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Albums From Two Decades Ago That Still Sound Fresh, Exciting & Vital Today

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NinjaBoiX

NinjaBoiX

Member
Post albums that you feel are still relevant today despite being ~20 years old (a few of mine are a year or two out), explain why and post an example track if you can:

1. Daft Punk - Homework (1997)

Ifx52SR.jpg


It's seminal, championed a lot of techniques still used regularly today and it sounds like it was recorded yesterday. Effortless cool.

Daft Punk - Revolution 909

2. Massive Attack - Mezzanine (1998)

2tsJrVl.jpg


The pinnacle of the trip-hop movement and one of the best albums ever recorded, utter genius.

Massive Attack - Inertia Creeps

3. PJ Harvey - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea (1999)

YVHSjJ0.jpg


Some might argue this is her sellout record but I think they're wrong and it's a classic that's stood the test of time.

PJ Harvey - Kamikaze

4. The Roots - Things Fall Apart (1999)

mdyt72P.jpg


A shining example of how fresh hip-hop can sound with a live band with integrity rapping about real shit, not hollow bragging about flashy cars and bitches over Casio beats.

The Roots - Step Into The Realm

5. QOTSA - Rated R (2000)

Py0WPPD.jpg


OK, they've gone off the boil a bit lately but when I first heard this album it was the coolest shit ever, it still sounds so, so fresh. Their best work.

QOTSA - Better Living Through Chemistry
 
S

Socivol

Member
No Doubt Tragic Kingdom is still really really good and sounds just as good today as it was back in the 90s.
 
Z

Zophar

Member
Also came in expecting Mezzanine, was not disappointed. Feels like an album that dropped out of the 22nd century into the 90s.
 
A

ahoyhoy

Unconfirmed Member
Nothing about In the Aeroplane Over the Sea has aged and if it came out today it would get hella play time on indie stations and David Dye would be nasaly expounding on its stripped down emotionallity and playfully dark lyrics.
 
S

smisk

Member
ahoyhoy said:
Nothing about In the Aeroplane Over the Sea has aged and if it came out today it would get hella play time on indie stations and David Dye would be nasaly expounding on its stripped down emotionallity and playfully dark lyrics.
Click to expand...

I was gonna say this. I also think Modest Mouse's second album - Lonesome Crowded West - is still really great.
 
T

The Albatross

Member
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream (1993)
SmashingPumpkins-SiameseDream.jpg


I'm not even a big Smashing Pumpkins fan, but this album still works today... The aspects of dreamy pop would resonate with a lot of pop music that's debuted over the last 5 years. A lot of great albums from '93, '94 are great albums, but they wouldn't sound fresh if they came out today unless you're a major fan of those bands.

Otherwise, a lot of late 80s/90s Pixies albums would fit in today's reductionist alt rock genre today.
 
S

Secret Character

Member
There's a couple of a good ones in this thread already. I have a couple more:

Entroducing... by DJ Shadow (1996)
Endtroducingcover.jpg

This album still sounds so fresh today. It actually has infinite replayability.

Dummy by Portishead (1994)
Portishead_-_Dummy.png


Another album that you can listen to and feel good about it today.
 
K

Kevtones

Member
The Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I
Boards of Canada - Music Has the Right to Children
This Heat - Deceit
Syrinx - Tumblers of the Vault
 
P

PantherLotus

Professional Schmuck
-- Great call on Massive Attack now that Trip Hop has its own reconnaissance with Phantogram blowing up.

-- Also 100% agreed on The Roots, though Illadelph Halflife still rules.

-- I'd mix in pre-Fergie Black Eyed Peas' Bridging the Gap. Great album, still bumps.

-- And obviously everything from Tribe Called Quest.
 
A

ahoyhoy

Unconfirmed Member
smisk said:
I was gonna say this. I also think Modest Mouse's second album - Lonesome Crowded West - is still really great.
Click to expand...

Eh. I like that album (even if it is one of myeast favorite MM albums) but something about it sounds "old" and out of place today. I think it's the production values and reverb abuse.

If you had said The Moon and Antarctica I might have agreed.
 
M

Moofers

Member
First off, I love this thread. This is the music of my generation. That said, I humbly submit two of the biggest albums from my teenage years.

White Zombie - La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Vol 1

This album is still really its own thing. While the band followed up with Astro Creep, the sound was darker and less of the fun, grungy, B-movie kind of thing this album had going for it. Astro Creep was definitely more like all the other Rob Zombie solo albums that came later and to this day I don't think there's been any kind of Zombie album that has felt like this one did and still does.

Rollins Band - Weight

Best known for the hit "Liar" on it, this album was Henry Rollins and friends at its best. The messages in these songs helped shaped my teenage mindset in a positive way that was missing from a lot of the other stuff I was into at the time. It felt like Rollins had something to say here and a lot of that stuck with me through the years. Plus it still feels like a pretty unique album that weaves in and out of heavy metal, funk, blues rock, and alternative rock. Great stuff all around.

I listened to both of those albums over and over while playing stuff like Doom and Alien vs Predator on the Jaguar. Listening to either one still takes me back to those days.
 
D

djplaeskool

Member
The Chemical Brothers - Surrender (1999)
Surrender_album_cover.jpg


I would have to pick this over 1997's Dig You Own Hole because Surrender was a far more ecclectic, forward moving piece of work. DYOH is quinessential Big Beat, but it's very markedly a 90s album in tone. Fantastic collabs, huge range of styles, everything about Surrender is amazing and plays extremely well today.
 
NinjaBoiX

NinjaBoiX

Member
There are some good choices here guys but post more links!
Secret Character said:
There's a couple of a good ones in this thread already. I have a couple more:

Entroducing... by DJ Shadow (1996)
Endtroducingcover.jpg

This album still sounds so fresh today. It actually has infinite replayability.

Dummy by Portishead (1994)
Portishead_-_Dummy.png


Another album that you can listen to and feel good about it today.
Click to expand...
I actually had both of these on my list but pruned it down to 5. I feel like I bang on about these two albums enough anyway!
 
B

Bread

Banned
Vincent Grayson said:
PHM is amazing, but let's be real: it sounds 80s as fuck. It just happens that some 80s elements have made their way into modern music.
Click to expand...
exactly! that's why it sounds so great now. the production is top notch and it sounds like something that could have come out last year.
 
M

MikeHaggar

Member
OG Shaka Zulu said:
Doggystyle and The Chronic sound fresh as hell. I love the shot at Swizz Beatz in the OP.
Click to expand...

HiiiLife said:
It's almost been two decades but Chronic 2001
Click to expand...

Came in here to make sure these three albums were represented. Albums where Dr. Dre actually produced the entire album are incredible. Doggystyle is recorded and mixed so well. Same for Chronic 2001. They both sound better than most albums released today. The Chronic still sounds great as well. Impressive especially for the two Death Row-era albums considering the huge shift in recording technology/process after they were released.
 
A

awesome_pants

Banned
Blur-Blur.jpg

Blur - Blur
Song staples like Beetlebum and Song 2 came from this album. Still is a brilliant reworking of the 90s rock scene that is fresh even to today.
 
S

Secret Character

Member
Let's do more!

Selected Ambient Works 85-92 - Aphex Twin (1992)
Selected_Ambient_Works_85-92.png


Buena Vista Social Club - Buena Vista Social Club (1997)
Buenavistasocialclubalbumcover.jpeg


The Fantastic Plastic Machine - The Fantastic Plastic Machine (1997)
The_Fantastic_Plastic_Machine_Album_Cover.jpg

L'Adventure Fantastique

Marcy Playground - Marcy Playground (1997)
Marcy_Playground_-_Marcy_Playground_album_cover.gif


Uptown Saturday Night - Camp Lo (1997)
Uptownsaturdaynight.jpg

Luchini

Theres a lot of good stuff out there.
 
S

snacknuts

we all knew her
ahoyhoy said:
Nothing about In the Aeroplane Over the Sea has aged and if it came out today it would get hella play time on indie stations and David Dye would be nasaly expounding on its stripped down emotionallity and playfully dark lyrics.
Click to expand...

I was going to post this. Greatest thing ever recorded IMO.
 
R

RoKKeR

Member
Dark Side of the Moon, Achtung Baby, OK Computer....

A little more than 20 years on some of these lol but that's what comes to mind.
 
M

Myriadis

Member
Netherscourge said:
220px-Lecover-big.jpg


-actually closer to 30 years now.
Click to expand...

While I love this album, there are pieces within that feel very 90s.
Boys for Pele feels a bit more modern and is 21 years old.

Poor GRIMES said:
Ray_of_Light_Madonna.png


Madonna's Ray of Light from 1998.

Some songs:
Drowned World/Substitute For Love
Ray of Light
Frozen
Sky Fits Heaven
Swim
Click to expand...

Also fairly 90s at quite a few parts, but man what a good album. I never liked Madonna until I found this one.

----
stereolabemperortomatd2s9n.jpg
Click to expand...
Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup
Doesn't sound like the 90s because it sounds like the 50s making music they think the 90s will sound like.

24856-long-seasonxaspp.jpg

Fishmans - Long Season

51sjm0c7dclvvsqj.jpg

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F#A# Infinity
Postrock. Still sounds like 20 years ago and I have no problem with that if it sounds like this.

1378816725_either-ortpsgi.jpg

Elliott Smith - Either/Or (and earlier albums)
Well he's absolutely beloved today and the fresh timeless sound really helps here.
 
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