Pickled Priest Mixtape: Our Favorite Songs of 1996
- 11 minutes ago
- 13 min read
How much time you got? I've got about 200 amazing singles from 1996 for you to hear and each of them turns my crank for one reason or another. It was a fertile era. No wonder everyone is now discovering/re-discovering it. Round here, it never went away. It was thirty years ago today...
PICKLED PRIEST'S FAVORITE SONGS OF 1996
SIDE A
26 “If You’re Getting Married Tonight” | Tommy Keene
For power-pop nerds like me, Tommy Keene never required a comeback (although he would need one now since he died in 2017). His prime output in the 80s is a hidden wall safe stacked high with of gold bars—eternally valuable, never losing luster. He attracted major label attention in 1986 (Geffen) and released a cult classic, Songs From the Film, which failed to break him to mainstream audiences (neither did its follow-up, Based on Happy Times, three years later). Fast forward ten years to the not coincidentally titled Ten Years After, for perhaps Tommy's finest album, as long as you consider songwriting and production quality equally. Now on "indie major" Matador, the album is peppered with driving rockers each anchored by an airtight melody, Tommy's stock in trade. So why do I find myself drawn to a ballad like "If You're Getting Married Tonight," then? Simple. The song is disarmingly vulnerable with every new line revealing some added nuance to a storyline that never comes entirely into focus. No matter, we get the picture anyway. A weeping steel guitar only deepens the impact of lyrics like "If you're getting married tonight, I really hope he loves you." Now that's a loaded "toast" that'll never be heard by the bride. Perhaps a disinterested bartender, but nobody else.
25 “Wet Firecracker” | Silkworm
Silkworm, a favorite band of Steve Albini, quickly locked into a sound that couldn't have been more perfect for the alt-rock 90s; a cross between Pavement and the Grifters comes close to nailing their approach. Maybe find a way to inject some mule semen into the formula if you have some extra time. Silkworm's Firewater was the band's fourth and best album, a sprawling double-record full of spoken/sung vocals, ripping guitar solos, and propulsive drumming. "Wet Firecracker" is one of its finest moments, capturing the entire lurching, careening jalopy of a band with raw and spontaneous fervor. No wonder Steve took them under his wing.
24 “The Leather” | Oblivians
Approximating the sound of plugging in an MRI machine in the middle of a scrap yard, “The Leather” is less a formal song than it is a skanky striptease set in an S&M dungeon—and a naughty and nasty den of iniquity at that. If you’re familiar with these Memphis garage rock legends, you need no further convincing. If you’re not, you may recognize band leader Greg Cartwright from his subsequent band, the Reigning Sound, that found critical acclaim about five years later. Imagine that band stripped down down even further, perhaps with a caustic paint thinner, and you might start to uncover the stuff that made the Oblivians the trashy blues-punk legends they most certainly are and always will be.
23 “Nip it in the Bud” | The Riptones
"Nip it, nip it, nip it in the bud / Pinch it off right at the stem and stomp it in the mud."
Sage advice imparted from a father to his son "to go out and have some fun" before strapping on the old ball and chain. Chicago's Riptones could easily be dismissed as a retro novelty act if they didn't travel considerably beyond that limited scope in many of their songs. Sure, they're funny and had a guy on stand-up bass who looked like a Stray Cat, but their 1996 record, World Renowned, featured some pretty damn good songwriting, enough to get a deal with Chicago's influential Bloodshot Records for their next release. Just to have this tune about the glories of bachelorhood and the equally superb, and deceptively heartbreaking, "In Ten Days It's Three Months" ("but who's keeping track?") in your collection, is more than worth the effort to find a used copy.
Full Disclosure: The band's guitarist, Andon Davis, once had the unrewarding task of being my guitar teacher for a short while. I don't wish that upon anyone, especially a guy as friendly and talented as him.
22 "Twisted and Bent" | Trashcan Sinatras
From within the alt-90s deluge, Trashcan Sinatras remained steadfastly anchored to heavenly melodies, sparkling hooks, and pristine vocals. They have not only stood the test of time, but my appreciation for them has grown more and more as the years have passed. This is a band I can listen to all day without turning them off. Isn't there some comfort to be found in a band you don't have to work too hard to appreciate? Of course, when you're ready to listen closely, you'll realize these songs are way more intricate and nuanced than expected. One of the decade's most underrated bands. And they're still at it, too, with a new record released just this week! I'm happy report that what they had then they still have now. Great songs and a timeless sound have a way of ensuring your perpetual relevance.
21 "The Candy Man" | Cibo Matto
When I'm asked what makes a great cover version of a song, this is one of the examples that pops to mind. The answer: Take an original and reinvent it. For a band whose name translates to "Crazy Food" and an album with songs titled "Apple", "Beef Jerky", "White Pepper Ice Cream", "Know Your Chicken", and "Artichoke", the band's 1996 record, Viva! La Woman, came off like a trip to a bizarro Japanese Buffet that could challenge even the strongest of stomachs. With songs as peculiar and charming as these, however, the pain was worth the (weight) gain. I don't know what to call it, electro-indie-hip-hop maybe?, but the duo of Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda made one of the tastiest, most addictive albums of the year that still holds up as innovative thirty years later. Their take on this Willy Wonka cult classic is the remake you didn't know you needed, but will never stop playing once you find it.
20 "Chips Rafferty" | Richard Davies
Australia-born Richard Davies has lived in Cape Cod as an attorney for 30 years now, but behind his trial lawyer exterior is an eccentric pop tunesmith with some serious indie credentials. He was in Sydney's Moles early on, went on to form the revered Cardinal with Eric Matthews, and even collaborated with Robert Pollard along the way! Based on that resume you'd expect his music to be left of the map, so to speak, and it is. Lots of 90s albums got lost in the shuffle during the alternative rock boom and his 1996 offering, There's Never Been a Crowd Like This, is one of them; a short, peculiar baroque pop curio that sounds like nothing else from that era. Which might explain why most didn't know what to do with it back then. Around here, we love an album that travels its own path and on first listen you get the feeling Davies (no relation to Ray or Dave, but they have things in common) hasn't a clue where he's headed at any given moment. That's why we love it. The inscrutable "Chips Rafferty" is the perfect example of a song that appeals to our desire to be amused and bemused simultaneously. The jury is in: this is marvelously odd stuff in the best possible way.
19 "Dorothy's Last Fling" | Chainsaw Kittens
Speaking of eccentrics...Tyson Meade's brainchild, Chainsaw Kittens, deserved more love in the 90s and it's hard to rationalize why they didn't find a much bigger audience. Yes, they were weird, but so were a lot of bands pushing the boundaries of rock music back then. The Kittens' self-titled fifth from 1996 is laced with strange, swirling, sputtering pop creations that you can't get out of your head even though they may initially draw a "What the fuck is going on here?" response. "Dorothy's Last Fling," yes, loosely based on the Wizard of Oz, is a nonsensical dreamworld of a song—perhaps that second tab of LSD was a mistake—and accordingly there's no black and white moments anywhere on the song; It's all in living color.
18 "Criminal" | Fiona Apple
What the men don't know, the little girls understand.
-Howlin' Wolf
That Fiona was a teenager when she released Tidal, her debut, is mind-boggling. The album does not sound like the work of an adolescent and her voice, already fully formed, has the maturity and sophistication of someone much older. No, the album isn't perfect, but it did introduce a singular talent to the world. "Criminal" in particular demonstrates an innate understanding of the developmental disparity between boys and girls in their formative years, highlighted by one of the most astute observations ever written:
I've been a bad, bad girl
I've been careless with a delicate man
And it's a sad, sad world
When a girl will break a boy just because she can
17 "All Ready" | Jale
Nova Scotia's Jale (founded by Jennifer, Alyson, Laura, Eve) should've been much bigger than they were. If "All Ready" isn't a perfect 90's pop song, take all my credibility and flush it down the toilet. It should be part of any comprehensive overview of the decade's finest singles. Jale was good enough to cut a couple great records for Sub Pop, but the girls' masterpiece arrived with 1996's So Wound, a record that can hang with any other alt-pop record of the era. After this, they sadly went their own separate ways (motherhood, graphic design, 'real' jobs) and that's a shame. They remain one of the hidden gems of the Sub Pop catalog.
16 “Transistor Sister” | Gaunt
15 “Under Cedars and Stars” | Ass Ponys
Two bands from O-hi-o...a strong showing from the Buckeye State in 1996 gave us Ass Ponys from Cincinnati and Gaunt from Columbus. I'd've added a Guided By Voices track, too, but I love so many songs from Under the Bushes Under the Stars that the vote got split. Without a doubt, however, Ass Ponys was one of the more peculiar success stories to come out of the state since Devo (from Akron) thanks to the songwriting of frontman Chuck Cleaver, a true original even in the alt-rock era (I submit "Earth to Grandma" and "Little Bastard" as exhibits one and two). Gaunt, on the other hand, was just a straight-ahead pop-punk juggernaut that was built for speed and never slowed down. They burned out quickly, but I still love them to this day, particularly 1996's Kryptonite and the single "Transistor Sister" which is a punk version of the Buggles "Video Killed the Radio Star" if you use your imagination. The whole record is one long exhilarating rush. Ass Ponys end up having the stronger legacy, and Cleaver formed the critically-acclaimed Wussy after their demise. What happened to Gaunt, I do not know.
14 "Ahead By a Century" | The Tragically Hip
A rare song that became an anthem of unity and mourning for an entire nation, the Hip's "Ahead By a Century" has taken on even more meaning and power with time, even offering a key lyric of the song as the title of the band's documentary, The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal. It's one of Gord's most nuanced vocals, too, which is saying something. The song makes me double-clutch every time I hear it. It kind of makes me want to be a Canadian, which isn't the worst option these days.
First thing we'd climb a tree
And maybe then we'd talk
Or sit silently
And listen to our thoughts
With illusions of someday
Cast in a golden light
No dress rehearsal
This is our life
SIDE B
13 “A Lucky Life” | Vonda Shepard
There’s nothing more powerful than a song that floors you on the very first listen. One of those songs you just know immediately is going to be a part of your life forever. I lucked into a Vonda Shepard set when she opened for Jackson Browne back in 1996 during his Looking East Tour. She put on a generally charming performance that had me considering snapping up a copy of her new record, It's Good, Eve. Then she sealed the deal when she played “A Lucky Life” to end her performance. I've rarely seen a single song captivate an audience in quote the same way. She had the place in the palm of her hand. Quite an accomplishment for a headliner, truly astounding from an opening act. In other words, it wasn’t just me that discovered the song that night. The moment belonged to everyone. The title's intent is self-explanatory. We need to start realizing the unlikelihood of our existence. That we're living on a tiny miracle floating in space. That alone makes us beyond lucky, far beyond winning the Power Ball every week for a year. On a more micro scale, even with the usual human adversities we face, we’re unbelievably lucky. “A Lucky Life” taps into that idea and reminds us all that perspective is essential above all. It may sound a little trite for some, but if a relatively simple song can take a crowd's collective breath away for a few minutes, it will have accomplished something truly universal.
12 “Angel Dream (No. 2)” | Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Is this Petty's most beautiful ballad ever? It's either this or "Wildflowers." I'll take both, please.
11 "Mas Y Mas" | Los Lobos
The first album* after a masterpiece is always a challenge and Colossal Head didn't quite capture the same celestially bestowed atmosphere that elevated Kiko to that level in 1992. Not that that was the goal either. I think they knew a lightning strike when they experience one and replicating that vibe would be futile. Instead, they pushed the limits of their sound even more with generally satisfying, albeit less accessible results. "Mas Y Mas" (more & more) brought back the band's grittier side and soon became a staple of their live shows thanks to the wicked guitar licks of David Hidalgo, the honking sax of Steve Berlin, and the distinctly Latin feel provided by the rhythm section of Conrad Lozana and Louie Perez. This is Los Lobos driving on all cylinders and when that happens everyone goes home happy. Just don't stand right in front of the speakers at one of their concerts. I learned that lesson the hard way.
*Not counting Papa's Dream, a collaboration with Lalo Guerrero from 1995.
10 “Wail” | The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Ju, ju, ju...got to help me! This song comes from the period when the Blues Explosion was at their all-time baddest and grooviest. The clanging, careening guitars of Judah Bauer, the feral drum attack of Russell Simins, and the voodoo carnival barker theatrics of Jon Spencer (still a force to this very day)—it was something to behold when the band hit the stage. This song approximates the band's live experience admirably, even if nothing can substitute for the visceral atmosphere that was a JSBX concert in their prime. They wailed, just as the song says.
09 “Stagger Lee” | Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Gotta love a protagonist with an Al Swearengen-worthy profane streak who is not afraid to live violently and lustfully, popping caps in a sassy bartender's motherfuckin' head one moment and climbing over "50 good pussies, just to get to one fat boy's asshole" the next. The song is plenty bawdy and merciless on Nick Cave's 1996 album, Murder Ballads, but the real nastiness of the song comes out when he plays the song live, where it oozes a ribald intensity you can cut with a butcher knife. It's a cover loosely based on a true story which has had a long and rich history over the decades, dating back to as early as the 1920s, even hitting #1 on the charts for Lloyd Price back in 1958 albeit with a much more toned-down version. Suffice it to say, however, that Nick Cave doesn't do "toned down." He's turned "Stagger Lee" into the murder ballad to end all murder ballads, one bawdy motherfucker at a time.
08 “555, Parts 1 & 2” | Fastbacks
It was good to see a rock band doing a multi-part song in the 90s a la James Brown in the 60s or Funkadelic in the 70s. What a perfect way to allow a song to breath a bit! And "555" not only breaths, it huffs and puffs like a 555-pound porn star.* Fastbacks were a beloved Seattle band that lived up to their drag strip name, often racing through songs behind behind Kurt Bloch's burnout guitar riffs and Lulu Gargiulo and Kim Warnick's joyride vocals. This is a band that knew how to do donuts in a parking lot long before street takeovers became a (stupid) thing. And they didn't need a souped-up Honda Civic to do it either.
*I wrote that when I first reviewed the album for my zine in the mid-90s and decided to keep it as is as an homage to my past self.
07 “The Road to Ensenada” | Lyle Lovett
Few artists could touch Lyle in one department: switching from dry humor to fragile heartbreak with a moment's notice. One moment, he'd offer the jaunty "That's Right, You're Not From Texas"; the next, the tender plea "Who Loves You Better." One moment, the cowboy goof of "Long Tall Texan"; shortly thereafter, the hungover ache of "The Road to Ensenada," a sublime tune so filled with remorse, it seems destined for a midnight confessional somewhere in Mexico. Anybody know a church nearby?
06 “Radiation Vibe” | Fountains of Wayne
The Chris Collingwood-written "Radiation Vibe" has a chorus as catchy as just about any pop song ever written. It easily ranks high on the list of songs I most love to crank and sing along with in the car. Even better, it doesn't really mean anything specific by design. It's has an intangible, effortless quality of some of rock and roll's greatest mindless songs and that freedom from thought is what makes me come back to it so often.
05 “Let in the Sun” | Bill Fox
To me, Bill Fox's "Let in the Sun" is the 90's equivalent of Big Star's "Watch the Sunrise." It has the same general effect on me. Kind of an autumnal melancholy with an hint of hopefulness all in one short song. From one of the best albums of the decade, Shelter From the Smoke.
04 “500 (Shake Baby Shake)” | Lush
Listening to Lush is like sprinkling powdered sugar over your french toast from a hovering helicopter. Miki Berenyi's vocals trickle over you like saccharine-sweetened snowflakes especially on the song's snowglobe instruction manual of a chorus: "Shake baby shake" she sings as you watch a violent storm slowly settle down into a light dusting. See if you can catch a flake on your tongue.
03 “Nickel and a Spoon” | Alejandro Escovedo
"All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."
-Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
"Nickel and a Spoon" evokes the nursery rhyme cadence implied by its title, but there's a dark underside to this tale about a family coming apart at the seams. It's chorus tells us that everything is not right in the Escovedo household: "Mama's not talking now, Dad he's fallen off the tracks, Sister's on a rampage, and brother, he's planning his silent attack." That's rough. Nobody can break your heart quite like your own family, that's for sure. Add some strings and a full band (20 musicians in total), then add a generally unnecessary Willie Nelson cameo (if he shows up, you're gonna let him sing) and you find yourself with a beautifully melancholy song that will cut very close to the bone for many. I know it did for me.
02 “So Fast, So Numb” | R.E.M.
I love gritty-voiced Michael Stipe—the 3:00am last take of a long recording session Michael Stipe. You can feel the emotional baggage this song carries with it, be it grief, regret, helplessness, frustration, and likely all at once. Oftentimes, the most powerful songs often come when things start to boil over. Proof of concept right here.
01 “Unchained” | Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash could stand on a set of train tracks and make a locomotive cower to a halt without the use of its brakes. He has an intimidating presence built not out of fear, but of longevity and respect. He's been everywhere, seen everything. So, when such a man prostrates himself in reverence to a higher power, praying for redemption and release from his mortal binds, it is almost scary when you realize you're not feeling the same need as strongly. A masterful late-career performance.
__________________________
We want to stay. Don't make us leave.
Cheers,
The Priest