Countdown to 30: My Favorite Album From 1993

 1993

Oof...so...1993 is going to be a tough choice, so I'm going to do a countdown of my top three albums.

I said that my 1991 album choice Woodface was my second favorite album by Crowded House. Well, third place is my actual favorite Crowded House album, Together Alone. Together Alone is a gorgeous, lyrical and auditory masterpiece. Obviously, I can't go into too much detail since it's only my third place pick, but it's just so personal. The production on Woodface is probably stronger, but Together Alone feels like you're being sung to. The songwriting is like a summation of everything the band had done up to that point. The instrumentation is strong, but so is the gentle flow, so is the element of power pop.

So, if that's third place, what are the other two? I'm glad you asked, other Emma. One is an album that was actually a big deal to me growing up, and which I would still identify as some of this artist's strongest songwriting. The other is an album that took over my life while I was writing an article about bands influenced by Queen back in 2015, and which I still identify as being an almost perfect album. Decisions, decisions.

I have all the right in the world to be biased toward Kate Bush's 1993 album, The Red Shoes, for which she made a promotional movie called The Line, The Cross, and The Curve, which at seven years old I  made my own version of. I would watch that movie to kill time when I was too excited to sit still before going to a friend's house. I listened to my cassette soundtrack often too. At 19, when I was preparing to move back to Ohio from California, "Moments of Pleasure" came up on my shuffle and made me cry. I messed up "Rubberband Girl" at karaoke in Denver, Colarado while I was filming my as-yet unreleased documentary. This album has deep roots in my life. I love the way Bush used many of the songs to process her emotions about the death of her mother and a session guitarist she frequently worked with, Alan Murphy. She was also mourning the end of a long relationship with bassist Del Palmer. The duo continued to work together after the end of the relationship. I think all this makes this Bush's Rumors. "Moments of Pleasure" is a song of mourning for many of these losses, although she still believed when it was written that her mother would pull through and beat cancer ("For those who will survive"). 

Bush frequently had strange and wonderful guest appearances on her albums, and The Red Shoes was certainly no exception. Prince contributed instrumentals to "Why Should I Love You?" and comedian Lenny Henry contributed vocals to the track. Eric Clapton plays guitar on "And So Is Love," with Gary Brooker from Procol Harum on Hammond organ. It's really a great album and I encourage everyone to check it out at some point.

But clearly, my number one pick is going to be the last one I talk about and that's the one I want you to hear the most. Spilt Milk by Jellyfish is truly art from start to finish.

Spilt Milk is a dream. I listened to a podcast (which I can't remember the name of or I would totally link it here) in which they broke down just how the concept of the night's sleep plays out, beginning with the lullaby that is "Hush." Producer Albhy Galuten and the band themselves had such a clear artistic image for the album that every noise seems to be deliberate, every instrument there for a reason. And yet, it's still playful, childlike. The cover of the album was designed by Mick Haggerty, the genius behind the cover of Supertramp's Breakfast in America. This album had every reason in the world to be successful and regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time, and yet...

Remember what I said about Crowded House in 1991? The early '90s were a source of plenty of power pop...but a difficult time to find your niche in a world of genres that didn't quite match what bands like Jellyfish and Crowded House. Jellyfish even moreso than Crowded House, because they were making sunshiny bubblegum pop at the same time that Kurt Cobain was mumbling inaudible lyrics over heavy guitar and drums. 

That's not to say the album hasn't found its place in the world. Many audiophiles and classic pop nerds such as myself have found it since and absolutely love it. Drake Bell and Puffy Amiyumi have covered  the second track on the album, "Joining a Fanclub," a cautionary tale about idol worship. 

"Ghost at Number One" takes on some of their contemporaries, the fleeting nature of fame, and does all of this with nods to The Beach Boys. It was one of the first songs of theirs that I heard, although "Sebrina, Paste, and Plato" is a strange and playful song and it actually bears more resemblance to Queen.

But the track that made me fall in love with the band, the other one listed on the forum about Queen influence, is "New Mistake," a song wearing ELO influences on its sleeve. I never dislike listening to this song, and it's become one of my "magical songs," one I avoid listening to too often so that it can retain the charm it has for me. 

All of the tracks on this album have merit. There's not one I would skip over or roll my eyes about. It's a shame both that these boys didn't find more success and that they couldn't seem to get along for more than a few years. 

Christmas 1993. I become the recipient of a tickle attack from my father.

As I mentioned, my relationship with the band started in 2015. I was at a very strange place in my life. I had finally embraced being alone after living with my ex for a couple of painful years. I was prolific on this blog, I was writing for REBEAT, and I was successful in my professional life. I was making preparations to leave the country for the very first time. I dove headfirst into my love of Jellyfish, spreading that love with anyone I could find. My subordinates at work even greeted me with a Jellyfish song as I came in to work one night, attempting to ensure that I had a good night. When I finally did leave the country, I searched for Jellyfish CDs in shops in London, snagging myself the deluxe reissues of both albums. I still look back on that zeal with pride. It's nice to like something that much. Healthy obsession can be fun, and there's a lot to dive into with Jellyfish. Their first album is great too, one of the good ones from 1990, before I was born. But Spilt Milk is really a congruent masterpiece. Check it out.

Okay, let's throw it up on the leaderboard!

Join me tomorrow for my favorite album of 1994.

Countdown to 30: My Favorite Album From 1991

I know I haven't posted in over a year, but 2020 wasn't exactly inspiring! I'm going to come back at you now with more articles back to back then I have ever posted, and they're more personal than I've ever gotten. I'm turning thirty in a month and I have been trying for almost a year now to figure out what I want to do special for my 30th birthday. I recently saw a video in which someone picked their favorite album from every year they've been alive and I was like: "that's it!" So for the next 30 days, I'll be taking you on a tour of the amazing albums from throughout my lifetime, starting with...

1991

There were only two options that stood out to me from 1991. Oddly, there were a couple of albums I really liked that came out in 1990, but 1991 only had one runner up.

I got really into Talk Talk in 2005ish, and I'm one of those weirdos that loves them both as a new romantic band and a avant garde, post-rock musical outfit. I listen to It's My Life and clearly hear a link between the two. Laughing Stock was their final album, the band leaving the world just as I was coming into it. I don't want to be the guy to say this is a difficult listen (partly because it's not), but it's not something to bop your head and sing along to in the car. Mark Hollis sprinkles lyrics sparsely like any other instrumentation and it makes for a gorgeous work of art. Another thing I really like about the band and the album is that this was also their final collaboration with the great James Marsh, who did the art for all of their albums, no matter where the musical spectrum took them.

But that said, Laughing Stock is not my pick for 1991. If I could get you to listen to one album from 1991, it would be Woodface by Crowded House. 

My mom made a conscious effort to tame down her musical tastes once I was born, lest she expose me to something inappropriate. Woodface, however still deeply ingrained in my childhood. As an adult, it's only my second favorite Crowded House album, yet it still has fantastic songwriting, there's no arguing with that. 

As an adult, I have really grown to appreciate lead singer Neil Finn's songwriting, the flow of his melodies, the call of Crowded House harmonies, and the tender nature of many of his lyrics. Now many of the songs on this album were originally written with his brother Tim Finn, intended to be a part of an album they were working on, and ended up resulting in Tim joining the band. Tim would depart again during the U.K. leg of the tour supporting the album. 

Speaking of the lineup, let me give you another fun fact about the album before I launch into my full endorsement of it. You know who lends drums to several tracks? Ricky Fataar! He drummed for The Beach Boys and sang on one of my favorite later Beach Boys tracks, "Sail On, Sailor." He also plays the George Harrison character in The Rutles (playing guitar even though he's a drummer, but I guess that adds to the comedy?). 

To be honest, the lead single, "Chocolate Cake" doesn't even sound like what you would think of as a Crowded House song, but it carries the type of political message the band commonly employ, and it's a great kickstart for the album. With no offense intended, Crowded House typically have a much milder and less aggressive sound much more like "It's Only Natural," the intended lead single of the album, which ended up replaced by "Chocolate Cake" as the lead single. 

"Fall at Your Feet" is gorgeous, and of course, included in The Axis Of Awesome's "Four Chords Song" since it is a four chord pop song like many hits over the years.

She's going to be mad at me for sharing this but one of 
the things I learned in film school was something
about asking for forgiveness rather than permission. 
Sorry, Mom.

I have a couple of early memories related to the album. My mom had a shirt (from a tour I think?) and even though I knew somehow that it was an album cover, I always thought of it as her "Halloween shirt." There's even a picture of us carving pumpkins together while she's wearing it (and pretending to be grossed out by my zest for cleaning out the pumpkin innards).

When I was somewhere between 8 and 11, I starting going through my mom's cassette collection and borrowing what I wanted. I grabbed a cassette single of "Chocolate Cake" even though I had no idea what the song was really about. I kind of remembered the band from when I was a kid and I kind of liked chocolate cake, the food item. My mom couldn't understand why I wanted to borrow it, because I was already at an age where I was considering music critically, so I was surely too old to want to listen to it because of the title. This of course, was false. As a child, I liked the idea of the aforementioned "Chocolate Cake" for 100% the wrong reasons. I think I was surprised that it wasn't softer and only listened to it once. What childish tastes I had then! I mean, I was a child, and also listening to the Anastasia soundtrack still, but I was listening to "Jolene" by Dolly Parton and "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash on another cassette at the time, so I wasn't totally a baby.

Actual photo of me in 1991

Later in my life, the first song that really resonated with me was "Weather With You." Mom always sang it as a joke about how it tends to rain when she travels. I love the actual message of the song- have a positive outlook and demeanor and it will really help you out, whereas a negative attitude will make things continue to loop downward. It's a great message, one that I find very uplifting for some reason. It makes me think of my favorite depression quote from Hamlet, "there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. To me it is a prison."

My current favorite track, or the one I got really into most recently is probably the intended lead single, "It's Only Natural" or "Four Seasons in One Day." There's absolutely something to be said for "Whispers and Moans" as well though. Standout lyrics from "It's Only Natural": "you've seen me at my worst//And it won't be the last time I'm down there."

Looking back from the future (the present, but the future in 1991), this album and Crowded House in general was part of a very strange musical movement. 1991 was the year of Nevermind, the proto-grunge album, Loveless by My Bloody Valentine, an album widely regarded as the first shoegaze or dreampop album. Those albums are great, don't get me wrong, but there was also this melody-heavy music that wasn't folk, wasn't rock, and wasn't dated by its sound. Major props to the producers, Mitchell Froom and Neil Finn himself, who used restraint when producing the album. It's not acoustic, it's not electric. I'll tell you what it is: it's a great album!

Let's throw it up on the leaderboard!

1991

...Not much of a leaderboard yet, but we'll get there.

Join me tomorrow for my favorite album of 1992.

Concert Review: Vampire Weekend in Cleveland, Ohio

Some evening are like Mary Poppins: practically perfect in every way. Last night, the weather and atmosphere was prime: cool and breezy for a mid-June day. Jacob's Pavillion at Nautica provided a beautiful backdrop for a sold-out show. Vampire Weekend and Chicano Batman rocked the stage for not only a good time, but a long time.

Chicano Batman took the stage at 7:30p.m. with an energetic and funky set. Chicano Batman are from Los Angeles, and perform a retro blend of genres. They played "Cycles of Existential Rhyme," "Freedom is Free," and several selections from the Black Lipstick EP including the titular "Black Lipstick." A daytime moon shone beside the stage, an indicator of the clear sky and ideal weather. The crowd was attentive, if under-engaged. The short set felt full and enthralling.

Chicano Batman.

Chicano Batman lead singer Bardo Martinez.

After a brief reset, Vampire Weekend took the stage at 8:47p.m. and began with a raucous "Sympathy" from the recent Father of the Bride. The already-enthused crowd was further roused by "White Sky" from the band's second album, Contra. Jumping from song to song with smooth instrumental transitions, the band then dove into "Unbelievers."

Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend.

This tour comes not long after the departure of founding member and producer, Rostam Batmanglij. In his place, the other three founding members (Ezra Koenig, Chris Tomson, and Chris Baio) have employed the help of a quartet of live performers: Greta Morgan on keys and guitar, Garrett Ray as an additional drummer and percussionist, Will Canzoneri on the main keyboard parts and the inimitable Brian Robert Jones who often takes lead guitar.

Vampire Weekend.

Still early in the show, it was thrilling to hear Vampire Weekend play an animated rendition of "Holiday." Koenig's Epiphone Sheraton provided their signature jangly sound.

An early track, "Boston" (or "Ladies of Cambridge") was next, followed by a duo of songs from the new album: "Bambina" and "Sunflower." The band worked their way into "Sunflower" slowly, extending the intro significantly. The pair of songs really brought forth and channeled the relaxed vibes of Father of the Bride.

After the popular "M79," the crowd was more than ready for "This Life."

"Step" was unusual to hear without being immediately followed by "Diane Young." They instead played "Spring Snow" from the new album, and then "Giant," both songs not commonly done live. The crowd was encouraged to join in as the M.I.A. part in "Diplomat's Son." The crowd never seemed to figure out when to stop and start the repeated chant, but the participation did engage everyone at what could have been a quieter part of the show, since the songs were deeper in the catalog.

An upbeat "Hannah Hunt" gave way to "Harmony Hall." Being that it's one of the biggest hits, as well as my personal favorite from the album, it was exciting to hear the opening guitar parts played by Koenig and Jones. By this time, the band had been playing for an hour and fifteen minutes, and the beat was dragging a little. Nevertheless, "Harmony Hall" and the subsequent "Diane Young" brought down the house. That is, until the high-octane "Cousins" blew us away yet again, proving the crowd could always participate more. A pair of songs from their self-titled debut album followed, with "A-Punk" and "One (Blake's Got a New Face)." Finally, the tempo slowed down with "2021" and "I Think Ur a Contra," which quietly wrapped up the set.

The audience wasn't left waiting long before the band returned to the stage for an encore. They began with an emotional "Big Blue," and unfurled the flags representative of different elements of the new album.

Next, Vampire Weekend debuted a cover of "Don't Dream It's Over" (by Crowded House). As regular readers will know, I'm a big fan of covers, especially when my favorite artists cover one another, so you know I was thrilled.

The Vampire Weekend version of the song was very true to the original, which made it pretty good, but I wish they'd put more of their own twist on it than just riffing a little longer during the musical bridge.

Following "Don't Dream It's Over," the band took three requests from members of the crowd, beginning with one of my favorite rare tracks, "Ottoman." This rendition definitely borrowed from the vibes of Father of the Bride. The next two requests were "How Long?" and "Flower Moon" from the new album, but they only played the first minute or so from "Flower Moon" since they were short on time. 

Earlier, I mentioned the strange separation of songs from Modern Vampires of the City. Well, the band made up for this at the close of the concert when they kept "Worship You" and "Ya Hey" together. Giant inflatable globes made their way into the crowd as the final songs were played, which created a fun vibe in the audience. 

The band played for over two hours, which is admirable. They also kept it fun the entire time, which is just one reason that this was one of the best shows I've been to in a while. It was mostly pitch-perfect and enjoyable through and through. You could tell they were a group of fine musicians. I paid over a hundred dollars for my ticket to this show, making it one of the more expensive shows I've attended, but it was worth every penny. 

If you have a chance to catch them on the rest of their tour this summer, I highly recommend checking them out.

Seasonal Music Roundup: Summer Songs

It's just over a week into summer and the temperature in my area has already shot above one-hundred degrees. I'm not sure how much of a damper this will put on the ability to frolic this year, but it's certainly a good indicator that the season is upon us. I am an irresponsible blog-runner in that I have not yet given you an awesome playlist of recommended songs for the summer. Bad me. But now (a week late, I know), I have risen to the occasion and would like to present you with a summer playlist. Not all of these songs have to do with summer directly, many were just chosen for mood they seem to convey or the tempo (explanations after the image).

"All Summer" by Kid Cudi, Best Coast and Rostam of Vampire Weekend
This track was released for free a couple of years ago to promote Converse shoes. It's still available on the website, and I happen to think it's a solid song.

"Wild Young Hearts" by Noisettes
With a similar feel and energy to that of "All Summer," "Wild Young Hearts" is a great tune for jumping around in the sunniest season.

"Summer Day" by Coconut Records (featuring Kirsten Dunst)
Much more down-tempo, this song is better to listen to whilst lazing about drinking lemonade and whining about how hot it is.

"Weather With You" by Crowded House
Crowded House tends to have a spring/summer sound to them, but this song definitely feels summery to me. The song is about creating your own mood or "weather," so I suppose it suits whatever season you want it to.

"Summer Trippin'" by Push Kings
The all-but-vanished 90s band Push Kings are survived by Carrick Moore Gerety's more recent band Everybody Else, but should not be forgotten. I feel like this particular song has a lot in common with Crowded House, and has all the fun of a 90s pop song without the pain of being a typical 90s pop song.

"Oregon Girl" by Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
A play on 60s surf songs like "California Girls," "Oregon Girl" is a great summery song for those who know that there are also attractive girls in states apart from California.

"Afternoons With David Hockney" by Miniature Tigers
This is a track from Miniature Tigers' latest album. I picked this song as more of a mood song. It has a floating, lazy feel to it that I think suits a summer playlist.

"Super Sunshine" by Tom Milsom
Talented multi-instrumentalist and Youtuber Tom Milsom presented this track on the first of his Explorers albums. It's a fun and intricate piece that can be purchased here.

"Run" by Ben Kweller
Ignoring the obvious grammatical errors, this is really a good tune. The feel of freedom and ease lends itself well to a summer playlist.

"Bloodshot Days" by The Crookes
This is a rather sad song, but I still feel like the instrumentals fit the playlist. I guess we just have to assume that summer isn't all pleasant frolicking.

"King's Highway" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
A far more optimistic song than its predecessor, this song always makes me feel hopeful.

"Be Born" by Tally Hall
I chose this pleasantly lazy song about an unborn child because it's a perfect melody for a summer day whether you catch the meaning or not.

"Sunshine, Lollipops, And Rainbows" by Lesley Gore 
By an artist who could truly convey the innocence and happiness of young love, this is a tune that can make you very happy and optimistic if you let it.

"All Summer Long" by The Beach Boys
Like them or not, The Beach Boys sure do go hand-in-hand with summer.

"Sunny Girlfriend" by The Monkees
Michael Nesmith sings of a manic-pixie-dream-girl in a song that is pleasant and upbeat.

"Holiday" by Vampire Weekend

The oft-used-in-commercials "Holiday," like many Vampire Weekend songs, is great for warm weather. The video is quite nice too:

"Sunny Afternoon" by The Kinks

The moods of the lyrics and music match up perfectly in this tale of a lazy day in the life of a man who finds himself recently unentangled.

"Good Day Sunshine" by The Beatles

The Beatles sing about sunshine from time to time, but the effect is never as unapologetically optimistic as in "Good Day Sunshine."

"The Summer" by Coconut Records

Jason Schwartzman presents another fun summer song. Really, most Coconut Records songs are reminiscent of summer, but this one is blatant about it.

"Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys
I close this playlist with another track from the most summer-centric band of all time.


Other suggestions? Drop me a comment.