Dig Me Out - The 90's Rock Podcast

The lone release by Seattle-supergroup Mad Season, 1995's Above, is being re-released in 2013 as a box set with new material and a live concert, so now is the time to revisit. Often, musical supergroups fail to live up to the sum of their parts (re: The Thorns or Velvet Revolver), does Mad Season? Is this just another "grunge" record, or does Above rise...um, above? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - I'm Above 3:20 - History of the Band 10:52 - Wake Up 19:27 - I'm Above 23:25 - November Hotel 36:19 - Artificial Red Outro - I Don't Know Anything Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

For listener request episode #113, we're heading down the road less, or never travelled: Radial Spangle, and their second (and last) album, 1994's Syrup Macrame. Indie and alternative aren't specific enough to describe Radial Spangle's music: neo-experimental-space-psychedelic-lo-fi-rock? We're not quiet sure what to make of much of the album, but moments shine through - are their enough? Tune in to fine out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Special Love 2:38 - History of the Band 6:31 - Caf, 'Fine 9:33 - Busy Hole 14:58 - Knees 18:06 - Patio Furniture 27:17 - Sunflower Graveyard Outro - New Dress Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

For episode #112, we're tackling the third and final album from Knapsack, 1998's This Conversation Is Ending Starting Right Now. Jason brings a favorite of his to review, and Tim's never heard it. Will Tim share Jason's appreciation for an album that got plenty of Facebook love, or is disagreement on the horizon? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Arrows to the Action 2:46 - History of the Band 10:42 - Cold Enough To Break 15:56 - Shape of the Fear 25:06 - Change Is All The Rage 28:38 - Cinema Stare Outro - Hummingbirds Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

We're back with another listener suggestion for episode #111 as we return to the world of 90s one-hit wonders and the 1996 album Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy by The Refreshments. Combining bar-band like guitar crunch with clever lyrics, FFBB shows of the Arizona band's musical range, adding elements unique to the Southwest like Mariachi rhythms and horns, and plenty of references to Mexico. There's no doubting "Banditos" worthiness as a 90s hit, but does the rest of the album measure up? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Down Together 3:17 - History of the Band 14:32 - Down Together 18:46 - Banditos 24:12 - Mexico Outro - European Swallow Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

We're back with another pick from Jason - the 1997 album Sound Of Lies by The Jayhawks. Written and recorded after the departure of co-founding lead singer and songwriter Mark Olsen, Sound of Lies rests on the shoulders of Gary Louris, who expands the Midwestern Americana sound to include psychedelic and Beatles-esque pop. Reviews were mixed at the time, but some claim this is a buried treasure. Are they right? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Think About It 3:06 - History of the Band 12:41 - Sixteen Down 20:26 - Trouble 23:22 - Dying On The Vine 29:18 - It's Up To You Outro - The Man Who Loved Life Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

Episode 109 brings us another listener suggestion, this time the swan song of the Screaming Trees, their 1996 album Dust. The band recruited legendary producer George Drakoulias and legendary keyboardist Benmont Tench to create their most polished and radio-friendly album of their career, but did it turn out legendary? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Make My Mind 5:15 - History of the Band 18:56 - All I Know 22:04 - Halo of Ashes 24:14 - Sworn and Broken Outro - Dime Western Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

It's Tim's turn to make a pick, and this one brings the first big disagreement of the 2013 season as we tackle the sophomore album from Big Ass Truck, 1996's Kent. The gentlemen from Memphis combine Southern rock, funk and a little Ska with touches of Dust Brothers production ala the Beastie Boys and Beck. It's definitely an acquired taste, and one host did not acquire it. Can you guess who? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Theem From 2:28 - History of the Band 11:33 - Lil Tico 16:06 - Thermopolis 18:36 - Quart St Parakeet 21:15 - Dog Chases An Iguana Up A Tree & Barks At It All Night (pts I & II) Outro - Sweetness Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

This week it's our third requested review of season - the lone self-titled release by Handsome. The 90s had it's fair share of supergroups, from Temple of the Dog to Golden Smog, but Handsome flew under the radar, featuring members of legendary bands like Quicksand, Helmet, Cro-Mags and Murphy's Law. Terms like hardcore and alternative are easy to associate to Handsome, but what about shoegaze and industrial? Like G.I. Joe, there's more than meets the eye (or ear) with Handsome, but does it all work? Tune in and find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Going to Panic 5:32 - History of the Band 16:20 - Going to Panic 18:16 - Ride Down 21:10 - Lead Bellied 29:08 - Dim The Lights Outro - Eden's Complex Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

This week we review a band that has sold over two million albums over a seventeen-year, ten-album career - and most people outside Sweden have never heard of them. It's Kent, and their 1998 album Isola. Well, 1998 is the release of the English-language version, the Swedish-language version came out a year earlier, but that's not the point. We're hear to talk about the music, which in it's finest moments recalls Pablo Honey and The Bends-era Radiohead. But are there enough fine moments to call this a worthy album? Tune in to find out. Note: Tim is now aware he pronounced "Isola" incorrect during the entire episode thanks to his better half. Songs in this Episode: Intro - If You Were Here 3:11 - History of the Band 10:07 - If You Were Here 14:40 - OWC 21:58 - Lifesavers Outro - 747 Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

Episode 105 brings us our second Requested Review of the 2013 season: 1997's Rock Collection by Pond, the third and final album from the Portland, Oregon trio. Combing angular guitar riffs with tricky drumming and challenging melodies, Pond brings to mind better known 90s rock darlings like Built To Spill and Pavement. Do they have what it takes for consideration in the indie-rock pantheon along side those bands? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Twins 3:32 - History of the Band 6:40 - Scoliosis 11:36 - Spokes 15:16 - You're Not A Seed 18:54 - Twins Outro - Filterless Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

For episode #104, Tim sifted through his college radio archive to dig out the lone album by Pusherman, 1996's Floored. Combining the long-form jams of The Verve with the attitude and pop-sensiblity of Oasis, the band pushes the envelope on song and album length, usually bad signs when we get our hands on a record from the 90s. Through in a harmonica and some dance beats, and it sounds like a recipe for a disaster, but is it, despite the term "timeless" being used to describe it? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Sold 5:36 - History of the Band 10:15 - Chase It 17:30 - The Aim Indeed 21:44 - Whole 23:46 - Never Coming Back Outro - First Time Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

For our first episode of Season Three, we've got a requested review: the 1997 album One Day At A Time by Symposium. Once the "it" band for NME and Melody Maker, the band fell as fast as it rose, while it's brand of energetic pop punk seemed more in step with American bands like Green Day and Blink-182 than it's brit-pop contemporaries Oasis and Blur. The young band knows how to write a melodic hook, but do they know how to seamlessly integrate ska? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Drink the Sunshine 2:30 - History of the Band 8:44 - Farewell to Twilight 10:24 - Puddles 15:54 - One Day At A Time 20:07 - Smiling Outro - Fear of Flying Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

Season Two of Dig Me Out is in the books! For the last episode of 2012, we're taking a look back at our sophomore year and picking our top five favorite songs as well as our new album discovery. We've got plenty of thanks to dispense to those who made Season Two a huge success: all of our great guests and folks who suggested albums, and of course our listeners. Lastly, towards the end of the show there is a special announcement regarding something brand new in 2013 (hint: it's music related). Note: Tim imbibed too much celebratory champagne and thought this podcast went up New Year's Day instead of Christmas Day. Tim promises to lay off the champagne in future episodes. Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

For our last review of 2012, of course it's a listener suggestion. To wrap it up, we're checking out Chicago's Eleventh Dream Day and their 1993 album El Moodio. EDD provides a unique sound with their male/female vocal combination and wild swings from concise jangle pop to sprawling jam ballads. Does it all work? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Makin' Like a Rug 2:40 - History of the Band 9:57 - After This Time Is Gone 14:26 - Makin' Like a Rug 18:18 - Bend Bridge Outro - Rubberband Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

Episode #100 marks the second of two listener suggestion episodes that ignore the alternative and indie rock explosion of the 1990s in favor of some straight-up rock and roll that draws influences from metal, glam and hard rock of the previous decade. This week, it's Circus of Power and their 1993 album Magic & Madness. A number of bands pinned to the hair/glam rock era of the 1980s tried to transition their sound in the 90s, some successful and some not. COP worked with Jerry Cantrell of Alice and Chains and toured with Gruntruck, making an attempt to move in a more straightforward hard rock direction. Is it magic or madness? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Heaven & Hell 2:29 - History of the Band 7:05 - Swamp Devil 10:37 - Mama Tequila 17:49 - Black Roses 24:50 - Otta My Head Outro - Shine Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

Thanks to a listener suggestion we're starting a two week exploration of the metal, glam and hard rock end of the 1990s with Life, Sex & Death, and their 1992 album The Silent Majority. Jason says LSD are the best live band he's ever seen, and has plenty to share about this one-album-and-done band that featured Van Halen-style riffs with Tom Waits-esque vocals, a weird combination that shouldn't work but somehow does. MAJOR EARMUFFS WARNING Songs in this Episode: Intro - Telephone Call 3:40 - History of the Band 10:48 - Blue Velvet Morning 20:59 - Schools for Fools 24:14 - Fuckin Shit Ass 29:52 - Jawohl Asshole 33:26 - Rise Above Outro - Tank Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

For episode #98, we're using a listener suggestion as an opportunity to check out an obscure band neither of us knew about to that later became another obscure band that we actually did know about. Got it? Scottish rockers Baby Chaos are the band, and they also provide us with the longest album title to date with 1995's Safe Sex Designer Drugs & The Death of Rock & Roll. In the late 90s they changed their name to Deckard, a band we both listened back in the early 2000s. We liked Deckard, so how does Baby Chaos stack up? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Saliva 1:50 - History of the Band 11:17 - Sperm 13:47 - A Bullet for the End 25:38 - Go To Hell Outro - Hello Victim Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

In our quest to knock out our backlog of listener suggestions, for episode #97 we're checking out the 1997 album Under the Western Freeway by Grandaddy. Some describe Grandaddy's sound as lo-fi space-rock, drawing comparisons to The Flaming Lips, Brian Wilson and Pavement, but we also heard some more straight-forward pop in the vein of Weezer and Guided By Voices. Question is, does is work, and what could Grandaddy learn from Journey? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - A.M. 180 2:13 - History of the Band 6:08 - A.M. 180 9:39 - Summer Here Kids 13:50 - Poised at Hartsy Thai Food Outro - Why Took Your Advice Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

We're back with another listener suggestion, this week tackling the 1994 debut album Comforter by Irish band Compulsion. Deemed "The New Wave of New Wave" by NME back in the early 1990s, Compulsion straddles the line between the American alternative rock of Nirvana and the Pixies, and the harder-edged guitar rock of Therapy? with a unique lyrical bent. Does it all work? Tune in to find out. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Mall Monarchy 2:32 - History of the Band 9:36 - Rapejacket 14:06 - Domestique 15:33 - Oh My Fool Life Outro - Jean Could Be Wrong Follow on Twitter / Facebook Request A Review / Merchandise

We've got a very special episode this week as we're joined by Ken Stringfellow of The Posies to talk about his new solo album, Danzig The Moonight. In addition, we revisit the 1993 Posies album Frosting On The Beater. Now living in Paris, Ken talks about the varied influences behind his new album, working with a variety of musicians, songwriting, gives us the real story on The Posies relationship with DGC while making Frosting On The Beater, their contrasting experiences in the studio with John Leckie and Don Fleming, how he joined the R.E.M. fold, and so much more. Songs in this Episode: Intro - Dream All Day (from Frosting On The Beater) 2:05 - History of the Band 9:07 - Jesus Was An Only Child (from Danzig In The Moonlight) 27:43 - Drop Your Pride (from Danzig In The Moonlight) 40:47 - Flavor of the Month (from Frosting On The Beater) 58:21 - Doesn't It Remind You of Something (from Danzig In The Moonlight) Outro - Shittalkers (from Danzig In the Moonlight Follow on Twitter / Facebook Support