Alternative Rock Nostalgia Buzz

Forgotten Songs of the 21st Century: Nina Gordon When Nina Gordon quit Veruca Salt in 1998, many people wondered what she would be able to do on her own as a solo artist; in 2000, she emerged with Tonight and the Rest of My Life and the title track which became one of the most beautiful pop songs of the year but as the years have worn on, the song has basically been pushed under the rug. When she first quit the group, she immediately started work on a solo record that was supposed to come out on Outpost at the end of ’98 or early ’99 but the record company folded at the end of 1998 and the album was briefly shelved until she was able to ink a deal with Warner Brothers, which saw the record be released in the spring of 2000 with the title track released to whet people’s appetites. When one heard it, it was definitely unlike anything else released that year, especially by an artist who was best known for the mid-‘90s hit “Seether.” When she comes to the chorus, the song becomes almost e...

Pete’s Best of 2009! By: Pete Crigler Well it’s been over a year now since I started writing for this site and it continues to be one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. It’s been getting to the point where musicians I’ve reviewed are emailing me thanking me for pointing things out in their music that no one else has. With all the ups and downs I’ve gone through in 2009, writing for the site had been a blessed constant. Next year is shaping up to be exciting as hell with new releases and the hopeful publication of my first book, “Keeping It Tight in the Old Dominion: A History of Virginia Rock Music.” So with all that said, here’s to a slammin’ new year! It’s sad to say but punkbands.com as we know it; R.I.P.! Best Records of the Year: 1. Lamb of God- Wrath Quite possibly one of the best metal records of the decade. So loud, abrasive and full of ‘fuck you’ attitude, it’s impossible to beat. Their best record ever, asides from Ashes of the Wake of course. 2. Pearl Jam- Backspacer Th...

Forgotten Songs of the ‘90s: The Connells The Connells had been around for years but it really wasn’t until 1993 when they struck the big time and made their name known all over Europe with one song that seemed to transcend their entire career. The sad thing though is that today the song is barely remembered in America at all. That song is “74-‘75.” By the time the song came out in 1993, the band were college rock superstars because of hits like “Stone Cold Yesterday.” When the album Ring came out, American radio focused on “Slackjawed” and nothing else. So when this amazingly sweet ballad came out about remembering old times in high school and what life became afterwards, radio paid no attention at all. You listen to the song and it’s impossible not to get caught up in the sweeping emotion of the song. That, and it’s just a really great song led by Michael Connell’s unbelievable acoustic guitar work and Doug McMillan’s amazing vocal delivery. The song’s beauty and just total absorpt...

Forgotten Album of the Month: The Ocean Blue The Ocean Blue are one of the greatest, most underrated bands of all time. Coming out in a time of alt-rock and hair metal, the band’s pure pop sheen managed to shine briefly but was quickly overshadowed by the denseness of grunge. But the band persevered and in 1991, released their greatest album, Cerulean . Everything about this record is fantastic, from the title to the cover of the bluest water imaginable to the songs, it’s almost impossible to go wrong with the record. Kicking off with one of the best opening songs of all time, the beautiful “Breezing Up,” the album is a melancholic look at love and hope, all the while careening along beautifully. While certain songs instantly remind you of summer like “Breezing Up” and “Mercury,” others have a bit of a summer feel to them like the immortal “Ballerina Out of Control.” While not every song is a gem, the ones that are will forever remain immortal classics. Propelled by the lush keyboards ...