Forgotten Songs of the '90s: Cracker
Forgotten Songs of the ‘90s: Cracker
Cracker have always been, at least in my opinion, one of the most underrated rock bands of all time. Even though they’re still played on the radio to this day, it’s only one song: “Low” and that’s not even their very best. To do that, you’ve got to go back to their 1992 self-titled debut and listen to track 1, “Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now).”
Kicking off with one of the best guitar riffs of the decade, the band get into high gear right away as the rhythm section starts to blend together with the guitar and then David Lowery’s voice comes in and the listener is fully aware they’re going to be getting something fantastic.
The song, without a doubt, is one of the best slacker anthems of alternative rock and while basically being a pun on “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Teen Angst” is like an old-timer speaking like a hipster, desperately trying to be cool. Where else could a reference like “Frank Sinatra” be heard? By the time the song ends, the whole band is just having a blast and it shows as the song begins to get faster. Nearing the home stretch, the band goes into basically punk mode and starts shouting every line like it’s the end of the world and with all those key ingredients thrown together, that’s what makes the song so damn perfect.
Now unlike several other bands I’ve written about, Cracker have not become completely forgotten. Instead, in some circles, they’re revered as alternative rock godfathers and that’s exactly how it should be. And to think, it all started right here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TybFyhlwdvU
Cracker have always been, at least in my opinion, one of the most underrated rock bands of all time. Even though they’re still played on the radio to this day, it’s only one song: “Low” and that’s not even their very best. To do that, you’ve got to go back to their 1992 self-titled debut and listen to track 1, “Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now).”
Kicking off with one of the best guitar riffs of the decade, the band get into high gear right away as the rhythm section starts to blend together with the guitar and then David Lowery’s voice comes in and the listener is fully aware they’re going to be getting something fantastic.
The song, without a doubt, is one of the best slacker anthems of alternative rock and while basically being a pun on “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Teen Angst” is like an old-timer speaking like a hipster, desperately trying to be cool. Where else could a reference like “Frank Sinatra” be heard? By the time the song ends, the whole band is just having a blast and it shows as the song begins to get faster. Nearing the home stretch, the band goes into basically punk mode and starts shouting every line like it’s the end of the world and with all those key ingredients thrown together, that’s what makes the song so damn perfect.
Now unlike several other bands I’ve written about, Cracker have not become completely forgotten. Instead, in some circles, they’re revered as alternative rock godfathers and that’s exactly how it should be. And to think, it all started right here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TybFyhlwdvU
Totally agree. Have been a fan since that first single, and have seen them play a couple of times.
ReplyDeletefun to compare the live show to the couple of times I've seen CVB.
The recent albums are really good too, IMHZO. Greenland is particularly nice.