Continuing a look at notable albums of 1996…
The hip-hop group Fugees released only two albums before splitting up, but the second release — 1996’s The Score — was a groundbreaking international smash. The album helped define the alternative hip-hop sound of the 90s.
Combining socially conscious rap with soulful R&B, the album skips between genres so deftly that it ended up creating a new one.
This week I’ll write about a handful of critically acclaimed and/or commercially successful 1996 albums I’ve managed not to hear over the past 30 years.
First up is Weezer’s Pinkerton, the Los Angeles band’s second album and one that has grown a tremendous cult following over the years. This album was a follow-up to the band’s 1994 self-titled smash hit and was seen at the time as a letdown.
Concluding a countdown of my favorite albums of 1996…
#1 – If You’re Feeling Sinister – Belle and Sebastian
Before I get to my best album of 1996, I want to mention Belle and Sebastian’s debut album, Tigermilk, which came out earlier the same year. That great release would easily have a spot in my top ten but I decided to leave room for other artists.
It’s remarkable that the Scottish septet recorded both that album and If You’re Feeling Sinister in the span of a few months. Talk about a burst of creative genius. I love those productive early years in a band’s history when classic songs just pour out.
Continuing a countdown of my favorite albums of 1996…
#2 – The Road to Ensenada – Lyle Lovett
Lyle Lovett’s sixth album is the greatest work he ever released, and sadly the last great album in his catalog. In the 30 years since, he has released a half dozen albums mostly featuring covers of other artists’ work.
His first half dozen albums, on the other hand, were all fabulous, and The Road to Ensenada was the culmination of everything special about him. A little bit country, a little bit jazz, very funny but equally sad. A band that plays its heart out and one of the best voices in popular music.
Continuing a countdown of my favorite albums of 1996…
#3 – New Adventures in Hi-Fi – R.E.M.
I owned a lot of CDs back in the days before streaming, and for a select few of them I can recall the exact time and place they first came into my possession. One such album is R.E.M.’s New Adventures in Hi-Fi, the band’s final release as a quartet.
My soon-to-be-wife bought this CD for me while I was on a work trip to the Dominican Republic and surprised me with it when she picked me up at the airport. As a huge R.E.M. fan, I’d been anticipating the release for months and cursing the timing. But thanks to her thoughtfulness, I was able to hear it ASAP.
Meet Me In Montauk 