If anyone thought that success would’ve mellowed Pearl Jam out, all they had to do was press play on the Seattle band’s second album, Vs. Talk about coming in hot! “Go” comes after you with the strength and speed of the train that runs those kids off the track in Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” video. It’s… Read More “Go” by Pearl Jam (1993)
Sting has written his share of songs that approach love from a warped perspective. “Every Breath You Take” and “So Lonely” immediately come to mind. “Fields Of Gold” is not that. This summer ’93 hit finds Mr. Sumner at his most openhearted and traditionally romantic. The boyish joy of songs like “Every Little Thing She… Read More “Fields Of Gold” by Sting (1993)
Sure, we can blame the soundtrack of the forgettable film Judgment Night for spawning the rap/rock movement that gave us Korn and Limp Bizkit. We can also laud it for commendably bridging what were thought of as two disparate musical worlds (save for the Beastie Boys, who defy all logic); alternative rock and hardcore hip-hop.… Read More “Fallin'” by De La Soul & Teenage Fanclub (1993)
Hip-hop songs about sex and romance have become a bit more easy to take as the genre has matured (and its artists have matured along with it), but well into the ‘90s, hip-hop’s attempts to discuss love and its attendant relationships tended to go to one of two extremes. They were either extremely mushy (“I… Read More “Electric Relaxation” by A Tribe Called Quest (1993)
Hip-hop was barely a decade old when Run-DMC scored an unheard of triple-patty success with 1986′s Raising Hell. Run, D and Jay were the vanguard-selling millions of albums, appearing on TV, filming a movie, appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone. Then they fell off. Hard. Between Raising Hell and the release of Tougher Than Leather… Read More “Down With The King” by Run-D.M.C. (1993)
The first Crowded House hits collection, Recurring Dream, contains a nice little essay in which the writer tries to explain why the New Zealanders’ songs had such a great emotional impact on listeners. I no longer have the essay nor do I have the CD, but the gist of it was that Neil Finn wrote… Read More “Distant Sun” by Crowded House (1993)
The majestic sweep of “Disarm” captured me before I even figured out its title. It’s beautiful. Hearing it now, I’m wondering when the last time a string arrangement in a pop song captured my attention. I missed Gish the first time around, discovering it years after its release (and to this day not being incredibly crazy… Read More “Disarm” by The Smashing Pumpkins (1993)
I’m a little salty because I had this whole piece written up and my browser decided to go crazy. Here we go again… Things I love about “Cry for You”: -The sandpaper/velvet contrast of the Hailey brothers’ vocals. K-ci & Jojo (and Puffy Combs) are the reason Jodeci is remembered differently than Shai or Silk or… Read More “Cry For You” by Jodeci (1993)
Duran Duran’s 1993 comeback surprised a lot of people, including me. I’d been a Durannie since I was 8 or 9, so to see them dip and then reverse in popularity was kinda gratifying. “Come Undone” was the second single from their second self-titled effort (commonly known as The Wedding Album), and it’s the best… Read More “Come Undone” by Duran Duran (1993)
Upon commercial release, the “motherfucker” was left off of “Come On”’s original title. Although it didn’t officially see the light of day until 2000 (on the Notorious one’s posthumous Born Again CD), the duet between two of NYC’s finest emcees was recorded seven years prior. At the time, Biggie was on the come up, sprinkling the underground… Read More “Come On (Motherfucker)” by The Notorious B.I.G. & Sadat X (1999)
Five Star Jamz 