Dig Me Out: 90s Rock

The 1993 debut album No Biting by Los Angeles-based band Greta blends post-grunge aggression with quirky, off-kilter alternative rock. Led by Paul Plagens’ distinctive vocals and lyrics, the album features tracks like “Revolver” and “School On Fire” showcase a mix of heaviness and melody. The willingness to veer into funk, noise, and pseudo-progressive territory adds a level of chaotic charm to the re...

Legendary guitarist and songwriter Richard Thompson's 1999 album Mock Tudor explores the dark corners of suburban England with sharp wit and rich storytelling. Produced by Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf, the album steers away from Thompson's signature folk-rock sound towards a leaner, more contemporary approach. While still rooted in traditional genres with touches of rockabilly and reggae, the album fe...

For our latest Diamond Episode, we're checking out Jewel’s 1995 debut Pieces of You. A blend of minimalist folk ballads with polished pop, Pieces of You is a showcase for Jewel's rich and varied soprano voice. Hits like “Who Will Save Your Soul” and “You Were Meant for Me" are the rarity featuring multi-tracked instrumentation. Much of the record was recorded live at a San Diego coffeehouse, which giv...

Released in 1995, the waning years of grunge and riding the big wave of the alternative rock explosion, That’s What Love Songs Often Do by Fig Dish was a punchy major label debut from Chicago quartet Fig Dish. Lyrically, Fig Dish steers away from overwrought introspection in favor of sly, observational jabs at love and life, delivered with rasp and grit. Raw yet clear production allows the interplay b...

For Him and the Girls, the debut album by Canadian singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman, is an eclectic blend of glam rock, cabaret, and indie pop. Recorded largely in his home studio, the album revels in his uniquely quirky and theatrical style. Songs like “Tarantulove” and “Safe and Sound” feature lush arrangements, dramatic tempo shifts, and playful yet poignant lyrics that shift between earnest and ...

One Simple Word, the fourth studio album by The Connells, showcases the band’s melodic southern jangle pop sound with a more polished and introspective tone. While not a commercial blockbuster, the album scored with critics and college radio listeners thanks to catchy but not overly sugary melodies that sound like attempts at a mainstream radio hit. Lush guitar interplay and heartfelt lyrics highlight...

Blending progressive house, techno, and ambient, the 1996 album Second Toughest in the Infants is Underworld’s ambitious follow-up to their breakout album Dubnobasswithmyheadman. Crafted with expansive, hypnotic soundscapes, tracks like “Pearl’s Girl” and the multipart suite “Juanita/Kiteless/To Dream of Love” highlight their exploration of rhythm and texture, while Karl Hyde’s cryptic, stream-of-cons...

In our third installment of Surviving the 90s, we’re revisiting one of the arena rock powerhouses of the late '70s and early '80s — Foreigner. Known for a string of massive hits like "Cold as Ice," "Hot Blooded," "Urgent," "Juke Box Hero," and the chart-topping ballad "I Want to Know What Love Is," Foreigner dominated radio and MTV in their prime. Albums like Double Vision, Head Games, and 4 went mult...

An Eye For A Brow, A Tooth For A Pick, the 2006 debut album by Australian band Ground Components, blends elements of garage, punk, and soul that fits in nicely with the garage rock revival of the early '00s. Featuring a mix of aggressive punk-ish guitar riffs, driving and boogie rhythms, and horn arrangements give the album a unique sound compared to contemporaries. All that is a playground lead for l...

While their debut album tagged them as Dinosaur Jr Jr thanks to loud guitars and J. Mascis behind the board, Buffalo Tom's second album, Birdbrain, builds on the raw, guitar-driven sound of their debut but with more mature songwriting and production. Produced again by J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. with Sean Slade, the album emphasizes emotional intensity over polish, with songs like "Birdbrain" and "Enemy"...

Uisce (pronounced "ish-ka," the Irish word for "water") is the sole full-length album by Australian band Non-Intentional Lifeform (N.I.L.), released in 1997 by Roadrunner Records. Formed in Perth in 1995, N.I.L. was known for their eclectic fusion of hard rock, thrash metal, post-punk, rap, and funk. Energetic and unpredictable, the album is an inventive blend of genres anchored by stellar musical per...

A fusion of punk, garage, and noise rock, the 1996 album Blastronaut by The Lee Harvey Oswald Band is a bombastic, high energy record drawing upon 70s David Bowie, classic rock, and the Stooges. Confrontational and darkly humorous, the band leans into a satirical, sometimes absurdist tone, reflecting a punk ethos while incorporating elements of Southern culture and psychedelic weirdness. The alias-dri...

The 1990 self-titled album by Social Distortion marked a significant turning point for the band, showcasing a more refined and mature sound compared to their hardcore roots. Frontman Mike Ness emerged from a turbulent period in the 1980s, including a stint in rehab that deeply influenced the album’s themes of struggle, redemption, and personal reflection. The album saw the band evolve from hardcore be...

Canadian electro-industrial band Front Line Assembly, led by Bill Leeb with longtime collaborator Rhys Fulber, released their eighth album Hard Wired in 1995. The album blends harsh electronic beats, cinematic synth textures, distorted vocals, and heavy guitar riffs, all characteristics of the industrial and cyberpunk aesthetics of the mid-'90s (think Hackers, Strange Days, Johnny Mnemonic). Lyrically...

Kill Holiday, formed by members of San Diego hardcore band Unbroken, made a surprising shift from aggressive post-hardcore to dreamy shoegaze with their 1999 album Somewhere Between the Wrong and the Right. Released on Revelation Records, the album channels British influences like Ride and The Stone Roses, with shimmering guitars and laid-back, melancholic melodies. Despite its shoegaze and Britpop so...

Pavement's 1992 debut album Slanted and Enchanted is a landmark in 1990s alternative music. Featuring cryptic lyrics, jagged guitar riffs, and a laid-back, DIY aesthetic that defined the band's early sound and the emergent lo-fi movement. The low budget recording contributes to its raw and unpolished sound, blending noise rock, pop hooks, and experimental structures with an ear for unusual melodies an...

A groundbreaking fusion of drum and bass, jazz, and experimental electronic music, the 1997 album Hard Normal Daddy by Squarepusher showcases Tom Jenkinson’s virtuosic bass playing and intricate programming. Blending frenetic breakbeats with lush, jazz-inspired melodies, tracks like “Coopers World” and “Beep Street” highlight his unique ability to balance chaos and groove, creating an experience that’...

​"Point #1," Chevelle's 1999 debut album, showcases the Chicago-based Loeffler brothers' fusion of alternative metal and indie rock. Produced by Steve Albini, known for his work with Nirvana and PJ Harvey, the album delivers a raw, unrefined sound that captures the band's early energy. Coming in at the end of the decades, it's not surprising to hear similarities to bands like Tool and Helmet, particul...

Upon its release in 1992, Beautiful Mess by Thelonious Monster received plenty of critical acclaim yet not the sales or media exposure to launch the band into the new alternative explosion. Lead singer Bob Forrest’s deeply personal lyrics explored themes of addiction, relationships, and self-destruction, not all that different from other bands at the time, but musically the band sounds more in step wi...