The Breeders "Pod" (1990)

Pod (debut]
release date: May 28, 1990
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,44]
producer: Steve Albini
label: 4AD - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Glorious" - 3. "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - 4. "Oh!" - 5. "Hellbound" - 7. "Fortunately Gone" - 8. "Iris" - 9. "Opened" - 11. "Lime House"

Studio album debut by The Breeders, a project band created in the late 1980s as Pixies bassist Kim Deal and Throwing Muses vocalist and guitarist Tanya Donelly became friends and as Deal was unsatisfied with her part in Pixies as merely instrumentalist and was writing her own original material, the two decided give it a try making music together. A brief demo tape was sent to British 4AD-founder Ivo Watts-Russell, as both Pixies and Throwing Muses were signed to that label, he then made arrangements with Deal and Donelly to come to England to record some tracks. Deal made contact with Josephine Wiggs of the English band The Perfect Disaster (they had supported Pixies at a London concert in '88) to play bass on the recordings. Kim asked American producer Steve Albini to record the sessions and he got in touch with Slint drummer Britt Walford to stand-in - initially as studio musician only, which he subsequently agreed to if they would have him credited under another name. Thus, the band here consists of Kim Deal on lead vocals and guitar, Tanya Donelly on guitar and backing vocals, Josephine Wiggs on bass and backing vocals, and with Britt Walford (credited as Shannon Doughton) on drums and backing vocals. The majority of the tracks are credited Kim Deal (two songs co-written with demo bassist Ray Halliday, one composed with Donelly, and one track with Wiggs), which means Deal in a way here finds her outlet for her musical creativity.
Stylistically, it's typical indie rock of the early 1990s with strong and natural bonds to Pixies and Throwing Muses; also with producer Albini in the seat, the sound is far from over-produced and basically sound like it was recorded as is, playing live in the studio; however, there's also a distinct original sonic shape, which has to do with more simple and harmonic melodies pointing at The Beatles (the album contains the cover of the Lennon-McCartney song "Happiness Is a Warm Gun") and Velvet Underground as natural sources of inspiration AND an alt. rock sound, which can only be referred to as grunge rock, which makes it one of the earliest of that style and therefore a natural source of inspiration for many bands to follow in the early 1990s. Thinking of one of Pixies most beloved compositions from Surfer Rosa, the song "Gigantic" written and song by Kim Deal in a way comes closer to the music of Pod more than any other song by Pixies or by Throwing Muses for that matter.
Now, the album isn't famous for its innovative sound or great songs, but in time it has found its way to critical appraisal. Also, Kurt Cobain apparently has been sited to refer to the album as one of his top 3 favourite albums of all time.
I didn't come across the album until after having purchased The Breeders' Last Splash (1993), and that has probably influenced my verdict on the album, as I have never found it that appealing, but I must also confess that it's quite good as a template, although, it sounds quite dated from a contemporary perspective.
[ allmusic.com, Spin, NME 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Pearl Jam "Yield" (1998)

Yield
release date: Feb. 3, 1998
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Brendan O'Brien, Pearl Jam
label: Epic Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Brain of J." - 2. "Faithfull" - 4. "Given to Fly" (live) - 5. "Wishlist" - 6. "Pilate" - 9. "MFC" [Mother Fuckin' Car?] - 11. "In Hiding" (live)

5th studio album by Pearl Jam and the fourth consecutive album to be produced with Brendan O'Brien is the return to a more energetic and aggressive style like a combo of Vs. (1993) and Vitalogy (1994).
I hardly noticed the album at the time of its release and have only recently come across it as one of the band's more successful albums.
In a Pearl Jam context the album is quite unique for being a coherent album. I've always found that the band struggled extremely hard in finding the right expression and a unifying sound for their individual albums by putting too much effort in embracing the soft and mellow compositions with clear folk rock references alongside a trademark of being true grunge rockers with fierce attitude and howling guitars, but without succeeding much in either. For once, I find that the compositions go hand in hand on the entire album, despite having both extremes of the energy spectre. The album peaked at number #2 in the US and topped the charts in Australia, New Zealand and in Norway.
Without being really great, I easily find it bettering the band's highly praised debut, and to me, this is simply Pearl Jam's best effort.
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, NME 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Neil Young "Mirror Ball" (1995)

Mirror Ball
release date: Jun. 27, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,54]
producer: Brendan O'Brien
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada / USA

22nd studio album by Neil Young was promoted as a collaboration of Neil Young and Pearl Jam, however, all tracks except track #8, "Piece and Love" (written by Eddie Vedder) were written by Young, and the album is basically a Young studio release with Pearl Jam (without Vedder) as his backing band; however, Pearl Jam producer Brendan O'Brien was brought in to produce the album to add some of the Pearl Jam-energy to this Neil Young album. Not surprisingly, the style is highly influenced by grunge rock exemplified by Pearl Jam.
The album was generally met by positive reviews and made it to number #6 on the Canadian albums chart list, number #5 in the US, and to number #4 in the UK.
Apparently, the recording sessions were a bunch of studio sessions with Young and Pearl Jam playing around recording takes as they got along without any pre-written material.
I have never really liked this particular album, and mostly think of it as murky and simply without a distinct vision. It's basically just jam session material and without a single great song.
The album is not recommended for anything but background noise and / or for collectors only.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, NME 4,5 / 5  stars ]

Pearl Jam "Vitalogy" (1994)

Vitalogy
release date: Nov. 22, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,46]
producer: Brendan O'Brien, Pearl Jam
label: Sony Records, Japan - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Last Exit" - 2. "Spin the Black Circle" (3 / 5) - 5. "Nothingman" - 8. "Corduroy" - 11. "Better Man" (4 / 5)

3rd studio album by Pearl Jam org. released on Epic Records. This is the second and final album to feature drummer Dave Abbruzzese, who was replaced by Jack Irons (former Red Hot Chili Peppers, also substituting Abbruzzese on track #14).
With Vitalogy the band embarks on a journey into more experimental alt. rock compared to the previous two albums. It's no longer just grunge rock but more of a alt. rock and hard rock combo. The whole album is really a huge blend of styles and songs, some of which are quite aggressive hard rock-styled touching punk rock elements, a few are just alternative... or mere experimental, others are fine rock hymns with harmony vocals, and the then there are also quiet singer / songwriter folk rock ballads. Best track here is "Better Man", and I know the album is a favourite among many Pearl Jam fans - I just don't find it that great and frankly find it too mixed as a whole with a big gap between highs and lows.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Sugar "File Under: Easy Listening" (1994)

File Under: Easy Listening (aka FUEL)
release date: Sep. 6, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Bob Mould
label: Rykodisc - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Gift" (4 / 5) - 2. "Company Book" - 3. "Your Favorite Thing" (4 / 5) (video) - 4. "What You Want It to Be" (4 / 5) - 5. "Gee Angel" (video) - 7. "Can't Help You Anymore" - 9. "Believe What You're Saying" (4 / 5) (video)

2nd and final full-length studio album by Sugar following 1½ years after the ep Beaster (Apr. '93) and two full years after Copper Blue (Sep. 1992). F.U.E.L. follows nicely as a natural follow-up to the debut but what's more important: it seems to have more in common with Black Sheets of Rain (1990) and perhaps comes even closer to the style of Bob Mould (1996) - both solo albums by Mould, which in a sense shows you that he did what he did, regardless the presence of other band members, and perhaps he may have felt the same confining restraints in Sugar as he experienced while member of Hüsker Dü. At the bottom line, I guess he understood that he might just do it all on his own, as he did when continuing with his third solo album Bob Mould (1996) following his project of Sugar.

A track like "Believe What You're Saying" is a semi-acoustic melodic ballad that bonds perfectly with his best songs on Workbook - again: a solo release. Compared to Copper Blue this still reflects the power pop that bonds to the late Hüsker Dü albums but it's also clear that it's a harder collection of songs - perhaps rebounding the ugliness of the Seattle grunge rock that Mould's former band inspired.

The debut by Sugar is found on several lists enlisting the best of alternativ rock of the early 90s, but in my mind, this is the best of the band's two full-length albums. It's a highly recommended album, although, it may not quite match Mould's very best solo album - the successor, simply titled Bob Mould (1996).

Highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Q Magazine, Select 4 / 5 stars ]

Pearl Jam "Vs." (1993)

Vs.
release date: Oct. 19, 1993
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Brendan O'Brien, Pearl Jam
label: Epic Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 3. "Daughter" (4 / 5) - 4. "Glorified G" (3 / 5) - 5. "Dissident" (3,5 / 5) - 10. "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town" (3,5 / 5)

2nd studio album by Pearl Jam is the first album produced with long-time preferred producer Brendan O'Brien, and it's the first with new drummer David Abbruzzese. Compared to the debut, the biggest change is the production sound.
Back at the time of the release, I felt it was just a huge disappointment, but the album has grown on me over the years, and today I understand how it became the band's most successful release. The compositions are in way more powerful, yet more scarcely orchestrated. The band was (and still is) rather dismayed by the way the debut had been mixed ending up with a sound they didn't like and never aimed for. Here, with O'Brien the sound is more vibrant and, in a way, more genuine - almost as live recordings. There's a fine span between powerful explosions and softer and acoustic compositions, and the voice of Vedder is even more expressive. I don't find that the album holds a lot great tunes, but overall it's better produced.
In its time the album was the fastest selling album for the first week, and it's still the band's best-selling album ending on top of the national charts as it did in a number of other countries around the world.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Sugar "Beaster" (1993) (ep)

Beaster, ep
release date: Apr. 6, 1993
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Bob Mould, Lou Giordano
label: Rykodisc - nationality: USA

Tracklist: 1. "Come Around" - 2. "Tilted" (4 / 5) - 3. "Judas Cradle" - 4. "JC Auto" - 5. "Feeling Better" (4 / 5) - 6. "Walking Away"

2nd album by Sugar is a 6 track ep following only 6 months after the debut Copper Blue (Sep. 1992), and like that this is also produced by Mould and Lou Giordano.
This is the most angry, intense, tight, and noise rock styled release of the three Sugar albums. I have always found that this particular Sugar album is closely linked to the darker second solo album by Mould, Black Sheets of Rain from 1990. And then 1½ years later this ep was followed by the final album F.U.E.L. (1994).

Neil Young & Crazy Horse "Weld" (1991) (live)

Weld (live)
release date: Nov. 23, 1991
format: 2 cd (1994 reissue)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,25]
producer: Neil Young, David Briggs, Billy Talbot
label: Reprise Records, Germany - nationality: Canada

Tracklist: Disc 1: 1. "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)" (4 / 5) - 2. "Crime in the City" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Blowin' in the Wind" (3,5 / 5) - 4. "Welfare Mothers" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "Love to Burn" (3,5 / 5) - 6. "Cinnamon Girl" (5 / 5) - 7. "Mansion on the Hill" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Fuckin' Up" (4,5 / 5)
Disc 2: 1. "Cortez the Killer" (5 / 5) - 2. "Powderfinger" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Love and Only Love" (4 / 5) - 4. "Rockin' in the Free World" (4 / 5) - 5. "Like a Hurricane" (5 / 5) - 6. "Farmer John" (4,5 / 5) - 7. "Tonight's the Night" (4 / 5) - 8. "Roll Another Number (For the Road)" (3,5 / 5)

Live album released as Neil Young & Crazy Horse recorded in Apr. 1991 as Young & Crazy Horse were on promotion tour with the Ragged Glory album as part of the North American tour. The album is recorded 'as is' without studio dubs nor with other musicians except for Neil Young & Crazy Horse, who aside from the man himself consists of Frank 'Poncho' Sampedro on guitar, Univox Stringman synthesizer and vocals, Billy Talbot on bass and vocals and with Ralph Molina on drums and vocals. Initially, the album was released in a 25,000 copy limited 3-disc edition titled Arc Weld with the 3rd disc made up of guitar feedback called "Arc".
In my mind this is the best live album by Neil Young. I know many of the old school fans who love him for his folk rock and singer / songwriter period do not agree. I'm from the punk rock period, and I love Neil Young playing garage rock... also. This is simply a great live manifest of a great live performer and a fabulous songwriter, and it's the album by Neil Young that I have played the most. The average playing time of the individual tracks is somewhere around 7+ minutes - the shortest being "Cinnamon Girl" at 'only' 4:47....
I first copied the album to a cassette, back in the early '90s, after finding a copy at the local library, and I played it over and over again before finally buying the album on cd - I then wore the cd-player down, listening to this. Although the songs may be found in their original studio versions on various Young albums dating from the earliest '70s to the latest Ragged Glory, these tracks are just all new because they are played with intuition and improvisations and they come to live in a never before heard version that shows these old guys as young at heart, and they play as if it was their last ever show together. Just listen to "Cinnamon Girl", a track that is already a classic pop / rock song, and here it's even like: "waoo, they even managed to make that one better!". Even Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" sounds refreshingly new performed here in an 'upgraded' version. It's simply amazing how this 4-piece band is able to play so... voluminously.
Just give me this album, Ragged Glory, This Note's for You, On the Beach, After the Gold Rush, and Everybody Knows...... and then of course the 8-disc box Neil Young Archives Vol. 1 (1963–1972). Seven releases, that's about all you really need from Neil Young, the rest are just minor to really fine works, but this... this is one of the absolute best live albums of rock that you will ever find.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Kashmir "Travelogue" (1994)

Travelogue
release date: Feb. 17, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,05]
producer: Poul Martin Bonde
label: Start Electric - nationality: Denmark

Studio debut album by the Danish alt.rock, indie rock and grunge rock trio Kashmir, consisting of Kasper Eistrup on vocals and lead guitar, Mads Tunebjerg on bass, and with Asger Techau on drums. Stylistically, the band base its sound on Red Hot Chili Peppers funky alt. rock style in a mix with grunge rock from Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins. On the national scene, however, the band experienced huge success with its releases, and Kashmir found itself in a league with the best new rock artists especially including (better and more original bands like) Dizzy Mizz Lizzy and Psyched Up Janis - the latter being my personal favorites.
To me, this is pastiche alt. rock and not recommended :-/

Pearl Jam "Ten" (1991)

Ten (debut)
release date: Aug. 27, 1991
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Rick Parashar, Pearl Jam
label: Sony Records, Japan - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Once" - 2. "Even Flow" - 3. "Alive" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Black" - 6. "Jeremy" - 8. "Porch" - 9. "Garden" - 10. "Deep" (4 / 5)

Studio album debut by Seattle grunge rock band Pearl Jam org. rel. by Epic Records. Pearl Jam is the fusion of members of various bands all originating from Seattle except for Eddie Vedder. The band consists of vocalist Eddie Vedder, bassist Jeff Ament, rhythm guitarist Stone Gossard, lead guitarist Mike McCready, and drummer Dave Krusen [story of the formation] (Krusen would leave the band shortly after recording the debut only to be replaced by Matt Chamberlain for a short period before Dave Abbruzzese would take over).
The style represents a huge blend of influences, which ultimately is grunge rock. There are clear references to early 70s psychedelic and progressive rock (Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple) and to Jimi Hendrix blues rock, later 70s metal rock, and I also hear fragments of Neil Young with Crazy Horse, as well as parts of an American punk rock history, especially Hüsker Dü.
This guitar-founded electric hard rock has never really been that appealing to me, and the only reason that I ever got to listen through this in the first place, was because of the hit single "Alive", which is the album's biggest highlight, as far as I'm concerned. Sure, tracks like "Once", "Even Flow", "Black", "Jeremy", and "Garden" are all fine songs, and in a Pearl Jam fan context they are everything the audience wants, but to me, they are like 3 out of 5, meaning: good songs, no more, no less - nothing special. I simply get tired of the reverberating guitars, the heavy rhythm section and the heavy rock sound, which takes me nowhere. To me, it's dark and heavy (noise). If "Alive" got me interested in Pearl Jam and the rest didn't live up to that, I have to admit that I have always fancied the voice of Eddie Vedder. He's the main reason that I keep listening to this band.
Anyway, the album was well-received by critics, and the album reached number #2 on the American albums chart list. As the only Pearl Jam album, Ten is included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". In my mind - despite the band's own view on the production sound of the album - it's among the band's top 3 albums, although, it does contain some of the absolute best single tracks by the band: "Alive" and "Deep", but in terms of quality songs, I find it too bland. Something that would prove to be a fitting characteristic to their future albums, imho.
[ allmusic.com, Blender, Uncut 5 / 5, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine, Mojo 4 / 5 stars ]

Psyched Up Janis "Beats Me" (1997)

Beats Me
release date: Feb. 1997
format: cd (RECD 8707)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Craig Leon
label: Replay Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Dying Flame" (4 / 5) - 3. "Airhead" - 4. "The Stars Are Out" - 5. "Waiting to Grab" - 7. "Hopefully" - 14. "Where the Lights Won't Shine" (4 / 5)

2nd studio album by Psyched Up Janis released on Danish label, Replay offers 16 new tracks and is like the debut produced by Craig Leon. After the artistic success of Swell the band moved to England and signed with This Way Up / Universal for a follow-up album and drummer Jakob Bjerregaard left the trio, and the band is here reduced to a functional duo of Sune Wagner and Jakob Jørgensen. As for the album recordings Jesper Reginald (aka Yebo, member of Danish band Thau) plays drums and percussion - he became official member after the album release for a short period of time.
The music is generally gloomier compared to the debut. Some tracks show Sune Wagner's fascination for 1960s surf rock, and other tracks seem more alt. rock-styled as of sheer raging energy, and in connects the band with Pixies and Sonic Youth. "Dying Flame", "Airhead", and "Waiting to Grab" are close to the best tracks on the debut, whereas track #1, "Lo-Fi Industry" is more industrial with hints to Marilyn Manson and / or Sonic Youth. "Somebody Loves Ya" and "Hopefully" are surf rock-inspired and together with the fine "Where the Lights Won't Shine" they all point more to Wagner's future albums with The Raveonnettes (which is also visually underlined in the album cover).
The album was met by national enthusiasm - especially from critics, but it wasn't the international step forward that the record company or the band had set out for and after this they returned to Denmark. In the fall of '97 Psyched Up Janis signed with EMI-Medley although they were now back to being the duo of Sune Wagner and bassist Jørgensen they started out as, and Wagner took over playing all other instruments. An ever-changing line-up - and / or difficulties in finding a steady drummer didn't make prospects easier, and Sune Wagner may not have made it easier for other members to contribute as he was THE composer and artistic source within the band.
From my perspective, this is almost on par with the splendid debut.

Best of 1990:Neil Young & Crazy Horse "Ragged Glory" (1990)

Ragged Glory
release date: Sep. 9, 1990
format: cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,28]
producer: Neil Young & David Briggs
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada

Tracklist: 1. "Country Home" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "White Line" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Fuckin' Up" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Over and Over" (5 / 5) - 5. "Love to Burn" (3,5 / 5) - 6. "Farmer John" (4,5 / 5) - 7. "Mansion on the Hill" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Days That Used to Be" - 9. "Love and Only Love" (4 / 5) - 10. "Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)"

19th studio album by Neil Young released as Neil Young & Crazy Horse. This is one of my most beloved albums, not only by Neil Young, but of all the albums that I have in my collection. If Eldorado and Freedom had some grunge potential, this may be seen as another primary source to that style, but it's also one of the best garage rock albums ever released, and I would rather listen to this than any "clean" grunge album - this is IT! It's one of those rare albums that you can play on your car stereo riding long trips, in rain, snow or sunshine, and fits an evening perfectly drinking red wine and clearing the world of politics or whatever in good company. Damn it's so good! It's also very simple, and maybe that's why critics are somewhat reluctant in handing it 5 stars, although it was well-received. Like good wine, I think, in time this will only be rated higher and higher. All songs are written by Young except "Farmer John", which is a cover of a '60s r&b song by Don & Dewey but I doubt that version rocks like this. The album is the most recent Neil Young album to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

1990 Favourite releases: 1. Neil Young Ragged Glory - 2. Van Morrison Enlightenment - 3. Sinéad O'Connor I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got

Psyched Up Janis "Swell" (1994)

Swell [debut]
release date: 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,80]
producer: Craig Leon
label: Replay Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Vanity" (4 / 5) - 2. "I Died in My Teens" (5 / 5) - 3. "Shudder" (4 / 5) - 4. "Modest Us" (4 / 5) - 5. "Reddening Star" - 6. "Swirl Like You" - 7. "Chandelier" - 10. "New 5" - 11. "They"

Studio album debut by Danish grunge rock trio Psyched Up Janis (founded in Sønderborg '89) released on Replay and produced by American musician and producer Craig Leon. The band consists of lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Sune Rose Wagner, bassist Jakob Jørgensen, and drummer Martin Bjerregaard. Wagner and Jørgensen were old school friends playing in various bands before founding Psyched Up Janis. Initially, the drummer was Lars Meyer, but after relocating to Copenhagen, Bjerregaard became the band's stable drummer and the trio recorded this full-length debut.
The album was well-received by national critics but the release was unfortunately largely overshadowed by the debut albums by two other bands battling in being the most popular alt. rock band: Dizzy Mizz Lizzy and Kashmir, both of which, I consider minor to Psyched Up Janis, who simply did not take part in much of the promotional part of selling their music. However, Psyched Up Janis was simply my kind of a band, and their music was mistakenly unwelcomed by the public and the radio stations. Imo, this very album consists of tvelwe blazing compositions - of which nine are actual highlights. Swell is the band's masterpiece. They would go on to release another three studio albums before disbanding and none of these are poor or mediocre by any standards but they simply failed to attract much attention - again their musical trend simply appeared less competive when comparing to the aforementioned bands. Psyched Up Janis were unfortunate to stay true to a Seattle-wave, which they shared more traits with than what happened on the national scene. In this regard, I think Psyched Up Janis and especially its front-figure Sune Wagner had eyes and ears more tuned in on what took place on the other side of the Atlantic.
Swell is a Danish cornerstone and a recommended listen for anyone interested in 1990s grunge rock.

R.E.M. "Monster" (1994)

Monster
release date: Sep. 27, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,80]
producer: Scott Litt and R.E.M.
label: Warner Bros. - nationality: USA

Tracklist: 1. "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" (4 / 5) - 2. "Crush With Eyeliner" - 3. "King of Comedy" (2,5 / 5) - 4. "I Don't Sleep, I Dream" - 5. "Star 69" - 6. "Strange Currencies" - 7. "Tongue" (5 / 5) (live) - 8. "Bang and Blame" (4 / 5) - 9. "I Took Your Name" - 10. "Let Me In" (5 / 5) (live) - 11. "Circus Envy" - 12. "You"

9th studio album by R.E.M. released on Warner Bros. and produced by Scott Litt and R.E.M. The year 1994 is renowned for its many grunge rock-related releases and this is R.E.M.'s contribution to the pool. Both critics and fans seem divided on this one - my guess is that old fans who really liked the band prior to Out of Time (1991) applauded this for its raw and energetic outburst, while others almost hated the album because it was anything but another Out of Time release.
I think it's great, although, it sounds a bit dated today, and it's also rather uneven. "King of Comedy" is truly a poor compositions, almost clearly below mediocre, which somehow makes me think of "Numb" by U2. Still, I rate Monster as high as 4 despite that I find it contains 3-4 lesser compositions, but it's also an album with three fine compositions and four really great tracks including the splendid "Tongue" and the sublime Cobain tribute "Let Me In". Another fine thing about the album, I think, is that Stipe really challenges his vocal capabilities singing with both fierce energy, in soft harmonies and high pitched falsetto, all in the most incredible manner. I've enjoyed this a great deal for more than a decade - it's one of my top 5 favourite R.E.M. albums but also the last truly great album from this band.
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4,5 / 5, Blender 5 / 5 stars ]

Top 5 albums by R.E.M.
1. Green
2. Lifes Rich Pageant
3. Document
4. Monster
5. Automatic for the People

Show lyrics <- click...

~ ~ ~
"Let Me In"

"Yeah all those stars drip down like butter
And promises are sweet
We hold out our pans with our hands to catch them
We eat them up, drink them up, up, up, up

Heyyyyyyyyyyy, let me in
Heyyyyyyyyyyy, let me in

I only wish that I could hear you whisper down,
Mister fisherman, to a less peculiar ground
He gathered up his loved ones and he brought them all around
To say goodbye,
Nice try.

Heyyyyyyyyyyy, let me in
Yeah yeah yeah
Heyyyyyyyyyyy, let me in
Let me in

I had a mind to try to stop you
Let me in. Let me in
Well, I got tar on my feet and I can't see all the birds look down and laugh at me
Clumsy, crawling out of my skin

:: Heyyyyyyyyyyy, let me in
Yeah yeah yeah
Heyyyyyyyyyyy, let me in ::"

~ ~ ~

Schwarzwald Library "Silver Surf" (1995)

Silver Surf [debut]
release date: Jan. 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5]

Track highlights: 2. "So Prime" - 7. "August in Rain" (live) - 13. "LAIKA" (4 / 5)

Studio debut album by Danish (post-) grunge rock, alt. rock, alt. metal band Schwarzwald Library released on AGM Music. The band consists of Jens Gotthelf (vocals, otava), Peter W.A. Sandorff (guitars, keyboards, vocals), Jeppe B. Jessen (bass guitar), Kristian A. Sandorff (drums, percussion). In 1995 grunge rock with Cobain was more or less all over and certainly this Danish band is very much inspired by Nirvana (at times too much), but Silver Surf remains a first draft, and it definitely has its moments. Like Psyched Up Janis, and their phenomenal debut Swell (1994), SL tries to combine grunge rock with its personal and unique style within the vast pool of alt. rock, but what is successfully established by Psyched Up Janis, never really works for SL. Having said that, I still find this album interesting, and not as a whole, 'cause the single tracks are of various quality, but for "So Prime", "August in Rain" [Nirvana copy], and especially "LAIKA", which truly is an original disturbing but great composition: "LAIKAAAAA!!"