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© David Parsons
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A month-by-month journey through the 90s music world. All the best and worst albums from one of music's most memorable decades.
120months.substack.com
120months.substack.com
26 Episodes
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On this episode we're listening to albums released in August 1991: the chaotic experimental rock of Mr. Bungle on their self-titled debut; indie rock majesty from Sebadoh on III; jammy pop from Spin Doctors on Pocket Full of Kryptonite; and heavy grunge tones from Skin Yard on the magnificently titled 1000 Smiling Knuckles.Listen to the whole playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3bgB67utd97u2iJdqps7WU?si=a9093916539a4c9b#mrbungle #spindoctors #sebadoh #dinosaurjr #alternativerock #skinyard #mikepatton #mtv #90smusic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
Our survey of albums released in the summer of 1991 continues into August, with Metallica's epic self-titled collection (more commonly known as "The Black Album"); Pearl Jam's meteoric debut Ten; Blur's uneven debut (later disowned by Damon Albarn), Leisure; and Toad the Wet Sprocket's acoustic hit machine, fear.Check out our August 1991 playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/73dsuQXBtMQyF5mYBEHkEi?si=540473b84f6644f6 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
It's the long hot summer of 1991, and we're listening to July's album releases: the intricate punk twang of Meat Puppets on Forbidden Places; the highly influential alt rock weirdness of Mudhoney on Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge; the always compelling Fugazi on the incomparable Steady Diet of Nothing; the swan song of '80s legends Psychedelic Furs on World Outside; and the always welcome nostalgia of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers on Into the Great Wide Open. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/65CDLu0fSXw7RN0CAVCDfY?si=710280740bcd4b50 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
May 1991 saw some weird, marvelous album releases, and we're reviewing them all here: Bullhead, the 3rd studio album from Seattle alt rock pioneers Melvins; Gish, the majestic and haunting debut studio album from '90s legends Smashing Pumpkins; De La Soul is Dead, a challenging and hilarious collection of hip hop gems from national treasures De La Soul; Sailing the Seas of Cheese, the major label debut of the brilliant, unclassifiable Primus; and Mighty Like a Rose, an uneven but compelling entry from singer-songwriter Elvis Costello. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
April 1991 features a number of searing album releases: Violent Femmes with their 5th studio album Why Do Birds Sing?; the self-titled Andrew Wood tribute from a Seattle supergroup, Temple of the Dog; trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack's stunning debut Blue Lines; Brazilian metal gods Sepultura's now classic collection, Arise; the smart, dynamic alternative rock of Firehose on Flyin' the Flannel; plus a few surprises from Crash Test Dummies, Lenny Kravitz, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
It's time to listen to albums released in March 1991: R.E.M.'s majestic, dynamic mainstream breakthrough Out of Time; Morrissey's 2nd solo album Kill Uncle; the criminally underrated Urge Overkill with The Supersonic Storybook; the always hilarious punk sounds of NOFX on their 3rd album, Ribbed; the Steve Albini-produced noise rock of The Jesus Lizard on Goat; and the impressive songwriting craft of Throwing Muses on The Real Ramona. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
On this episode we listen to albums released in February 1991: Freddie Mercury's swan song on Queen's Innuendo; the grunge sounds of Tad, the unluckiest of the Seattle bands, on 8-Way Santa; J. Mascis going it alone on Dinosaur, Jr.'s majestic Green Mind; the Butthole Surfers being their obnoxious, idiosyncratic selves on Pioughd; and the timeless hard rock of Motörhead on the genuinely awesome 1916. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
1991 is a legendary year in the history of American popular music. As we’ll see, by the time summer hits, legendary albums are dropping literally every week, and a genuine renaissance is in full swing. But this is January 1991, and we’re still in the calm before the storm, though in the albums we profile in this episode, definite trends are rising. We listen to the grungy tones of Screaming Trees on Uncle Anesthesia; the earthy bluegrass of Athens, Georgia band Chickasaw Mudd Puppies on 8-Track Stomp (produced by Michael Stipe); the soon-to-be-irrelevant party rock stylings of David Lee Roth on A Little Ain’t Enough; the G-funk production and new gangster attitude of DJ Quik on the massively influential Quik is the Name; the jazz beats and introspective lyrics of legendary rappers Guru and Premier on Gang Starr’s dazzling Step in the Arena; the iconic sound and mega-hits of Jesus Jones on Doubt; and, of course, a mid-career solo album from Sting, The Soul Cages, which finds the Police frontman ruminating about ships and the sea (and it’s actually pretty good!). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
Over the past 12 podcast episodes, John and I have listened to (and argued over) more than 70 albums released in 1990. Some definite themes have emerged: the transition from ‘80s to ‘90s in both the form and content of popular music; the birth of new aesthetics and sociopolitical concerns in both rock and hip hop; and more than anything, the undeniable sound of underground music moving into the mainstream.On this episode, we share our respective “top ten” albums of 1990 and talk about the year’s dramatic developments in pop culture. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
Let’s listen to albums released in December 1990: Tristessa, the first EP from The Smashing Pumpkins and a blistering proof of concept; Smooth Noodle Maps, a sad and disappointing collection of songs from Devo, one of the best to ever do it; Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em, a promising debut album from rockabilly masters The Reverend Horton Heat; Kill at Will, Ice Cube’s fierce and refined follow-up EP to his now-classic Amerikkka’s Most Wanted; Gala, a collection of gorgeous work from British shoegaze pioneers Lush; and The Simpsons Sing The Blues, a cynical cash-in record that pushes the boundaries of listenability and defiles its brilliant source material. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
This week we’re listening to music released in November 1990: Against the Grain, harmonic, philosophical punk rock from the legendary Bad Religion; Hell’s Ditch, Shane MacGowan’s final album with Celtic punk stalwarts The Pogues; Reverberation, Echo & The Bunnymen’s sad attempt to replace frontman Ian McCulloch; Ferociously Stoned, a surprisingly dynamic debut album from swing and ska band Cherry Poppin’ Daddies; and Naïve, a pulsing blast of electric noise from German industrial band KMFDM. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit 120months.substack.comOn Part Two of our survey of albums released in October 1990, we listen to music from some of the most popular singer-songwriters of the era: Paul Simon’s Brazilian flavored mid-life crisis exploration on Rhythm of the Saints; Dwight Yoakum’s tenderhearted Bakersfield crooning on If There Was a Way; roots rock supergroup The Traveling Wilbury’s getting …
October 1990 is another month so packed with new music releases that we’re doing not one but TWO podcast episodes to cover it all. On Part One, we talk about Hold Me Up, the third studio album from Goo Goo Dolls that marked the emergence of Johnny Rzeznik as the band’s frontman; No Prayer for the Dying, a solid entry from punk metal gods Iron Maiden; the self-titled debut (and only proper album) from the influential Britpop band The La’s, known for “There She Goes,” a song you literally could not avoid in the 90s and early 2000s; This is Our Music, the final album from American indie dreampop band Galaxie 500; Behaviour, an album in the vein of Depeche Mode’s Violator from British synthpop duo Pet Shop Boys; and Too Dark Park, a bracing environmentally-themed hell-vision from crushing industrial psycho legends Skinny Puppy. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit 120months.substack.comOn Part Two of our discussion of music released in September 1990, John and I dive into the ethereal world of dream pop and psychedelic grooves that pulsed underneath this weird moment in pop culture. We listen to the puzzling, haunting work of Angelo Badalamenti and Julee Cruise on the soundtrack to David Lynch’s batshit TV show Twin Peaks; Glider, a t…
September 1990 was so packed with incredible music that we’ve split the month into two episodes. In Part One, we listen to Soul Asylum’s eclectic, promising And the Horse They Rode in On, Bob Dylan’s legendary clunker Under the Red Sky, Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s grunge punk masterpiece Ragged Glory, Indigo Girls’ folky, pristine Nomads Indians Saints, and the self-titled debut from indie rock icons Superchunk. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
Released in August 1994, Jeff Buckley’s Grace is an album like no other. A moderate hit in the ‘90s, Grace has now risen into the pantheon of “greatest albums of all time” lists by countless fans and critics, with his cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” frequently cited as one of the finest songs ever recorded (there’s even an entire book about just that song). What is it about Buckley’s music that strikes such a deep (secret?) chord? This week I talk with Jacob Givens, a writer, musician, and podcaster widely known for his viral videos that capture the visceral feeling of hearing ‘90s music for the first time. We talk about the new documentary, It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley, and reflect on ‘90s music culture, masculinity in American rock, the weird tragedy of Buckley’s untimely 1997 death, and the evolving appeal of his signature work.Subscribe to the 120 MONTHS Substack This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
This week we’re talking about albums released in August 1990, and wow — what a time for new music. Two now-classic collections came out on the same day (8/21/90): Jane’s Addiction’s Ritual De Lo Habitual and Facelift, the debut album from Alice in Chains. On top of that, we listen to NWA’s harrowing if uneven EP 100 Miles and Runnin’, Black Sabbath’s pulverizing, non-Ozzie metal journey Tyr, and the reliably infectious Pixies with Bossanova. Check out this month’s playlist: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
This week Jason P. Woodbury of Aquarium Drunkard’s excellent Transmissions podcast (not to mention his own expansive musical projects) joins us for a discussion of Uncle Tupelo’s 1990 album No Depression, as we consider how the “country punk” genre label doesn’t quite capture the breadth and depth of Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy’s diverse artistic output. From the joys and challenges of songwriting collaboration to the solo projects each of them pursued after Uncle Tupelo’s sad breakup, we reflect on an important piece of ‘90s music history that continues to have influence today. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
The albums released in July 1990, despite their eclecticism, share a common theme: dudes with serious problems. We’ve got Pantera’s dark, bracing groove metal on the now-classic Cowboys from Hell (which, as John points out, is LITERALLY about cowboys from hell); Suicidal Tendencies upping their game on the chaotic, cinematic, and utterly batshit record Lights…Cameras…Revolution!; Iggy Pop’s wonderfully bizarre and often surprising Brick by Brick; the influential Mother Love Bone’s Apple, their only full-length album due to the untimely death of charismatic screamer Andrew Wood; and Steve Earle’s desperate, searching country rock on The Hard Way. Check out this month’s playlist and let us know your favorites: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
We are officially 6 months into our quest to catalog our opinions on every major album release from the 1990s, one month at a time. This week we’re listening to some killer stuff from June 1990. Sonic Youth’s now-classic album Goo sees Kim Gordon take the reins as the band’s lead vocalist, with Thurston Moore refining his ecstatic electric guitar chaos; Uncle Tupelo’s first studio album No Depression has Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy developing their singular “hillbilly thrash” sound while delivering some of the era’s most compelling songwriting; former Misfits frontman Glenn Danzig channels Jim Morrison on the vampire blues rock album Danzig II: The Lucifuge; and the debut album from the Scottish band Teenage Fanclub, A Catholic Education, lays down some of the main ideas and sounds that would dominate alternative rock in the decade ahead. Check out this episode’s playlist: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 120months.substack.com/subscribe
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