Just a bunch of cool dudes hanging out.
Here's the more positive companion to my least favorite songs of the grunge era piece.
1) Aneurysm by Nirvana. Quite possibly the greatest encapsulation of what Nirvana was about. Aneurysm starts with a dissonant chromatic guitar run that culminates in a hard hitting monster riff before starting it all over again, Helter Skelter-style. The verse transitions to a typical hard-soft dynamic that so many other Nirvana tunes use; Kurt's deceptively simple lyrics, yelled with all the throat-shredding sarcasm he could muster, sound as though they were cribbed from a 50's rocker. Come on over and do the twist. Over do it, and have a fit. The chorus returns to the Sabbathesque riff, only now Cobain is shouting Beat me outta me while his bandmates add Beat it, Beat it! with such faux-machismo that it's hard not to take them seriously. I love this song. Every time Smells Like Teenspirit kicks on the radio, I wish that Aneurysm was playing instead.
2) Jesus Christ Pose by Soundgarden. An almost atonal mess of heavy riffing, Jesus Christ Pose is a dis of people who portray themselves as a persecuted deity, I dunno, maybe like your typical rock star. Regardless of its subject matter, it's an awesome song, with an almost helicopter-like intensity to its guitar riffs, and Cornell could sing the phone book and I'd probably listen to it. Badmotorfinger, the album from which this song was taken, is one of my all time favorites and a great play while you are pumping iron like a madman in your dilapidated basement dungeon.
3) Everlong by the Foo Fighters. One of the great characteristics of Grunge and Alt-rock of the nineties was the frequent mishmash of the dissonant with the melodic. Everlong starts with a major seven chord that transitions to two suspended chords, resulting in a perfect blend of the aforementioned harsh and sweet. Add in some chunky distortion, followed by Grohl's murmured, hushed lyrics, and you have a hypnotic recipe. The bridge and chorus are pure arena rock, erupting from the chugging verse in triumphant intensity. Just a great heavy rock song.
4) You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire by Queens of the Stone Age. Yeah, I know this song was released in 2000, but it's a throwback in the best sense of the word. Similar to how Aneurysm displayed the best of Nirvana, Millionaire defines QOTSA's raison d'etre in its verse. Heavy metal, soft at the core. Sure, the core might be soft and sweet like a tootsie pop, but I'll be damned if this sucker doesn't punch you in the face.
5) Yuri G by PJ Harvey. A primal cavewoman stomp with lyrics depicting a lovesick figure descending into madness, rape, or perhaps narcotics. Who knows? What I do know is this is what I ask from my rock'n'roll. Steve Albini's stark production gives this song a claustrophobic feel. He was the guy you went to in the nineties if you wanted your record to sound raw.
6) Basket Case by Green Day. Punk-pop in all its infectious glory. I like how Billie Joe sneaks in a reference to visiting a male hooker. Ooh, edgy, Billie boy! Green Day sure could write a great pop song.
7) Jane Says by Jane's Addiction. I can't fucking stand Perry Farrell, but this song is basically a nineties version of Led Zeppelin's Ramble On. Instead of singing about hobbitses, Perry tells a tale of a junkie girl friend that is both sad and stirring. She can hit, man, but she don't mean nothing.
8) I Wanna Be Adored By the Stone Roses. Here's some britpop for you. A wonderfully hypnotic song with a pulsing Merseybeat. I don't have to sell my soul, he's already in me. That's a pretty metal lyric for a band that drew influence from the Beatles and the Byrds. Perfect for a late night drive. (Editor: Okay, so this song actually as released in 1989, and was therefore too old to be consider Britpop.)
9) Closer by Nine Inch Nails. Certainly one of the greatest fucked-up music videos of all time, Closer is a sexy disco/synthpop tour de force. I hope Trent doesn't let his kids watch this one. "Daddy, why is Severus Snape being whipped while blindfold in a haunted house filled with pig's heads and sides of beef?" I would really love to hear the answer.
10) Santeria by Sublime. Just a great guitar song featuring one of my favorite guitar solos. The lyrics are full of violent machismo, but somehow it all feels good.
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