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Podcast Episode
Season
Eight
number
366
Type
Roundtable
Post Date
1/16/2018

Albums of 1998

366	Albums of 1998 Roundtable

Albums Of The Year - Roundtable

Label
Release year
1998
Producer
Transparent Embed Background

We revisit the albums of 1998 that stood the test of time, that we discovered years later, that didn't hold up, and much more

Author & Special Guests

It's time to travel back twenty years and revisit the albums of 1998. What albums were overlooked upon release that have gained critical acclaim and fans in the years since? Which albums were big releases that have stood the test of time, and which ones have failed that same test? Are there albums we bought back in 1998 and immediately regretted the purchase? And what are our favorite albums from this wildly divergent year that witnessed the rise of nü-metal bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit along with the pop of Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys, that also featured new albums from major artists like Madonna, the Beastie Boys, Pearl Jam and The Smashing Pumpkins. To help us dig into it all, we're joined by Andy Derer of The Andy Derer Show, Chip Midnight of Kids Interview Bands and Jim Hanke of Vinyl Emergency.

Intro

[00:00:00] Tim: J this week we are back with our first round table of the year 2018 means we're looking back 20 years. To 1998 and will like we did with previous seasons were going to do our albums of twenty years ago.

We did 1996 we did 1997. Logically we're going to 1998 J. Are you excited J: I am and then we'll be reviewing quite a few of these records throughout the year, so Tim: yeah, we've already gotten a couple with him previous review of the Gathering and then I'm sure some albums that were going to be. Hitting on this year actually some of already been suggested by our Patreon patrons for their 12-month review we already know that they're locked in and so we will mention them tonight, but we're going to get into full reviews in the coming weeks and months so to help us.

Guest Introductions

With this discussion like we always like to [00:01:00] do on these roundtables. It's not just about you and me Jay. It's about bringing in. All of our our favorite guests that we have and we got a Roundtable of Veteran Dig Me Out guests that I could turn the show over and they could run this thing without me even being here.

That's how confident. I am in our Roundtable tonight joining us from The Windy City. Andy Derer welcome back and Andy: Hey Tim and J, thank you so much for having me back 1998. I just wrote that down whatever came to my head. I put down on a piece of paper. I put the height of TRL Dawson's Creek Loveline boy boy band's new metal and the family values tour, so this will be an interesting look back.

Tim: Oh. Yeah. Well. I'm sure we get all get all into that AndyDerer.com , that's where people should go check out your writings and your. Andy: Exactly, and if you're in the Chicagoland area. I've been managing at a record store called [00:02:00] record Utopia in in the western suburbs of Chicago. It's Westmont, Illinois, so check it out Tim: excellent.

chip midnight welcome back. He's been here since we were when we were looking at rebuilding the website J, Chip Midnight's been here since basically like episode 5. It's crazy Chip: Since 1999. Tim: Yeah, Chip: 1999. Tim: Yes. It was back before the internet we had a podcast, but we didn't actually we just sat in a room and talked about music.

That's what that's what that was no. It was like the triple. I think the triple fast-action episode was maybe the first one or maybe was the for Love Not Lisa one of those, too. Chip: One of those two yeah, Tim: those are really early like top like first 10, so yeah, we've had your roped in ever since. Chip: Thanks for having me.

Yes. Tim: Yeah, and of course people go to kidsinterviewbands.com to see what you do. What's what's going on their job. Chip. What's what are the [00:03:00] latest interviews the people can check out. Chip: You know this might be a good show discussion with the panelists to have kids who might want to take it over someday.

Tim: Alright, Chip: we might be we might we might be getting towards retirement ages is the best I can say right now Tim: is this a Logan's Run situation where like the the the jewel lights up, and they get shuffled off to. Is anybody seen Logan's Run? Chip: The teenager yeah, yeah, no yeah, I think I think will probably be coming back probably not doing 58 a year if we do maybe ten a year might be what we're going to try to hit for this year.

I will see Tim: gotcha. And last but not least Jim Hanke welcome back to the show. Jim: Thank you. Thank you. Tim: Tell us. What is new at vinyl emergency Jim: just kicking off an another what I hope to be another fun year of discussions [00:04:00] about people's connection to vinyl. First records they remember record stores.

They grew up going to their current connection to vinyl artwork that kind of blew them away in the past as well as now we just got done with in November. We had a great live episode in Chicago with Lydia Loveless at pinwheel records the sponsor of the show. And we actually worked with Lydia to release the acoustic songs she did for the audience.

There as a charity digital EP so people can go to Lydia Loveless bandcamp page and pick up that EP for three bucks and all the money goes to Faith, Mission, Ohio where they help out women men and Veterans who need assistance with shelter food. Employment assistance all that sort of stuff, so that's been something.

That's been really cool lately and then coming up I feel there's a lot of. Interest for people who are like you know really into [00:05:00] the nitty-gritty of vinyl. We've got an interview coming up later this month with a guy who started a business here in Milwaukee about cleaning records more efficiently and a little bit more scientifically than you might think so we kind of get into the nuts and bolts of the real ethereal dirt.

I guess I'm on vinyl and then I'm really happy to welcome Believe It or Not Creed Bratton from the office. Next month Tim: nice Jim: he's gonna hang out on talk about his he's band. He's touring the country starting and couple weeks. I think he's doing some January dates in the Midwest and then the East Coast like in the spring.

He's got a new record coming out in April, but he was kind enough to hop on Skype for a little bit and talk You know his time with the Grassroots, and I mean that I would have loved to pick that guy's brain for five hours, but even to just get the the 45 minutes or so we had a chance to chat with was really cool, so I'm excited for people to hear that one as well.

That should be coming up sometime in February Tim: awesome Andy: nice. I was just thinking is there a low point for vinyl [00:06:00] like now we're seeing the Renaissance of it all would you say that 1998 was kind of the low point for the vinyl industry itself. I mean people were moving onto CDs and getting rid of their vinyl kind of in the mid-to-late 90s is that Jim: yeah, Andy: would you agree? Jim: I think thats I think that's fair to say.

I think certainly. You could even go a little bit deeper into like you know the early 2000s for sure because I think we really started to see more Indie bands kind of go back two vinyl I'd say you know around 04 to like 07. There's a that's a big little stretch there, but some of the albums. On these lists that that we are going to talk about tonight Some of those came out on vinyl right away, but that also has a lot to do with the labels that they're on you know Asianman records, Jade Tree, Epitaph.

You know that sort of stuff, but those guys were, Dischord, those guys were never not doing vinyl you but certainly it from a mainstream standpoint. Yeah, I mean it was you know Pearl Jam puts out yield that year, and that's a record that. [00:07:00] Pearl Jam you know basically started putting vinyl out.

I think with versus started putting vinyl out like two weeks before the CDs hit stores, and that was always a big thing they were doing that you know pretty early in their career Andy: nice. Tim: right so I want to give our audience a basic rundown of what we're going to be covering on this episode if you've heard our previous episodes on 96 and 97 you're going to have the basic idea but.

What we're going to do is we're going to talk about our picks for overlooked or ignored albums. These are albums that came out little Fanfare when they came out, but over time you as a listener have decided maybe this was worth checking out, and they've become a little bit more revered in the time since they were first released and then their albums that came out that came out to a lot of fanfare, and you know a lot of press and.

They were considered an amazing album, then and guess what they're still an amazing album Now [00:08:00] albums that have failed the test of time they came out. A lot of hype, and then you picked it up recently and said maybe this isn't so good. Maybe this didn't stand the test of time and then albums that you bought and then went oh, no this was a mistake

this is terrible this record is, I can't believe I spent $17.99 on this CD and then last but not least we'll pick our favorite albums from 1998 well pick an album. You know a couple runners-up of each category and then all of our Patreon folks had had lots of comments to throw in so as we're going through this.

I'll be mentioning folks from our Patreon comments. They did that over at Patreon.com/digmeout to share their selections for our various categories. So Jim I ended with you, and I'm going to start with you in this section here our overlooked and ignored albums. I'm going to start with that. Okay.

Albums that released to little fanfare but have aged well.

Give me one of the [00:09:00] albums that you think came out nobody really paid attention to it, but over time. you discovered or and maybe other people have discovered that this is actually a really good record Jim: gosh. You know this is really tough, because I'm trying to remember 1998 and what was little Fanfare at that time because to be perfectly honest.

There's albums that I that I wrote down like in the airplane over the sea from Neutral Milk Hotel or end hits from fugazi those are albums. Now or I'm like you know and I think a lot of the general public really appreciates and loves, but I don't I can't say that they were necessarily overlooked or ignored because I don't feel I was in deep with that that music yet or that fanbase certainly, so I so for me.

I want to say and maybe hip-hop people you know hip-hop heads might contradict me, but I would I would say an album like Blackstar the the. Combo of most def now now known as he asking Bay and [00:10:00] celeb quality. This is an album that has kind of only grown to be more legendary year by year by year with this being the 20th anniversary.

I hope they do kind of a better. Vinyl reissue with it. I've seen it in stores. It's still in print, but I feel like the the vinyl art is blown up from CD size. It just doesn't look as sharp as it could I don't know about the music inside unfortunately because I haven't picked up this reissue, but that's an album where you've got two of you know the two brilliant lyricists doing a joint album together, and it's still you know is is better than.

Most of or any that that followed it you know whether that's Watch the Throne from Kanye and Jay-Z or you know some of these other combination albums between artists Blackstar has basically always been. kind of like under somewhat underground kind of classic, and [00:11:00] I don't think it certainly got the hype or Fanfare it did from you know the general pop music public of course, but I think in recent years as as each of these guys as kind of had hits and been a little bit more popular.

I feel that people are kind of still discovering that record its you know when you go into the bees and Hip-Hop its predominantly there and a lot of Records stores, and I think that would be one where I would think it came out to not a whole lot of hype, but has gone on to be kind of a classic of the genre Andy: it kind of kicked off like an underground.

Hip hop boom to like late 90's early 2000's where there is tons of independent record labels independent hip-hop websites that you could purchase vinyl purchase CDs. They would be you know bonus extras and promos available. It was a good time for hip hop music. In jail yeah, I remember around this time.

I had first heard 'em one of the one of if not the first I forget Company Flow record [00:12:00] which is where LP from Run The Jewels comes from. And and again. We're talking that's twenty years on right now, so so look at LP and all the success he's having now with Run The Jewels but he was you know do another group twenty years ago again work putting in work, which is crazy because you look at LP and he looks like he's you know he's using his mid to late 30s.

so he's been he's been in the game for a very very long time so yeah, so I'd say Blackstar are and I think you're right. I mean that did can it felt like if that album didn't necessarily jump all that off. It certainly had a hand in it because it was it was very much a I guess what you would call it backpack.

Rap record right like Kanye kind of started off like that like that you had this like backpack rap where it was like kind of I hate to say, but the lyrics were looked at is a little bit more educational a little bit more Dynamic than what was kind of going on in pop rap so to speak. Andy:  Not as materialistic not as focused on jewellery.

Yes sex all [00:13:00] drug ailment stuff. Jim: Yeah correct. It was it was very much a history lesson very much a kind of a back-to-basics approach, and if people haven't heard it. You know yeah, it's it's it's a fantastic record. Tim: Interesting I was not I was not anticipating that being our first discussion. that album, but that's that's an interesting one Andy what would be your pick? -

Andy: from a guy that he's got some very important parents in the world of Music a Beatle and Yoko. Sean Lennon with his Into The Sun album, and it's just kind of a wasted opportunity for me at least because I feel like he never. Got to follow this up and actually hit one out of the park. He's been doing a lot of credible stuff throughout the years.

You know with the guy from Primus Les Claypool last year and stuff like that, but it's never really I felt like this was setting the table for a complete breakthrough, and which never really amounted to anything because it was [00:14:00] on Grand Royal records, which is owned by the Beastie Boys. And I think the label folded a couple years later, and I think that kind of you know threw a wrench in the hole in the whole process, but it's an awesome album many different genres many different styles and total originality, too.

Cool, right, I completely forgot about that record so thanks for bringing that up its kind of romantic too because it's him with his then girlfriend or wife Yuka Honda from Cibo matto, so there's like little romantic things, and then there's just a whole Rock Vibe going on at the same time, so it's it's definitely worth hunting down.

I don't know if they've even had a vinyl release or if it's a still yet to be reissued to so. Chip, what would be an album that you would pick for overlooked or ignored at the time it came out? Chip: So I made a short list my first thought was Vanical Ice hard to swallow, but then I put that one aside Andy: Nu-metal right?

Chip: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, [00:15:00] actually yeah, but and another I mean for real something came out, then. I don't know that's overlooked, but the first Death Cab for Cutie album came out in ninety-eight. but that's actually not my pic my pic is Snow Patrol's Songs for Polar Bears. You know I think I think even if you don't know Snow Patrol well. You know Snow Patrol from like the I don't even know truly if they're on a Grey's Anatomy soundtrack. But kind of like that peak in their career when they were writing like the the big chasing cars ballot, and they had like big. Maybe not Arena Rock sounds but big theater Rock sounds Andy: Coldplay-light right?

Chip: Yes. Yeah, but Songs For Polar Bear don't know if you guys heard that came out. I think on a small UK label and it's it's different. It's it's definitely like not polished. I keep thinking that I want to compare it to Pavement, but it's nothing at all like Pavement, but but it's got that like indie rock sound that they definitely grew out of and grew up into the into the commercial Rock sound, but it actually [00:16:00] really good.

That was that was my introduction to the band, and you know I was happy. I was happy to see them succeed. Even if the music kind of became a little more vanilla sounding but. That's a great album. I think it's not it's got a bunch of tracks on I think it's like I don't know like an 18 or 19 song album if I remember correctly.

Tim: You know. I haven't checked it out. I think I know that one after that is that what the one that had the single on it where they broke through Chip: yeah, yeah, Tim: okay? Chip:  Songs for Polar Bears came out, oh Jeepster, which wasn't that Bell and Sebastian's label maybe? Tim:  I think you're right.

I'm just looking it up actually it it had 18 songs in the and the US release. But it's a it's it's like I said, it's it's definitely am it's not the same. As you're used to hearing, but it's still. It sounds like a new band trying to figure out what they want to do. Tim: J what do you [00:17:00] got? J:  I got 2.

I'll throw one out quickly because we discovered it through the podcast Jump Little Children Magazine was record I hadn't heard of it the time and now going back I like quite a bit. The other one I'll spend a little bit more time on is Backyard Babie Total 13 which was I think I've pretty influential now that I look back.

They were a band that kind of a few remember D Generation to me. They delivered on everything that people thought D Generation was going to be in terms of like Revival of just hardcore straight-up Rock n Roll With You know the true Punk kind of attitude and a little bit of a kind of a Glam returned to you know that that kind of feel

and I think there's a lot of bands that kind of use this as the blueprint for well. Even up until now things are a lot of Scandinavian hard rock bands that kind of follow this blueprint. I don't know that they ever made a record. This good again so to me. [00:18:00] It still stands out as their best record. The resale on this is ridiculously high, too. I had a cd copy that I sold and was blown away by how much people were paying for it really so this this is one at the time that was like you know. I think just another record. now looking back. I think it holds a lot more significance than it did at the time.

Tim: Okay, one I wanted to mention that is relevant to our show is a Superdrag's Head Trip in Every Key because you know there was a lot of I think I don't want a lot of they got Buzz because of the sucked out single from Regretfully Yours. And I kind of feel like after that the ban sort of.

You know they were they did the touring and stuff supporting our you know either bigger bands or going out small tours on their own, but I don't think they ever garnered the attention of that the time [00:19:00] and now looking back. I see a lot more people and it's still a small group, but a lot more people that say you know super drag that was an amazing band.

I think. It's one of those cases. Where if you describe them as power pop a lot of times power-pop doesn't get appreciated at the moment. It's happening a lot of times. You know we needed ReDiscover big star or we need to ReDiscover. You know some other band that has that sound a couple years after they've already done it, and then we kind of recognized.

How good it was but. That was one record, and then I do want to mention that we just reviewed this not too long ago, but The Cardigans Gran Turismo. That was another case where I feel like you know they got a single Out of Love fool and the second through the follow-up record some of the second record, but the follow-up record.

You know it has a good single [00:20:00] but. my favorite game didn't do what Lovefool did and I think at least you and I J. really came around on that record in terms of when we picked it apart. We we really liked what we found so I think the Gran Turismo record is one. That's grown a little bit in appreciation because it's a very moody record compared to First Man on the Moon, so.

I do want to mention. Couple folks over at our Patriot page. They brought up some records that I think would fit into this category now Steven muszynski. He mentioned this album. I just mention Head trip in every key He also mentioned an album rocket from the Crypt. Self-titled album are FTC and.

Local H's pack up the cats. As well as one album that we reviewed which I don't think Falls in this [00:21:00] category because I still don't think it's appreciated, but Mink's Get In Get Out, which we reviewed and actually then later had Morgan Taylor on to talk about the date and seen, but I feel like all those records kind of fit into the category of you know.

maybe they don't get a lot of love, but I feel like Rock From the Crypt is sort of grown in appreciation over the years and. You know Local H have been plowing through and continue to release records and Scott Lucas continues to put out music so I think some of the 90 stuff is has been getting some reveal reevaluating where there any of that.

you guys want to mention before we move on to the next category as albums that you think were overlooked, but our now appreciated a bit more than when they came out. Jim:  I'm gonna say I'm gonna say this one because it hasn't been appreciated still in the US, but I have a feeling it's be it's appreciated a ton in Canada would be Phantom Power [00:22:00] from Tragically Hip my favorite Tragically Hip record. Poets should have been a bigger us hit than it was the video is is awesome and fun and obviously with Gore Downey's death it's easy for all this to kind of travel down a rabbit hole with Tragically Hip stuff lately, but that that's one we're like for sure it was ignored in the US, but I think it over time. It's grown and then the other one. I think this one is looked at it kind of as a punk classic these days, but again. I can't remember if it was really touted highly when it came out.

That would be the Shape of Punk to Come from Refused that that's a gigantic gigantic album. For the genre I'm still their best record and that there's not really much argument. They're considering. I think they came back recently, and it just didn't do so well for him. I'll tell you one of the coolest things about Refused was being being here in Milwaukee we had relief pitcher John Axford for a time and [00:23:00] his debut season with the Brewers he had put on Twitter that he was having a round-robin kind of contest to choose his is basically as walk on music for the next season and he had ones on there yet, you know Rage Against The machine Bulls on Parade, and you know Metallica, and you know some normal stuff, and then there was some New Noise from refused and.

All my friends, and I you know voted for that one because that it's like why wouldn't it be crazy to hear refused at a major league baseball stadium. and that one there is such support from kind of like your indie rock Punk, Rock Baseball fans that it once so there's an entire season where any time, John Axford came to the came to the mound.

That song played and it was just kind of crazy to hear Refused like you know the the four or five times I get to go to a ball game during the year. It's it's crazy. So so like I said, I mean I feel I feel weird on this list because I I personally am having trouble remembering twenty years ago, but I feel [00:24:00] like that one has not only at every new I think I think Punk dads have turned their kids onto that record for sure.

Tim: Oh, yeah. And I do want to mention that your pic of The Tragically Hip that was Terra McCook over at our Patreon page picked out his that's actually her favorite album of the year and Bob Cajun was her favorite song off that record Jim: devastating tune really great. Yep. Tim: Any other guys chip Andy any other Runners up you want to mention? Chip: Yeah sure I'll say sparklehorse good morning spider. Andy: That's on my list nice. Chip: Yeah. Good job as an overlooked one. I mean I think it met with with with critical Fanfare when it came out but I don't know that there were any big singles off it or anything. It was put out on a major label, but but those right after kind of Mark had gone through the overdose that led to him being in a wheelchair, so it wasn't I don't know that it was necessarily a good album that the label could sell commercially, have a Andy: They were on a major label too, Capitol [00:25:00] yea. Chip: Yea yea, Andy: IIt would never happen in 2018 Chip: now. It's kinda funny. I'm looking at the Wikipedia page right now about the album, they actually quote an interview that I did with Mark's that's kind of cool.

Jim: Nice Chip: but I actually love the song happy man, and I remember talking to him about that and and he said like I said they quoted from my interview. Happy man kind of sounds like everything on the radio who needs that so that's why I don't know if you guys remember that song. That's when they kind of starts off staticy.

It kind of sounds almost like you're driving through a tunnel like you could hear bits and pieces the song, but it kind of sounds like you're changing the dial try to get it. Just perfectly on the radio, and and I think I told them at the time that I thought that could have been a great single had he not mess it up at the beginning making it sound like you were fading in and out and that that's what he said he said it. You know it's who wants a who wants a radio single, but that was kind of intentional so Andy: very cool.

Tim: Andy you have one or [00:26:00] two. Andy: How about it's kind of like the last gasp of britpop fever in 1998 Pulp with This is Hardcore. Got no press in America. No no plays in America really, but it's such a stacked album. With some of Jarvis Cocker's best writing to date and the band sounds amazing the production sounds amazing. It's another sad thing of where they never really followed that one up. They had We Love Life after that, but it kind of wasn't quite on the same level, so I think Pulp This is Hardcore might be that bands apex.

Tim: Yeah, I remember that that was really disappointing how I think I saw the video like once on like 120 Minutes and that was it like they got no push here in the US. I mean I understand. It's like it's a hard record to push a U.S. Single and 1998, but man. It's a good record.

Albums that have stood the test of time

Let's move on to our next category, and that's going to be albums that have stood the test of time. This is this an album that [00:27:00] came out. You knew it was coming out probably beforehand, you might even lined up at a midnight sale to buy it. I don't know might have been might have been a huge record and critical Acclaim when it came out and you listen to it.

Now you think Yep. This is a good record. I'm glad. I'm glad I went out got this record or stood in line or whatever you did to to pick it up so Andy. I'll start with you. What was the record that you listen to recently, and he said that this definitely stood the test of time. Andy: Well this one had a ton of fanfare because it followed up a you know Diamond selling Double album and the time Greg kot of the Chicago Tribune said it was kind of commercial suicide.

It would be as if Springsteen followed up Born in the USA with Nebraska instead of Vice Versa and that Smashing Pumpkins with adore this one has totally grown on me recently picked up or a year or so ago. I picked up the deluxe box which features all the out-takes and whatnot about it. [00:28:00] It's just such a dark creepy record, but there's so many textures going on.

There's so many things at play on Adore, if you want to check check out the out takes one of the actually interesting ones is Puff Daddy's remix of Ava adore and it was a meant to be for the Godzilla soundtrack it never materialized, but it's actually a pretty good remix of the song. You'd be surprised Be interesting era for the pumpkins in general to. Also the live DVD it shows a band at such a Crossroads because you don't have Jimmy Chamberlin you have Kenny, Aronoff of Mellencamp's band, and he's he's playing drums, and then you have a two keyboard players Mike Garson of David Bowie Fame, and then you even have a percussionist and Billy has gone to say that this was their Grateful Dead era where they had two percussionists a huge big band, but you can you can look in the eyes of Darcy and James Iha [00:29:00] and you just if feel like there's not a whole lot of love going around the band at the time, but it's but it still makes for a rewarding album, though, which is which is very cool Tim: Jim. What's your pick for album as to the test of time? Well. I want to piggyback on that a little bit because I still appreciate a lot of Adore, but I actually had it on my list of ones that have have not stood the test of time, and this is only based on. Kind of like you know mainstream radio rocks reaction to that record, and if you were to you know kind of categorize. Everybody's top 10 Smashing Pumpkins songs. I don't think even the single Thermador would would necessarily be on it. That's not trashing the album at all because actually quite like it especially the repress that they did a bit, so I just thought those funny that did Andy had it on his stood the test of time, and I was thinking about putting it on my failed Chip: This is Chip I have it on my failed as well for the same reason said Tim: whoa [00:30:00] interesting Andy: it's their Depeche Mode album, right is. Tim: Oh? Yeah. Yeah, yes, Jim: I was gonna laugh actually about that line about it being their Grateful Dead phases like wow like the most like solace and robotic that pumpkins kind of like sounded during their time.

And I'd and again, that's just like the the songs themselves and the production value and stuff. It's funny to think about like a Grateful Dead type band playing that stuff because they were I remember like Hum opened that tour and I remember like. Just that we I saw pumpkins at Summerfest that you're in there.

Just looked like you know he's got like the big black cloak on and everything was just like yeah, this is like not music to listen to drinking beer and you know 80-degree heat. Andy: He's at his most Jack Skellington look. Jim: Yes. Oh absolutely Andy: He weights like 140 pounds soaking wet at this point. I think yay.

Jim: Yep, right you know there, are there are a couple that that I had listed here, and I'm trying to. You know I'll probably go [00:31:00] with. I think. I think critically like across-the-board The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is one that still critics music fans in general. It's a record where there was no proper follow-up to it.

It's just kind of like this flash in the pan isn't the right word because she obviously had such a career with the Fugees before but this is just one of those records where in artist makes it. It's incredible it wins a bunch of awards it sells a bunch of copies and then. There there is no discussion after it because nothing truly happened.

It's more. It's more so like you're waiting for that next thing. Everybody's kind of waiting for Lauryn Hill to kind of reclaim her place as you know a great voice and a great writer and everything like that, but the I mean the the I guess what would be the 99 Grammys probably I mean she swept them from what I can remember or at least one quite a few Awards.

I mean it's a it's a [00:32:00] great record it it might not have aged. Incredibly well, but there's so much timelessness on it that that's that's what it what helps it. Play so well in 2018 Andy: I wonder if Columbia still asks her year after year is the follow-up ready yet this year is it coming out like I wonder if they're still waiting for it somewhere know it.

Jim: I know it. I know it, but I mean that was that was just a that was a massive record in this list of like six or seven records. I had listed. It was the most massive. It was the most critically loved. It was the most loved by an audience. so that that's the 1i want to mention because I think we can't have a discussion about 1998 without bringing up the miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

Tim: Well. You're not alone David bright over an hour Patriot page. He mentioned Lauryn Hill. He also mentioned a few other ones. I don't want to say them yet because I want chip to go, but I'll bring them up in a minute or two. Chip. What is your pick [00:33:00] for a album that stood the test of time?

Chip: Yep, love them or hate them, and they may be partially responsible for a lot of really bad music to follow, but I think Korn's Follow the Leader.

Has stood the test time I mean that's the one that really kind of. Kind of blew them up had some huge singles on it and like I said love them or hate them like I still go back and I was definitely not a Nu- Metal guy. But there's some about some of those songs Freak on a Leash. Couple of other ones on an album that that that I really like and I still listen to today.

Tim: Interesting I was not expecting that from from you. I thought yeah well. Just because their previous discussions East is tended to move away from like the heavier music so I was thinking you were going to go with something a bit unlike the more alternative end, but that's an interesting pic. I don't know that corn would have been [00:34:00] brought up otherwise.

Chip: And yeah, I think you're right. I mean, it's definitely. I don't think it. Yeah, I don't think it is probably something that even I'd expect myself to say but as I looked over all the things that came out. In that genre of music I think that one is one of the top three new metal albums and one of the top three that I can stand a listen to you.

Tim:  J. What do you think stood the test of time? J:  I'm going to go with The Afghan Whigs 1965 for me, it's a it's a part of a trilogy; Gentleman, Black Love in this record that me encompass the band bass, and this is the one where. They extend themselves the most it's got a lot of guest musicians.

It really absorbs itself in the New Orleans culture and music and I think it holds up really well the performances are good the productions great. I think it extends the band sound enough that it's still them without sort of becoming something [00:35:00] different, yeah, I mean it's still one that. when it comes on I always stick with and listen to

Tim: well, I've already lost to my pics with it to my favorite bands The Afghan Whigs and Tragically Hip so. One that I do want to mention is a Massive Attacks Mezzanine. I feel like you know the in the 97-98 that was the Electronica trip-hop like Heyday of that time and remember when mezzanine came out we played it constantly at the radio station there was a You Know Remix 12 inch singles that people were getting their hands on it the radio station that we're getting played at parties and stuff like that and was just that brief moment where bands like Massive Attack and Portishead and some others were actually getting played on ,crazily enough, we're going to play on some mainstream radio. And this is an album that I probably still listen this record a couple times a year and and just the entire nineties output of [00:36:00] Massive Attack whether it's this or the previous records just an amazing record looking listening back it. I didn't really think about it at the time as being.

Maybe I or maybe I didn't because of what the band decided to do, but I think Pearl Jam's yield has actually stood the test of time. know they were attempting with Vitalogy and no code to sort of lower their profile, but any Pearl Jam Release was a big deal in the 90s, and I've recently gotten back to it and listen to the record, and it was it's kind of the last Pearl Jam records.

I think I've really loved all the way through. When you get into binaural and then some of the stuff in the 2000s act I sort of started losing interest with those records have become more of a couple songs on the record that I like rather than the whole thing, but yeah Massive Attack and Pearl Jam would be my my pics any other stood the test of time pics that you guys got a mention.

Oh, I got a before that Davy [00:37:00] bright. He said at the drive ins in Casino out. Beastie Boys Hello Nasty. Pete Rock's Soul Survivor. Chamberlain the moon my saddle I'm not familiar with that record and botches American nervosa where his standouts for 1998. So guys what any other stood the test times for you?

Jim: I mean I would go to bat for the Beastie Boys Hello Nasty for sure. I'm that was on a short list that I was taking a mentioning another one that I think. people should revisit would be The Last Dog and Pony Show from Bob Mould that was at a time that was at a time where Bob Mould was going to ditch rock music more specifically electric guitar and get heavy into dance music which it seems crazy.

You know crazy now considering the success that he's had with like these last couple records on merge and this this really powerful band of Jason narduzzi and Jon wurster from [00:38:00] Superchunk backing up. The Last Dog and Pony Show came out and obviously titled that because it was kind of like a salute to you know.

This is going to be the last Bob Mould record that where you're going to get you know what you expect from Bob Mould, but that's a fantastic record. I actually I have a little bummed. I picked it up in England a couple years ago on vinyl at the time. I was very psyched to get an original copy of another 1998 album.

From somebody here in Milwaukee and we did a trade and then that's. 1998 album got repressed like within a couple months, so I'm out of this original last dog and pony show copy so it's on my discogs list you know waiting for another time where I can pick it up, but but but that would be one that that's if people have been following Bob Mould you know for the last couple years the last dog-and-pony shows a great one to go revisit.

Andy: Hey, they just did a stand in Chicago in Evanston for letting the New Years Eve where you [00:39:00] there, Jim: no now, I could I couldn't go. I was yeah, that was badass hey, I wish I could have gone to that, but they were doing the two or three shows over a couple nights, and that's a great room space in Evanston, Illinois people get a chance really fantastic.

I've seen loud Rock shows there it seemed quiet acoustic shows. They're really really great environment and and sound and everything. Andy: Agreed J: this one. probably falls more under the overlooked and then appreciated later, but the first Queens of the Stone Age record comes out 98, but maybe it, maybe just my disappointment in the newest record, but you know going back and revisiting that I mean there's the band you know that that the sound they defined that first record that they pretty much carried forward really has always been unique. I think the stuff on that is just as good as now as it was then Jim: yeah. Tim: Any other pics for stood the test time Andy or Chip? Andy: To piggyback on the [00:40:00] mezzanine thing how about Madonna's ray of light say what you will about Madonna, but I thought that was a totally cool reinvention with William Orbit behind the boards and every song is like a mini soundtrack.

There's so much work put into each each thing. It sounds great, and it's pretty much influenced by Bjork at times like that so what kind of cool see Madonna reinventing herself. I believe she was in her forties at the time, so that's a cool album that stood the test of time. Tim: Yeah, I agree that every visiting and that's the last record. I think of hers that I really like it all the way through. So Chip what what were you going to say? Chip: I would throw another vote towards Hello, Nasty. It came out on my birthday and came out two days after I got married and my wife, and I were on our honeymoon in San Francisco, and I bought it actually at Amoeba Records which was my first visit to a new record, so was like kind of this ideal perfect storm for that for me to buy an album, and I like that a store that's amazing after [00:41:00] just getting married, and yeah, so that one has stood the test of time Andy: how great the packaging of that thing when you first opened it. It was just so cool looking to yeah. Jim: I just picked up onto the five boroughs that the reissue they did at that this weekend, so glad to have that finally because that's a really great record, too.

Chip: And and I don't know I was I don't know. We need you guys College journalists in the nineties or journalists in the 90s. Jim: Yep. Yeah, so will I mean we I was used to calling. I mean you know the name Hello Nasty comes from when you called their publicist nasty little man. Yep, and I was writing I was writing for a zine at the time, and I mean I totally understood that as soon as I saw the titles like oh yeah, that's that's the way the answer the phones there, so it's a little bit of a little bit of an inside joke, but you know Jim: no that was several those super cool.

Andy: Yeah. Did anybody go to the tour for that one with Tribe Called Quest pretty much their last tour and with money Mark kid [00:42:00] koala and a revolving stage that had a basketball hoop in the middle for the Beastie Boys who was it was friggin amazing. Jim: That's awesome. I missed that but that that's fantastic yeah.

Albums that have not stood the test of time

Tim: Right on the flip side there are albums that have stood the test of time and then their albums that have failed the test of time this can be a little more painful. This is going to be albums that. They came out. There's a lot of Buzz. There's a lot of fanfare it might have been a big band releasing a record and you might have at the time convinced yourself.

Hey. This is a good record. I like this, but now you listen to it you go. If there's not a good record. I don't I'm I'm I've changed my mind. I will give an example to start this up because this is a near and dear to my heart. It's the Goo Goo Dolls dizzy up the girl. I'm from Buffalo. They're my band and.

really really like hold me up really like Superstar, Carwash Boy Named Goo still [00:43:00] really solid record. I remember when this record is Dizzy Up The Girl came out slide was the big single and I was like okay. That's that's in the ballpark and then they played like Black Balloon. And Broadway and these songs, and I was okay.

I guess I'm on board. I mean there's still kinda Rockin sort of not the way I want them to but you know. I now realize looking back that this is where I basically abandoned the the band and stopped listening because I got that record. I think I pretty much bought it the day came out. I was in Buffalo at the time.

When it came out so I went to a buffalo record store like a real Hometown fan and bought it, and yeah now. I now I can I can't stand actually listen to that record

Chip what's the record you bought in 1998 that you really [00:44:00] liked back then but now not so much.

Chip: That is a hard question for me to answer the couple that I was thinking of and that it and as you guys know from a previous appearance. I did not buy it in 1998, but I think that Van Halen Van Halen 3 record is something that's not one of the best Van Halen records. I'll tell you when so I don't know if this is failed per se but I.

Again, I think I might surprise you by saying this, but I kind of like that Everlast record that came out his first solo album after after House of Pain. I got way overplayed and actually. I was debating on whether it was failed test of time or purchasing quickly to started it falls into both those categories for me like I liked it was you know coming out of House of Pain something was different.

[00:45:00] That's something. I haven't gone back to listen to you and and. I don't think it's stood the test of time if it ever if it ever did stand the test of time. Well. I definitely had a lot of singles. I believe when it came out where at least I one huge sing. Yeah. but yeah, I don't know about that.

Jim. What held the test of time for you?

Jim: You know I this this short list that I had it. It's it's kind of like either big follow-ups for bands that got popular that you know that really exploded like two or three years before that they'll be a records like Americana from The Offspring and Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie from Alanis Morissette.

Those are record. Those are just big like not flops because Offspring God. You'll still hear some of those terrible Offspring singles from that record on. You know modern rock radio today, but you really won't hear much from that Lantus record aside from maybe Thank You, and maybe one [00:46:00] other one another leaded Uninvited, right.

Andy: Yep. I blame that really long album title that was yeah, not a good pick. Jim: That was it this was a year for really long album titles because we also have Liz Phair. White chocolates space egg sure so a lot of a lot of just like nouns and adverbs and stuff in albums, but but from the genre stuff like I wrote down that you know swing was really bigger on this time too, so I think now if you put on some some swing records from 1998 which would be like Americana deluxe from Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and perennial favorites from Squirrel Nut Zippers.

I don't think people would be super into those records the way they were 20 years ago, but the the 1 I'm specifying is also kind of genre related kind of what was happening at that time you had you know bands going back to swing, and then you had bands looking towards the future with electronics or Electronica or whatever you want to call it

I [00:47:00] put down you've come a long way baby from Fatboy Slim. Reason beings at this record was huge obviously rockafeller skank, and and and it seemed to like soundtrack every movie trailer for a while, and it was kind of leading the charge along with I'd say you know Moby Crystal Method Chemical Brothers who I feel of all aged a little bit there.

That music from that era has aged a little bit better. You know taking a quick listen through you've come a long way, baby. Maybe it's just my adverse to a lot of electronic music like I'm really like The Chemical Brothers the big Chemical Brothers record, but this one just I feel like IM I feel like I'm listening to commercial Spacek Ali, and I think that's yep, you know, and I think that's quite a bit akin to what that album kind of like was when it came out it was very very popular and and probably got licensed all over the place, so I can't really listen to it in a in a [00:48:00] true artistic sense. It just sounds like a bunch of like. I don't know. It's just it's just filler to me now

Tim: alright chip.

Chip: no here's what I have that. I honestly was never a big fan of this band, so I'm interested in seeing what you guys think about it, but what about REM's Up album?

Jim: Interestingly right up that's interesting one. Yeah. Yep. I will say I will say I'm a gigantic REM fan. But I did have it on this list and and the reason being is that I actually aside from this podcast Revisited. It just over Spotify like two or three weeks ago, and I was surprised how much of it did not connect with me whereas.

I whereas I would be at a party and I would tell people oh no UP is a great album and then and then I actually went back. Let's do it like oh this makes a really strong EP. yeah, there's just it's just a lot of droning on that album, and then I'm not against droning necessarily, but like for REM.

They're not the band to do that like Andy: it was kind of the year of Nigel Godrich because he [00:49:00] had him coming hot off of OK Computer, and then he went and did up by REM and did Mutations by Beck both those were kind of not as big as their previous albums yeah those.

Jim: Yeah, but I mean day sleeper great song love that. There's a couple other really good songs on that record, but overall it makes a really strong half album or EP. So Andy: You feel the absence of bilberry a little bit. Tim: Yeah. Oh, yeah, well. I mean did they ever recover. I mean honestly. I mean there's some good songs on the stuff Andy: accelerate. Tim: Yeah, yeah, as and album Jim: yeah, me. I think new adventures in Hi-Fi is the last great REM record yeah, and I mean and I mean that other albums are good. Did you know that not slanging all of them, but I think the last really great one for me is new adventures. Tim: Okay, Andy Andy:  I just got a couple here.

This guy was Major hyped by Matt Pinfield and a [00:50:00] couple other people. It was supposed to be like a rockabilly meets beats and production like that and I was thinking back. I was expecting the next back to come along. It was Johnny Ray anybody familiar with Are You Johnny Ray? so I know yeah, yeah, it's I remember that it's at 98 turd go check it out.

I bought I think I think I paid $15.99. Aim for the compact disc and I put it on once and I was just so unimpressed, but Tim: well that be our next category. That would be the instantly regretted category. This is more instantly. This is more bought at the time. He thought this isn't bad, and then you were like this good. Andy: How about Rob Zombie's Hillbilly Deluxe that was also built up huge, and I mean it's sold huge. Yeah, it was all over radio. We were expecting him to finally come out of the Shadows of White Zombie and really present himself. Turns out it's just the same stuff. He was doing with white zombie.

It really was [00:51:00] not a step forward. It was kind of a lateral move. I mean it was it was okay, but it's not something that really presents a ton of replay value it at least to these years. Tim: Is that the is it Dragula was the single off that record yeah, Andy: Living Dead Girl was big as well, so it had a couple of hits, but yeah, not a lot of repay replay value yeah, and one more quickly.

great band great singer great producer, and I loved it at the time, but I recently Revisited it and it it it felt like a Protools class to me Garbage Version 2.0, and it's it's got good songs that in it came out. I loved it when it came out, but I don't know the sounds on there just reeked of April 1998 and that's not such a great thing actually it turns out yeah.

Tim: J any of your pics for not aged well. I'll go back and visit our KISS Roundtable and say [00:52:00] Psycho Circus. Came out this year, I'm just looking at your criteria here a lot a lot of fanfare. Yeah that record had a ton of fanfare and was one I think for those of us, who are have this this the KISS sickness gave it a chance in the world and at some point realized that they had cheated us once again, so.

That's one that's definitely not the test time to me one thing. Tim: I want to throw out there that I really liked it at the time it had a bunch of big singles, and it was coming off of two really good records, and that's Lenny Kravitz's album 5. I really liked Circus the previous record with Rock n Roll is dead and Are You Gonna Go My Way.

I liked you know that that record and. I remember when five came out, and I think Fly Away was the first single and I was like. Oh, this is this is cool. I mean. This is a good pop single and there were some other [00:53:00] interesting things on that record, but I think it got just over the especially Fly Away with the terrible rhyming that goes on in that song got to me after a while after hanging on the radio 500 times.

And it's pretty much soured man ever listening to Lenny Kravitz again. I mean occasionally like one of the circus songs is on because those are it's a bit of a darker record, so I think that's why I like it, but yeah, I convinced myself for a long time that that was a really good record and now I cannot listen to it anymore also want to mention a record and this might be debatable or not you guys can decide. Holes Celebrity Skin. huge record when it came out. Andy:  I loved it. I don't think it stands up, but tell me why you love it. It's just Courtney Love's coming out party as a true talent. I feel like without Kurt. She had to really show herself admittedly she [00:54:00] got Billy Corgan and Jordan Zadorozny and a couple other people to write for her, but it just sounds like this is her Apex Celebrity Skin that track Malibu couple the other ones why sound great.

Tim: I think there's two good songs on that record. Andy: I like awful. Right, but I have a post note to it's not John. It's not Johnny Ray excuse me. It's Jimmy Ray, Jimmy Ray. Yeah, I feel bad. I don't want to lead you guys franck's. Oh ok Johnny is Johnny Ray from Come On Eileen. That might be it yeah from the lyrics of Come On Eileen.

Yeah, ice I and then you sort of dabbled in this little bit, but purchases that you made. At the time in 1998 you went to the record store you picked out your CD or possibly a vinyl record, but most likely a CD and then you took it home. You popped it in and he went oh, no. [00:55:00] I just spent 1799 and a pile of garbage.

it might be the Van Halen 3 record. There's a good chance that was that. J I'm going to start with you this time tell me a record that you instantly regretted in 1998. J: you just named it Van Halen 3. I'm even the I think the kiss record. I gave it took a little more time, but I think because the Van Halen record was so hard to even get into in the first place rights difficult even convinced myself that it was okay.

Tim: Yep, yep Andy. What was your pick for you? Would you pick Jimmy right, but what Andy: I got another? I've got another one. That's terrible and this band is so good, which makes it even more of a heartbreak the Jimmy Ray thing was neither here or there for me, but this is a great band started off Punk.

Got a little bit more mainstream got huge and Then followed it up with this. Soul Asylum with Candy from a Stranger. Tim: Yeah. [00:56:00] Yeah, yeah, it is. Awful record. Andy: Yep, it was hard for me to even come together with the whole fact that they actually released this thing as I mean they're very pleasant songs.

They're pleasant, but I would prefer like a really terrible thing or a really great thing and said it was just mediocre pleasantries, so I was really not a good listen for summer 98. Tim: You are correct, sir Jim. What's your pick for an instant regret in 1998 yeah, that was that was on my list for sure and I think it's like a year of like bands who you know with bigger successes previously.

Jim: It's like a lot of follow ups or. Second follow-ups that that just didn't work. I wrote down Gentlemen's Blues from Cracker Liz Phair, White Chocolate Space Egg. No substance from Bad Religion. I wrote down Candy From a Stranger from Soul Asylum. My answer is How Does Your Garden Grow by Better Than Ezra.

[00:57:00] That's one where I think a lot of people forget. How good friction, baby at least. The single of King of New Orleans is I will go to bat for that song is like man like that that should have been there next leg of like being a really really good band. It's it's kind of a forgotten alt Rock single from that era, but then they followed up with how does your garden grow which even though the cover looks really kind of digitally and like their kind of you know they weren't going electronic necessarily, but they were experimenting and that trying to be a little bit more highbrow, and it just did not come across well at all. I just wanted to say as far as Van Halen 3 goes. I just Googled the image Art.

Because I couldn't recall what that cover was and dear Lord does this look like the. Worst like this looks like the but you know a bar band on a Saturday night. This is their $5 CD. Andy: There's a cannonball involved right and a fat guy?. Jim: Well. [00:58:00] It's that old. It's that old like super. I want to say Zapruder, but that's not right.

It's that old like footage of like. There's a guy. You know older guy. From maybe the 50s or whatever like taking a cannonball to the chest. It's you know and they played they made a play on that one Homer was doing the big hullabaloo episode with a lot of the bands were talking about Smashing Pumpkins and Sonic Youth is in that episode and whatever but some for people who haven't seen the Van Halen 3 cover.

It's that, but the on the side of the Canon very poorly Photoshopped. It says Van Halen three, and this just seriously looks like a clip art like album covers. Just looks terrible. so I don't know. I just had to pick back on that. Say how awful that works J: Yelp? Tim: Yeah, it's awful Chip. Chip: Yes, right instant regret time so hey.

I'm gonna run through a couple really fast, and I had this in between either failed test or purchased at the time was Sony mentioned earlier the Fatboy Slim record. You know I bought it because of the singles and then. [00:59:00] Didn't listen anything, but the singles and wondered why I've spent the money on it. So some of these are ones that like I bought at the time.

I quickly got rid of and I haven't gone back to listen to so they might have actually stood the test if I go back and listen to him now, but James Ihas first solo record coming out of the Smashing Pumpkins. I was expecting something that I did not get the Scott Weiland record again. I was to do it once or twice and have not come back to listen to it.

I was really excited about the Black Sabbath reunion album. I think that was a live album, but by the you know by 1998 it was. a 1998 sounding Black Sabbath record which I didn't love. And the Marilyn Manson record. Was that Mechanical Animals? Tim: Yeah. Chip: Maybe a single that I saw on on MTV that I sort of like but didn't do anything for me. Andy: I feel like the Hole album and the Marilyn Manson album worked well together, and I believe they might have toured together for them they they both were kind of like their take on the [01:00:00] Trashy like Malibu Southern, California sound or something so I find those two redeeming for that quality.

J: I struggle with that Marilyn Manson record because I think musically it's really interesting, but I think lyrically it doesn't hold up very well. Chip: so I got it. I've got an interesting one to throw out, okay, this is one that I don't regret and I didn't get rid of but I'm gonna guess that maybe you guys didn't even bother with this one or but some of the listeners may have bought this because of the single and regretted it was that New Radicals record Jim: alright. Chip: Mean, I think I think if you listen to whole record to this day. I debated on putting on my stood the test of time because it's a really good pop record. There's some really good songs. It was the victim of the the catchy one hit wonder success, and I think the guy Greg Alexander that wrote it, that was the one and only New Radicals album. He stopped not his own stuff. He writes for a bunch of people, but I [01:01:00] enjoy that record, but I know that that one ends up in a lot of used bins. I have never heard that record all the way through. J: It seems like one we should do a review of. Andy: It's a great album.

Tim: We're going to get to that this year at least we're going to put it up for a Patreon vote at some point. One record I wanted to mention that had a I think a decent amount of hype, and I went out and bought it when it came out. I shouldn't have I should have trusted my gut because I knew it was not going to recapture what I was hoping and that is Walking into Clarksdale the Jimmy Page and Robert Plant album.

Yeah, I really like the Un-leded tour, and the even the Un-leded album that they put out, but man this record is a dud Steve Albini produced it. I don't know what it is. It just does not work. Let me the songs aren't there. But Andy: No songs they had no songs for this. Tim: Yeah, I think that's I think that's basically what it comes down to [01:02:00] this there's not the songs so that's that's when I threw out there.

Favorite album of 1998

So let's get to our the most important category, which is going to be and you know we've talked about the albums that have stood the test of time things that we've there were overlooked and you've discovered them in maybe later or rediscovered them. If you're going to pick an album.

As your favorite from 1988 you got you got one shot Jim: 98 Tim: What's it gonna be 98 Degrees? Jim I'll go with you. What is your pic for your favorite album of 1998 Jim: God. I mean guys. There's a lot, and there's a lot that has been named already tonight. I mean I'd yeah it shout out to. Head trip in every key for sure great record when we haven't talked about would be Elliott Smith's XO like I'll be a really you know a good candidate so many more.

I'm picking Mermaid Avenue from Billy Bragg [01:03:00] and Wilco. Yeah, this is a incredibly unique project it kind of I think this. Record turned me on to Billy Bragg. I knew who he was I didn't really get the breadth of his career or what he brought to the table, and I've been at kind of a die-hard billy Bragg fan ever since for those who don't know, Nora Guthrie Woody Guthrie one of Woody Guthrie's daughters had approached Wilco and Billy Bragg with a stockpile of lyrics from him that have never been recorded. No music had been written for them. What have you and Billy Bragg and Wilco made what ended up being a trio of records of putting these lyrics to music and the first one is the best one like a lot of a lot of trilogies and and things that nature, but Natalie Merchant doesn't get enough praise for her contributions to the series.

She's on a couple songs. It's really really an incredible package. [01:04:00] Done with love from from every angle Wilco still continues to play as I'm sure Billy Bragg does some of these songs in concert, so they have a life, and I think if you ask a lot of Wilco fans this this series or at least the first of Mermaid Avenue might even be better than some.

Billy Bragg and or Wilco records in their own catalog so so that would be that would be my vote for five to pick an absolute favorite would be that one. Andy: I consider California stars1 of wilco's greatest songs Bar None, So. That's that's a great album. Jim: Oh yeah absolutely any California. I mean that's when they I bet is in the setlist most every night.

It's it's great. And I think just recently they were at I think this past year. They were at a fuckfest playing separate stages and and got together with Billy and did it again. Andy: Oh, nice. Jim: It's so so great. I watched a little bit thing on Billy Bragg. And it didn't seem as [01:05:00] if they completely saw, eye-to-eye throughout the entire project.

I think they respect each other and they they're happy with the work that did get done, but it sounded like it was a little bit more adversarial at certain points because Billy wanted to speak for the people like Woody was like his guy. And I think Jeff Tweedy was at a point where he was like yeah, let's just write you let's just put songs together, and I'm paraphrasing.

This is probably don't hold me to this, but I got the vibe from something. I watched that it wasn't completely hunky-dory, but it came out enough where they. You know we're both really happy with it and now it seems completely like they said they they they hopped on stage and did California stars all together, and I think maybe one or two other songs recently and the same to go off perfectly well, so you know I don't think we'll get another collaboration from those guys, but it's good to know that you know whatever was working them is kind of water under the bridge because it's a fantastic record and really good set of [01:06:00] Records.

Tim: Andy what's your pic favorite album 98? Andy:  Well, we've already talked about it, so I'll pick something else my number one was Beastie Boys hello nasty, but how about this one. This guy finally signs to a major label after you know five or six years working with kill rock stars has a hit off the Goodwill the Goodwill.

What is it called the good good running running Good Will Hunting excuse me? I just wasn't coming to my brain here Good Will Hunting. He gets a hit off that soundtrack. He is at the Oscars. He has to take a bow while holding hands with Celine Dion, which he never thought that whatever happened releases his Masterpiece XO on DreamWorks, and it's that awesome thing of when an artist goes to the major label route and really doesn't change that much about his sound sure he hooked up with the guy.

Who made a Beck's Loser so they added a lot of instrumentation and production stuff, but it really didn't change the overall effect. [01:07:00] He still one of the greatest songwriters of the nineties in my eyes, that's Elliott Smith XO. Tim: Yeah, that is a phenomenal record great pic chip your pic for 1998. Chip: So I think I've talked to you guys about this either on air or off pair but

a band that probably not many people familiar with called Crumb and they're almost called seconds minutes hours I would say it's kind of cheese I think it might might be able to describe it better by telling you who the guests were on it you guys might remember me talking about this Blair from Knapsack.

Sang on some backing vocals. Jim Adkins from Jimmy Eat World. The woman from That Dog and then Beau Hill. The famous Beau Hill, Arena Rock producer. Produced this record and because of his connection they got Jani Lane from Warrant to sing backing vocals on a couple songs, but it's very much, I would I put it in that Jimmy Eat [01:08:00] World kind of post emo alternative rock category. But it's it's it's it's a great record full of great guest stars came out on a small label called Red Ant I think after this record. They broke up. Andy: It had Major Distribution though. I believe I would see that quite a bit in bins and stuff like that.

Chip: Yeah, I don't know if you guys remember. There's a band called. I want to say. Gratitude. That was started a couple years later with Jonah from Far who was my second choice for this Jonah was a singer and one of the guys from Crumb was in that band and was actually supposed to be the singer from Crumb, and that didn't work out.

They got Jonah from Far to sing and it but that's going down a rabbit hole, but yeah Crumb's Seconds Minutes Hours. You can I'm I haven't looked, but I'm guessing you find and Amazon for like one of those like Penny CDs that you pay $4 shipping, but right exactly. Tim: Cool. Chip: But the fact that this band is like put this post emo band has Jani Lane singing backing vocals was just like I already loved the record to [01:09:00] begin with and then adding that just made it perfect. Andy: I need to check this out family. It's fascinating Tim: J. Your pic album for 1998. J:  so we haven't talked about this record yet, going to go with Spoon A Series of Sneaks. I think they became more popular with Girls Can Tell on Kill the Moonlight, Gimme Fiction, but for me this is my favorite Spoon record it's still got that that edginess to the songs the production. It's so unique and in some ways. It's so simple, but so effective how he composes and writes these songs. I love the way It sounds. I think it sounds good now as it did then. not only good, but original.

I think it sounds as fresh now when I listen to it as it did at the time when I first heard it, so love this record a lot. If you don't know this and Telephono other first two records go back and check them out. Tim: We might be talking about that record J. Later down the line when we do our new Roundtable series called [01:10:00] Origins what we talked about in 90s, ban.

They got their start in the 90s, but became huge and popular in the 2000s Also earlier mentioned Death Cab for Cutie. That would be another appropriate one for this series in the coming years. It got mentioned in the Patreon commenters, but Hum Downward is Heavenward is an album that has absolutely stayed with me throughout my entire life that I have loved I loved it from the first single when I saw the weird video for Coming Down, yeah or Coming Home I mean on MTV 120 minutes, and just love that record all the way through I've sat with it tried to figure out its weird time signatures on guitar and there's just so much to listen to you on that record so many different sounds and weirdness, and and it's just it's just a phenomenal record.

I want to mention some of the other albums that are folks over at Patreon brought up that we didn't get to Johnny Hooper he brought up Sunny Day [01:11:00] Real Estate's comeback album. How it feels to be something on that's a really good record, Jim: and that's what I traded the Bob Mould for oh really yeah, and then they did a repress of it which is fantastic, but I gotta just Coulda waited gotten affordable copy of it. Oh well. Tim: He also mentioned a band called Thrush Hermit. And their album Clayton Park. I'm not familiar with them some people going to have to go check that out anybody need you guys familiar with thrush hermit. I've heard of it. I know I've seen it every day, but yeah same I've heard of the two, Keith Sawyer.

He mentioned Sloan's Navy Blues know. Yeah, good record also, John Rouses debut album dressed up like Nebraska. Oh, yes. It's a good record. Yep, Scott Witt who was just on the show he did the Gathering out album with us, but he also mentioned the records by VAST. Visual audio sensory [01:12:00] theater.

Oh wow that's when I forgot about ya monster magnets Power Trip bucket heads, Colma and Paul Gilbert's King of Clubs. I've not heard those last two the bucket header of the Paul Gilbert record. so. Yeah, he also mentioned that 1998 was too huge metal bands Van Halen and Iron Maiden both put out albums with replacement singers and both of them were not good. So stick with what you know that's what I guess the rule there.

so that's our episode on favorite and various categories of 1998 albums. We covered a lot will do a few minutes of bonus content. Over at our Patreon page so if you want to check it out bring up some albums.

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Songs in this episode

  • Intro - 1998 Medley (Marilyn Manson, The Smashing Pumpkins, Semisonic, Beastie Boys)
  • 15:54 - Starfighter Pilot by Snow Patrol
  • 23:18 - Poets by The Tragically Hip
  • 36:29 - Something' Hot by The Afghan Whigs
  • 51:02 - At My Most Beautiful by R.E.M.
  • 1:08:25 - California Stars by Billy Bragg and Wilco
  • 1:12:29 - Car Radio by Spoon
  • Outro - Ray of Light by Madonna

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Albums Of The Year - Roundtable