Landmark Albums: 1991

I'm doing a series here on The Chandelier Swing where I feature albums that I feel are landmarks-- influential, monolithic pieces of art that have influenced future generations and stood the test of time. These aren't even necessarily my favorite albums of these years, but what I feel are the most important to Indie Rock in general.

I'm starting this feature in 1991: The Year Punk Broke

(in no particular order, other than the order I'm playing them on the radio)

Nirvana - Nevermind

[absolutely epochal. Not only a great album in its own right, but it triggered a cultural change so massive we had to stop calling this stuff "Alternative" and had to call it "Indie"]

Beat Happening - Dreamy

[In a fair universe, these guys would be every tween's favorite jam]

Pearl Jam - Ten

[Mock if you'd like, but these guys took all the pieces of the alternative scene and made them timeless.. at least for one album]

The Jesus Lizard - Goat

[Noise for the masses]

Slint - Spiderland

[Unheard of in their time. Inescapable 10 years later]

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless

[Thousands have tried to imitate, but nobody gets this loud and sounds this cool.]

Guilty Pleasure/Special Mention: U2 - Achtung Baby

[Not indie or alternative in any sense, but how often does the biggest rock and roll band in the world completely reinvent itself?]

Jesus Jones - Doubt

[A little left-field here, but an unprecedented melding of loud rock, sampling, and beats. The sound of the future]

R.E.M. - Out of Time

[Not their best album, but critical in introducing alternative to the masses]


---editor's note: you may notice I'm no longer posting playlists. Nobody was looking at them. If you're really interested, go to Spinitron.com. My station is KMUZ, and my show is Fridays 4-6 PM. Here's a link.