Garbage, Garbage (1995) 

   What do you end up with when you cross über-producer Butch Vig (Nevermind, Siamese Dream) a vampish front woman, and some of the smoothest hooks to come down the pike in a good while? Why, Garbage, of course -- and one of the best albums to emerge in the past several years. By mixing good, old-fashioned rock with new-fangled studio tricks, Vig and company deliver a powerful album guaranteed to leave an impression on the listener. One should also not discount the lyric-writing of lead singer Shirley Manson, formerly of Angelfish. Through hard-hitting tracks like "Vow" and "Stupid Girl," ballads like "Milk," and the tongue-in-cheek anthem "I'm Only Happy When it Rains," Manson proves herself to be far more than a pretty face. Overall, this collection of slick tracks has a little something for every mood and is not to be missed.

   Okay, okay, it is actually from the 1980s, but this Trent Reznor (before he was TRENT REZNOR)-produced album was a mind-blowing experience upon its release in 1989. With such pleasures as "Down In It", "Head Like a Hole", and "Sin",  and the classic, "Something I Can Never Have",  this bridge between such bands as early Ministry and Kraftwerk and today's electronic musicians like the Chemical Brothers and Prodigy showed what was possible with other "instruments" -- like a computer, a synthesizer, and one man's demented fantasies. With Pretty Hate Machine, Reznor was able to bring the synthesizer out of the closet and show that it could indeed be penetrating and mesmerizing. All of this combined to create a ground-breaking album that justifies its decade-spanning for our purposes.

   We all know that this is The Album, the one that started it all. Blah, blah, blah. However, an often overlooked fact about Nevermind is that it is a damn good album. From the opening guitar chords of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to the somber ballad, "Something in the Way", this is a well done, tight album. No matter how you feel about Kurt and Co, Nevermind  is an important album, and it is the chart power of this masterwork that sent the Big-hair guys like Cinderella and Poison packing. Of course, now that "alternative" is dying, it is no longer cool to be a fan, but this album, on the strength of its songs alone, is one of the top five albums in rock history.

   After the demise of the long, strange-trippin' Greatful Dead, several "roots-rock" bands rushed to pick up the mantle as the number one groove band. While such pretenders as the Spin Doctors, Blues Traveler, Phish, and Rusted Root all vied for the title, it seems that the band that follows in the innovative tradition of Jerry and Co. is The Dave Matthews Band. This major label debut, while annoyingly catchy, is one of the most innovative and stimulating albums of the decade thus far. With such fun songs like "What Would You Say" and the incredibly fun "Ants Marching", this fiddle-backed outfit seems to be on the road to immortality for their hooks, and their sense of musicianship. While some believe that this band is Hootie with the violin, the Dave Matthews Band follows in the road paved by the Dead, simply because instead of copying only part of the formula (e.g., Phish, the live show), Dave Matthews also delivers it on vinyl -- and that's an experience that can be enjoyed again and again.

   This was the album that brought the gangsta life to the white suburbs of middle-America.  Full of infectious grooves, clever samples, and rapping that rolls like machine-gun fire, Dr. Dre's self-produced opus truly made gangsta rap a valid genre in the music world.  Although often attacked for its drug-related themes and sometimes misogynist lyrics, this album is undeniably catchy, featuring tracks like "Nuthin' but a G Thang" and "Let Me Ride."  More importantly, however, it introduced the world to Snoop Doggy Dogg, the walking MTV News clip.  This cemented Dre as a master producer in the industry and was soon followed by his collaborations with Snoop and, later, Tha Dogg Pound.

   While The Chronic was the icing on the gangsta rap cake, this album was the actual cake itself.  With such disturbing tales from the ‘hood such as "F**k tha Police," and the title track, Dre, Easy-E, MC REN, and Ice Cube proved that they were the messengers that foretold of the day when there would be a gun in every classroom, and a low rider with a bitch in every driveway.  Signaling the end of the fun, clean rap of the Fresh Prince, and MC Hammer, SOC is the aural equivalent of a steady girlfriend.  It manages to shock, while at the same time it is oddly intriguing.

   Speaking of infectious grooves, Beck Hansen's fourth effort (second mainstream release, following Mellow Gold) sports quite a few in its repertoire.  Sticking with the oftentimes nonsensical lyrics, funky beats, and where-the-hell-did-he-find-that samples, this album redefined the face of "alternative" music, bringing a fresh approach to a well-worn and tired genre.  With the release of Odelay, Beck shook the slacker label applied to him after his multi-platinum "Loser," managing to pull down three Grammys for the effort.  Mixing folk, rap, rock, and country in his sometimes mystifying concoctions, this young man could very well be the future face of popular music.

   While Nirvana was the pioneer of the modern alternative genre, Pearl Jam is possibly the better band, and on this, their debut album with front man Eddie Vedder, Peal Jam shows that they also are important. With a singer as anguished as Cobain singing about child abuse ("Jeremy"), finding long lost relatives ("Black"), and of course, Big Waves ("Evenflow"), Ten places Pearl Jam in the Seattle tradition of Jimi Hendrix and Heart, big-stadium rockers with a sense of style and actual substance. While their later efforts may be lacking in raw power and visceral lyrics as much as their debut, Ten captures one of the glory ages for the discerning fan.

    What can be said of the album that has everything?  On this, Moby’s first full-length album, he shows why he is the visionary artist of the '90s.  A seamless blend of techno, punk, rock, classical, industrial, and any other form of music, EIW captures almost totally a fusion of the fragmented 90’s music scene. This is the album that has shown the world the light, and help to make such artists as Prodigy, the Chemical Brothers, and Aphex Twin possible.

   While Rage’s first album was more powerful and raw, their sophomore effort proves that while they are all that's left of real 'protest the system' music, they are also damn good at it.  With such anger and self-righteousness pouring forth in songs like "Vietnow," the ubiquitous "Bulls on Parade," and the really fun "Rolling Down Rodeo," Rage combines socially conscious lyrics and some of the rawest chords outside of the NYC hard-core scene.  Evil Empire proves that a cross of Henry Rollins and the Beastie Boys is one of the few original concepts that truly works for the majority of music fans.

   While the majority of us here at Verbosity really, really hate this woman, even we are forced to admit that this gazillion-selling album is the key to the door that spawned Jan Ardan, Jewel, and Meredith Brooks.  Even the continued success of Sheryl Crow and No Doubt owe some credit to this former Canadian Tiffany. While both PJ Harvey and Liz Phair made earlier, better albums, it was this Top-40 hit machine that has made the female singer-songwriter relevant for the first time since...well, I’m not sure, but they’re darn important now, eh?

The Smashing Pumpkins, Siamese Dream (1993)

   Despite the fact that they had been around for a few years before the release of this album, the Smashing Pumpkins -- back before Billy Corgan shaved his head and got all scary -- really put themselves on the map with Siamese Dream. Once again, the influence of Butch Vig, the Babyface of modern rock, is felt on this album, which produced such notable singles as "Today" and "Disarm." Dream truly pushed the Smashing Pumpkins into the forefront of the alternative scene, based largely on the sometimes-whiny, always-powerful vocals of front man Corgan. Powerful guitars mix with orchestrated studio tricks on these tracks to create a highly-textured listening experience that highlights both the ability and the creativity of the Pumpkins.

   With albums like Paul's Boutique and Check Your Head to choose from, it's no easy task to pick a Beastie pinnacle.  However, with Ill Communication, the Boys seem to have hit their niche, sliding almost into their very own genre (which, although occasionally invaded by Rage Against the Machine, has remained their own).  Sparked by the Spike Jonze-directed, retro video for "Sabotage," the appeal of this Beastie effort is undeniable.  Furthermore, it goes to show just how far the trio has grown and evolved since their days opening up for Madonna on her "Virgin Tour" and singing about their right to party.

   Sure, we know you're probably tired of MTV's latest offering of the ultimate in eye- and ear-candy, but singles like "Spiderwebs," "Don't Speak," and "Just a Girl" just won't go away. Tragic Kingdom, however, has sparked a revitalization of the ska movement, bringing it into mainstream popularity for the first time in...well, for the first time. Drawing from predecessors like Madness, the Skatalites, and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and adding in a healthy dose of Cyndi Lauper and Southern California sunshine, No Doubt has managed to make the trombone and warbling female leads cool once again. This band, which once looked like little more a flavor of the month, has managed to leave its mark, thanks in part to the natural charisma of sexy lead singer Gwen Stefani. Now, the question that begs to be answered: Will they be able to follow up on Tragic Kingdom, or will No Doubt fall to the wayside?