Top 20 albums of 1990:
1. The Connells- One Simple WordWhen taking an art class as a freshman at Samford University the professor gave us the freedom to play music of our choice. In hindsight, I can't believe he did this, but what an amazing opportunity to share and discover. My friend Mike brought in One Simple Word, and I fell in love with instantly. In fact, me asking him what album it was might have been the beginning of our friendship. Over the next few years I would go on to see the Connells in concert a couple times, once in Birmingham and once in Chattanooga.
2. The 77's- Sticks and Stones
3. Toad the Wet Sprocket- Pale
Debatably a 1989 release, as it had a short independent run before being widely released in 1990.
4. The Sundays- Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic
5. Adam Again- Homeboys
6. The Swoon- The Swoon
7. The Choir- Circle Slide
8. Fugazi- Repeater
9. Helmet- Strap It On
10. Depeche Mode- Violator
11. The Breeders- Pod
12. Jane's Addiction- Ritual de lo Habitual
13. Cocteau Twins- Heaven or Las Vegas
14. Sinead O'Connor- I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
15. The Pixies- Bossonova
16. The La's- The La's
When researching this post, I had never heard any other song by the La's except for "There She Goes." This album is strong all the way through though, and had the band lasted longer they would be known for more than their one hit. As I have written about extensively, I has always been upset Sixpence None the Richer recorded and released a cover of "There She Goes." Now I am even more upset because the song was only seven years old! Argh.
17. Sonic Youth- Goo
18. A Tribe Called Quest- People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
19. Public Enemy- Fear of a Black Planet
20. Petra- Beyond Belief
I can't imagine listening to this album in full today, and it might be embarrassing for me to even mention it here. However, Petra was the first rock band I was a fan of, and another Petra album was the first compact disc I ever purchased. My Petra phase only lasted a couple years, but they led me to discovering more "legitimate" music.
