I realised I forgot I included that Janes Addiction album! It's their masterpiece and thats my pick
― . (Michael B), Friday, 21 June 2019 16:29 (four years ago) link
It was on my list too
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Friday, 21 June 2019 16:29 (four years ago) link
Fugazi or Megadeth, instinctively. But that Trouble album is completely magnificent. Eck.
― Good cop, Babcock (Chinaski), Friday, 21 June 2019 16:30 (four years ago) link
poor legendary pink dots
public enemy and cocteaus right up there mind you, will be a tough choice
― imago, Friday, 21 June 2019 16:31 (four years ago) link
sorry OUR list, kerr hehe
― . (Michael B), Friday, 21 June 2019 16:32 (four years ago) link
I wasn't aware the Jane's Addition ever recorded a masterpiece.
1990 me wouldn't voted Ride, and I'm hesitant to override that guy.
― enochroot, Friday, 21 June 2019 16:43 (four years ago) link
Its murder leaving stuff out Was thinking maybe mike and I doing a poll each and have them as semi finals with the top 10 in each making up the final (starting in 91)
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Friday, 21 June 2019 16:49 (four years ago) link
half our selections match but it gives us a chance to add other stuff
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Friday, 21 June 2019 16:51 (four years ago) link
thats a bit convoluted, no?
― . (Michael B), Friday, 21 June 2019 17:00 (four years ago) link
its not like we have anything better to do with our free time, lol
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Friday, 21 June 2019 17:01 (four years ago) link
jordan: the comeback of course
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 21 June 2019 17:16 (four years ago) link
sundays over mondays and the fall
― visiting, Friday, 21 June 2019 17:20 (four years ago) link
oof this is a hard one. maybe the rhythm of the saints, which was a popular record in my house growing up
― findom haddie (jim in vancouver), Friday, 21 June 2019 17:40 (four years ago) link
This will go to ATCQ, just over Pixies - I also love Goo and Fear of a Black Planet and Extricate and Behaviour. And Sinéad O'Connor's I Do Not Want What I Have Not Got! In fact, that is the one that has only grown in importance for me - I seem to like it a little better with every year.
But my favourite album of 1990 is a relative obscurity: The Trouble Tree by Freedy Johnston. New York-via-Kansas singer/songwriter who got a little more well-known with his subsequent albums, but they do little for me. It's his early stuff that finds a weird middle ground between Americana and post-punk - songs on the album vaguely recall The Fall ("Nature Boy") and Pixies ("Little Red-Haired Girl"), or sophisti-pop ("Down on the Moon I") among the more traditional Townes van Zandtian singer-songwriter fare. I remember the album getting some critical attention in '91 and Twin Peaks being mentioned as a lyrical reference - and indeed many lyrics seem to describe spooky small-town scenes, from the I-took-revenge-via-arson in "That's What You Get" to the Alex Cameron-prefiguring trailer park lit of "Tucumcari".
The album blew me away at the time and since I came to it in 1991 I ranked it over Nevermind, Bandwagonesque and Blue Lines at the time. Since reconciling myself to the fact that I was behind the times and it's a 1990 record, I've had to compare it to People's Instinctive Rhythms, Bossanova et al., but it still wins out. I could totally imagine people listening to it and thinking it too abrasive, or that its trying to be too many things at the same time, but I loved it and love it, and I've not really heard anything quite like it since.
― dorsalstop, Friday, 21 June 2019 17:41 (four years ago) link
Sounds interesting
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Friday, 21 June 2019 17:50 (four years ago) link
that does sound amazing
― . (Michael B), Friday, 21 June 2019 18:37 (four years ago) link
Decent list, but two of my favourites, Lou Reed & John Cale's 'Songs for Drella' and The Beloved 'Happiness' are missing. Of those left between prefab Sprout, PE and The KLF.
― Dan Worsley, Friday, 21 June 2019 18:46 (four years ago) link
Lou Reed & John Cale's 'Songs for Drella' was one of the albums cut at last min along with Sinead and Slayer
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Friday, 21 June 2019 18:53 (four years ago) link
Gonna miss turrican on this thread. I think banned ilxors can still vote so hey turrican! vote!
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Friday, 21 June 2019 19:26 (four years ago) link
fuck that, glad he's gone, hope he never comes back
― Ambient Police (sleeve), Friday, 21 June 2019 19:59 (four years ago) link
Honourable mentions:
Lou Reed & John Cale – Songs for Drella Lush - GalaManilla Road - The Courts of ChaosSinead O’Connor – I do not want what I have not got Slayer – Seasons in the Abyss Viv Akauldren – Vivian’s Fountain
― . (Michael B), Friday, 21 June 2019 20:15 (four years ago) link
there was others we had to drop but I forget which.
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Friday, 21 June 2019 20:48 (four years ago) link
there was a jesus lizard EP
This is clearly Jane's. There are a bunch of fantastic albums here (including ATCQ and PE) but... Jane's.
Had Lush made the cut, that would have been my vote.
― brigadier pudding (DJP), Friday, 21 June 2019 21:30 (four years ago) link
Damn, that means Front Line Assembly wont get a vote now.
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Friday, 21 June 2019 21:32 (four years ago) link
Behaviour, with Heaven or Las Vegas close behind.
― Gavin, Leeds, Friday, 21 June 2019 21:54 (four years ago) link
Mazzy Star or the Sundays. Not sure, probably the Sundays
― that's not my post, Friday, 21 June 2019 22:24 (four years ago) link
This was easier than ’89: Jane’s. Their masterpiece.
― beard papa, Saturday, 22 June 2019 01:03 (four years ago) link
missing Yo La Tengo’s Fakebook, I think it is their most beautiful album, I love it even more than And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out
also just given the zeitgeist of 1990 this list is missing Sinead O’Connor’s I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got and Deee-Lite’s World Clique
― Dan S, Saturday, 22 June 2019 01:05 (four years ago) link
I loved that Jane’s Addiction album
Sun City Girls' Torch of the Mystics I think in retrospect might be considered one of the best albums of 1990
I didn’t relate to it personally, but John Zorn’s Naked City also seems like a seminal album
― Dan S, Saturday, 22 June 2019 01:07 (four years ago) link
Going with ILX non-faves The La’s. I love it, hate all you want. Absolutely played that album to death back in the 00s.
― Mr. Snrub, Saturday, 22 June 2019 01:12 (four years ago) link
xp good call on Torch, that would have gotten my vote
― Ambient Police (sleeve), Saturday, 22 June 2019 01:15 (four years ago) link
Fear of a Black Planet is an easy choice for me. It still sounds radically futuristic.
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Saturday, 22 June 2019 01:18 (four years ago) link
loved Fear of a Black Planet
also feels like the KLF album presaged an era
― Dan S, Saturday, 22 June 2019 01:20 (four years ago) link
I might have voted for Naked City if it were listed.
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Saturday, 22 June 2019 01:23 (four years ago) link
I hadn't realized it, but this list suggests for me the fall-off from the 80s to the 90s in any sort of rock- or pop-based music was really steep. I don't think there's an album among these I'd rank with my top 25 of any year from 1967-1989. If any, the Tribe or Depeche Mode...
― Soundslike, Saturday, 22 June 2019 02:10 (four years ago) link
― Gavin, Leeds
Same here. Jordan: The Comeback and Reading, Writing & Arithmetic would be close too. Four of my favourite albums ever.
― kitchen person, Saturday, 22 June 2019 03:28 (four years ago) link
That Greedy Johnson album is excellent! Cheers for the heads-up, dorsalstop
― . (Michael B), Saturday, 22 June 2019 12:57 (four years ago) link
Freedy (damn autocorrect)
Ah, that's great - I was hoping I'd get at least one person to listen, and if they actually liked it it would be a bonus.
I listened back to it myself last night and realised 1) I'd mixed up "Down on the Moon #1" and "Down on the Moon #2 in my description above - I meant the latter as the loungey soft-rock/sophistipop one, and 2) my musical references were correctly prefaced with "vaguely"; like, "Nature Boy" doesn't actually sound much like The Fall (not in the way, say, "Two States" by Pavement does), although I could imagine MES singing it. What it sounded to me much more in hindsight is as if someone had gone through Neil young's entire back catalogue and tore bits and pieces from every era - cynical Neil, soft-rocker Neil, the pop ballads, the guitar noise stuff, etc- and then put it all back together again after his own vision, like those films that consist of entirely of brief clips from old movies but tell a new story.
― dorsalstop, Saturday, 22 June 2019 14:23 (four years ago) link
Kerrang! Albums Of The Year 1990
1. Slayer - Seasons In The Abyss2. Wolfsbane - All Hell's Breaking Loose Down At Little Kathy Wilson's Place3. Love/Hate - Blackout In The Red Room4. Black Crowes - Shake Your Money Maker5. Warrior Soul - Last Decade, Dead Century6. Queensrÿche - Empire7. Thunder - Back Street Symphony8. King's X - Faith, Hope, Love9. Electric Boys - Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride10. Nelson - After The Rain11. Megadeth - Rust In Peace12. Jane's Addiction - Ritual De Lo Habitual13. Robert Plant - Manic Nirvana14. Judas Priest - Painkiller15. Led Zeppelin - Remasters Boxed16. ZZ Top - Recycler17. Dread Zeppelin - Un-led-ed18. Living Colour - Time's Up19. Loud - D Generation20. Atom Seed - Get In Line21. The Almighty - Blood, Fire And Live22. Quireboys - A Bit Of What You Fancy23. Mother Love Bone - Apple24. Burning Tree - Burning Tree25. Prong - Beg To Differ
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Saturday, 22 June 2019 15:22 (four years ago) link
1990 NME Albums
1. Pills 'N' Thrills And Bellyaches - Happy Mondays2. I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got - Sinead O'connor3. Fear Of A Black Planet - Public Enemy4. Ragged Glory - Neil Young & Crazy Horse5. Gold Mother - James6. Behaviour - Pet Shop Boys7. People's Instinctive Travels Etc.. - A Tribe Called Quest8. Floating - Julee Cruise9. Songs For Drella - Lou Reed/John Cale10. World Clique - Deee-Lite11. Music From Twin Peaks - Angelo Badalmenti12. Goo - Sonic Youth13. Nowhere - Ride14. Goodbye Jumbo - World Party15. Extricate - The Fall16. The Good Son - Nick Cave17. The La's - The La's18. Bossanova - Pixies19. Reading, Writing & Arithmetic - The Sundays20. She Hangs Brightly - Mazzy Star21. Hells Ditch - The Pogues22. Life - Inspiral Carpets23. Jordan: The Comeback - Prefab Sprout24. Enlightenment - Van Morrison25. Some Friendly - The Charlatans26. Happiness - The Beloved27. Fontana - The House Of Love28. Heaven Or Las Vagas - Cocteau Twins29. 101 Damnation’s - Carter USM30. Graffiti Bridge - Prince31. Choke - The Beautiful South32. Dream Letter - Tim Buckley33. My Brothers Keeper - The Neville Brothers34. March - Michael Penn35. Who Cares Wins - Mega City Four36. Gala - Lush37. Boomania - Betty Boo38. Done By The Forces Of Nature - The Jungle Brothers39. Are You Okay? - Was(Not Was)40. The Cactus Album - 3rd Bass41. Amerikkka’s Most Wanted - Ice Cube42. Laughing Down The Limehouse - Anastasia Screamed43. Lloyd Cole - Same44. Viva Dead Ponies - Fatima Mansions45. The Comforts Of Madness - Pail Saints46. Pigeon Hole - New Fads47. Electribal Memories - Electribe 10148. Killing Time - Clint Black49. The Vegetarians Of Love - Bob Geldof50. Violator - Depeche Mode
lol49. The Vegetarians Of Love - Bob Geldof50. Violator - Depeche Mode lol
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Saturday, 22 June 2019 15:23 (four years ago) link
Melody Maker End Of Year Critic Lists - 1990 Albums
1. Pills 'N Thrills And Bellyaches - Happy Mondays2. World Clique - Deee-Lite3. Songs For Drella - Lou Reed & John Cale4. Heaven Or Las Vegas - Cocteau Twins5. Ragged Glory - Neil Young & Crazy Horse6. Some Friendly - The Charlatans7. She Hangs Brightly - Mazzy Star8. Ritual De Lo Habitual - Janes Addiction9. Floating Into The Night - Julee Cruise10. Behaviour - The Pet Shop Boys11. Bossanove - The Pixies12. Fear Of A Black Planet - Public Enemy13. The La's - The La's14. I Do Not Want What I Hav'nt Got - Sinead O'connor15. The Good Son - Nick Cave16. Cleopatra Grip - The Heart Throbs17. All Shock Down - The Replacements18. Reading, Writing And Arithmetic - The Sundays19. Set The Controls .. For The Bass - Bass-O-Matic20. Nowhere - Ride21. Chillout - The Klf22. Pod - The Breeders23. Supernatural - Stereo Mc's24. A Catholic Education - Teenage Fanclub25. Goodbye Jumbo - World Party26. Gold Mother - James27. Jordan: The Comeback - Prefab Sprout28. Spanking Machine - Babes In Toyland29. Swagger - The Blue Aeroplanes30. Boomania - Betty Boo
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Saturday, 22 June 2019 15:24 (four years ago) link
Spin Albums Of The Year 1990
1. Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted2. Sonic Youth - Goo3. Jane's Addiction - Ritual de lo Habitual4. Alice In Chains - Facelift5. Deee-Lite - World Clique6. Neil Young - Ragged Glory7. Teenage Fan Club - A Catholic Education8. Public Enemy - Fear Of A Black Planet9. Sinéad O'Connor - I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got10. L.L. Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out11. Primus - Frizzle Fry12. Bob Mould - Black Sheets Of Rain13. The Breeders - Pod14. Was (Not Was) - Are You OK?15. Concrete Blonde - Bloodletting16. Prince - Graffiti Bridge17. Masters Of Reality - Masters Of Reality18. Eric B. & Rakim - Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em19. Lou Reed/John Cale - Songs For Drella20. Soul II Soul - Vol II: 1990-A New Decade
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Saturday, 22 June 2019 15:45 (four years ago) link
Rolling Stone 1990 Critics Albums
1. Sinéad O'Connor - I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got2. Neil Young And Crazy Horse - Ragged Glory3. The Replacements - All Shook Down4. Living Colour - Time's Up5. Rosanne Cash - Interiors
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Saturday, 22 June 2019 15:46 (four years ago) link
47. Electribal Memories - Electribe 10110. L.L. Cool J - Mama Said Knock You OutA big yes to these two.
― breastcrawl, Saturday, 22 June 2019 16:06 (four years ago) link
I didn't really find myself, musically, until 1989/1990 when I got into metal in quite a big way. Consequently, I know that Kerrang! list all the way down and would still happily listen to a good bunch of those records. Less happy to say that I went to my first real, all-alone, gig that year. It was the Quireboys. Eesh.
― Good cop, Babcock (Chinaski), Saturday, 22 June 2019 16:13 (four years ago) link
did you have a seven o'clock party?
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Saturday, 22 June 2019 16:33 (four years ago) link
we did this is 2007 and somebody voted bob geldofNME/Melody Maker/Sounds/Kerrang/Vox/Spin/Rolling Stone/The Face - Best Albums of 1990 (POLL ENDS 11th May)
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Saturday, 22 June 2019 16:46 (four years ago) link
If My Mother Has Requested That I Render You Unconscious was on here I’d vote for that. One of my favorite albums ever!
― Mr. Snrub, Saturday, 22 June 2019 17:12 (four years ago) link
Another almost forgotten favourite from this year: Rhythms In Me, the only album Robert Owens made for Island Records. It was one of the options in that 2007 poll Oor Neechy linked to.
― breastcrawl, Saturday, 22 June 2019 18:39 (four years ago) link
Depeche Mode vs. The Fall is doing my head in at the moment. 🙃
― Dee the (Summer-Hating) Lurker (deethelurker), Saturday, 22 June 2019 19:07 (four years ago) link
they're no bob geldof
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Saturday, 22 June 2019 20:22 (four years ago) link
What a good year. But it's gotta be Violator, I think it's the only one I still play. Some of the rap might be good, but I just don't have the patience for all of that shoegazing anymore.
― War in I Rock (I M Losted), Sunday, 23 June 2019 07:16 (four years ago) link
It's a brand new record for 1990
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Sunday, 23 June 2019 07:58 (four years ago) link
Happy Mondays for me, the defining album of my youth
― the article don, Sunday, 23 June 2019 11:54 (four years ago) link
I hope the metallers turn out to vote because bad michael wanted me to drop some of the metal albums as nobody would vote for them.Dont let Michael win!
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Sunday, 23 June 2019 15:52 (four years ago) link
Helios Creed just over Royal Trux and Pixies
― think the toledo mud hens but for twitter (Drugs A. Money), Sunday, 23 June 2019 16:08 (four years ago) link
My friend Goo goes... PU!
― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Sunday, 23 June 2019 17:48 (four years ago) link
The Sundays vs Depeche Mode for me. 90's me would've definitely voted Sundays, but modern me has listened to Violator more frequently since then.
― Ex Slacker, Sunday, 23 June 2019 18:27 (four years ago) link
Paul Simon - The Rhythm Of The Saints. A top 10 record of mine ever since I first heard it sometime mid-90s. I loved hearing four songs from that album (possibly the most special songs even) on his farewell tour.
― Valentijn, Sunday, 23 June 2019 20:27 (four years ago) link
That Poison Idea record is very very good.
― bendy, Monday, 24 June 2019 17:41 (four years ago) link
Own Lard, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Prefab Sprout, Ride, The Chills, The Cocteau Twin, The Fall, The Fatima Mansions, The House of Love, The La's, They Might Be Giants, Uncle Tupelo
Going with Prefab Sprout but The Chills and The La's albums are right there with it. Also adore the Fatima Mansions, not too many of us around I expect.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 24 June 2019 18:26 (four years ago) link
poll says i voted already, pretty sure for i went for pod
― old cloud yells at man (voodoo chili), Monday, 24 June 2019 18:57 (four years ago) link
In a garden in the house of loveSitting lonely on a plastic chair
― je est un autre, l'enfer c'est les autres (alex in mainhattan), Tuesday, 25 June 2019 12:32 (four years ago) link
Great year, many acts peaking (Pixies on their way down though). I'd also put in a vote for Lush's Gala.
Tribe Called QuestEPMDFugaziHappy MondaysPublic EnemyRideKLF
It probably should be PE, but I went with Fugazi because I saw them around this time (just after Rodney King video came out, and just before Gulf War I) and it changed my life.
― stop torturing me ethel (broom air), Tuesday, 25 June 2019 12:47 (four years ago) link
Update: I eventually went with Extricate purely because I felt like enough people would be giving love to Violator. Y'all don't prove me wrong here.
― Dee the (Summer-Hating) Lurker (deethelurker), Saturday, 29 June 2019 18:41 (four years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Tuesday, 2 July 2019 00:01 (four years ago) link
where's the metal fans itt?
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Tuesday, 2 July 2019 14:32 (four years ago) link
I voted Rust in Peace.
― Good cop, Babcock (Chinaski), Tuesday, 2 July 2019 14:42 (four years ago) link
Public Enemy or Pixies for me, can't decide right now
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Tuesday, 2 July 2019 17:31 (four years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 00:01 (four years ago) link
a tie!
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 00:16 (four years ago) link
Best Album on OUR Favourite Albums of......1991
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 12:30 (four years ago) link
Heh, who was the third person who voted for Redd Kross?
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 12:36 (four years ago) link
I thought Violator would win this didn't expect Cocteau Twins to joint win
― Thus Spoke Darraghustra (Oor Neechy), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 13:48 (four years ago) link
I voted in this poll, but my favorite 1990 album is Unrest’s Kustom Karnal Backxploitation.
― stan by me (morrisp), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 14:31 (four years ago) link
<3
― Ambient Police (sleeve), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 14:35 (four years ago) link
I forgot to vote in this, probably would have gone Sundays.
― confusementalism (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 15:25 (four years ago) link
Damn, missed this. Would have voted Jane's Addiction..
― millmeister, Friday, 12 July 2019 17:56 (four years ago) link