Dig Me Out: 90s & 00s Rock

Latest Episodes:

#406: Keep It Like A Secret by Built To Spill Oct 23, 2018

Show notes

Built To Spill have remained an anomaly in a number of ways throughout their career - a band steeped in classic rock conventions that seamlessly integrates 1990s indie rock guitar shredding, but does so without sacrificing vocal melodies, and doing in on major label Warner Bros. for twenty years. On 1999's Keep It Like A Secret, Doug Martsch shortened the length and kept the six plus minute long jams to a minimum, but still manages to concoct his stew of six string wizardry and even throw in a kitschy tune (You Were Right) that would have sounded at home on a Ben Folds Five album.

Songs in this Episode:

Intro - Carry The Zero

19:49 - The Plan

22:49 - Time Trap

29:55 - You Were Right

Outro - Center Of The Universe

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#405: Stomp 442 by Anthrax Oct 16, 2018

Show notes

After the success of the Sound Of White Noise album with new lead singer John Bush, New York city thrashers Anthrax took the band in a direction that angered and alienated longtime fans. For Stomp 442 from 1995, the band relied less on the chugging thrash riffage of their past, and played with sounds that would be at home in Helmet's post hardcore and alternative metal sound, or the mainstream hard rock that Metallica had cultivated on their Black album. While tag as a "grunge" sell-out, over twenty years later we find it hard to locate an trace of Seattle sound, and find a band brimming with confidence and swagger. Perhaps they made the wrong album at the wrong time, but looking back, it's not hard to hear why so many were confused by the new direction - hopefully this time around they'll give it another spin.

Songs in this Episode:

Intro - Fueled

11:19 - Fueled

15:22 - In A Zone

23:14 - Perpetual Motion

29:21 - Nothing

33:36 - Bare

Outro - Random Acts Of Senseless Violence

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#404: Digging' Your Scene - Dayton, Ohio Oct 09, 2018

Show notes

Cleveland is the home of the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, Cincinnati is home to legendary soul label King Records and The Afghan Whigs, Akron has Devo and the The Pretenders, but if there is a 1990s alternative and indie rock epicenter of Ohio, it's Dayton, known for its Air Force Base and (alleged) alien cover-ups. The Breeders, Guided By Voices and Brainiac all call Dayton home, breaking through in their own unique ways, but Dayton's musical roots dig deep into 1980s punk and 1970s funk all the way into the 2000s. We discuss the venues, record stores, bands and more that made and make Dayton unique.

Songs in this episode:

Intro - Dayton Medley (Guided By Voices, The Amps, Brainiac)

12:56 - No Wrong Track by The Method

23:48 - God Bless America by Toxic Reasons

30:33 - Flying Pizza by Swearing At Motorists

41:40 - Listen To The Quiet by Mink

45:13 - Toilet Knife by Dirty Walk

Outro - Weapons Of Love Destruction by Shesus

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#403: Since by Richard Buckner Oct 02, 2018

Show notes

For his 1998 album Since, Richard Buckner enlisted a strong supporting cast (John McEntire of Tortoise, The Sea And Cake / Dave Schramm of Yo La Tengo, The Schramms / David Grubbs of Squirrel Bait, Gastr Del Sol, Bastro) to shape an Americana/Alt Country record that feels out of place for the time, but perfectly in sync with the Jason Isbell's and John Moreland's of today's musical landscape. It helps that Buckner's poetic approach eschews the compact disc bloat and hones a tight sixteen track / thirty seven minute album that actually left us wanting more in spaces rather than wishing for restraint and editing.

Songs in this episode:

Intro - Believer

12:04 - Raze

16:56 - Brief & Boundless

20:12 - Lucky Buzz

29:34 - Coursed

Outro - Goner w/Souvenir

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#402: Mellow Gold by Beck Sep 25, 2018

Show notes

We revisit Beck's major label debut Mellow Gold, was it a warm-up for the multi-platinum Odelay, or is Loser the only worthwhile nugget?

Songs in this episode:

Intro - Loser

12:54 -Soul Suckin' Jerk

17:58 - Beercan

26:28 - Truckdrivin Neighbors Downstairs (Yellow Sweat)

Outro - Sweet Sunshine

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Patreon Preview: Power Pop in the '00s Discussion Sep 20, 2018

Show notes

Wondering about our exclusive content over at Patreon? Here's a sample of the first five minutes of our extended twenty minute discussion on Power Pop as we chat about the 2000s.

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#401: Power Pop Of The 90s Sep 18, 2018

Show notes

For a lot of people, the rock music subgenre known as "power pop" is one of those "you know it when you hear it" situations. However, over the years many have tried to describe and dissect what makes power pop unique from musical cousins such as pop rock or jangle pop. Like the 70s and 80s before them, 90s power pop bands put their own spin on the sound, adding a little more guitar crunch while incorporating the hallmark harmonies, British Invasion influenced melodies and arrangements, and other key elements, thanks bands like Sloan, Jellyfish, Teenage Fanclub, Superdrag, Fountains Of Wayne and The Posies, and artists like Matthew Sweet, Tommy Keene and Jason Falkner. With our panel, we dig into the sounds, the songs, the albums and the artists of 90s power pop.

Songs in this episode:

Intro - Sick Of Myself by Matthew Sweet

32:14 - Buddy Holly by Weezer

37:05 - Bottle Of Fur by Urge Overkill

46:17 - Money City Maniacs by Sloan

52:41 - What You Do To Me by Teenage Fanclub

Outro - Red Dragon Tattoo by Fountains of Wayne

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#400: Half Dead and Dynamite by Lifter Puller Sep 11, 2018

Show notes

Craig Finn is best known for his distinctive vocal and lyrical style thanks to The Hold Steady in the 2000s. But while that band channeled Bruce Springsteen, The Replacements and The Band for musical inspiration, his 1990s outfit Lifter Puller took a decidedly more angular approach with nods to Television, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Pavement. Digging into 1997's sophomore released Half Dead and Dynamite, the drugged up and drunken stories familiar to Finn fans are there, but the band backing him presents a different sonic approach, eschewing bombast and power chords for jagged rhythms and Radioshack keyboards.

Intro - The Gin and the Sour Defeat

10:45 - Half Dead and Dynamite

17:03 - Nassau Coliseum

21:18 - I Like The Lights

29:17 - Rock for Lite Brite

Outro - The Bears

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#399: Pack Up The Cats by Local H Sep 04, 2018

Show notes

Concept albums are as old as albums themselves, though defining what exactly qualifies as a concept album is flexible. The 90s were no different, as many bands and artists took loose ideas and strung together narratives and themes to form a cohesive idea. Of all the bands you were probably expecting to do so back in day, Local H was probably not high on that list, but songwriter/guitarist/singer Scott Lucas has dipped into the concept album well often during the past several decades, first with their 1996 break-through As Good As Dead, and then the 1998 follow-up Pack Up The Cats. Lucas and drummer Joe Daniels weave a tale not unfamiliar to rock fans - the rise and fall of a musician, but with the decade specific twists and turns that make it a uniquely 90s affair, both lyrically and sonically, and craft a concept album worthy of the decades medium of choice: the compact disc.

Intro - All The Kids Are Right

32:13 - All-Right (Oh Yeah)

34:49 - Cool Magnet

36:58 - Laminate Man

40:47 - Deep Cut

43.46 - Lucky Time

50:16 - Hit The Skids

Outro - What Can I Tell You

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#398: Frosting On The Beater by The Posies Aug 28, 2018

Show notes

The 1990s are known as the grunge decade, but really Seattle's reign was contained to the first half, which is when The Posies power-pop tour de force Frosting On The Beater happened to be released in 1993. It's not hard to understand why this band from the Pacific Northwest struggled to find an broad audience - the singles are teeming with Big Star, Cheap Trick, The Beatles, and other classic power pop influence, and only Matthew Sweet was able to crack mainstream radio playlists and MTV video rotation with a similar but equally melodic approach. It doesn't help that in an era of Discman players and vinyl decline, Don Fleming's beefed up production truly only finds its sweet spot when the stereo speakers are pushing serious air, which we are happy to oblige.

Intro - Dream All Day

9:54 - Definite Door

13:28 - Love Letter Boxes

19:51 - How She Lied By Living

29:37 - Solar Sister

Outro - Flavor Of The Month

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