Either/Or was not my first exposure to Elliott Smith and challenges my “first love” theory by being my favorite by far.
I discovered Smith through his follow-up record, 1998’s XO, then sought out his back catalog. All of his albums have a similar mood and sound, with varying levels of production values, but Either/Or hits the sweet spot.
The more obvious choice of a Radiohead record on a list of the best 90s albums would probably be 1997’s OK Computer. That album is certainly the more culturally significant and critically praised, showing up high on many lists of the best albums ever, regardless of decade.
Indeed, I considered placing both OK Computer and The Bends on my list, but Radiohead has so annoyed me since those two releases that I couldn’t stomach the idea of giving them two slots out of twenty.
I’m temporarily suspending Random Weekends in order to explore a musical genre I recently discovered quite by accident.
While reading a Salon.com article about The Hunger Games or Mad Men or some other popular cultural touchstone the other day, I happened upon an article about — of all things — polka music.
The Random Weekend gods have served up a meaty selection on this particular Saturday. ‘Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me’ is a fine song in its own right but also has a host of interesting associations to explore.
For example, it was the final single from the band’s final album, inviting interpretations that the heartbreak it explores is The Smiths’ own demise. Is the dream of love the doomed partnership between Morrissey and Johnny Marr? Probably not, but it makes for fun listening.
The 90s were not particularly memorable for Bob Dylan.
He followed 1989’s comeback success Oh Mercy with 1990’s disappointing Under the Red Sky and over the next seven years managed only to release two albums of classic folk covers.
