TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 10, 2023 7:54:34 GMT 1
57 Icehouse - Code Blue
Being on the Isle of Skye for 3 months of 1990 meant a lot of music just fell off my radar and that included a new Icehouse record, never even knew this existed!! It is really hard to judge as I knew none of these songs. It is another concept album and it is very still the Icehouse we know in sound, it is maybe a little derivative but there are some amazing tracks on it including "The Great Divide","Big Fun" and "Charlie's Sky". I dunno so hard to judge need to play it some more. The record reached #7 in Australia and New Zealand but did not chart in the UK or US. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 10, 2023 8:23:09 GMT 1
56 Magnum -Goodnight L.A.
Oh I forgot to say I saw Magnum live promoting their last album on... Get Fresh. Also there was a certain Antipodean pop princess promoting 'Je Nais Say Pourquoi'. Why did I forget to say that. I was a foot away from classic 20-year-old Kylie. . Anyway back to the point, this is their eighth album and Magnum are very much a mainstream rock band now, with several hits of this album including "Rockin' Chair". Maybe not quite as good as their last album but still pretty great. The record reached #9, their last of two top 10 albums and the musical climate changed for future albums. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 11, 2023 7:15:08 GMT 1
55 Vixen - Rev It Up
There is not much between them but I think the second album from the all women rock band is slightly better than their debut. The first half of the album especially is excellent and there is no weak tracks for me, the singles especially are storming "How Much Love" and "Love Is a Killer" although "Only a Heartbeat Away" is maybe my new favourite. Doing much better here than the US, the record reached #20 and #62 in the US. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 11, 2023 7:23:19 GMT 1
54 Wilson Phillips - Wilson Phillips
You could not avoid Wilson Philips in 1990 if you were a listener to Atlantic 252, their songs were everywhere. The debut album from the girl group was very much the sound of that Summer. 'Hold On' is a total classic and I will always love it and the other singles are all great as well but the issue with this album is that it is a bit samey. They are basically the Haim of 1990 but unlike Haim, they just don't mix things up, if Haim did nothing but Fleetwood Mac style ballads they would not be a special band, they did country, dance pop, soft rock, dream pop. Wilson Philips could and should have done the same. That is why the album misses by top 50. I like everything here but it could have been so much better, if they just mixed things up a little. That of course did not affect its success but it maybe affected their longevity. The record reached #7 in the UK and #2 in the US and sold over 5 million there. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 11, 2023 7:36:13 GMT 1
53 The Mock Turtles - Turtle Soup
The indie debut album from the indie pop band. Many of these songs will reappear on their major label followup. This version of the band, is a little more laidback than the band that most listeners would know. They were really one of the best new bands right now and 'Can You Dig It' is not close to teh the best song on this album, in this form but other tracks leave it for dust such as 'Lay Me Down' and the original mix of "And Then She Smiles". But then you have brilliant songs like "Head Run Wild" that were never singles and don't even make the next album. The record reached #54 in the UK. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 11, 2023 7:51:50 GMT 1
52 The Field Mice - Skywriting
The second album from the another indie pop band. Unfairly lumped in with the twee label of other Sarah Records bands, The Field Mice were so much more than that. The obvious and biggest influence is New Order and that sound is all more this record especially on the track 'It Isn't Forever' but you can hear The Smiths on here as well with maybe the best song 'Canada'. Just a hidden gem for sure. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 11, 2023 7:59:58 GMT 1
51 Levellers - A Weapon Called the Word
The debut album from the folk rock band from Brighton. I did not know this album in 1990, I went back and loved it after 'Levelling The land' where they became one of my favourite bands at the time, especially live. I think this album maybe should have made my top 50, I see a couple to come that I think this edges but never mind. Everything you know about Levellers is here on this album but it maybe lacks the bangers which is the main reason I left it just outside the top 50. The album did not chart though surprisingly not even after they got big. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 12, 2023 7:45:11 GMT 1
Top 50 time, and I will return to the safe space of the past. 50 The Heart Throbs - Cleopatra Grip
One Little Indian had so many great bands signed to them at this time, Sugarcubes, Shamen, Fini Tribe, PopinJays and these guys. This is the debut album from the indie dance group from Reading. They started as a more shoegaze time band and then making more and more dancefloor friendly. The best tracks are an example of both 'Dreamtime' and the fantastic 'She's in a Trance'. So many great sounds on this alnum and well worth checking out if you like the more dream pop dance vibes side of indie rock. The album did not chart though. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 12, 2023 7:49:28 GMT 1
49 Lemonheads - Lovey
The fourth album from them and they continue to get better and better. This has a much heavier sound than most of their records but it is also the most melodic yet with some of the best slow songs they have done. I have not spend as much time with this album as the other 90s records but I will come back to it. They are now on a major but still no chart success. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 12, 2023 7:54:33 GMT 1
48 The Adventures - Trading Secrets With the Moon
Their third album and follow-up to the big success of 'Sea Of Love'. I don't think this record is as strong as their first two but I bought it at the time and I still really like it. I think some of the single choices hurt it but it is very much an 80s sounding record in 1990, which was always going to be an issue. Best track is the opener 'Your Greatest Shade of Blue'. The record reached #64 in the UK. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 12, 2023 8:00:07 GMT 1
47 Damn Yankees - Damn Yankees
It has been awhile since we had some hard rock and now we have the debut album from the supergroup fronted by Ted Nugent and alongside Tommy Shaw of Styx, Jack Blades of Night Ranger for two. Atlantic 252 was not just pop music, 'High Enough' the big single of this album was played every day, an exceptional power ballad. The rest of the album is really great as well. Never been that into Ted Nugent, he has not really troubled these lists, but on this he is epic. The record reached #13 in the US. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 12, 2023 8:05:10 GMT 1
46 Sinéad O'Connor - I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
I listened to this maybe two weeks before her death so it is still very fresh to me. Her second album I found I actually enjoyed more than her debut. Overall it is just much stronger, ok I miss the more alternative sounds of tracks like 'Mandinka', but there is still plenty of edge here for sure. It is just a gorgeous album and I think vocally she never sounds better. Of course 'Nothing Compares 2 U' is a major highlight but I also love 'The Emperor's New Clothes' and "Jump In The River". The album was number one all over the world and it has sold over 7 million worldwide. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 13, 2023 7:29:25 GMT 1
45 Ultra Vivid Scene - Joy 1967-1990
Just before I start talking about this album, my favourite song is suddenly spoiled for me when a reviewed compared it to 'September Gurls' omg, how did I never hear that before, well maybe as I heard 'Special One' first. This is their second album and it is a mix of Jesus & Mary Chain type rock and indie pop. 'Special One' with Kim Deal is by far my favourite song though. The record reached #58 in the UK 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 13, 2023 7:36:32 GMT 1
44 The Church - Gold Afternoon Fix
After the success of 'Starfish' everyone expected their 6th album to go stratospheric. This was not to be maybe as the band went back to the more guitar heavy sound of previous records and the single 'Metropolis' did not cross over even though it was a huge hit in the rock charts. I think it was the 1990 effect though, this is a very weird year. If it had come in 1991, with R.E.M and Nirvana going massive, it could have brought them along with them. It was just as big in Australia mind you and reached #66 in the US. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 13, 2023 7:42:12 GMT 1
43 Blake Babies - Sunburn
The third album from the band where Juliana Hatfield got her start and this is their best one yet. If you are a fan of her or the Lemonheads albums that are coming in the next few years, you will really enjoy this record. It is gorgeous cute college rock, with one of my favourite Indie babes ever, no pun intended. This will be the final album , Julianna will go solo and work with Evan Dando on the next two Lemonheads albums. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 13, 2023 7:49:22 GMT 1
42 The Outfield - Diamond Days
Another band like The Church who feel a bit weird in the 90s. But they are still doing great stuff and 'For You' somehow is maybe in their top 3 singles. It is an album for fans, it will not change your life but I am a fan and this does not disappoint. This was their last charting album reaching #90 in the US. So from now on we are in unknown ground, will they drop off in 1992, we will find out soon. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 13, 2023 7:55:47 GMT 1
41 Pet Shop Boys -Behaviour
This is their fourth album and at the time this is where I kind of fell out with them. 'Being Boring' I really didn't get it at the time, the irony was lost on me at the time but there are also still bangers 'So Hard' is like a certain band about to appear on the next list, club banger but in general it is a more laidback Pet Shop Boys on this one. The record reached #2 in the UK and #45 in the UK. 4/5
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Post by Whitneyfan on Sept 13, 2023 13:04:02 GMT 1
The Wilson Phillips album has always been a favourite of mine. It's one album I still listen to at least a couple of times a year, even all these years later!
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Post by Good Old Days on Sept 13, 2023 21:03:47 GMT 1
Julianna will go solo and work with Evan Dando. Both mentioned acts had # 1 hits in my chart. Julianna with "My Sister" in 1993, two years after Evan recorded beautiful duet with Kirsty MacColl "Perfect Day" (it's my favourite her song).
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 14, 2023 7:25:20 GMT 1
Julianna will go solo and work with Evan Dando. Both mentioned acts had # 1 hits in my chart. Julianna with "My Sister" in 1993, two years after Evan recorded beautiful duet with Kirsty MacColl "Perfect Day" (it's my favourite her song). "My Sister" is brilliant
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