Albums in My Life: 1990

As promised, I have begun to talk about my favorite records of each year of my life, beginning with the year I was born, 1990. Now, obviously, I didn't have much of a musical taste as an infant, so the first few lists will be more informed by my current favorites, but later years will have albums that I have more of an attachment to since I grew up with them and they were very important in shaping the person I am today. Without further ado, lets dive in:

Alice in Chains: Facelift

Alice in Chains, to me, is probably the best of grunge's big four. Nirvana may have had more popular appeal, but I think Alice in Chains really capture a darkness that the other bands can't, and their songwriting seems to have so much more depth and variety. This is the album that started it all, and I think gets overlooked in favor of Dirt because it arrived before the Seattle scene really blew up in the mainstream, but I think its fantastic, and you can really hear the transition of the band from heavy metal and hard rock to the sound they'd be known for later in the decade. Plus, 'Man in the Box' is a killer single that you can't help but sing along to, even though its so dark.

Richard Bellis: Soundtrack to Stephen King's IT

I was probably around 7 or 8 when I saw the IT miniseries for the first time, and it pretty much scarred me for life. Now, it seems pretty harmless, but as a kid, it made me super paranoid, and I felt like I couldn't trust anyone. This soundtrack, though showing some age, still evokes some of those memories. I ended up watching it again in middle of high school, and I soon found there was nothing to be scared of, and now I thoroughly enjoy the movie and the score.

I probably have a controversial opinion, but I find this to be better than the recent remake. Fight me in the comments.

Lush: Gala

Lush is probably my favorite shoegaze band next to, of course, My Bloody Valentine, and this compilation has a lot to do with that. When I was in college, I had this annoying habit of digging for more obscure bands in a genre, and while Lush are hardly underground, I feel like they get overlooked a lot of the time while, in my opinion, inferior bands get much more shine in shoegaze. Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson are such interesting songwriters, and very different as well, so the blend of their two styles throughout Lush albums always keeps things interesting, and they create shimmering soundscapes that one can get lost in.

Primus: Frizzle Fry

On the opposite side of the spectrum entirely, Primus is a band that is so musically proficient, with amazing instrumental passages, but never takes itself seriously. Their blend of funk, metal, and experimental music is already great, but then add an almost Zappa-esque sneer to it, and it becomes undeniable. I think Les Claypool gets tons of praise for his bass skills, which are definitely worthy of it, but I feel like Larry Lalonde's extremely free form and forward thinking guitar playing and Tim Alexander's energetic and technically precise drumming often get underappreciated. I think they're all great players, and to me, they're almost up there with Rush, Cream, and the Jimi Hendrix Experience for the title of best power trio.

Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass: Passages

As stated in previous posts, I am a fan of Ravi Shankar's work, and of Indian music in general. Much of his work falls into the traditional raga category, but this collaboration with experimental classical composer Philip Glass, along with his work with Zubin Mehta and the London Philharmonic, expertly blend Eastern sounds with Western classical composition for a brilliant and universal hybrid. It's so good to know that even almost 40 years into his recording career, Shankar was willing to so boldly experiment. Given the differences in scales and tuning between Indian and traditional Western music, the elements should not sound as complimentary as they do, but they coalesce into a beautiful experience for fans of classical and raga alike.


So, those are my favorite albums from my birth year. Next week, I'll attempt to pick my top 5 for 1991. What's your take? Any favorites from 1990 you think I should have included? Let me know. Until next time.

"Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use."