Unlucky For Some: The 13 most underrated bands of the 1990s
Although every decade is brimming with incredible music, the 1990s was the greatest. With everything from the tidal wave of grunge to the dance music explosion, it is almost impossible to mention all of the great sounds released within those ten years in just one sitting. The spiritual successor to the 1960s, it helped to reset culture’s course, with the likes of Nirvana, Massive Attack and PJ Harvey showing us the way forward.
Many factors made the 1990s such a decade of extraordinary artistic endeavours. These include the widespread thought that we had entered a new epoch with America deemed to have ‘won’ the Cold War following the demise of the Soviet Union, symbolised by the Berlin Wall being torn down in 1989.
Other defining elements were the rage held by Generation X, which had been simmering under the surface since they were children amidst the utterly bleak 1970s. This was exacerbated by the proliferation of neoliberal thought and global systems thanks to its two leading proponents, Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Regan.
This, combined with the spread of drugs such as ecstasy and the development of technology, musical and otherwise, culminated in the 1990s, seeing the rise of a sort of the second counterculture, where hedonistic abandon and the utter dedication to personal freedom were the names of the game.
We all know who the most significant players of the decade were, with them so pioneering that they even stole the limelight from others who were doing stellar and potentially more important things. Either these groups lived in the shadow of the heavyweights because what they were doing was too ahead of its time, waiting to age like a fine wine, or because people were so concentrated on those who dominated the charts that they missed out on the real genius that was happening right under their very nose.
Whether it be dance, metal or otherwise, the ’90s was crammed with bands that were criminally underrated, which boils down to one factor, there was so much going on. So today, we’re attempting to set that right, and have listed the 13 most underrated bands of the decade.
The 13 most underrated bands of the 1990s:
The God Machine
Where else to start than with the leviathan that was the San Diego via London trio, The God Machine? I recently argued that they were the hottest band of the decade, and it’s a hill I’m willing to die on. For a three-piece, they packed a tremendous punch, with each member bringing something vital to the fold.
Frontman/guitarist Robin Proper-Sheppard not only delivered bleak lyrics, but backed them up with visceral guitar parts and such a cutting form of vocal delivery that it leaves an indelible mark on everyone when first listening.
Bassist Jimmy Fernandez was an incredibly gifted player with an instantly recognisable style, characterised by an almost lead way of playing and a penchant for bar chords. As for drummer Austin Lynn Austin, he held the whole thing together with a unique form of his own, utilising the china cymbal regularly and using off-beats to make their sound that little bit more challenging.
Industrial, post-rock and metal all in one pulsating mesh; tragically, the band ended with Fernandez’s unexpected death in 1994, but not before they had released two stellar records, Scenes from the Second Storey and One Last Laugh in a Place of Dying. ‘She Said’, ‘Purity’, ‘Home’ and ‘The Devil Song’ are just four stand-out cuts.
Sugar
Nobody in their right mind would criticise the work of Bob Mould. The former Hüsker Dü frontman, guitarist and creative mastermind is one of those rare artists in the sense that his work is loved by different generations, from Generation X to Gen Z, with it containing a quality and an intensity that not many can claim. Therefore, no one was surprised to find that his post-Hüsker Dü outfit Sugar were exceptional when they emerged in 1992.
Joined by bassist David Barbe, formerly of Mercyland and drummer Malcolm Travis, who had plied his trade in new wavers Human Sexual Response, things moved quickly for the band, releasing their debut, Copper Blue, later that year. Mould instantly showed everyone he wasn’t going anywhere by boasting tracks such as ‘If I Can’t Change Your Mind’, ‘Helpless’ and the infectious ‘A Good Idea’.
Sugar then followed their debut with the Beaster EP in 1993, which featured two of their best pieces, ‘Tilted’ and ‘JC Auto’. Then, their second and final album came in the form of 1994’s File Under: Easy Listening, another criminally underrated body of work. Due to extraneous variables, the band called it quits in the spring of 1996, but they had made their mark.
Swervedriver
Let’s be very clear: Swervedriver are coveted by those in the know, but outside of cult circles, they get unfairly forgotten for Creation labelmates Ride and other “shoegaze” bands such as Slowdive. Arguably the greatest guitar band of the decade, no one shreds quite like Adam Franklin and Jimmy Hartridge.
Whether it be the raw power of their debut, 1991’s Raise, the heady textures of its follow-up, 1993’s Mezcal Head, or cuts like ‘The Other Jesus’ from their third, more Britpop leaning album Ejector Seat Reservation, Swervedriver’s music speaks for itself. Their riffs and thunderous rhythm section create a sound so potent it hits you like an unexpected punch to the temple.
The band disbanded in 1998, but due to calls for them to return, they embarked on their second chapter in 2008, with their ensuing duo of albums, 2015’s I Wasn’t Born to Lose You and 2019’s Future Ruins, up there with their very best. Fans of Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth and The MC5 will heavily dig the Oxford group.
Bowery Electric
Blending post-rock, shoegaze and trip-hop, no one sounds like Bowery Electric, and although the New York duo only released three albums in their lifetime, boy, is their back catalogue an exciting one. They are best known for their second record, 1996’s Beat, a heady fusion of Loveless-esque shoegaze with trip-hop elements so dream-like that even Portishead should be jealous. An almost flawless album boasting ‘Fear of Flying’, ‘Without Stopping’ and ‘Coming Down’, it’s a real gem, perfect for any time of the year.
Although discussion of Lawrence Chandler and Martha Schwendener’s band largely centres around Beat, they are much more than this, with their first and final records also total aural delights. They must be played loud in order to be enjoyed properly.
Girls Against Boys
Although they are still going strong, Girls Against Boys are best regarded as a band of the nineties. Something of a post-hardcore supergroup that once upon a time featured Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty, the band have released seven studio albums to date, with five coming in the nineties. A raucous outfit with a catchy yet punishing style, the band’s sound is so unique, with it tipped off by frontman Scott McCloud’s Mark E. Smith-like form of vocal delivery. From ‘Bullet Proof Cupid’ to ‘Super-fire’, there’s much to love.
Drive Like Jehu
Post-hardcore masters Drive Like Jehu are another one who are incredibly revered by those in the know, but outside of this, they often get overlooked. Up there with Fugazi and Quicksand, the San Diego group had a defining impact on the genre, with a whole host of subsequent legends citing them as an influence, including Modest Mouse, Jimmy Eat World, Deftones, Gallows, Metz and At the Drive-In.
The band were initially active from 1990-1995, and through members Rick Froberg and John Reis, they are connected to another pair of celebrated bands, Hot Snakes and Rocket from the Crypt. They also feature drummer Mark Trombino, who is now a multi-platinum record producer, which give you a sense of their musical nouse.
Remarkably, the band only released two albums, 1991’s Drive Like Jehu and 1994’s Yank Crime, but both are flawless. It’s punishing but good fun; how post-hardcore should be.
Jets to Brazil
Jets to Brazil were a criminally underrated group. They might have called it a day in 2003, but they arguably had their best period in the 1990s, with their 1998 debut Orange Rhyming Dictionary a masterclass in indie rock. Formed by Jawbreaker band leader Blake Schwarzenbach, and bassist Jeremy Chatelain, who was also in Handsome – another underrated act of the decade – they were joined by drummer Chris Daly, and before too long, they had hit their stride.
Although their second and third albums, Four Cornered Night and Perfecting Loneliness, are brilliant, they do not eclipse their debut. Featuring a plethora of classics that includes ‘Chinatown’, ‘Sea Anemone’ and ‘Sweet Avenue’; after listening, you’ll be hooked on the trio, wishing they’d come back for a second rodeo.
Curve
Curve were excellent. Formed by the enigmatic frontwoman Toni Halliday and multi-instrumentalist Dean Garcia, the band were active from 1990 to 2005, and they fused shoegaze with dance and industrial to create a mesmerising style, with Halliday’s otherworldy vocals totally bewitching, and the perfect way of augmenting the pair’s all-encompassing compositions.
Their debut, 1992’s Doppelgänger is one of the most outstanding records of the era, which they followed up with the equally brilliant Cuckoo. Their work is timeless.
Hum
Hum are one of the ultimate alt-rock bands. The band’s first chapter lasted 11 years, from 1989 to 2000, and over that period, they went from strength to strength, releasing three of the best guitar albums of the decade, Electra 2000, You’d Prefer An Astronaut, and Downward is Heavenward.
A highly influential band, their oeuvre draws on metal, shoegaze, post-rock, post-hardcore and space rock, and at points, it is so ethereal you are left astounded that they aren’t more famous. Without them, there’d be no Deftones or Deafheaven, which says everything.
They returned in 2020 with the spectacular Inlet, but with the heartbreaking passing of drummer Bryan St. Pere in 2021, the band’s future is uncertain. However, one thing is sure, the combined talent of Matt Talbott, Tim Lash, Jeff Dimpsey and St. Pere was astounding, with their back catalogue bursting with highlights, including the alt-rock classics ‘Stars’ and ‘The Pod’.
Unwound
In July this year, Washington’s Unwound announced on Instagram that they are returning in 2023 for a tour, making it 21 years since they called it a day. A dynamic outfit that makes heavy grooves their forte, stylistically, they find themselves in the middle of the Venn diagram between Fugazi, Gang of Four, Hüsker Dü and Wipers. The band represent noise rock at its finest, and their discography is as consistent as they come within alt-rock. Their best cuts include ‘Kantina’, ‘Corpse Pose’ and ‘Look a Ghost’, with their hooky guitars pulling you in instantly. Just check out that bassline in ‘Corpse Pose’.
Ned’s Atomic Dustbin
Stourbridge’s finest, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin sounded like nothing else on the market when they first broke through as part of the grebo scene, alongside the likes of The Wonder Stuff and Carter USM, and it’s still true today. Fronted by John Penney, whose witty lyrics are equally as hilarious as some of the gags on The Goon Show, from where the band took their name, there’s a reason Ned’s fans are so diehard.
Their secret weapon is their two bass players, with Alex Griffin playing melody lines and Matt Cheslin the regular ones. This gave the band a heavy undercurrent, bolstered by the drumming of Andy King, who delivers dancey rhythms that create an amphetamine-like groove. Added to this, guitarist Rat had a penchant for riffs that were total earworms, adding much to this already multi-faceted style.
A real cult band, there’s much to love about the Neds.
Drop Nineteens
If you speak to any shoegaze fan, they’ll tell you how incredible Boston’s Drop Nineteens were. A testament to their skill, their first run was only four years, between 1991 and 1995, but in that short period, they achieved much, helping to show every guitar band worth their salt how it should be done moving forward.
Like many of the names on this list, they only released two albums before calling it quits, but they remain as coveted as they come, with their debut, 1991’s Delaware, a cult classic comprised of rippers such as ‘Delaware’, ‘Winona’ and ‘Kick the Tragedy’. Indicating just how sought-after the record is, second-hand vinyl copies typically go for over £200.
In January this year, it was announced that they have reformed and will be releasing a new album, and we cannot wait.
Catherine Wheel
Alt-rockers Catherine Wheel are potentially the only great act from East Anglia. Fronted by Rob Dickinson, the cousin of Iron Maiden frontman Bruce, the band released two masterpieces in their time, in the form of 1992’s Ferment and 1993’s Chrome.
There’s an authentic atmosphere to Catherine Wheel’s music, with Dickinson’s lyrics particularly dark at points. Still, it is juxtaposed with heady music and Dickinson’s inebriating vocal melodies, which are also criminally underrated. There’s no sign of these guys reforming yet, but that’s alright; their records are enough.
