10 Awesome Canadian Alt-Rock Songs from the 90s That You’ve Probably Forgotten
Over the weekend, BuzzFeed has this list of 38 alt-rock songs from the 90s that we probably haven’t heard for years. I’m going to counter that with 10 Canadian songs from the same era that have gone AWOL.
1. Crash Vegas: “Inside Out” (1990)
Technically, this single came out in the waning months of 1989, but the album from whence it came was released in February 1990. That’s good enough for me.
2. Nine Big Dogs: “Dougie’s Lament” (1991)
One of the reasons I love going through my vinyl collection with you record by record is that I rediscover releases that haven’t been off the shelf for years. This is a perfect example. Nine Big Dogs were from St. Catharines and were together for about two years. In 1991, they released an album entitled Bite which featured this track called “Dougie’s Lament” written by singer Alex Bako, a former student at the TV Broadcasting program at Mohawk College. Bite did make it to CD, but it along with the vinyl has long been deleted.
3. Songs of Freedom: “Call Me” (1992)
A single from their second album. There was one more record after that, but it didn’t equal what the band did with their first two records.
http://youtu.be/NPwVD1Kswy0
4. I Mother Earth: “Not Quite Sonic” (1993)
I think I’ve had this song on every retro playlist I’ve made for every iPod/iPhone I’ve ever owned.
5. Pure: “Denial” (1994)
After being discovered at the Music West conference in Vancouver, they had a run of good luck that continued for the bulk of the decade. This is from their 1994 release, Generation 6-Pack.
6. Delerium: “Flowers Become Screens” (1994)
A gorgeous, floaty song from a side project of Front Line Assembly and an album entitled Semantic Spaces. The single is Kristy Thirsk from The Rose Chronicles.
7. Slowburn: “Whatever” (1996)
They got off to such a fast start with their self-titled debut album, but broke up before they could do anything else.
8. Sandbox: “Curious” (1997)
The band that featured the guy who we’d later know as Bubbles on The Trailer Park Boys. Seriously. You can look it up.
9. Pluto: “The Goodbye Girls” (1998)
Yet another band from Vancouver. They survived through three albums, including Shake Hands with the Future, from which this single came.
10. Thrush Hermit: “The Day We Hit the Coast” (1999)
AKA the band that once featured Joel Plaskett.
Any other lost gems you’d like to add?
Great list!
Let’s not forget:
– Doughboys – Fix Me
– Lowest of the Low – Salesmen, Cheats & Liars
– Rusty – Wake Me
Aww Lowest of the Low-Shakespeare my Butt….still one of my favorite albums to listen to from start to finish. I had a shirt. ..”Lowest of the Low….High in the low 90’s”
Salmonblaster
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdPy0P92mmU&feature=kp
Killjoys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_T04rO50po&feature=kp
Doughboys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QcUdJe3CS4&feature=kp
Rusty – Misogany
I still listen to Zuckerbaby’s ‘Andromeda’ on a regular basis
I was going to suggest that too.
Hayden – Trees Lounge is always a song I forget about then stumble across and love. Then I have to watch the movie.
How about Cellophane by The Miller Stain Limit? Almost positive they were Canadian, or at least the frontman was.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w8XGqXDLoo
And Starkicker’s Get Up. Always had a soft spot for this one. A good, straight ahead rock tune.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS9QMdSUvhU
The Day We Hit The Coast is a great song. Give me one reason it’s on this list.
Glad to see Curious on there.
Rest in peace Todd Simko of Pure.
Here’s the Buzzfeed list Alan referenced: http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/forgotten-90s-songs
Love seeing Ned’s Atomic Dustbin remembered! Lots of winners on that list.
Canadian tracks on there include Bran Van 3000, Sloan and Our Lady Peace.
Don’t forget Joydrops “Metasexual”. Tara Slone was a really underrated singer.
So glad to see sandbox in that list, and zuckerbaby and rusty in the comments section. Andromeda might have one of my favourite guitar solos ever, such a good vibe to it.
Vicious by Limblifter
Downtime from Gandarvas is pretty awesome too
King Cobb Steelie – Rational
The Grapes of Wrath – You May be Right
Love this list! But my all-time fave has got to be First Day of Spring by The Gandharvas.
Rymes With Orange – Toy Train
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3byaThnXfI
Rhymes with f@#k all….lol that’s the shirt I had when they played a second stage at one of the first edgefests!
How about Matthew Sweet, Sick of Myself?
Not Canadian, sorry for the mix-up 🙁
Weird, I was vaguely under the impression he was Canadian, too.
Fine list, but your forgot a key one: Too Many Cooks. Here singing “Rita” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwyAwecIcEQ
I’ll redeem myself by saying the Odds had a number of great forgotten 90’s alt tunes.
Gandharvas – first day of spring.
I’d like to say my picks but after seeing this list I’m not so sure they’re as obscure as they need to be. I’m thinking treblecharger’s red or Matthew good bands symbolistic white walls or stereo by the watchmen. Even leader of men by nickleback was well worth putting on this list before they broke over.
Furnaceface If You Love Her Would You Buy Her A Gun
Starkicker – Neil Armstrong and Get Up. Lost gem of a record.
Also shameless plug for this compilation of Classic Canadian songs of the 80s and 90s covered by contemporary artists (Alan featured it a few weeks back in a post):
http://qbim.ca/dmntd
We’re going to be making another one and are looking for new song suggestions.
Holly McNarland had some great songs. The Watchmen were great. (Middle East from In the Trees was always my favourite from them.) King Cobb Steelie were great. I liked Dragonfly and Heroic Doses by Glueleg. One Life to Live by Raggadeth was so far ahead of its time. The Gandharvas were another of my favourite bands. Misogyny by Rusty was great.
Bootsauce – Masterstroke
The Inbreds Kombinator… The original 2 piece band. Just drums and bass.
This is a fantastic list! Here’s a few to add:
13 Engines – More
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiQUWU04dTQ
13 Engines – Smoke & Ashes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqSsQVFhfvM&list=PLYsgviaeujnnKula373FmfQdDSHkHhZu2
Furnace Face – If you love her (would you buy her a gun)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hJk6zEwd3g
Jale – Not Happy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndn7xYHvpdI
Wide Mouth Mason – My Old Self
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9hFKtsn-0s
Untitled – Age of Electric
Smoke and Ashes – 13 Ashes
Paranoia – Barstool Prophets
Chupacabras – Chixdiggit
Killjoys
Damn The Diva
Of course that was meant to read “13 Engines”
How about ‘Smile’ by Change of heart.
And ‘Herstory’!
The Super Friendz and “10 Lbs” is a slice of fried gold. Just sayin’.
Great post, totally forgot the Crash Vegas tune. How about Sloan “lines you amend”,
Swamp Baby: “Cyborgs”. No one captured downtown Toronto like a black and white photograph better.
I believe that this was on one of those CFNY new artist CDs back in the early 90’s.
An April March – Lava
http://youtu.be/N__MLHnSrEs
Another obscure An April March tune – Scarlett Bliss
http://youtu.be/saLtqM0RvI8