Lesser known 90's bands

[kath]

I didn't think Collective Soul was not well known. They're all over the rock stations in my area. I do like that band a lot.

there are a few great songs on their latest... and the rest, easily listenable.

of course, whatever that commerical is, it's overplaying em. (ohhh i'm feelin better nowwww....)

kath
who will refrain from going off on ed roland's munch factor.

 

[eccentric man]

there was this band called 'Medicine' that was signed to American Records in the mid 90's. They made two really swell records that sounded a lot like "My Bloody Valentine" having a picnic with Sonic Youth in the Cocteu Twin's backyard.

American TRIED to shove them down america's collective throat but it just didn't take. They even went so far as to be featured (briefly) in the crow movie but nothing ever happened for them. The critics didn't help either.

i was all over that tune from the crow soundtrack but i've never been able to find anything else by them.

another 90s bands that i think should have gotten a lot more attention...

the gandharvas - i've seen them lumped as a jane's addiction clone which isn't necessarily a bad thing but hardly accurate once you actually listen to the band. they were only around for 3 albums and the first one has some weak moments but the next two are great. the 2nd one 'kicking in the water' could almost be called a concept album or just too many variations on the same theme. the last one, 'sold for a smile' had a good mix of tunes and should have gotten a lot bigger but from what i heard the singer's head was getting a little too large for the rest of the band.

 

[Joey Self]

I didn't think Collective Soul was not well known. They're all over the rock stations in my area. I do like that band a lot.

Also I recall hearing Jars Of Clay and liking them. Gotta look into them more. Any recommendations, Joey?

The second album, MUCH AFRAID was one I named as a favorite in an article I wrote at the close of the decade. Here's what I said (edited to make sense in this context):

"MUCH AFRAID by Jars of Clay. A Christian rock band, but these guys get more mainstream exposure than PFR did [earlier in the column, I referenced PFR] . A song from their newest album was featured in the movie "Drive Me Crazy." The first album was great, but this, the follow-up, avoided the sophomore slump. "Overjoyed" and "Frail" are the highlights."

For a fan of REM, as I know you are, I think you'd find THE ELEVENTH HOUR to be to your liking.

JcS

 

[Music Wench]

The second album, MUCH AFRAID was one I named as a favorite in an article I wrote at the close of the decade. Here's what I said (edited to make sense in this context):

"MUCH AFRAID by Jars of Clay. A Christian rock band, but these guys get more mainstream exposure than PFR did [earlier in the column, I referenced PFR] . A song from their newest album was featured in the movie "Drive Me Crazy." The first album was great, but this, the follow-up, avoided the sophomore slump. "Overjoyed" and "Frail" are the highlights."

For a fan of REM, as I know you are, I think you'd find THE ELEVENTH HOUR to be to your liking.

JcS

Thanks, Joey. I'll be off on another music buying spree shortly. They'll be on my list.

 

[Drummer Chris]

Age Of Electric...a Canadian rock band had some cool stuff in the 90's....I think you can still find them on the net...
All I See Is Ugly is a catchy tune with some good rock guitar

 

[eccentric man]

Where's My Remote Controllllllll

 

[Drummer Chris]

In the wake of grunge a few bands emerged in the 90's I really related to. Cry of Love and The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies. They got back to a classic rock sound IMO. No down tuned guitars with angst ridden lyics. Too bad they faded. I believe Audley Freed from Cry of Love did a stint w/ The Black Crowes prior to the Jimmy Page experiment.

Actually, Audley was there for the Jimmy Page shows and other recordings, they had THREE 6-strings going.....Jimmy, Rich and Audley.
Of course, they were all playing quite tastefully or else the guitars would have been too overbearing for the sound of the group but it was cool to hear the album guitar overdubs replicated live.
Check out a live performance of The Wanton Song on YouTube, it was great.
Too bad Jimmy injured his back or the Zoso/Black Crowes tour would have gone longer.

 

[musichound]

Actually, Audley was there for the Jimmy Page shows and other recordings, they had THREE 6-strings going.....Jimmy, Rich and Audley.
Of course, they were all playing quite tastefully or else the guitars would have been too overbearing for the sound of the group but it was cool to hear the album guitar overdubs replicated live.
Check out a live performance of The Wanton Song on YouTube, it was great.
Too bad Jimmy injured his back or the Zoso/Black Crowes tour would have gone longer.

Wow you guys have great taste. Audley is killer with the Crows. That live CD with Page rocks. Audley is now in Blue Floyd a Pink Floyd Tribute band now that Marc is back with the Crows. Also, that new Crows DVD is just Killer.

 

[Zrocker]

In the '90's, I ventured into the Christian Rock field a bit. I liked what I heard of The Newsboys, Sixpence None The Richer, Jars Of Clay, Steve Taylor and a few others. PFR was the cream of the crop, though. I opined in an article listing the best albums of the 90's that they sounded like what the Beatles would have been had they (the Beatles) gone to Bible classes.

Ok, it was a bit of hyperbole, but those guys were (and are, when they get together) good!

JcS

Blood Good now that was a good Christian band. Heard they were as bad as AC/DC and had to check them out. They may have been pre 90s.

 

[Reverend Rock]

While we're dipping into Christian rock of the 90s, I'd like to second the motion on Sixpence None The Richer and Jars of Clay. Those are both bands that have put out work of real artistic integrity.

The Jars of Clay albums that most impress me are If I Left The Zoo and Who We Are Instead. All their work has something to commend it, but I think these two albums have the most consistant quality of material.

Sixpence None The Richer's Divine Discontent ranks with me as one of the great underrated albums of all time. It's brilliant from beginning to end (with the possible exception of an ill-chosen cover tune, Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over"--no problem that they covered it, but they added nothing of substance to it in doing so).

Also there is a little-known duo from Nashville, a husband-and-wife team known as Flemming and John, who did a couple of astounding albums, and had a minor hit on the pop charts with a hilarious tune called "Ugly Girl" which is a big favorite of mine.