Six Underrated Bands of the Nineties

Sure, there were plenty of great, influential bands in the nineties such as: Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, etc. No one ever stops talking about them and I'm grateful for that.  But what about the lesser-known bands who had just as much creative merit and talent, who were not recognized on a grand scale?  Here is my list of six underrated bands of the nineties:

Daisy Chainsaw: Daisy Chainsaw was a one-hit wonder, which is a shame because almost all of their songs are pretty great...well, to me (sadly, I don't think I've ever met any other Daisy Chainsaw fans).  KatieJane Garside's vocals are really distinctive (aggressively sexual, breathy, infantile, and sometimes giggly and maniacal) and the band has this amazing, chaotic/beautiful sound.  KatieJane is gorgeous--she looks like a woman who bakes mud pies and just doesn't give a damn.  The music video for "Love Your Money" on Beavis and Butthead was my introduction to Daisy Chainsaw, and since then I have listened to their Eleventeen album pretty regularly, like probably at least once every few months, and it never gets tiresome.  My favorite Daisy Chainsaw song is "Pink Flower", especially at the end of the song. Too bad I can't embed the video for that one.








Jawbox: I first heard Jawbox on a Dischord music sampler...or maybe on a mix tape, I think;  it was the song "FF=66".  I was pretty blown away by it and bought the album, For Your Own Special Sweetheart, which really impressed me; every song on it was so self-contained and complete.  Normally when I buy an album based on liking one song, all the other songs on the album seem disappointing in comparison.  But Jawbox are pretty solid.  Jawbox sounds like the nineties on steroids, with awesome bass lines and vocal harmonization.   They never wrote anything boring.








Unwound: I discovered Unwound from a Kill Rock Stars compilation that had the song "MKultra" on it.  I admire their disregard for conventional song structure and ability to alternate quietness and LOUDNESS.  My god, they are soooo loud in the best possible way.  I can feel their music vibrating around in my rib cage, and it's so intense it makes me feel like I could explode living room furniture using only the powers of my mind.




Unwound: "Here Come the Dogs"


Refused:  I discovered Refused while watching Headbanger's Ball.  The music video for "New Noise" came on, and when Dennis Lyxzen took the microphone while wearing that adorable little outfit, and shrieked that introductory line of "Can I screeeeeeeaaaaam?!", it felt like he just stole my virginity.  That song and video made my heart palpitate and gave me the urge to jump on my couch and scream "YESSSS!!!!" (in other words, it made me feel like I was in a Mountain Dew commercial), so I bought their albums.  Refused: The Shape of Punk to Come is a masterpiece.  It is a mini-epic.  It even has cellos and stuff.  It's metal--but different.








Shudder to Think:  If you've been reading this blog, you probably already know I am a fan of Shudder to Think, and of the singer, Craig Wedren, in general.  Shudder to Think is an acquired taste, for sure.  They definitely have their own sound, which seems kind of dissonant and unstructured at first but is actually very mathy and deliberate.  The first time I listened to the Pony Express Record, I felt kind of confused, but in a good way... like when a college professor says something profound and you replay it in your head until it makes sense.  Shudder to Think's music is composed of a whole bunch of elements that don't really seem to be cohesive at first, but then halfway through an album you realize it's probably the best thing you've ever heard.

I remember being in high school and seeing a picture of Craig Wedren--I think it was in a magazine, and I stared at it, transfixed.  It was a semi-blurry photo of him standing in front of a microphone leaning forward like he was caught in motion, and I think it was accompanied by an article that said he liked to perform naked sometimes (or maybe I made that up?).  Anyway, I would take this clipping out of my pocket and stare at it a few minutes every day for a few months, and then put it back in my pocket.  I mean, it wasn't even a clear picture, and I would literally just take it out and almost meditate to it.  Yeah, Craig is handsome and all, but seriously, my portable pocket shrine to him went way beyond that.  It was more about inspiration than teenage lust.







Quicksand:  I don't remember where I heard of Quicksand, I can only say that I am a big fan of their music, and I feel disappointed that they weren't given more recognition.  When it comes to inventiveness and musical complexity they completely surpass a lot of the more well-known nineties bands/artists.  I was heavily influenced by them back in high school when I was developing more "grown up" musical tastes.  I think Quicksand's genius is how they managed to embody the '90s zeitgeist (they had that basic nineties sound), but they also incorporated a lot of dissonant solos and instrumental break-downs that really set them apart.  They were both of their time and before their time.  Quicksand is often compared to a lot of other bands, and yes, they do kind of remind me of a mixture between Filter, Tool, and Sonic Youth.  But overall, Quicksand is Quicksand and I like sinking into them (bad pun intended).