STEVE'S TOP 20 ALBUMS AND SINGLES OF 1993
In the year of Meatloaf, Whitney Houston, and Snoop Doggy Dogg selling gazillions of records, there was some good stuff....
ALBUMS
20 Anthrax-Sound Of White Noise So they got a new lead singer, and lost the rap thing. So what? Even though fans say it sounds like the new vocalists old band, Armored Saint, I think it still sounds like Anthrax, especially when it's loud.
19 Tears For Fears-Elemental A surprise to many who remember my hatred for "Sowing The Seeds..." Now it's just Roland Orzabal, and it's well crafted pop tunes whose hooks eat away at your brain.
18 John Mellencamp-Human Wheels Has he ever made a bad album? More rhythmic than other albums, and much more soul.
17 Bash & Pop-Friday Night Is Killing Me Who would've thought Tommy Stintson's solo gig would be so good? A mix of fast screamers and thoughtful ballads is the key to this Mats' fan's heart. Proves that Paul and Chris weren't the only talented ones.
16 Neil Young-Unplugged Nothing truly earth shattering here, just a good sampler of Neil. For Neilheads though, the first commercial release of "Stringman" is awesome.
15 Sugar-Beaster The flipside of the "lighter" Copper Blue, this sounds like Black Sheets Of Rain, but louder. Tremendous live.
14 No Alternative In the year of the modern rock benefit album, this wins hands down. Buy it, and know you've supported a great cause. Highlights: Soul Asylum, Urge Overkill, Bob Mould (Solo!)
13 Big Star-Columbia-Live At Missouri University A Godsend. Shows how The Posies/Replacements/Teenage Fanclub/Matthew Sweet got their starts. The roots of guitar driven modern rock. Amazing.
12 Aimee Mann-Whatever Tuesday Who? A great solo debut. Better than anything her old band did. Pure Power Pop.
11 Belly-Star Throwing Who? I know most people prefer The Breeders, but I want to marry Tanya Donelly, not Kim Deal. OK?
10 Smashing Pumpkins-Siamese Dream I missed the boat on their last album. How I did after hearing this still puzzles me. Guitar soloing for the 90's. "Today" is the happiest song of '93. 9 The Juliana Hatfield Three-Become What You Are Okay....I want to marry Juliana and Tanya Donelly. I know it's sexist, but I love girl guitarists. P.S. The songs are great on this as well.
8 Matthew Sweet-Altered Beast Sounds like he listened to some electric Neil. LOUDER than Girlfriend, and he kicks ass live too.
7 The Lemonheads-Come On Feel The Lemonheads Evan does it again. Amazing hooks+many guitars+Rick James=a great record. Having Juliana and Belinda Carlisle sing backup is nice too...
6 Nirvana-In Utero Fame has 1) made Mr. Cobain bitter, and 2)inspired one of the most bitter, self hating records ever. The highly misunderstood "Rape Me" is the most powerful song you probably won't hear on the radio.
5 Urge Overkill-Saturation No sellout going on with this band when they went to a major label. They just made a great record that more people can listen to now. And they dress real neat.
4 Buffalo Tom-Big Red Letter Day A tremendous breakthrough for a band that used to be buried by Dino Jr comparisons. Nothing revolutionary, just amazing songs played perfectly. The band I've gotten into more than any other this year.
3 Paul Westerberg-14 Songs A very diverse debut for Paul. And if he left off "Silver Naked Ladies" I might have ranked it higher. And yes, he does all the Mats hits live. Best concert of '93.
2 Goo Goo Dolls-Superstar Car Wash If you have it, you know why it's here. If you don't, buy it and you'll know. I also have actually talked with the guitar player at length, and he's one of the coolest people I've met in the record biz.
1 Dinosaur Jr-Where You Been J Mascis is GOD. This album takes all those nasty 70's influences us "Generation X" folk have, and makes them into an album we can enjoy, guilt-free. J put guitars at 11, chimes, falsetto and everything but the kitchen sink in this production, and it is awesome.
SINGLES
20 Therapy?-Screamager-Basically, a punk tune for the 90's.
19 Tony Toni Tone-If I Had No Loot-Sons Of Soul indeed. Funky.
18 The Posies-Dream All Day-Keep the Big Star Flag going guys.
17 Drivin N Cryin-Turn It Up Or Turn It Off-I Turned It Up, OK?
16 Raging Slab-Anywhere But Here-Southern Fried Metal, I guess..
15 Digable Planets-Rebirth Of Slick-Yea, I'm cool like dat.
14 Janet Jackson-That's The Way Love Goes-Whose hands are they?
13 The Candy Skins-Wembley-British Power Pop at its finest.
12 Anthrax-Only-I still have a severe neck problem after my first exposure to this song.
11 Pearl Jam-Daughter-Sorry Faloon, it's a great song anyway you slice it.
10 Stone Temple Pilots-PlushIf I could play a song in Heavy for 20 weeks straight, I must like it.
9 The Lemonheads-Into Your Arms- A simple song about love is hardly ever this good.
8 Belly-Feed The Tree-Tanya, please feed me.....
7 Dinosaur Jr-Start Choppin'-Makes me want to grab a guitar and learn how to play. Falsetto is real cool.
6 Urge Overkill-Sister Havana-Cuba never sounded so good.
5 Faith No More-Easy-I still love the 70's, in case you thought that fetish was gone.
4 Goo Goo Dolls-Fallin' Down-THE riff of '93.
3 Ray Charles-A Song For You-I got major goosebumps the first time I heard this. The classiest tune of '93, UH-HUH.
2 Paul Westerberg-World Class Fad-A wake up call to grunge practitioners, from the authority about failed expectations.
1 Dennis Leary-Asshole-I got just two words:DAMN FUNNY!!!!
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