Dig Me Out: 90s & 00s Rock

Latest Episodes:

Pearl Jam - Ten | 90s Album Review Dec 12, 2023

Show notes

For the next installment of our series looking back at the Diamond selling albums of the 1990s, we're revisiting the 1991 debut album Ten by Pearl Jam. Though it wasn't an immediate smash upon release, Ten built success on the back of singles like "Alive," "Evenflow," and "Jeremy" with heavy support from radio and MTV. Though the band pulled the plug on videos from then until their 1998 album Yield, demand for the band didn't diminish, as the follow-up Vs. became one of the bestselling debut weeks in music history. But Pearl Jam was not without their detractors, criticizing everything from Eddie Vedder's singing style to album production choices, lyrical content, their credibility as "Seattle band," dismissed as nothing more than classic rock, and more. Much has been said and written over the two-plus decades since its release, so is there really much more to explore? Yes, there is. Like, was Jeff Ament's bass playing the secret sauce that drove the Pearl Jam engine? Is the derided reverb-tinged production actually what makes the album special? And in the world of Gen Z and Alpha sporting Nirvana t-shirts, is Pearl Jam relevant to anyone under forty? Or have they become the new Grateful Dead?

Songs In This Episode

Intro - Evenflow

28:49 - Once

38:35 - Yellow Ledbetter

45:07 - Footsteps

45:47 - Times of Trouble (Temple Of The Dog)

55:18 - Alive

1:14:59 - Black (Live, Dissident Single)

Outro - Release

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Sigur Rós - Ágætis byrjun | 90s Album Review Dec 05, 2023

Show notes

"Ágætis byrjun" by Sigur Rós was released in 1999 but didn't get proper attention until touring with Radiohead in 2000. The Icelandic post-rock band's sophomore album is lead by Jónsi Birgisson's haunting falsetto vocals partially in Hopelandic, a nonsensical language created by the band, is unlike anything from the time period. The album blends ambient, classical, and rock elements, creating a dreamlike and cinematic atmosphere. Each track is like it's own mini-movie, exploring a new sonic landscape that evokes everything from blissful euphoria to introspective melancholy. Hailed as a landmark album that pushed the boundaries of experimental music, the band employ a mix of classical orchestration and modern electronic elements, creating a one-of-a-kind cinematic and atmospheric experience.

Songs In This Episode

Intro - Starálfur

21:14 - Svefn-g-englar

25:33 - Hjartað hamast (bamm bamm bamm)

45:06 - Olsen Olsen

Outro - Ný batterí

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Velocity Girl - Copacetic | 90s Album Review Nov 28, 2023

Show notes

After a string of indie label seven inch releases, Velocity Girl from College Park, Maryland, released their debut album Copacetic on Seattle's legendary Sub Pop records. Taking their name from the Primal Scream track, the band leans into the UK sound of shoegaze with a layer of American indie and noise rock. Lead singer Sarah Shannon's vocal hover above the fray, the anchor in the three-to-four minutes of brittle guitars and thin rhythms that hamper the potential of Copacetic.

This episode is dedicated to Steven Jon, who passed away on November 23rd, 2023. RIP.

Songs In This Episode

Intro - Crazy Town

19:15 - Audrey's Eyes

26:09 - Here Comes

30:49 - Pop Loser

38:29 - A Chang

Outro - Void I: Thousand Year Drift by Hollow Earth

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Music We’re Thankful For In 2023 | Roundtable Nov 21, 2023

Show notes

It's our fourth year of getting the patrons together and giving thanks for the new music that gave us happiness and good vibes in 2023. There's a wide array of bands and artists, new and old, that helped make 2023 a great year for music. New albums from 1980s, 90s and 00s artists like Slowdive, The Hives, Louise Post of Veruca Salt, Depeche Mode, Drop Nineteens, Samiam, Gaz Coombes of Supergrass, Madder Rose, Juliana Hatfield, The Hold Steady, Brad, Ash, OMD, Allen Epley of Shiner and The Life And Times, The Church, PJ Harvey, Blur, DJ Shadow, and many more all released great late career records, while newer bands like Crown Hands, Spotlights, Houston, Vast Robot Armies, and several others landed on our radar. We also spend an inordinate amount of time rambling about the new Andre 3000 album, New Blue Sun.

Songs In This Episode

Intro - Scapa Flow by Drop Nineteens

5:30 - Ghosts Again by Depeche Mode

20:43 - In The Moment That You're Born by Brad

35:40 - Graveyard Love by Mutoid Man

57:30 - Ants To You, Gods To Who? - Andre 3000

Outro - Countdown to Shutdown - The Hives

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Elastica - Elastica with special guest Rob Harvilla | 90s Album Review Nov 14, 2023

Show notes

Elastica burst onto the scene in 1995 with their highly acclaimed self-titled debut album, showcasing the band's distinctive blend of punk-inspired energy and catchy pop hooks. Elastica's minimalist sound and frontwoman Justine Frischmann's laid back vocals separated the band from their Britpop counterparts Blur, Suede, Oasis and Pulp. To help us revisit their freshman effort, we're joined by Rob Harvilla, host of the 60 Songs That Define the 90s podcast and his new corresponding book, out November 14th.

Songs In This Episode

Intro - Connection

27:09 - Car Song

35:05 - Blue

39:43 - Indian Song

Outro - Line Up

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Dirty Three - Horse Stories | 90s Album Review Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

Leaving behind traditional rock 'n roll structures for more experimental avenues is nothing new for post-rock bands stretching back to The Velvet Underground drones or Brian Eno's ambient albums. It's stretches boundaries into free jazz, krautrock, math rock, and more often with a mechanical feel. That is quite the opposite of what the Dirty Three accomplish on their 1996 album Horse Stories, filled with the improvisations of Warren Ellis on violin, Mick Turners on guitars and bass, and Jim White on drum. The three-piece creates a wide cinematic scope, using space and slow building dynamics to evoke European folk ballads, traditional blues, classical music and much more.

Songs In This Episode

Intro -Sue's Last Ride

19:39 - At The Bar

28:03 - Warren's Lament

Outro - Red

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Superdrag - Head Trip In Every Key | 90s Album Review Oct 31, 2023

Show notes

Superdrag first gained recognition with their debut album, "Regretfully Yours," which featured the hit single "Sucked Out." Elektra records upped the dough for a sophomore album hoping the band would follow-up the hit with more radio friendly singles. Instead, "Head Trip in Every Key," marked a significant departure from their freshman effort. The band continued to deliver their trademark catchy melodies, but this time, they incorporated more diverse musical elements, like psychedelic rock and Beach Boys-esque pop. The album featured a broader range of instruments and experimental sounds, showcasing the band's evolving musical maturity. The band's sound became more intricate and layered, reflecting a greater musical complexity in their compositions. Despite these changes, Superdrag's unmistakable energy and John Davis' distinctive vocals remained at the core of their sound, making "Head Trip in Every Key" an important milestone in their musical evolution.

Songs In This Episode

Intro - Do The Vampire

19:32 - I'm Expanding My Mind

30:36 - Pine Away

42.25 - Mr. Underground

Outro - Hellbent

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Course Of Empire by Course Of Empire | 90s Album Review Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

Dark, brooding atmospheres with intense, pulsating rhythms complemented by searing guitar work and haunting, enigmatic lyrics roughly sum up the wild ride that it is self-titled debut album by Course Of Empire. If an album can be called "dystopian," which is usually reserved for science fiction novels and movies, Course Of Empire may qualify. Thanks to hypnotic, almost tribal percussion via a pair of drummers, the band stretches from tabla jams to industrial beats to ambient drone guitar to poppy new wave, all drenched in a very specific moodiness. Defined by its experimental and uncompromising nature, the album is a great example of the 1980s/90s crossroads that alternative music found itself as college rock rose to prominence on MTV and radio, resulting in the band re-releasing the album in 1992 via a major label deal with Zoo Entertainment.

Songs In This Episode

Intro - Ptah

17:40 - Peace Child

23:14 - Copious

27:01 - Dawn Of The Great Eastern Sun

35:58 - Sins of the Fathers

Outro - Mountains Of The Spoken

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Duster - Stratosphere | 90s Album Review Oct 17, 2023

Show notes

Duster's 1998 debut Stratosphere came out to little fanfare at the time of release. Featuring a distinctive blend of dreamy, reverb-soaked guitars, buried vocals, and a deliberate, slow tempo, the band creates an atmospheric sound that is occasionally mesmerizing. Characterized by its introspective and melancholic mood, tracks like "Heading for the Door" and "Gold Dust" transport listeners to a sonically immersive and otherworldly place, making it a cult classic in the indie rock and shoegaze communities. Over the years, the album has gained recognition for its influence on subsequent generations of musicians exploring similar sonic landscapes. But buzz can be a double-edged sword, so will this revered record live up to the hype?

Songs In This Episode

Intro - Inside Out

22:00 - Heading For The Door

26:32 - Stratosphere

29:23 - Gold Dust

33:50 - Earth Moon Transit

37:23 - Topical Solution

Outro - Docking The Pod

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Samiam - You Are Freaking Me Out | 90s Album Review Oct 10, 2023

Show notes

Following the release of 1994's Clumsy for Atlantic, Samiam took their completed fifth album back from the major label and found a new home with Ignition. Unfortunately, that label ran into money troubles, leaving copies of You Are Freaking Me Out difficult to come by. For a band that evolved out of the same Bay Area punk scene as Green Day, Bad Religion, Operation Ivy, and many more, the band never reached the same commercial heights as some of their contemporaries, but maintains a dedicated fanbase to this day. While some may have questioned the band's evolution from skate punks to something closer to post-hardcore, emo, and even pop-punk, the key ingredients - catchy hooks, big guitar riffs, and a propulsive rhythm section, keep the record on track even when they take chances with quieter and more subdued moments, and even a Beatles cover.

Songs In This Episode

Intro - She Found You

20:44- Full On

27:06 - Cry Baby Cry

29:46 - Charity

Outro - Ordinary

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Listen to the episode archive at DigMeOutPodcast.com.