“Hot Sex” isn’t one of the more thoughtfully constructed Tribe songs. The track didn’t even make it to an official Tribe album-it appeared on the soundtrack to the 1992 Eddie Murphy/Halle Berry flick Boomerang (without even appearing in the movie! I wonder what that was about!) The song’s somewhat tossed-off nature, though, is what I… Read More “Hot Sex” by A Tribe Called Quest (1992)
Tell me do you think it’d be all right If I could just crash here tonight You can see I’m in no shape for driving And anyway I’ve got no place to go Talk about a great way to start a song. Those opening words grabbed me and shook me as soon as I heard… Read More “Hey Jealousy” by Gin Blossoms (1992)
This most recent run of songs is super chill. Songs about “driving” and “drowning” tend to be pretty mellow, I guess. “Drowning In Your Eyes” was a minor hit in 1992. I could’ve sworn it grazed the top 40, but it didn’t, which leaves me stymied as to where I would have heard it initially.… Read More “Drowning In Your Eyes” by Ephraim Lewis (1992)
The house-spiked “Do You Really Want To Know” was one of three new songs George Michael contributed to the AIDS benefit release Red, Hot & Dance. The “Red Hot” series put out a series of releases throughout the ‘90s; with each volume covering a specific genre-ranging from hip-hop to bossa nova. “Too Funky” and “Happy”… Read More “Do You Really Want To Know?” by George Michael (1992)
Why yes, there was a lot of music made by and for disaffected people in the early ‘90s, particularly by and for young men. Gangsta rap took over one side of the spectrum, and morose alternative rock consumed the other side. Then the two merged and we got Korn and Limp Bizkit and that was the… Read More “Creep” by Stone Temple Pilots (1992)
Of course, I was an alienated teen in the ‘90s. Hell, I’m a somewhat alienated adult in 2018. I was/am also a fairly alienated teen/adult who developed/develops unrequited crushes on people I didn’t/don’t think I’m worthy of because I had/have shitty self esteem. So, Thom Yorke in the summer of 1993 was speaking my motherfucking… Read More “Creep” by Radiohead (1992)
Had it been completed, George Michael’s Listen Without Prejudice 2 would have been a banger. Four songs from the album wound up being commercially released. Three of them get a five-star rating from me. Too bad George’s issues with Sony Music prevented us from getting another banger. The 1993 passing of George’s partner Anselmo Feleppa… Read More “Crazyman Dance” by George Michael (1992)
Here’s a song I absolutely adore, but I don’t have much to say about it. I can’t imagine many 15 year old black kids in New York actually knew who k.d. lang was before (or even after) “Constant Craving” hit the airwaves. As a certified record geek who made sure to park himself in front of… Read More “Constant Craving” by k.d. lang (1992)
I was speaking to some friends last night about the God Sade and her career, which has been so un pop star-like since the early ‘90s. She does her private citizen thing, drops an album every five/seven/ten years, then fades back into regular life. And seems to generate even more interest by taking long stretches… Read More “Cherish The Day” by Sade (1992)
Neneh Cherry deserves more props. She jumped onto the scene with a helluva 1-2 punch of albums. 1989’s Raw Like Sushi positioned Neneh (daughter of jazz great Don Cherry) as a tough-as-nails rapper, singer and social observer. “Buffalo Stance” is as chock full of attitude as any Salt ‘n Pepa record, plus it boasts an… Read More ”Buddy X” by Neneh Cherry (1992)/“Buffalo Stance” by Neneh Cherry (1989)
Five Star Jamz 