From grungeto ska, music has turned to pure fluff

Monday, June 15, 1998

From grunge

to ska, music has turned to pure fluff

By Trinh Bui

Daily Bruin Contributor

It’s almost appropriate to start with "Once upon a time" when
talking about music in the ’90s. Back in 1994, everything worked
like a fairy tale; record companies put out discs appearing
destined for platinum success. Grunge music’s influence reached a
high water mark with releases from Pearl Jam ("Vitalogy") and the
rise of Soundgarden.

But every sunny ending has a stormy aftermath. Starting in late
1996, music changed from trailblazing albums to retreading hash.
For all the Bruins tapped into the musical collective during these
up and down years, here is a recap of the the trends and bands that
made all-nighters and house parties memorable.

1994

Grunge ruled the airwaves, magazine covers and fashion runways.
Seattle bands struck a chord in American culture with songs
relating to the disillusionment suffered by youth movement at the
time. Nirvana put a face to the angst experienced by Gen Xers
everywhere with their 1992 release "Nevermind." Grunge reached a
peak in ’94 commercially and critically. Pearl Jam’s "Vitalogy" led
plaid rockers to the top of the charts. In its first week,
"Vitalogy" broke all Soundscan records, recording more than 900,000
units sold in a week. Eddie Vedder’s pining and insecurity found
mass appeal and firmly placed grunge into the American jargon.

Other notable releases of 1994

Soundgarden, "Superunknown." The disc launched Chris Cornell and
bandmates to national attention with power-cuts "Blackhole Sun" and
"Spoonman."

Nine Inch Nails, "The Downward Spiral." NIN took industrial
music on an acid trip it hasn’t quite recovered from. Trent Reznor
subverted the mainstream with haunting ballads like "Hurt" and
dementia-induced riots "March of Pigs."

REM, "Monster." REM shifted from a mellowly textured "Automatic
for the People" to a noisy sonic collage. Songs like "What’s the
Frequency Kenneth" turned to a traditional rock and pop format
while keeping its folksy power chord trip.

1995

Two trends dominated music in ’95: the resurgence of punk music
and the mega-hits. Thanks to indie labels like Epitaph Records,
punk experienced a musical renaissance that hauled punk rockers
Rancid, Green Day and the Offspring out of tiny music halls into
huge amphitheaters. Punk became the battle-cry for suburban kids
everywhere with its simple three-chord guitar melodies and socially
alert lyrics.

Unlike Green Day and Rancid – bands who struggled on indie
labels before breaking out – the other trend of ’95 was the
superhits by newcomers. First-timers Hootie and the Blowfish,
Sheryl Crow and Alanis Morissette racked up huge sales. Morissette
became the No. 1 selling artist for ’95 with her girl-power pop and
rock sound. Though big records by debut acts ruled, speculation on
staying power continues to hound the threesome.

Other notable releases of 1995:

Smashing Pumpkins, "Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness." SP’s
double disc reflects the nostalgia and youthfulness inspired by
lead Billy Corgan’s retrospection. "1979" lingered in the innocence
of the ’70’s, a great pop song using beautiful guitar strumming
with a soft beat.

Oasis, "What’s the Story (Morning Glory)?" The story was the
return of Britpop music. The Gallaghers led a semi-revolution of
accented rock back onto American shores. "What’s the Story" arena
rock flavored songs bridged by catchy choruses and basic rock ‘n’
roll lyrics. A sure combination for both sides of the Atlantic.

Garbage, "Garbage." Three producers, one vixen came together for
a great album. The synthetic-laced pop sound created by super
producer Butch Vig made the disc spark with meaty sonic
wallpaper.

1996

Beck, ska and West Coast vs. East Coast rap wars raged like a
brushfire in the summer.

Critics raved over Beck’s "Odelay," a mix of cryptic rap lyrics,
left of center melodies and Dust Brother’s production value. Beck
became the most influential artist in the industry, replacing the
late Kurt Cobain and looked upon to lead music into the new
millennium.

Ska blew in a bevy of sound-alike bands marking the downturn of
musical creativity. Ska dregs Reel Big Fish and Save Ferris were
typical of ska’s indistinguishable, rehashed sound and inept
lyrical content.

The rap "war" between Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. led to a
battle of words resulting in multiplatinum releases and pushed rap
past alternative music in news coverage. Unfortunately, the music
stopped when both artists were gunned down. Neither murder has been
solved.

Other notable releases of 1996

Rage Against the Machine, "Evil Empire." Rage finally decided to
release their long-delayed follow-up album. Rage used "Empire" as a
forum for political dissent and commentary. The music lives in
anger, and Rage exploited it with a pounding wall of bass and
guitars.

No Doubt, "Tragic Kingdom." Eight million people bought into
Gwen Stefani and cohorts’ musical escapade. Sappy, pouting songs
made No Doubt the cover band for ska. The ska and pop band opened
the floodgates for teeny-boopin’ ska groups everywhere.

Tupac Shakur, "All Eyez on Me." Shakur shined on this album,
rapping about death, life in Los Angeles and partying. "California
Love" received constant airplay, helping the summer of ’96
groove.

1997

"MMMBop," a meaningless phrase sung over and over, reflected the
meaningless music produced in ’97. For reasons beyond human
comprehension, bubble-gum pop groups such as Spice Girls,
Backstreet Boys, Aqua and Hanson dictated the state of music.
Opting for fluff, superficial music and bubble-gum groups hopped,
pranced and choreographed their way into the hearts of prepubescent
teens.

Sampling old hits plagued the rap industry, taking credibility
away from the music. When Puffy Daddy scored hits with "I’ll be
Missing You" and "Mo’Money, Mo’ Problems," hip-hop artists jumped
on the trend, sampling everything from Phil Collins (DMX) to the
Bee Gees (Wyclef Jean). Although sampling guarantees a catchy beat,
it diminishes the substance and detracts from the artists’
message.

Other notable releases of 1997

Wu Tang Clan, "Wu Tang Forever." A shot against Puffyism, Wu
Tang took their music to the streets keeping the songs rugged, raw
and speaking the truth about life in the ‘hood. "Forever" let all
nine Clan members flaunt their skills while maintaining a united
front.

Radiohead, "OK Computer." This album featured paranoid noises
and a leary suspicion of technology and advancement. Thom Yorke,
considered one of the most deft lyricist of the ’90s, penned pain,
inadequacy and dissolution with understated splendor.

Prodigy, "The Fat of the Land." This was electronic’s first and
only platinum album release for 1997. Prodigy moved away from the
souless electronic consortium for rock-based, structured music.
"Breathe" and "Firestarter" more closely resembles electronic
Beastie Boys than Moby. This album answers the critics’ doubts
about electronic selling power.