1997 in music. • Page 5

I really considered whether I should count The Dance, but fuck it. It was honestly a life-changing record for me. It was the first time I was really I inspired to pick up an instrument and it was a love affair from then on. John McVie is the patron saint of melodic bass playing. A bunch of songs have their definitive versions. It had two legitimate radio hits of its own. The new songs are good. And holy fuck the acoustic version of “Big Love” is still mind blowing all these years later.

 

listen to spiritualized

 

this is actually closer than i expected

 

1. Deftones - Around The Fur
2. Helium - The Magic City
3. Kerbdog - On The Turn

There's an argument that Around The Fur is the best Deftones record. It's the most viscerally exciting one. The tension/release is next level, the combination of heaviness and melody is so fluid, and it's vulnerable whilst having a genuine swagger, which almost every nu-metal band influenced by Deftones tried and failed to attain. Be Quiet And Drive is still the defining Deftones song but there are so many iconic highlights on this album, and all the performances are next to perfect. Mascara into the title track, with that drum intro, is still phenomenal.

I find The Magic City a genuinely challenging record. Very difficult to pin down; indie rock but much more, prog passages, sometimes minimalist, sometimes textured, sometimes smooth and pretty, sometimes angular and distorted. I find Mary Timony a very interesting vocalist - her voice is lovely but there's a sense that she's holding something back, and that makes her really intriguing. Lyrically it's very ambiguous - lots of symbolism, references to space, but also the completely mundane. It's an off-kilter, beautiful, odd, fascinating album.

On The Turn was a big commercial flop, came in massively over budget and the band split up shortly after. All of which is a shame because it's fantastic. The riffs are huge, matched by the guitar tones and mix, Cormac's voice has a lot of grit and power but the melodies and vocal hooks stick like they do prime Weezer. It's one of the biggest and best alternative rock records I've ever heard and it's a favourite of a bunch of British and Irish acts who followed Kerbdog.

Honourable Mentions:
Bjork - Homogenic
Radiohead - OK Computer
Squarepusher - Hard Normal Daddy
Silverchair - Freak Show
Faith No More - Album Of The Year

 

Damn, @Craig Manning gooooooood looking out on Mathew Ryan. Like the Drive-By Truckers making a Counting Crows record

 

I love that comparison! Totally accurate: rougher vocals than Duritz, but similar approach to melody and songwriting.

 

Holy Fuck @phaynes12 , just getting around to some of the deluxe tracks of Be Here Now while sifting through my '97 playlist.

Have you heard Noel's 2016 rethink of "D'you Know What I Mean" ? Maybe gotta listen to both a few times back to back, but I fuckin loved it. The strings are a great addition, IMO.

 

of course. it’s so good

 

Listened to The Fat of the Land by The Prodigy, maybe for the first time as an album, but I knew the majority of songs here. As these threads go on, we’re now getting to years that I can actually remember - and I vividly remember the first time I saw the video for Firestarter on “Top of the Pops” (though that would have been 96 not 97), it felt so dangerous and aggressive to me at an impressionable young age.

The album is good, big loud dance tracks with that punkish energy and aggression that Flint brought to the band, and feels very much of its time (in a good way!).

 

the jimmy eat world cover of firestarter is so much better than the original

 

1. Nick Cave - The Boatman’s Call
2. Erykah Badu - Baduizm
3. Smog - Red Apple Falls

 

1. Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind
2. Oasis - Be Here Now
3. Radiohead - OK Computer

 

This week’s Sunday review at Pitchfork is relevant to this thread!

Third Eye Blind: Third Eye Blind

 

My controversial opinion is that I find Third Eye Blind terminally dull. Just seems like every other sort of middle of the road American radio rock. Obviously they strike a chord with people, but not one that works with me at all.

 

On the other hand, I've always found them dull but relistened because of this thread and really liked it. My kind of sad boy pop rock, really fun melodies.

 

1. Elliott Smith - Either/Or
2. Blink 182 - Dude Ranch
3. Goldfinger - Hang Ups

 

pretty close between radiohead and 3eb and no one else at all

 

Wild scenes

 

Really like this Ben Folds Five album, especially "Brick".

 

I figured it'd come down to OKC vs 3EB and while OKC is definitely a phenomenal artistic and influential achievement, I still find myself listening to 3EB's debut more often.

 

Are you familiar with his stuff at all? Feel like you’d really dig Rockin’ the Suburbs.

 

Whatever and Ever is cool but he really dialed down the brattiness and took big steps musically once he went solo.

 

Rockin’ the Suburbs probably has like five of my favorite songs ever on it. Some wonderful songwriting on that record. (And then there’s the title track, which has aged…strangely.)

 

I've heard of him and knew he was a piano guy but honestly don't think I've ever listened to his music. Definitely looking forward to checking more of his stuff out.

 

This sounds promising too because I'd say the brattier songs were my least favourite haha.