Discovolante's Best of: 1989
From the beginning of the year to the end, via the Sputnik release calendar. |
| 1 |  | The Flatmates
Love and Death (The Flatmates 86-89)
Even with the word-of-mouth they've received over time, English indie poppers The Flatmates are still a mystery to even the most hardcore of early alternative enthusiasts. They never released a proper album, although their sole posthumous compilation, "Love and Death", is composed of brilliant pop ditties, with the best track being "Shimmer", which slightly predates shoegaze. |
| 2 |  | Consolidated
Consolidated!
San Francisco industrial-rap radicals Consolidated came out swinging with their self-titled EP, which has a fresh sound that serves as a sort of blueprint for later hard-edged rap/rock political acts. |
| 3 |  | Cranes
Self-Non-Self
Although not near their best work, Cranes' debut EP "Self-Non-Self" does a great job setting up the bleak, otherworldly atmosphere that the band would expand greatly overtime. |
| 4 |  | Blake Babies
Earwig
Blake Babies were a college rock band from the late 80s and early 90s that is best known now for being the first band of vocalist Juliana Hatfield, who would go on to have some commercial success in the mid 90s with her own solo project. With their 1989 premiere full length "Earwig", the music is sunshiny and fun, with the listener practically glistening while listening. An album that may have even been about seven years ahead of its time. |
| 5 |  | Silverfish
T.F.A. E.P.
Silverfish were an underground hardcore band with strong noisy, industrial-like tendencies that unfortunately never made it out of cult success. They released their first two EP's in 1989, with my personal favorite out of the two being the "T.F.A. E.P.", which stands for the opening track, "Total Fucking Asshole". It's a deranged release with tons of biting cynicism to go around, and there's really nothing else like it. |
| 6 |  | 3rd Bass
The Cactus Album
A hip hop classic with intelligent lyricism and kicking beats which definitely deserves more light shined on it these days. |
| 7 |  | Ministry
The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste
Possibly the best Ministry has ever sounded. |
| 8 |  | EPMD
Unfinished Business
The pressure was on when EPMD was set to release their sophomoric album "Unfinished Business", as their commercial success was largely viewed as a fluke. Not only would the album end up even eclipsing their previous album "Strictly Business" in some aspects musically (it just feels like an overall tighter effort), but the album would also be certified gold shortly after its release, proving that their success was no bullshit and the guys were here for the long run... or at least for the next 3 years, but that's a different story all together lol. |
| 9 |  | Beastie Boys
Paul's Boutique
Unsatisfied with playing the roles of dopey fratboys, Beastie Boys decided to gamble it all on their heavily anticipated second album "Paul's Boutique", which confused the hell out of their fanbase, and its poor commercial performance nearly destroyed the band. It was almost immediately a critic's wet dream, however, and its bold and highly innovative sound which took sampling to a whole other plateau (which, due to current sampling laws, will never be matched again), and it is now regarded as one of the very best hip hop albums ever made. |
| 10 |  | Lunachicks
Sugar Luv
On their first single/EP "Sugar Luv", Lunachicks immediately carve their niche in the punk underground with satirical lyrics and a high caliber, demanding sound that just about overshadows most of the punk coming out of the late 80s. |
| 11 |  | New Order
Technique
Largely regarded as the last classic New Order album, "Technique" is an ecstasy popping, raving good time. |
| 12 |  | Kool G. Rap and DJ Polo
Road to the Riches
Mixing the ferocity of Kool G. Rap's lyricism and DJ Polo's hard rhythms, the duo were bound for the top of hip hop greatness from the get-go with the release of their debut "Road to the Riches". It's dark, aggressive, sobering and in-your-face style was truly revolutionary in the hip hop world, and helped put East Coast hip hop in another world. |
| 13 |  | Autopsy
Severed Survival
One of the earliest masterpieces in death metal. |
| 14 |  | The Cure
Disintegration
Classic. |
| 15 |  | Nice and Smooth
Nice & Smooth
Nice and Smooth are one of the most underrated rap duos of all time, and their debut is solid proof of that. Hip hop with a highly unique, signature delivery and killer beats. |
| 16 |  | Faith No More
The Real Thing
One of the all time greatest alt metal albums. |
| 17 |  | Beyond (HK)
Beyond IV
Beyond further fuel their validity for being the best band to emerge from Hong Kong with the release of their fourth full length album, aptly titled "Beyond IV", which shows the band gradually shifting in a much more poppy direction, creating some of the best ear candy from that part of the world of the 80s. |
| 18 |  | Carcass
Symphonies of Sickness
The album that shaped Carcass into being one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, bands in grindcore history. |
| 19 |  | Heavy D and the Boyz
Big Tyme
Although they released an album before, the subpar "Living Large", Heavy D and the Boyz really came into their own both critically and commercially with the appropriately titled "Big Tyme", which was one of the very first albums to fuse dance-pop with rap. A colossal victory for a struggling collective that would never again come close to sounding this good again. |
| 20 |  | Red Hot Chili Peppers
Mother's Milk
A focused and concentrated effort that helped poise Red Hot Chili Peppers to being rock legends. |
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