FREEFORM 1990's ALTERNATIVE ALBUM POLL - THE RECKONING (TOP TEN COUNTING DOWN NOW)

Simply Red?

stand up comedy record

I thought about slinging Stars a few.

rollins spoken word album

Ach, "They're All Gonna Laugh at You!" for the win. Anyone remember "The Longest Pee"?

guys fyi merzbox didnt come out until 2000 iirc

Ruled out Merzbow for much the same reasons I ruled out NWW

50= Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels On A Gravel Road (1998)
50 points
1 vote
1 first-place vote
Contributor: outdoorminer

http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/080623/lucinda-williams_l.jpg

What did Xgua write in his A+ review of Car Wheels? "Most accomplished record maker of her generation"? That's about right.

― Roy Kasten (Roy Kasten), Saturday, 20 January 2007 18:31 (3 years ago)

I'm a big fan of Car Wheels, sort of desert island style, but the rest I have been disappointed by. That was one of those records that just clicked time and place and dispositiion.

― mcd (mcd), Saturday, 20 January 2007 18:57 (3 years ago)

more on-topic: Car Wheels deserves all the praise it gets.

― aaron d.g. (aaron d.g.), Sunday, 21 January 2007 09:37 (3 years ago)

Yeah, self-titled above all. "Car Wheels" feels overworked, maybe 'cause with all that love and care and those gazillion reels of tape, it was. It smacks of Lucinda Doing Lucinda. I own it and haven't played it in years. I prefer "Essence"; at the very least, she was trying something different sonically.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Monday, 18 August 2003 07:25 (6 years ago)

I voted Car Wheels but I'm not very fluent in her oeuvre. After getting into Car Wheels I bought Sweet Old World and found it disappointing save for the Nick Drake cover. Her singing sells Car Wheels to me; she's as anxious as on Sweet Old World but her singing isn't as sweet and mannered. It sounds as worn as the hurt she's hinting at throughout. I'll also rep for Steve Earle's production on Car Wheels. I love a bunch of the records he produced in the mid 90s because it sounds like he took the sound on "Honky Tonk Women" as a template, so that the song seems to have been recorded from inside the bass drum. It makes for claustrophobic listening, like a realization of new wave's nervous ideal with a better drum sound.

― Euler, Thursday, 1 October 2009 06:23 (6 months ago)

(different to Ground Zero, I meant...this isn't by any means the most unearthly thing in the poll)

ohh nice choice.

Round up!

____ Stereolab - Peng! (1992)
____ XTC - Apple Venus, Vol. 1 (1999)
100. De La Soul - Buhloone Mind State (1993)
___ Fugazi - End Hits (1998)
98. Crowded House - Woodface (1991)
97. Sonic Youth - Washing Machine (1995)
96. Björk - Debut (1993)
95. Mark Eitzel - Songs of Love (1991)
94. Elliott Smith - Either/Or (1997)
___ The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde (1992)
92. The Afghan Whigs - Black Love (1996)
91. Tori Amos - From the Choirgirl Hotel (1998)
90. UGK - Ridin' Dirty (1996)
89. Grifters - Crappin' You Negative (1994)
88. The Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I (1999)
87. The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen (1993)
___ Neil Young - Harvest Moon (1992)
85. Biosphere - Substrata (1997)
___ Missy Elliott - Da Real World (1999)
___ Mogwai - Young Team (1997)
82. 2pac - All Eyez on Me (1996)
81. Metallica - Metallica (1991)
___ Built To Spill - Keep it Like a Secret (1999)
79. A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders (1993)
___ The Divine Comedy - Promenade (1994)
77. The Auteurs - New Wave (1993)
___ Burger/Ink - Las Vegas (1996)
___ Electronic - Electronic (1991)
74. Sleep - Dopesmoker (199?)
___ Slowdive - Souvlaki (1993)
72. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F#A#∞ (1998)
71. R.E.M. - New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996)
___ Earl Brutus - Tonight You Are The Special One (1998)
69. Sun City Girls - Torch of the Mystics (1990)
___ Sun City Girls - 330,003 Crossdressers From the Rig Veda (1996)
67. Pete Namlook - Air (1994)
66. Palace Music - Lost Blues and Other Songs (1997)
65. Sonny Sharrock - Ask the Ages (1991)
___ Lush - Spooky (1992)
63. Ol' Dirty Bastard - Return to the 36 Chambers (1995)
62. Aphex Twin - I Care Because You Do (1995)
___ They Might Be Giants - Flood (1990)
60. Mr. Bungle - California (1999)
___ Madonna - Erotica (1992)
58. Gas - Königsforst (1999)
57. Mouse on Mars - Autoditacker (1997)
56. Sonic Youth - A Thousand Leaves (1998)
___ Pizzicato Five - Happy End of the World (1997)
___ Magic Hour - No Excess Is Absurd (1994)
___ Nomeansno - Live and Cuddly (1991)
___ Kristin Hersh - Hips and Makers (1994)
___ Ground Zero - Revolutionary Pekinese Opera Ver.1.28 (1996)
50. Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (1998)

Really interesting list so far. I haven't heard any of the albums from 60 to 50.

Own/enjoy the following (though I haven't pulled out many in years)... not a bad hit ratio for this kind of poll:

____ Stereolab - Peng! (1992)
____ XTC - Apple Venus, Vol. 1 (1999)
100. De La Soul - Buhloone Mind State (1993)
98. Crowded House - Woodface (1991)
97. Sonic Youth - Washing Machine (1995)
96. Björk - Debut (1993)
92. The Afghan Whigs - Black Love (1996)
91. Tori Amos - From the Choirgirl Hotel (1998)
90. UGK - Ridin' Dirty (1996)
87. The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen (1993)
___ Missy Elliott - Da Real World (1999)
___ Mogwai - Young Team (1997)
79. A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders (1993)
___ Electronic - Electronic (1991)
74. Sleep - Dopesmoker (199?)
___ Slowdive - Souvlaki (1993)
72. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F#A#∞ (1998)
71. R.E.M. - New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996)
69. Sun City Girls - Torch of the Mystics (1990)
___ Sun City Girls - 330,003 Crossdressers From the Rig Veda (1996)
___ Lush - Spooky (1992)
63. Ol' Dirty Bastard - Return to the 36 Chambers (1995)
62. Aphex Twin - I Care Because You Do (1995)
60. Mr. Bungle - California (1999)
___ Madonna - Erotica (1992)
58. Gas - Königsforst (1999)
57. Mouse on Mars - Autoditacker (1997)
56. Sonic Youth - A Thousand Leaves (1998)

you could manage a few more tonight lj before you post your prog club picks at midnight!

yes why don't i just abandon my MA course

I didn't vote in this, but damn good to see NoMeansNo in it anyway.

this poll is great fun by the way, LJ. lots of good stuff, and plenty of new tastiness to explore. top work!

― m the g, Thursday, 29 April 2010 20:15 (3 hours ago) Bookmark

*blushes*

That 50 point thing is really freaky. I'm enjoying these results and maybe will even make myself listen to some of this stuff that I haven't heard (which is a lot of it).

Round-up with added Spotify links:

____ Stereolab - Peng! (1992)
____ XTC - Apple Venus, Vol. 1 (1999)
100. De La Soul - Buhloone Mind State (1993)
___ Fugazi - End Hits (1998)
98. Crowded House - Woodface (1991)
97. Sonic Youth - Washing Machine (1995)
96. Björk - Debut (1993)
95. Mark Eitzel - Songs of Love (1991)
94. Elliott Smith - Either/Or (1997)
___ The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde (1992)
92. The Afghan Whigs - Black Love (1996)
91. Tori Amos - From the Choirgirl Hotel (1998)
90. UGK - Ridin' Dirty (1996)
89. Grifters - Crappin' You Negative (1994)
88. The Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I (1999)
87. The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen (1993)
___ Neil Young - Harvest Moon (1992)
85. Biosphere - Substrata (1997)
___ Missy Elliott - Da Real World (1999)
___ Mogwai - Young Team (1997)
82. 2pac - All Eyez on Me (1996)
81. Metallica - Metallica (1991)
___ Built To Spill - Keep it Like a Secret (1999)
79. A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders (1993)
___ The Divine Comedy - Promenade (1994)
77. The Auteurs - New Wave (1993)
___ Burger/Ink - Las Vegas (1996)
___ Electronic - Electronic (1991)
74. Sleep - Dopesmoker (199?)
___ Slowdive - Souvlaki (1993)
72. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F#A#∞ (1998)
71. R.E.M. - New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996)
___ Earl Brutus - Tonight You Are The Special One (1998)
69. Sun City Girls - Torch of the Mystics (1990)
___ Sun City Girls - 330,003 Crossdressers From the Rig Veda (1996)
67. Pete Namlook - Air (1994)
66. Palace Music - Lost Blues and Other Songs (1997)
65. Sonny Sharrock - Ask the Ages (1991)
___ Lush - Spooky (1992)
63. Ol' Dirty Bastard - Return to the 36 Chambers (1995)
62. Aphex Twin - I Care Because You Do (1995)
___ They Might Be Giants - Flood (1990)
60. Mr. Bungle - California (1999)
___ Madonna - Erotica (1992)
58. Gas - Königsforst (1999)
57. Mouse on Mars - Autoditacker (1997)
56. Sonic Youth - A Thousand Leaves (1998)
___ Pizzicato Five - Happy End of the World (1997)
___ Magic Hour - No Excess Is Absurd (1994)
___ Nomeansno - Live and Cuddly (1991)
___ Kristin Hersh - Hips and Makers (1994)
___ Ground Zero - Revolutionary Pekinese Opera Ver.1.28 (1996)
50. Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (1998)

Man, so jealous of people who can use Spotify. This reminds me of what it must be like for all of the other countries of the world who hate our freedom because they're so jealous.

Yeahy! 3 out of my top 10 choices represented so far.

Really glad some of you support and feel curious about listening to the Ground Zero album.
Louis kindly asked me to share a few words about why I love the album... and... well, it's a hard question... I can easily feel why I like Gas - Konigsforst, I just put on my headphones and look at the ground or the sky and it feels like I'm exploring another world. It's a perfect record for architectural design.

But why do I think Revolutionary Pekinese Opera is such a kickass record? Well, I really can't tell... I've always been a huge fan of sound collages... I think it might just be one of the most effective ways to capture a set of emotions, ideas and time on record and I think a huge part of their appeal is their abstract meaning.
So maybe I like it for its strong political subtext, maybe because it makes me feel like seeing through the saturated eyes of a Japanese metropolitan or maybe just because there's quite nothing like it when I'm in the mood for it... none of it matters.... this sort of record feeds off of your own imagination and mood and whatever meaning it might reveal depends solely on what the listener makes off it.

So anyways, if you have even the slightest taste for sound collages, abstract music, free jazz or maybe music by artists like The Books or Paavoharju I'd definitely recommend giving it a try. The whole thing plays like a film and it's a very satisfying experience.

:D top stuff!

so you're saying it's a very open-ended album experience...and one to be heard end-to-end...a sort of sound-world. yep, very much intrigued.

Thanks! Yes, that's pretty much what I make of it, at least the main reason I enjoy it so much.

Regardless of the idiosyncratic method involved in creating this poll the results are turning out beautiful so far.

Gotta say, I'm surprised and delighted at the sheer range and quality of the records here. Gives creedence to my oft-repeated claims that the 90's really were a cracking time for music.

The only Ground Zero album I've heard is Consume Red, which I never really got into. Is Revolutionary Pekinese Opera significantly different? By Moka's description it should be right up my avenue.

Yes, it's way easier to digest than 'consume red'... it's also more concise and adventurous... to be honest, I'm not a huge fan of that record myself... I think it's sort of dull, I always lose interest before it starts getting interesting. There's a couple of entertaining user reviews for pekinse opera on rym:

http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/ground_zero/revolutionary_pekinese_opera_ver_1_28/reviews/1

Not so many posted today - I kinda have to save my own ass regarding my degree

No. Fail out. THIS IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT! (j/k)

Don't sweat it. Maybe go offline for a couple of days?

http://eyesore.no/tfdi/4ad-pics/ThrowingMuses.HouseTornado.ep.jpg

Mods, kindly erase that, posted to wrong thread.. And its not even a 90s poster....

Fantastic album though.

Good luck with the degree stuffs, LJ! Cheers for an entertaining poll so far. Looking forward to more results whenever there is less ass-saving to be done.

(Especially looking forward to finding out that everyone else on ILX loves the most obscure album I voted for and has showered a hundred points each on it. Don't let me down, now!)

I think most people are okay with no poll results on weekends. They've run like that before, certainly.

Sadly I have given up on Prolapse making it, and the people of ILX now sicken me.

Awh I'd have voted Prolapse if I'd actually voted. Dunno which album though, the 1st one probably.

I am a bad person, you declared your intent to vote for a Prolapse album on the other thread and I still voted for a different one

(Italian Flag, because it is ace)

I WANT RESULTS McGARNIGLE!

sausage, i agree with you, the 90s was an amazing decade for music. there hasn't been a decade better than it since.

Except the last one.

haha

fine I'll post a couple tonight

hurrah

you're a king, lj

only for a day

then I'm a fool

for a LIFETIME

49 Faith No More - Angel Dust
51 points
4 votes
0 first-place votes
Greatest contributor: m the g

http://teriyakigoodtimes.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/faith_no_more_-_angel_dust_-_front.jpg

Angel Dust isn't only their best album but one of the best ever made.

― nickalicious, Friday, 4 January 2008 00:31 (2 years ago)

Angel Dust is a phenomenal piece of art that I don't listen to that much for the same reason I don't listen to a lot of other great albums that much, which is that I don't want to wear it out for me. I pull out The Real Thing more often, since that's their great pop record (although I'm more partial to the first half). I am going to have to say Angel Dust, though.

― Jeff Treppel, Friday, 4 January 2008 01:56 (2 years ago)

Angel Dust is a classic without qualifications.

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Thursday, 22 July 2004 01:41 (5 years ago)

i love this album but i have no idea what to vote for

― congratulations (n/a), Friday, March 20, 2009 4:52 PM (4 minutes ago)

this is the exact same problem i am having

― Hey that thing you like? I hate it. (jjjusten), Friday, 20 March 2009 16:58 (1 year ago)

part of the problem is the songs are so different from each other that it's almost like apples and oranges within the album ... like how do you compare "RV" to "crack hitler"?

― congratulations (n/a), Friday, 20 March 2009 17:00 (1 year ago)

Its one of the only albums I'd like to hear a band go back and play back to back.

― Hamildan, Saturday, 21 March 2009 16:10 (1 year ago)

No year which saw the release of Angel Dust can be all bad.

― chap, Monday, 30 April 2007 00:03 (3 years ago)