shift his thinking once he started digging into history, talking to the people, and hearing the music of the California desert around Palm Springs. You've heard of Queens of the Stone Age and Kyuss, but what about Across the River and Yawning Man? Or Unsound or Target 13? We talk the bands, the landscape, the (lack of) places to play and the illegal substances that made the desert rock scene of the truly most original in punk, alternative and hard rock. We also get a behind the scenes look at the making of a rock documentary in the twenty first century. Use the promo code "Green Machine" to get 15% off anything in the Desert Age store. Intro - Green Machine by Kyuss 11:05 - Monster in the Parasol from The Desert Sessions, Vol 3 & 4 24:04 - N.O. by Across The River 35:37 - She Got Me (When She Got Her Dress On) by Masters of Reality 53:33 - Rock Formations by Yawning Man Outro - Rodney on the Roq by Target 13 Subscribe at Patreon Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

You may know him from the "avant-punk" of 1990s Shudder To Think, but you'd probably been listening to Craig Wedren in some way in the last twenty years. From his frequent collaborations with writer/director David Wain on the various Wet Hot American Summer television seasons and movie, Role Models, Stella and Wainy Days, to his recent work on shows like Fresh Off The Boat, GLOW, Powerless, Hung and Blunt Talk, or his contributions on films such as Velvet Goldmine, School of Rock, Search Party, Wanderlust and many more, Craig has put his ear for 70s rock radio and 80s MTV to work. He stops by to talk about his latest solo release, Adult Desire from 2016, and discuss the virtual reality component that took us back to the immersion of yesteryear when audio and visual worked in thoughtful tandem. We also discuss his years spent in the Cleveland area, fronting teenage coverbands and enjoying the sounds of the Michael Stanley Band and Donnie Iris on WMMS, his apprehension writing music for 1990s based television, watching director and former Lemonheads bassist Jesse Peretz burn a suitcase on tour, and of course, KISS, plus so much more. Intro - I Am A Wolf, You Are The Moon from Adult Desire 5:26 - Are We from Wand 12:07 - Safe Home (Live) from Adult Desire 38:52 - Main Title Song from Role Models 50:11 - Spin Doctor-ish Song from Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later 51:06 - Pearl Jam and RHCP-ish song from Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later 1:15:46 - Until Summer by BAby Outr - I Am A Wolf, You Are The Moon from Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp Subscribe at Patreon Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

There are independent artists, and then there is Ani DiFranco. Forging her own path since starting Righteous Babe Records at age nineteen, busking tapes out of the back of her car in Buffalo, NY, DiFranco has remained as proficient and relevant for three decades. After a string of critically acclaimed albums and a well received live album, she released Little Plastic Castle in 1998 and was nominated for a Grammy for Rock Female Vocalist. Known for her folk rock staccato, Little Plastic Castle opens up the sound to incorporate horns, extra percussion, keyboards and more, and finds her breaking the rapid-fire delivery for songs built around mood and groove. Those alterations provide her with a large sonic pallet to play with, but come with some questionable choices, which left us split on what we liked and didn't like about the album. Intro - Glass House 9:03 - Fuel 12:26 - Pulse 15:25 - As Is 19:44 - Independence Day 22:52 - Pixie Outro - Little Plastic Castle Subscribe at Patreon Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

Like so many previous artists and bands referred to as "power pop," The Tories debut album Wonderful Life from 1997 came and went with little fanfare. Perhaps it was timing, as the early and mid-nineties alternative rock gold rush led to a unwieldy number of releases, most which got lost in the shuffle. Perhaps it was due to the label, which specialized in East Coast jazz and house music instead of California pop rock. Or was it the songs? No, it wasn't the songs. The Tories have the songs, as well as the melodies, the harmonies, the guitar fuzz, everything you expect when the chemistry is right, and creates a power pop album worth checking out. Along with our Patreon special guest, we try to figure out what went right and wrong with Wonderful Life. Intro - Flying Solo 13:39 - Gladys Kravitz 23:40 - Happy 29:12 - Spaceships in the Sky Outro - Not What it Appears Subscribe at Patreon Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com

"We live in urban hell, we destroy rock and roll." Those were the closing sentiments of the 1991 single Motown Junk by the Manic Street Preachers, a band of Welsh nihilist iconoclasts who declared greatness from the start, aligning themselves with The Clash, Public Enemy and Guns n' Roses. Four albums and the disappearance of one member later, the band was no longer a confrontational blitzkrieg. 1998's This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours is the sound of a band collectively exhaling and confronting both the past and their heartache, while building upon the success achieved on the previous album, Everything Must Go. On TIMTTMY, the band embraces a clean pop production that would propel the single "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" to number one in the UK, trading in guitars for organs, electric pianos and sitars. We revisit the record recognizing now that the band would continue on the path of deconstruction with Know Your Enemy three years later and the synth heavy Lifeblood in 2004. In fact, it would take almost a decade to recapture the guitar driven bombast on 2007's Send Away The Tigers. It's a fascinating if uneven attempt to pair pathos and pop sensibility that works for some but not all. Intro - If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next 13:38 - Ready for Drowning 17:43 - Black Dog on My Shoulder 26:45 - Tsunami 41:20 - If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next Outro - The Everlasting Subscribe at Patreon Facebook / Twitter / Instagram Zazzle Merch Store http://www.digmeoutpodcast.com