Dig Me Out: 90s & 00s Rock

Latest Episodes:

#356: Firecracker by Lisa Loeb Nov 07, 2017

Show notes

On her sophomore release Firecracker, Lisa Loeb mixes pop hooks and confessional ballads with mixed results. Known for the hit “Stay” from the Reality Bites soundtrack and the 1995 album Tails, her 1997 release under her own name has some made for radio pop singles as well as more intimate material. Sometimes the sparse approach works, adding flavor to the sound, and other times the musicians backing her leave us wondering who this album is for - pop listeners? Adult contemporary stations? Coffee house singer songwriters? Our confusion left us with mixed opinions - give a listen and share your thoughts if we got it right or wrong on Firecracker.

Songs in this Episode:

Intro - I Do

11:38 - Falling In Love

16:47 - Let’s Forget About It

18:50 - Firecracker

Outro - Truthfully

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#355: Re-Animation Festival by The Groovie Ghoulies Oct 31, 2017

Show notes

It’s Halloween, a perfect time thanks a requested review to revisit the the Groovie Ghoulies 1997 album Re-Animation Festival. With a mixture of early rock ‘n roll riffs courtesy Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly, mixed with Ramones energy and Monkees goofiness, all wrapped in a Misfits-style horror punk sound, the Ghoulies give us some good creeps on All Hallows Eve. The band hit their stride keeping it simple, and our complaints are few. We also wonder if the Ghoulies were ahead of their time and missed out on an opportunity to cross platforms and launch a Doc McStuffins/Jake and the Neverland Pirates kids show.

Songs in this Episode

Intro - Graveyard Girlfriend

8:46 - Zombie Crush

12:03 - Tunnel of Love

14:30 - Graceland

15:45 - If You Need Me

18:47 - Evading The Grays

Outro - Chupacabra

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#354: Woman’s Gotta Have It by Cornershop Oct 24, 2017

Show notes

Cornershop’s 1995 sophomore album Woman’s Gotta Have It gives a hint of the hit they would release two years later. The album shifts between rhythm driven “Hindi Pop” and jarring, dissonant indie guitar rock. While both have their merits, the melodies flow smoother on the former leaving the latter wanting. This album may have been out of step with the UK Battle of Britpop taking place between Blur and Oasis in 1995, but we contemplate if the sounds of Woman’s Gotta Have It would influence Damon Albarn’s songwriting on future Blur releases.

Bonus audio from this episode can be found at Patreon, including a mini-review and discussion on the Foo Fighters latest album Concrete and Gold.

Special thanks to Sudio Sweden (Facebook/Instagram), who hooked us up with two pairs of Regent headphonesto test out. We’re reporting on them all month - if you like what you hear and want to grab a pair, use the code DIGMEOUT15 for 15% off your purchase with free worldwide shipping.

Songs in this Episode:

Intro - Wog

8:48 - My Dancing Days Are Gone

12:09 - 6am Jullandar Shere

22:05 - Hong Kong Book of Fung Fu

Outro - Camp Orange

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#353: Forever And Counting by Hot Water Music Oct 17, 2017

Show notes

The second album from Hot Water Music gives us plenty to like, but much to scratch our heads at as well. Whether you call them punk, post-punk, post-hardcore or emo, HWM forge a unique path on 1997′s Forever and Counting, avoiding the rhythms and structures traditionally associated with punk rock. While we dug the diversity, the presentation left us wanting, as a dynamic-less mix and some questionable guitar and bass tones muddied the water. Give a listen and share your thoughts.

Special thanks to Sudio Sweden (Facebook/Instagram), who hooked us up with two pairs of Regent headphones to test out. We’re reporting on them all month - if you like what you hear and want to grab a pair, use the code DIGMEOUT15 for 15% off your purchase with free worldwide shipping.

Songs in this Episode:

Intro - Translocation

14:26 - Just Don’t Say You Lost It

18:36 - Manual

22:24 - Man The Change

33:45 - Three Summers Strong

Outro - Position

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#352: Digging Your Scene - Roundtable Discussion on Minneapolis-St. Paul in the 90s Oct 10, 2017

Show notes

We’re heading to the land of ten thousand lakes to uncover the Minneapolis St. Paul music scene of the 1990s. With names like The Replacements and Husker Du, the twin cities have been established as an 80s mecca for underground hardcore and punk rock, but the story of the city is much deeper and broader. In the 90s bands like Soul Asylum and Semisonic scored massive hits, while The Jayhawks, Low and the Dillinger Four expanded the sonic pallet. And of course, there’s Prince. To help us understand the roots of the punk and hardcore scene, we invited author/writer/KFAI DJ Cindy “Cyn” Collins, who recently released Complicated Fun: The Birth of Minneapolis Punk and Indie Rock, 1974-1984 to talk the early years and bands like The Suicide Commandos and The Suburbs. Returning is Michelle Leon, former Babes In Toyland bassist and author of I Live Inside: Memoirs of a Babe In Toyland to give us insights on the various famous (and infamous venues) and more, along with record producer, engineer, singer-songwriter and touring musician Jamie Woolford of The Stereo, Animal Chin and Let Go to share memories of various record stores, local media and other important aspects of the Minneapolis St. Paul scene.

Be sure to join us at Patreon for bonus content from this episode.

Special thanks to Sudio Sweden (Facebook/Instagram), who hooked us up with two pairs of Regent headphones to test out. We’re reporting on them all month - if you like what you hear and want to grab a pair, use the code DIGMEOUT15 for 15% off your purchase with free worldwide shipping.

Songs in this Episode:

Intro - Minneapolis by that dog.

8:54 - Attacking the Beat by The Suicide Commandos

33:28 - Dust Cake Boy by Babes in Toyland

39:03 - Walks Alone by Cows

Outro - She Would Hever by The Stereo

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#351: One Mississippi by Brendan Benson Oct 03, 2017

Show notes

With help from Jason Falkner of Jellyfish, Brendan Benson crafted a fine if overlong debut album in 1996′s One Mississippi. Some of us may have discovered Benson thanks to his team-up with Jack White in The Raconteurs, but he had a number of solo releases to his name by that point, and One Mississippi shows the promise of what was to come. Like so many 90s albums, the first half was satisfying while the back half became less focused and felt padded, but there is still plenty to like about this power pop debut, brought to us thanks to a twelve-month Patreon anniversary pick by past guest Keith S.

Special thanks to Sudio Sweden (Facebook/Instagram), who hooked us up with two pairs of Regent headphones to test out. We’re reporting on them all month - if you like what you hear and want to grab a pair, use the code DIGMEOUT15 for 15% off your purchase with free worldwide shipping.

Songs in this Episode:

Intro - I’m Blessed

13:31 - Emma J

18:40 - Got No Secrets

23:00 - Insects Rule

32:08 - House in Virginia

Outro - Crosseyed

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#350: Seemless by Into Another Sep 26, 2017

Show notes

Into Another bring the riffs, the big vocals and locked-in rhythm section on 1995′s Seemless. Even though we’re fans of New York City bands such as Quicksand and Handsome, Into Another somehow flew under our radar. However, thanks to Patreon patron Chris M. with his twelve-month anniversary pick, he enlightened us on the major label debut (and third overall) album by the band. We dug deep into the record, enough to give you some bonus content over at Patreon discussing b-sides and more.

Songs in this Episode:

Intro - Mutate Me

12:43 - Mutate Me

21:42 - For a Wounded Wren

27:20 - The Way Down

30:30 - Actual Size

Outro - T.A.I.L.

In the 1990s the term alternative country appeared, we’re talking the bands, the sound and influences. What is alternative country an alternative to? Country? Rock? We dig into the unique aspects that separate alternative country from its more mainstream counterparts and the sounds that help create it. We talk some of the biggest influences upon 90s alternative country, including Gram Parsons, Neil Young, the punk rock from labels like SST and more. We talk about our favorite 90s alternative country albums, and which artists today are carrying the alternative country torch. To do so, we’re joined by returning roundtable guests Eric Grubbs of Dallas Observer, Jim Kopeny of Chicagoist and Jim Hanke of Vinyl Emergency.

Songs in this Episode

Intro - Are You Ready for the Country by Neil Young

16:42 - Blue by The Jayhawks

29:08 - Postcard by Uncle Tupelo

47:36 - California Stars by Billy Bragg and Wilco

1:01:32 - Dancefloors by My Morning Jacket

Outro - Hot Burrito #2 by Dinosaur Jr (Flying Burrito Brothers cover)

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#349: Alternative Country Roundtable Discussion Sep 19, 2017

Show notes

Songs in this Episode

Intro - Are You Ready for the Country by Neil Young

16:42 - Blue by The Jayhawks

29:08 - Postcard by Uncle Tupelo

47:36 - California Stars by Billy Bragg and Wilco

1:01:32 - Dancefloors by My Morning Jacket

Outro - Hot Burrito #2 by Dinosaur Jr (Flying Burrito Brothers cover)

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#348: Talk Show by Talk Show Sep 12, 2017

Show notes

What happens when you remove Scott Weiland from Stone Temple Pilots - you get Talk Show. Attempting to fill the hole left by Weiland’s drug problems in 1996, the DeLeo brothers and drummer Eric Kretz recruiter former Ten Inch Men frontman/guitarist Dave Coutts to take the lead on this self-titled release from 1997. The album failed commercially and band quickly dumped Coutts to welcome Weiland back into the fold. We revisit the album with fresh ears to try to figure out if Talk Show was a missed opportunity for listeners or a misfire by the band. We also delve into the career trajectory of Stone Temple Pilots to determine if Talk Show was a harbinger of things to come for the band as they chased radio friends sounds (i.e. “Down”) and relevancy in the 2000s.

Over at Patreon, we take a few minutes to discuss if any band successfully pulled off the lead singer switch, whether with an existing band (like AC/DC or Alice in Chains) or a new outfit (Audioslave).

Songs in this Episode:

Intro - Hello Hello

14:08 - Peeling An Orange

15:34 - Everybody Loves My Car

24:16 - Wash Me Down

28:28 - Ring Twice

Outro - So Long

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#347: It Means Everything by Save Ferris Sep 05, 2017

Show notes

The debut Save Ferris album It Means Everything is everything you know and love/hate about 90s ska-punk. The snappy snare, the upstroke guitar lines, the energetic horn stabs - all the hallmarks of the familiar 90s sound utilized by early No Doubt, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Reel Big Fish and others. Save Ferris don’t break the mold, but they do add a few extra layers, inserting a distorted guitar from time to time, as well as taking advantage of Monique Powell’s pipes to slow down the tempos into classic reggae and dub influenced grooves. Neither of us are ska punk aficionados, or really fans for that matter, but did Save Ferris win us over? Tune in to find out.

Songs in this Episode:

Intro - Come On Eileen

18:11 - Lies

22:56 - SuperSpy

32:20 - The World Is New

Outro - Goodbye

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